January 5, 2006
Free D-Mart!
Lang wrote this today:
So the Raptors win the basketball game last night against Orlando. Everyone got to play, everyone got to score, and high fives abounded. It was like tee-ball all over again.
Coming off back-to-back productive games, the focus within the next few days falls on Darrick Martin. The Raptors have until January 10th to decide whether or not to guarantee D-Mart’s contract for the rest of the season. Sam and Darrick go back a bit, so expect the coach to lobby to management to keep him around.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think that D-Mart is one burger away from playing the lead role in Nutty Professor 3? It’s difficult to haul that much weight around at the age of 35, and it’s not going to get any easier. D-Mart has played more games this year than he has in any other season within the last 4 years. That is a lot of rust.
In 2002, he played all of 3 games. In 2003, 16 games. In 2004, 11 games and this year he’s played 16 games. That means he’s played 46 games and sat out 282 games. Suddenly, he produces for 2 of those games and we’re jumping at the opportunity to book this guy? Are you serious?
As much as I’m on Mike James, I don’t think anyone would disagree that he’s a solid point guard. Jose Calderon is right on his heels for the point position, and if we needed another point guard, we could suspend all belief and put Jalen back in there. Do we really need to sign D-Mart for the rest of the season when frankly, he hasn’t done anything to prove his reliability or contributing potential to this team?
Granted, he’s had 2 great nights but there were enough ugly shots in there to make me think I was drinking rounds of Prairie Fires. Some have made the argument that his veteran presence is valuable to the locker room and that his leadership is fantastic. So what? We have Eric Williams who’s taken it upon himself to write Charlie V’s name on a big stick and brandish it at practice. Jalen Rose is another reliable veteran voice on the team, once he’s arrived back from the bucket they made last game. And Loren Woods can still humor me by wearing his headband that has soaked as much sweat this season as a sponge on Mars. We have veterans.
I don’t buy it. That roster spot could be put to better use. I’m already booked for a triple-bypass from watching Mo Pete and Mike James heave 3’s from practically the press room; I don’t need D-Mart doing the same.
The Raptors should let him go.
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Filed under: Raptors Forum
January 6th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Purple light special at D-Mart…all guards on way to fat camp in the summer are on sale! Okay, let’s at least give him this, D-Mart doesn’t grab the mike and start yapping as much as Mike Jaaaaames does, but they’ve both never met a reporter they didn’t like.
As much as I like D-Mart, saying D-Mart and watching him give insightful comments to Charlie V every time he comes off the court (what’s up with that anyway? I don’t think a guy who had his best years with the Memphis Mayhem should be giving advice to a kid who won a national championship and was rookie of the month in December), I don’t think the Raps should keep him around either. What’s with this city and fat guys? Remember the Big-O? Or even worse (and this is because when he was fit, he was a good player) remember Chris Childs? Childs ended his career after he couldn’t pass a physical with the Nets. The dude was simply too fat. When you’re a pro athlete and that’s the reason why you get released, that ain’t cool.
So yeah, sorry D-Mart, shop’s closed dude.