The end of an NBA bench can be a lonely place, but for the three players jockeying for the final spot on the Toronto Raptors' 15-man roster, it might as well be a small slice of heaven.
The three are Jamario Moon, Juan Dixon and Luke Jackson. Their future — in Toronto at least — will be decided next Monday, when NBA teams have to complete their rosters for the start of the regular season.
And really, it's a battle between Dixon and Jackson, two players added in the midst of last season and going through their first full training camp with the team.
Moon promises to be one of Toronto's feel-good stories. An NBA rookie at 27 after playing in the lowest of professional basketball's minor leagues, the 6-foot-8 forward is all but guaranteed a roster spot at this stage.
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- Maceo Baston
- Juan Dixon
- Joey Graham
- Kris Humphries
- Luke Jackson
- Jason Kapono
- Jamario Moon
- Jamario Moon
- Anthony Parker
"Athletically, you just can't keep your eyes off him," one team insider said the other day. "You keep watching to see what he'll do next."
Or, as Dixon put it earlier in training camp, "That kid is athletic as [anything]."
So compelling has Moon been at times this month that there have been musings among the Raptors' brain trust about starting him at small forward to provide a jolt of electricity to a lineup loaded with skill but lacking snap.
It's that lacking that makes Joey Graham, brain cramps aside, an almost certain candidate to have his fourth-year option exercised by the club.
He's the only player on the roster whose combination of size and power are exceptional for his position, so he's going to get more chances to make plays between mistakes.
Similarly, newcomer Carlos Delfino's penchant for lackadaisical play will be excused by stretches when he grabs six rebounds in the fourth quarter from the small-forward position, as he did in an exhibition game last week.
Since players who were signed this past summer can't yet be dealt, Moon and Maceo Baston are shielded from that possibility, as is Jason Kapono, though the Raptors' key free-agent signing would only be part of a much bigger trade.
Throughout the league, Kris Humphries, a live, young body on the final year of his contract, has generated a fair share of interest, but the Raptors need what he brings when he's playing well.
Barring a trade, it will likely be a showdown between Dixon and Jackson for the final spot on the team, with only two exhibition games left to make their case.
If it comes down to money, Dixon has the advantage, given that swallowing his $2.55-million (U.S.) salary would be tougher than the $500,000 Jackson is guaranteed. Because Jackson's deal is the NBA minimum, he has a better chance of being dealt, as even clubs over the salary cap can always absorb a minimum contract.
If it comes down to playing, Dixon might have an advantage there, too.
Jackson, at 6 foot 7, is nearly a prototypical Bryan Colangelo player, given the Raptors' president and general manager has historic preference for players who can shoot well and pass willingly, both Jackson traits.
The problem for Jackson is that when head coach Sam Mitchell looks at his bench and wants to change things, does Jackson's skill set distinguish him from the likes of Anthony Parker or Kapono? Or is he a version of the same thing?
"I have to be honest," Jackson said earlier in training camp. "I really, really like it here a lot. I like the guys, I like the style of play, I think it suits the way I play. Hopefully, I'll have a future here. … Teams need role players, too."
At 6 foot 2, Dixon is small for a two-guard and simply doesn't have the mentality to be an effective point guard, even in spot minutes. But he has the ability to string together successful shots in a hurry, from almost any angle and any situation. He gives Mitchell another tool for his tool box. And that may be enough for him to win a job.
