As those who work in media know, members of the local media (beat writers, etc) are almost always the most accurate source of information about a team, especially when the information is sensitive. Yet, the New York Daily News and the Miami Herald have both written about Toronto’s Chris Bosh in recent days, seemingly with no real sources.
Remember Stephen A. Smith’s “story?” – Bosh had apparently told Raptors management he wanted out, and Smith had gotten this information from his “sources.” That seemed a little sketchy, and it was probably based more on instinct and logic, than on actual reporting or facts.
Well, it’s always interesting to read something like this from Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News:
“Although Carlos Boozer could be headed to Detroit in a free-agent deal in July, there’s a chance he’ll end up going to Toronto in a package for Chris Bosh. The Bulls remain interested in Bosh, but Luol Deng would have to be part of a package going to the Raptors. The Raptors, privately, are acknowledging for the first time that they might need to trade Bosh, rather than risk losing him to free agency in 2010.”
Ok, Mr. Lawrence…if the Raptors are privately acknowledging this, who told you? Or, are you just making stuff up, because it certainly seems that way. It seems especially hard to believe the Toronto papers would miss this story, while you had it in New York.
Then, of course, you read this, two days later, in the Miami Herald. From Barry Jackson:
“Although the Heat covets potential 2010 free agent Chris Bosh, one NBA person said Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo recently told him the current plan is to try to surround Bosh with better players instead of trading him. That plan will change this summer only if Bosh expresses serious doubts about re-signing. A friend of Dwyane Wade said Wade would love to play with Bosh in Miami.”
So, Mr. Jackson – Your sources are “an NBA person” and “Dwyane Wade’s friend?” I mean, seriously??
We’re in the day and age where reporters can just make things up, and those stories will travel quickly across the Internet, before turning into full-fledged speculation. It’s no secret that Toronto will have to make this kind of decision with regards to Bosh, and that makes it easy for out-of-market reporters/columnist to simply write what they want, and to use nameless sources.
Again, I’m just wondering how nobody in Toronto has a whiff of this story, yet writers in Miami and New York have no problem publishing them. Maybe there is a story, but there clearly aren’t enough facts to make it worth printing…unless you work for the Miami Herald or the New York Daily News, I guess.
Personally, I’m going to wait for someone credible to report on Chris Bosh, before I get too worked up over anything. Thoughts?
-DL