| Turkoglu, Toronto Will Regret Marriage Authored by Alex Kennedy - July 4, 2009 - 10:56 pm
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Now, he's headed to a team that won only 33 games last season. A team that is in jeopardy of losing their franchise player, Chris Bosh, one year from now. A team that has failed to win a playoff series since 2001.
On Friday, Turkoglu agreed to terms with the Toronto Raptors, a move he will surely regret at some point over the next five years. Trading away the chance to play alongside four potential All-Stars and contend for the rest of his career, Turkoglu took Toronto's offer of $53 million over five years and ran with it.
But was the extra $8 million dollars really worth it?
When you factor in that the state of Florida has no income tax, plus all of the excess money that players make in the playoffs and Finals, the financial differences between the Raptors' contract and Orlando's $45 million offer are next to nothing.
But the same cannot be said for what Turkoglu is leaving behind. Things like friendships, most notably with Dwight Howard. The familiarity that comes with being on the same team, in the same city, with many of the same players for five years. The fan base that supported Turkoglu for so long, through the good times and bad. The $2 million home that Turkoglu owns in Isleworth.
But most importantly, the chance to compete for a title.
The addition of Turkoglu may give the Raptors a versatile scorer that can contribute right away, but outside of Bosh, the team still has many holes that could grow even larger with Shawn Marion and Anthony Parker likely on their way out. If Bosh does indeed leave next summer as reports indicate, Turkoglu will be forced to spend the next five years of his career, and prime, with a perennial cellar dweller.
At least Portland made sense.
Like Orlando a year or two ago, they are an up-and-coming team that can contend in the near future. But Toronto? Clearly money is Turkoglu's priority, and it's a shame because many never expected it out of him.
Sure, he wanted to get his big payday and that's understandable. But leaving Orlando for an extra one or two million dollars? It just doesn't make sense.
While Turkoglu may regret signing with Toronto, the Raptors may look back on this acquisition years from now and wince as well. In Orlando, Turkoglu was an excellent scorer, there's no doubt about that. He expanded his game and hit the big shots that helped the Magic be successful.
But how much of his success was a result of the system he played in? Prior to the Rashard Lewis signing, Turkoglu was a role player in Orlando. It wasn't until he was surrounded by other stars, Lewis and Howard, that he was able to step his game up. It wasn't until Stan Van Gundy's offense spread the defense and allowed him to shoot first and ask questions later. It wasn't until the pick-and-roll became a constant in Orlando's offense. In Toronto, will he be the same player without all of these things?
He is coming off of a season that could be best described as inconsistent. One night, he was the Magic's best scorer and passer on his way to a triple double. The next night, he would disappear. His best season was in 2007 -- he averaged 19.5 points and 5.0 assists per game -- and came when he wasn't expected to dominate the ball or be the main option offensively.
If Toronto is paying Turkoglu nearly eleven million dollars each year, won't they expect his averages to increase as well as his role in the offense? Other players making around the same amount include Chauncey Billups, Carlos Boozer, and Steve Nash. Would their respective teams be satisfied if they couldn't rely on them to dominate each and every night?
Toronto may question the large contract and production they receive from the Turkoglu, but nothing tops the regret Hedo will feel for leaving Orlando and throwing away any chance he had at a ring. If during the next five years Orlando is playing into June, he will be stuck watching his former teammates from home in Toronto.
But hey, at least he'll be able to afford a really nice television.
Have a question or comment? Alex Kennedy can be reached at swishkennedy@yahoo.com. |
