Rumor: Toronto Raptors Saving Midlevel Exception for Mickael Pietrus

by Atma Brother ONE on Jun 24, 2007 10:11 PM PDT in Rumors

Check out this tidbit on the Toronto Raptors from Mitch Lawrence in his article Garnett itching to play for winner for the NY Daily News:

Once free agency starts, the Raptors have their mid-level exception set aside for Golden State's Mickael Pietrus, who could start for them next season at small forward.

If the Toronto Raptors are going to offer Mickael Pietrus something in the neighborhood of 4.5 million per season, I don't see the Warriors matching the offer and retaining MP2. While it's a fairly reasonable deal for an athletic swingman who can play 3 positions, grab a few boards, play some tough D when focused, and knock down the trifecta from the corners, I'd expect the Warriors to use that sort of money to keep Matt Barnes instead.

The Eastern Conference is bad especially the Titanic Division, but Pietrus isn't a full time starting small forward on a winning ballclub. He's a great guy to have coming off the bench, but the many holes in game (e.g. mental mistakes, no midrange game, too many silly fouls, etc) get exposed big time when he's a starter playing heavy minutes. The Raptors are probably being a little too optimistic if they think Pietrus will be the solution for their starting small forward position, but maybe the Leastern Conference is just that bad. Who knows? Maybe Pietrus will work out for them as starter even though he didn't for the Warriors.

Pietrus is a cool cat and a crowd pleaser with all his goofy antics. I don't see him donning a Warriors jersey next season, but I do want the best for him. With the Raptors trying to emulate the West Coast offense of the Suns and Warriors in Canada, they're a great fit for MP2. If the Warriors can't sign him on the cheap, I hope he ends up in Toronto. Good fans and a ballclub on the rise.

Do you want the Warriors to retain Pietrus this offseason? How much would you be willing to offer?

Also check out tadams1080's diary Air France to Toronto?

99% of rumors never happen, but 99% of them are fun to talk about!

Past MP2 rumors:

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Comments

Adieu Mickael!

Pietrus is an 8th or 9th man, and that's not worth more than 2m per year (makes me sick to say). So if Toronto wants to add him to their All-International team for 4.5m, I say go for it. I'll never forget him losing that Memphis game on a backcourt violation...Adieu Mickael!

by warriordrp on Jun 24, 2007 10:19 PM PDT 0 recs

use that sort of money to keep Matt Barnes instead

What's the consensus on the defensive and rebounding skills of Pietrus versus Barnes?
I'd like to see Barnes play for more than a year before offering him big bucks, he might have had a career year last season!

by Skeptic con Urquell on Jun 24, 2007 10:28 PM PDT 0 recs

yay!

See ya Mickael. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Whoppeeeee!

by jtoj on Jun 24, 2007 10:42 PM PDT 0 recs

re

* Pending this actually happens.

by jtoj on Jun 24, 2007 10:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

A bit of respect for MP2

I don't think Mullin should break the bank to resign him, and Barnes is the more valuable of the two, but Mickael does deserve a little respect here. Hey, he was probably the most consistent player pre-Indiana trade last season, he didn't ever complain, and he gave great interviews. Pietrus has a good energy and it's been fun having him on the team, bonehead moments aside. MP2, thanks for being a Warrior, and I hope that you have a solid career, wherever it may play out.

by ffgolden on Jun 24, 2007 11:00 PM PDT 0 recs

weer

Whatever. That guy sucks. No two ways about it. He was valuable for nothing.

http://westcoastbiased.blogspot.com

by coma on Jun 24, 2007 11:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

Amen Coma...

GOOD RIDDANCE..... such an idiot bball player, no bball IQ, just hard to watch, a foul every 30 seconds, cant shoot freethrows (see UTAH game) all he was good for was an interview (all of which he proved he was an idiot) as Gary Radnich would say BYEBYE

by dallaswarrior on Jun 25, 2007 12:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

SIDELINES OUTTA BOUNDS

Enough of that shit. He can't hit FTs, no handle, poor decision making, poor footwork, no midrange scoring ability, stupid fouls. Athleticism exceeds production by several orders of magnitude.

Thanks for all ya did last year filling in at the PF, but see ya.

Don't even consider a sign and trade, we don't need contracts coming in, we need them heading out.

by OptionZero on Jun 25, 2007 12:21 AM PDT 0 recs

bye Mp bye barnes dont want either of ya

The moron twins..... neither guy has a brain....

pietrus ....stepping out of bounds, bad travels, bad passes, bad shot selection, can't play in any system cause he cant figure it out, bad handles, bad decision maker

I will miss his hustle, his attitude, his corner 3, the occasional high flying spectacular rebound or dunk.... and the interviews... i wish we could keep him cheap as he is a good guy

Barnes on the other hand i dont for any reason :

bad handles, thinks he is a point guard while passing it into the crowd, losing the ball or simply nonchalant passing it to no one always with his big clap instead of hustling back for his mistake, poor shot selection, always jackingup more shots than he should, the league knows his stupid spin move, too streaky, another dumb player, how many soft fouls .... the guys nickname should have been "and one" for the other team. The things i hate the most about him was the finger pointing crap when he made a mistake alla dunleavy, and the laughable intimidator he tried to be .... ooooh scary barnes. His occasional hustle was usually equaled with a dumb play...

There is nothing i will miss about barnes.

If i had to choose we would be putting that money towards a free agent like nocionni and not wasting it on a dime a dozen barnes.
I would offer barnes a one year deal at most.... for exactly what he earned last season.

by boogielew on Jun 25, 2007 2:55 AM PDT 0 recs

barens played

big in the playoffs maybe even bigger than J_rich

Next to Baron and JAX who stepped up more often?

by Zig on Jun 25, 2007 10:59 AM PDT up 0 recs

I like barnes

...thats all

by dallaswarrior on Jun 25, 2007 8:41 AM PDT 0 recs

simply put

we would not have won the Dallas series without Barnes. He gave us mental toughness, and punctuated games throughout the series.

Nellie's Schmoes

by tadams1080 on Jun 25, 2007 8:48 AM PDT 0 recs

Thats true he did hit a lot of big shots

and played good d as well. He does turn over the ball too much though.

by dallaswarrior on Jun 25, 2007 9:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm not sure I agree

I think we would have still won but I am with you

Other than Jax and Baron who was bigger for the Warriors in the playoffs? J_rich did get his points but I recall him MIA in the 4th in too many games where he should have been the scorer

by Zig on Jun 25, 2007 11:02 AM PDT up 0 recs

Pietrus'

rebounding and versatility will be missed though. I'm not saying it can't be replaced but Mikael was asked to guard 2's, 3's, and 4's, could hit the 3, and also had the occasional 10-rebound game.

I won't miss his mental lapses or fear of getting assists (at least it seemed like he was afraid of them) but it is important that the warriors find someone to replace his D, rebounding, and versatility.

by BingBluNT on Jun 25, 2007 2:00 PM PDT 0 recs

See ya' later Air France

The guy does deserve some props, at times he can be quite entertaining, and other times a complete dissapointment. I'll bank on Matt Barnes any day, he gives us that extra gangsta lean mentality I love seeing' in Oracle Arena... plus, Barnes has a Tatoo fetish- pay the man! (lol)