NBA / Feb 23, 2009 / 11:00 am

Antoine Walker To The Raptors?

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Antoine WalkersStay retired

The Raptors are struggling. Once Jermaine O’Neal didn’t work out and they traded him for Shawn Marion, and before they shipped out Will Solomon and acquired Patrick O’Bryant, according to sources, they had conducted workouts in Toronto with Antoine Walker and Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

Really?!? You think ‘Toine is the answer to your problems? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a huge fan of Walker for years, but at this point in his career he should just hang ‘em up for good.

If you were the Raptors, would you sign ‘Toine?

Source: Toronto Star

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  • Scott

    no.

  • ERIC

    Is Antoine desperate to get back? He’s good for a scoring punch off the bench. He would be a good fit for an uptempo team like the Suns or Knicks. The Raptors are a half-court team.

    If i were the raptors – i would NOT sign him.

    The C’s could use him off the bench – do any C’s fans wanna weigh in on that?

  • Heckler…formerly ‘yallallreadyknow’

    antoine walker is still in the league? didn’t Minny have him on the roster to start the year?…what ever happened to ‘Employee #8′?

    hahahaha.

    since the Celts are in need of a big productive body (?) and a shooter off the bench, how cool would it be to see employee #8 suit up for the Celts one last time?

  • loganlight

    If I was the Grizzlies and Gay, Mayo, Conley, and Warrick all went down with season ending injury… I still wouldn’t sign Walker.

    LL

  • jzsmoove

    what the EFFF is colangelo trying to accomplish É WTF

  • Scott

    I think its funny that BC chose to go with O’Bryant over Antoine. Funny in that that is just how done Walker’s career is. And all the blame falls on Toine’s shoulders. Seriously, if he ever decided to live in the post and remove the 3 from his game, he could’ve made his career last a good 3 more years.

  • Kobeef

    The Raptors have a 5% chance of making the playoffs. I’d say any signing at this point is a waste of money. Accept the inevitable and don’t waste your money on trying to make the playoffs.

    I got that 5% figure from this story which is pretty cool http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

    Interesting that the lakers are only the 3rd most likely team to win the chip this year.

  • Anthony

    *does the shimmy

  • Celts Fan

    @Scott – EXACTLY, I want no parts of this guy again

  • LakeShow84

    Antoine Walker.. lol

    No but really.. Antoine Walker.. lol

  • Rico

    I’d sign ‘Toine. Right after chewing my own arm off.

  • hahns

    “He would be a good fit for an uptempo team like the Suns or Knicks”

    Really eric? really?

  • JA

    Must have been Toine’s first workout in years.

  • Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09)

    @ Kobeef– “Interesting that the lakers are only the 3rd most likely team to win the chip this year”.

    That’s cause ESPN has an east coast bias, just think about it Duke, really Duke always ranked so high and then lose in the sweet sixteen? All their players w/ the exception of Elton Brand never amount to jack in the L.

    Or how bout the Celts and Cavs still favored over the Lakers, even though the Lakers beat them both twice once with AB and once with out AB.

  • Kudabeen

    Nate Robinson was really good on the David Letterman show…He better hurry up and parlay this spotlight to a movie or cartoon or something. He has a lot of personality and energy…

    http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/02/20/video-nate-robinson-on-late-show-with-david-letterman/

  • Shrink This

    BC is a moron for even considering this.

    It’s ridiculous for a number of reasons. First, it’s a waste of money, second, you’re adding a known malcontent to a locker room that already has problems and lacks leadership (despite what people think about bosh); and third, you’d be doing this in order to have the privilege of being destroyed in the first round by cleveland, boston or orlando. What’s the point?

    As currently constituted, the only shot this team has at having any balls is in the lottery. Start praying for Griffin now.

  • marcus the great

    Antoine Walker is possibly the worst NBA player in recent memory, regardless of his ‘star’ years, and even more possibly my least favorite NBA player of all time.

    and he looks just like my uncle, one of the least athletically gifted, uncordinated people i know.

    HELL NO!!

  • Heckler…formerly ‘yallallreadyknow’

    praying for griffin? blake griffin is nice (in his own way), but he can’t even shoot an 8footer.

    if you sign a player (at this stage, even walker) you’re trying to put yourself in position to make the playoffs.

    in this economic climate, making the playoffs is a VERY BIG DEAL. who cares wether you advance or not…..it assures you TWO HOME PLAYOFFS games.

    and the revenue from those 2 games alone (over a 3-4 dat stretch) can net you a return in the millions.

    Now…I don’t support the move for BC and the Rapts, but I surely do understand why they would consider it. actually, i couldnt care less what the Rapts do.

    But before any of you start saying this or that and thinking its pure foolishness….consider WHY it being discussed and the SHORT TERM goals achieved.

    2 home playoff games go a LONG way….trust it!

  • marcus the great

    good point Heckler, never looked at it that way

  • marcus the great

    but still, ANTOINE WALKER??????????

  • doc

    I say do it Toronto.Sign Walker fat ass to a 10 year contract.Lets make it more certain than ever Bosh out on the first thing smoking.

  • Kobeef

    @Heckler
    Rough estimate is that a home playoff game is worth about $3 million in revenue. Is it worth spending half of that to sign a vetran when you have only a 5% chance (which I think is realisic) of making the playoffs? That’s like betting the house on the last card of the draw when you have 10,J,Q,K.

  • http://GEE2.com GEE…”What we are is what we be, be the epitome…”

    No it’s reality show time for him.

    Celebrity Fit Club
    Celebrity Rehab, Sober house or whatever it is
    re-Made (Shaping Toine back into a basketball player)

    I am sure there is a show for him.

  • Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09)

    I heard there gonna do an I love New York goes to Hollywood or somethin, maybe he’s planning on auditioning.

  • Brown

    If BC is even considering this move, I’ve just lost what faith I had left in him, which wasn’t much. A few million from a couple playoff games won’t mean jack when the team sucks again next year, and the year after that. You make money by building contenders with players your fans will actually believe in. Being a middle-of-the pack team at best doesn’t make you any money in the long run.

  • http://allintheeyes.com the rocket cat

    Did someone say Walker would be a good fit for an up-tempo team?

    At this point in his career, Walker can’t get over half-court in seven seconds or less.

  • FK

    Pops had 37 and 19 last night in the D-League.

    Big ‘Twoine ate 37 cheeseburgers, and 19 milkshakes.

  • Taj

    If Mikki Moore is getting offers, I guess Toine is gonna get some looks!

    Bad idea for the Raps though. This guy has not done a damn thing in yrs! Best bet it to get the guys you have currently to play at a higher level and together. I like Jay Triano, but they need a tough minded coach that will squeeze every ounce of talent out of his squad. Lil General would be nice!!!

  • geniuses

    ok, let’s look at it like this:

    raps aren’t making the playoffs. that’s it. why add a player like ‘tonne? well, for one, they’ll suck even more, increasing their odds of getting into the top-8. the money isn’t an issue – they’re about half-a-mil under the tax threshold, so signing a guy to a pro-rated vet. min. deal (less than $300K) for the rest of the season doesn’t do jack-squat to the bottom-line – they’d still qualify for the payout to teams under the tax. and no, they wouldn’t be interested (if they even are) at more $$ than that.

    plus, the IDEA that they’re still trying for the playoffs has to be sold, and sold in earnest. openly tanking would have a negative impact at the gate – they know they aren’t making it, but have to make the paying public BELIEVE that they have a shot. signing a guy like ‘tonne would send that message to joe (ticket-buying) six-pack.

    anyway…i can’t see it happening. but if it does – WHO CARES! it doesn’t change the outlook for this season, and it certainly wouldn’t for next either.

  • the cynic

    maybe BC wants to sign Big Toe to show the rest of the raptors “this could be you if the losing continues” or maybe he’s trying to make the team worse to improve draft position. I’ve heard BC is an outside the box type of thinker.

  • added

    hell no!

    blood the youngster, this is a lost year anyway…

    play nathan jawai – he’s a lot better than turning into a mark madsen…

  • Shrink This

    The Raptors, as currently, constituted are done. I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs whether they get ‘toine or not.

    In the longer term, I’m not sure bringing a guy like that into the locker room helps the morale of the team in the long run and may not make the revenue two playoff games brings worth it.

    They should have traded Bosh mid season when he started whining about the fans booing.

  • http://dimemag.com solomon (the real deal)

    antoine walker should sign with the gun-friendly warriors…

  • Senior C

    If they are going to do that, then they might as well call up Shawn Kemp too! – Just kidding!

  • hork

    Great. As if the Raps weren’t already relying too much on the jump shot, now they’re looking at adding a 4-pointer specialist?

  • Joe Shmo

    Toine is not, nor ever was, a “cancer” in the lockerroom. If he was, then why haven’t we heard ANYTHING regarding his *alleged* “cancer-like locker-room presence” from the MEDIA throughout his entire career??

    Answer : ‘Cause the Teammates LOVE HIM! It’s the fans that don’t truly appreciate the type of person he is. He brings it 1001% each and every night on the court….is he the most talented? no. But he does what he can with what little talent he has left and tries to maximize it in order to help his team win.

    But I guess all that is now a moot point since no one has signed him. That is sad ’cause he can still help a team win games….

    The man is only 32 years old, DAMMIT!! YOU CAN’T BE “DONE” AT 32!! YOU CAN’T! SOMEBODY OUT THERE HAS GOT TO GIVE HIM A SHOT!!

    I DON’T CARE IF HE’S NOT PLAYOFF-ELIGIBLE….JUST DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO “Let him Play!”.

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