Editor’s Note: I’m working on a big piece about Damon Stoudamire. Technically, you’d call it a “feature.” Since this is the interweb, I thought I might bring everyone into the process. For today, we’re heading right up to the thesis. We’ll continue this Monday.
Programming Notice: I taped a podcast with Sarah Meehan today. It was awesome. That will be out first thing Monday morning.
The Toronto Raptors are in the midst of their 14th season. Relative to other North American franchises they are essentially emerging from infancy. A fact which makes the fanbase’s detachment from the teams first real star very, very interesting.
Like all gigantic clusterfucks in the National Basketball Association, it starts with Isiah Thomas. The Raptors first General Manager abandoned (is there a stronger word?) the team after a failed ownership bid. Apparently, Isiah loosened the wheels before his departure, because, after he left, they came off in a “Lindsay Lohan’s present day market-value relative to 2003″ kind of way. Players demanded to be traded. Coaches quit. For more than a moment, the actual future of the franchise in Toronto was in doubt. After an encouraging 30 wins in their second season, the Raptors slid back to 16 in ‘97 – ‘98. 16 wins and 66 losses. There has to be a little biblical significance associated with that win-loss record, right? The only redeeming quality was an impromptu speech by new General Manager Glen Grunwald after an especially putrid defeat to end the season. Through the “Bronx-Cheer” that was rattling down from the grey’s at Maple Leafs Gardens (!), Grunwald promised change.
We didn’t know it yet, but the damage had been done.
Damon Stoudamire demanded a trade towards the end of 1997. It came to fruition on February 14, 1998. (Yes, it was on Valentine’s Day. No, I’m not going make a shitty joke about it.) Throughout the process, Stoudamire dictated the terms. He was able to do this because of the incredible amount of power that players – good young players in particular – held within the parameters of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. Mike Wise writes in the New York Times that “Damon Stoudamire got Damon Stoudamire traded from Toronto to Portland.”
You might remember that when the season concluded the CBA was reopened and David Stern decimated the NBA Player’s Union leading to a salary cap, and, wouldn’t you know it, a restructured salary-scale for rookies complete with provisions that gave their current team significant leverage in contract negotiations. From the draft class of 1998 to 2005, teams have kept their first-round draft picks past the rookie contract almost without exception. Assuming, of course, that keeping the player was their intention. Sometimes it isn’t. I’m not going to name names. But if you click on this link you’ll see him listed at #8 with the words: Rafael Araujo beside that number.
Oops.
(For accuracy’s sake, I’m speaking about All-Star calibre players; Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce were all drafted in 1998 and each of them stayed put. In 1999 Steve Francis (famously) forced Vancouver to trade him, but that was kind of awesome. The most recent class to be extended enmasse include Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Danny Granger. Noticeably absent from the extended players: The player selected right before Danny Granger. In case you’re curious, Tracy McGrady was drafted in 1997.)
Was Damon Stoudamire the tipping point? Wise writes:
The diminutive, stop-and-pop point guard has a tattoo of Mighty Mouse on his biceps for a reason. He wields a lot of power, enough to shoot down other prospective deals that could have made the Raptors a much better team and also injected some life into a city other than Toronto.
Before the six-player deal between the Raptors and Trail Blazers was consummated — Kenny Anderson was the linchpin in the deal — Stoudamire was minutes away on Wednesday from going to Orlando in a three-team deal that would have sent Anfernee Hardaway to the Nets.
But when news of the prospective trade reached Stoudamire, a free agent at season’s end, he emphatically put the word out through his agent, Aaron Goodwin, that he would not be interested in signing a long-term deal with the Magic after the season. The only scenario would involve Hardaway’s staying in Orlando.
”It really has gotten out of control,” said Geoff Petrie, the vice president and general manager of the Kings. ”Toronto drafted this kid, couldn’t keep him because of all kinds of demands and had to settle for a deal that wasn’t the best deal out there for them.”
Of course, there were other issues. Kevin Garnett was offered $103,000,000 by the Minnesota Timberwolves and turned it down. Some weeks later the Timberwolves countered with a more suitable offer of $126,000,000. Garnett accepted. Holy fucking shit.
Trading Damon Stoudamire set in motion a series of events that, collectively, ruined the psyche of Toronto Sports fans. In the case of the Raptors and the Blue Jays, the argument can be made that it stuck their franchises in a rut from which they haven’t yet emerged.
Coming Monday: Searching For Damon Stoudamire: Part 2
Nice blog. Really enjoyed it also I never knew “clusterfucks” was a word. LOL
If you look at his numbers over his career, the Raptors got the best of it. With all the troubles he had off the court and with his declining numbers I am happy with him leaving town when he did.
Hindsight is truly 20/20.
On The Fence Sports
Really? You’re happy that the Raptors were coerced into trading Damon Stoudamire to the team of his choice? Do you want to re-think that?
His statistics are irrelevant to this argument; as is everything he did from the moment he was traded. My piece is going to examine the impact of this trade as it relates to the Raptors, Blue Jays and the overall sporting landscape in Toronto.
It sucks when players get their way with getting management to trade them to their choice. What would have happened if he stayed in Toronto. Sat on the bench, poison the locker room, or just give up on his teammates. If a player doesn’t want to be there then they should be traded or given a seat on the bench.
As a young franchise there will be growing pains and I guess this was one of them.
PS, I understand that your article was on the impact of this trade but just wanted to throw my 2 cents in about Damon.
On The Fence Sports
Tough to say how things would have worked out. I do appreciate your wanting to throw in an opinion. SA