#smg_analysis

#smg_analysis

In Terrence and Emma Wong's small, narrow house, three-year-old Atticus has space in the living room to run around and play with his trucks, which, along with his stuffies, are later neatly parked in a long, custom-made bench.It wasn't always this way.The Wongs had to reinvent their home to find the space.

For Michael Laaniste, there's no place like home ... and to him, that's Pickering.The 36-year-old electrician enjoys socializing with the long-time friends he grew up with, and being close to his family."There's a lot of cool stuff coming here and this condo makes sense for me, as it's close to the GO Station, close to the mall and a five-minute drive from my parents, so I can help them out," he says.

Every day, Katia Stern heads to the rooftop gym in her building and enjoys views of Wellington St. as she works out.In the downstairs lobby, a concierge greets her when she comes and goes.If Stern, a Toronto executive coach, motivational speaker and author, needs to host an event, she can book a lounge and dining room.

The real estate sector can be a bit of a mystery to anyone interested in buying or selling a home.It doesn't help that there are at least four different organizations, all commonly referred to by their acronyms, which you may encounter when researching the housing market.RECO, TRREB, OREA and CREA all play important roles in real estate, but what exactly do they do?

The roster is basically full and the luxury tax threshold is staring them in the face.Yet there should be more moves that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster need to make before the Raptors assemble for training camp.With 14 players on guaranteed contracts, another with a small guarantee and one of three possible two-way deals doled out, there aren't a lot of slots available.

The Raptors have done their financial ciphering and know what they'd be comfortable paying two key free agents, while also conducting the requisite due diligence should either or both of Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl seek NBA employment elsewhere.It is a delicate time of year for the team's brain trust with president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster juggling any number of scenarios for the moment free-agent talks can officially begin Friday at 6 p.m.
Their preferred scenario would be to bring back both the veteran point guard and centre, and tinker on the periphery of a roster that still lacks shooting and backcourt depth.

It isn't always going to go well for Gradey Dick; it never does for any NBA rookie.The newly minted Raptor is fully aware that his first season is going to have its difficult moments.But the self-assured teenager, who wrapped up a whirlwind tour of Toronto with his inaugural media session Monday morning, figures he can weather the tough stretches because he's got enough life experience.

Once the formality of Victor Wembanyama being the first pick in Thursday's NBA draft is taken care of, the real intrigue of the night will be begin.Will the Raptors be part of it?History and logic would suggest not.But that doesn't mean chaos won't commence when commissioner Adam Silver puts the Charlotte Hornets on the five-minute clock to make the second pick.