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[h1]Turkoglu takes a shot at Raptors, Colangelo[/h1]
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By Craig Morgan
FOXSportsArizona.com
New Phoenix Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu took aim at his former team, the Toronto Raptors, and their general manager, Bryan Colangelo, this weekend.
âPeople have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there any more,â he said in a phone interview from Turkey, where he is captaining the Turkish national team at the World Championships. âItâs not just the players who see this.â
Turkogluâs remarks were sparked by Colangeloâs recent criticism of former Raptors teammate Chris Bosh. Colangelo accused Bosh of âchecking outâ last season while the Raptors were battling the Chicago Bulls for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Bosh, an unrestricted free agent who left the Raptors earlier this month to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Miami, missed six games after the All-Star break with an ankle injury.
"Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit,â Colangelo told Toronto station FAN 590. âI'm not even questioning Chris' injury. I'm telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn't there and he chose not to play.
"Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn't quite into it down the stretch, he wasn't the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it."
Turkoglu insisted Bosh was a good teammate.
âItâs funny that people will talk behind your back,â Turkoglu said of Colangelo. âIf he was feeling this way, why not have the guts to say it during the season? Why not say it to Chris? Now that Chris has left, itâs not nice to say those things.
âChris has been a franchise player and he did a lot of good things for the Raptors,â Turkoglu added. âI donât think Chris is the type of player to quit on his teammates.â
Turkoglu had his own issues with the Raptors. A year ago, Toronto signed him as a free agent, believing his versatility was the missing piece to creating an Eastern Conference contender. The year before, Turkoglu helped the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Lakers.
But Turkoglu quickly fell out of favor in Toronto, facing criticism for being out of shape and unmotivated.
His former agent and the Sunsâ current president of basketball operations, Lon Babby, said Turkoglu never got his legs under him in Toronto after a long postseason run and a summer spent playing for the Turkish national team in preparation for this yearâs World Championships.
Turkoglu added that the chemistry in Toronto was never right and the Raptors never used his talents properly.
âI donât have to talk any more about it for me because itâs past now,â he said. âI donât care any more what people say about me because Iâve got other things to worry about.â
But Turkoglu was clearly miffed by Colangeloâs comments.
âI just donât understand why you would say these things,â he said. âLike I said, that organization has problems.â
When told of Turkogluâs comments, Colangelo refused to engage in a war of words
âToronto is a world class city, the Raptors are a terrific organization and we have tremendous basketball fans that recognize and appreciate hard work and a commitment to winning from management and players alike,â he said.
âI still consider Hedo a friend in this business and wish him well again in Phoenix.â
Recommend
Facebook
Twitter
rssBy Craig Morgan
FOXSportsArizona.com
New Phoenix Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu took aim at his former team, the Toronto Raptors, and their general manager, Bryan Colangelo, this weekend.
âPeople have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there any more,â he said in a phone interview from Turkey, where he is captaining the Turkish national team at the World Championships. âItâs not just the players who see this.â
Turkogluâs remarks were sparked by Colangeloâs recent criticism of former Raptors teammate Chris Bosh. Colangelo accused Bosh of âchecking outâ last season while the Raptors were battling the Chicago Bulls for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Bosh, an unrestricted free agent who left the Raptors earlier this month to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Miami, missed six games after the All-Star break with an ankle injury.
"Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit,â Colangelo told Toronto station FAN 590. âI'm not even questioning Chris' injury. I'm telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn't there and he chose not to play.
"Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn't quite into it down the stretch, he wasn't the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it."
Turkoglu insisted Bosh was a good teammate.
âItâs funny that people will talk behind your back,â Turkoglu said of Colangelo. âIf he was feeling this way, why not have the guts to say it during the season? Why not say it to Chris? Now that Chris has left, itâs not nice to say those things.
âChris has been a franchise player and he did a lot of good things for the Raptors,â Turkoglu added. âI donât think Chris is the type of player to quit on his teammates.â
Turkoglu had his own issues with the Raptors. A year ago, Toronto signed him as a free agent, believing his versatility was the missing piece to creating an Eastern Conference contender. The year before, Turkoglu helped the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Lakers.
But Turkoglu quickly fell out of favor in Toronto, facing criticism for being out of shape and unmotivated.
His former agent and the Sunsâ current president of basketball operations, Lon Babby, said Turkoglu never got his legs under him in Toronto after a long postseason run and a summer spent playing for the Turkish national team in preparation for this yearâs World Championships.
Turkoglu added that the chemistry in Toronto was never right and the Raptors never used his talents properly.
âI donât have to talk any more about it for me because itâs past now,â he said. âI donât care any more what people say about me because Iâve got other things to worry about.â
But Turkoglu was clearly miffed by Colangeloâs comments.
âI just donât understand why you would say these things,â he said. âLike I said, that organization has problems.â
When told of Turkogluâs comments, Colangelo refused to engage in a war of words
âToronto is a world class city, the Raptors are a terrific organization and we have tremendous basketball fans that recognize and appreciate hard work and a commitment to winning from management and players alike,â he said.
âI still consider Hedo a friend in this business and wish him well again in Phoenix.â
