By Peter D. Walker

The Raptors’ season is over and Bryan Colangelo is well into planning for the off-season with the NBA Draft a couple of weeks away.

The first move of the off-season occurred with the departure of lead assistant, Jim Todd. Frankly, I think this change is good for the Raptors. A new voice in the locker room from newly added Mike Evans will be a good thing.

That being said, it’s a perfect time to (1) briefly take stock of what the twelve main pieces the Raptors have as they move into the off-season and (2) assign grades on the season that just passed.

                 
                We'll miss Mo's shots              Rasho and Bargs battling down low

Chris Bosh – A
He had an all-star year and has developed into a team leader more quickly than I imagined he would. Raps are fortunate to have a big man like Bosh. Needs to be more decisive offensively and hit quickly when he gets the ball in the post. All in all, you can’t say enough good things about our franchise player.

T.J. Ford – B
Played his heart out and is a real difference maker. He can break down defences like only a few point guards can. He carried this team when Bosh was injured. Shooting percentages improved and he has potential to become a top 5 point guard. While he’s not perfect and his small size is an issue – criticism of TJ was way off base this past year.

Anthony Parker – B+
Without his solid play and defensive tenacity, the Raptors would not be where they are today. AP proved to be a clutch player who developed a sweet touch from beyond the arc. Next season I expect he’ll improve, even at his age. Best of all, he’s a good guy whose personality fits the Raptors.

Andrea Bargnani – B
The kid has nerves of steel. What’s so promising is that he improved month after month after month. The Andrea in April was far superior to the wide eyed rookie we saw in October. Best of all he proved he can play decent defence. Rebounding needs work, but that will come. Bargs and Bosh will make a formidable front court tandem next season.

Jose Calderon – B
A year ago I envisioned Jose as an adequate career back-up. Now it is clear he can start on a ton of teams in the NBA. I think the dual point guard situation is ideal for Calderon and I’ll bet Bryan gets him locked up long term as soon as he can. Odds of Jose being dealt are very slim.

Jorge Garbajosa - B-
Not since the days of Charles Oakley, have we seen a player like Jorge. He’s a solid contributor who is the kind of blue collar guy that every team needs. Unfortunately, a gruesome injury in Boston kept him out down the stretch and in the play-offs. Hopefully he recovers well. Expect him to come off the bench next season.

Joey Graham – C+
The enigma of Raptors. Some games he looks like a star in the making and then he looks more clueless and out of place than Hoffa. If ‘Good” Joey can show up for 60 games a year, the Raps will be delighted. If Bryan makes an off-season trade it wouldn’t surprise me to see Joey heading out of town. No doubt he has potential and athleticism that another team might be interested in.

Morris Peterson – C
Over his career he has been an all round solid performer for the Raptors. This year may have been one of his worst ever. It started with his defensive play not being up to par and then his three point accuracy faltered. A true vet, he really picked it up in the play-offs. Will be sorry to see him move as a free agent, but it’s time.

Rasho Nesterovic – B-
He anchored the middle when needed and played with a level of skill that surprised most Raptor fans. Like Garbo, Rasho knows how to play fundamentally sound ball. I loved watching him just flat out get it done. Expect his minutes to drop again next season with Bargnani getting more PT.

Kris Humprhries – C+
Kris made the Hoffa trade a complete steal. Early in the year, he still thought he was a college star at the University of Minnesota. He was a black hole on offence. Then he figured out that his role was to rebound, play defence and play with energy. Kris did a superb job, particularly with Garbo out. It will be very interesting to see what Kris looks like in pre-season.

Juan Dixon – B-
Juan was a great acquisition in exchange for Fred Jones who enjoyed a lot of great games and had a string of excellent games down the stretch. Unfortunately, he was stone cold in the play-offs. I expect him to compete hard next year and bounce back after a disappointing post season.

Uros Slokar – C-
Uros is a great kid, but based on the final game I hope fans don’t place high expectations on him. He’s a perfect end-of-the bench player who will be hard pressed to crack the rotation. If he’s happy with an NBA pay cheque with limited playing time, then he’ll do just fine.

Now the fun part begins for Raptor fans. It will be very interesting to see what Bryan Colangelo does in the weeks to come. I think he may very well shake up the roster more than many expect.