Toronto Raptors - We can't be pathetic forever, can we?

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:25 pm

CAT FIGHT!

yossarian1234 · Post by **yossarian1234** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:00 pm

Right, so transparent. Was just dying to get that in and at the first sign, you go right back on your "word". Right.

yossarian1234 · Post by **yossarian1234** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:05 pm

First Lou Williams and they are now bringing Hansbrough back, Ujiri certainly lining up enough backup pieces in place before he moves in for Lowry, Vasquez, and Patterson.

To me, if they lose Lowry or overpay him too much, it's over.

T Dot O Dot · Post by **T Dot O Dot** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:50 pm

I have seen Lou Williams torch the Raptors twice in person, I love his game

I understand the number of times he killed us does not represent his season numbers, but he is instant "heat check offense" off the bench

T Dot O Dot · Post by **T Dot O Dot** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:55 pm

Caboclo's training session reminds me so much of McGrady

I'm all for swinging for the fences, Rodney Hood is a decent piece with a shooting touch but not a difference maker

we used our 2014 pick for a guy who might go top 5 in 2016

yossarian1234 · Post by **yossarian1234** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 7:26 am

Lowry at 48M for 4 years with early termination option after 3.

A bit steep for my taste but I guess it's still within reason after some absolutely horrific deals in the market this offseason. Just hope it's front loaded.

hedge · Post by **hedge** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 8:42 am

I feel the same way about my women...

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 6:50 pm

I am with you dot. We get Williams at 5.5M for one year and you get another player with future potential in Nogeuira..... that's a good deal. We can't sign guys through free agency that we need to get assets through trades. and this team can't win a championship as currently constructed. it's a few years away... specifically it needs the development of guys like Ross/Val and now Caboclo. But it also needs a trade or two.

It is likely that they will extend Amir but next season we would have 27M of expiring salary not including Amir at 7M. Lots of opportunities to facilitate trades for real talent. Williams is a specialist and he would fit the current Raptor line up even better than Salmons did. the number of open shots he will get will probably make him dizzy.

I like Masai's approach. he adds talent gradually and he rarely gives up anything of value. he's keeping the chemistry in tact without breaking the bank or over taxing the payroll.

yossarian1234 · Post by **yossarian1234** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:49 pm

Patterson at 18M for 3 years. That's about the max I thought he should get. Things looking good so far. Raptors are being generous and proactive but they aren't going crazy with overpayments either. Now onto Vasquez although I don't know how crucial that signing would be after getting Lou Williams. Might just go with De Colo if asking price is too much but the guy sounds so eager to return.

Lou Williams should be good spark off the bench if he can return to form from the injury, something we haven't had in a long while.

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:06 pm

Raptors had another great signing with Patterson and meet with Andray Blatche on Wednesday. not sure if he would settle for the mle but he would be an ideal fit on this roster. a tad concerned that Vasquez hasn't signed yet only because quite a few teams have cap space and can give him the starting position he wants..... they might try to price the Raps out. Vasquez isn't incredible but he's one hell of a back up and i really liked the balls he showed in the playoffs.... he definitely wasn't scared

Jungle Rat · Post by **Jungle Rat** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 11:43 pm

I heard they want LeBron.

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:22 am

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:43 am

2 years/13M for Vasquez.... very nice. this has been the best off season in years simply by keeping the core in tact by signing fair, but not overpriced, contracts. tons of financial flexibility for next year and no bone headed quick fix deals.

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:53 am

2 yrs/5m for Johnson.... nice end of bench addition. I would have preferred Blatche but the investment is minimal. and we needed a wing who could defend stronger forwards. Joe Johnson killed us. If James Johnson can focus on just playing on the defensive end, he will be a nice addition. in any case, I can't recall an off season where we didn't lose one player to free agency (not including de Colo since he left the NBA).... and we didn't have to overpay to do it. it will be interesting to see what Masai can do with all of those contracts expiring next year.

T Dot O Dot · Post by **T Dot O Dot** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:12 am

Paul George out for the season and will probably need another year just to get back to what he was, so much for Indy

Looks to me like we compete for a top 3 seed again

Indy & Miami got worse

Toronto, Atlanta & Washington will improve

Charlotte & Cleveland got better

could be interesting

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 9:23 pm

Yeah...but on a related point, I don't expect to see a high participation by our best pro players after this. Indy traded away, or decided not to sign, every wing player they had on their roster...no Paul is out. That's tough and Indy has lost a huge investment for the next 15 months, or so. If that was Lebron, FIBA would have to deal with the US team consisting of a bunch of Doug McDermotts and Jordan Morgans.

Bklyn · Post by **Bklyn** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:27 pm

Oh you Canucks...

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11338 ... t-comments

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:35 pm

yeah, that was about a week ago..... apparently LeBron was in the building too but the attention was on KD. pretty smart too considering KD has publicly stated that the Raps were his favourite team growing up. Glad Drake planted a seed. who knows? if the team continues to get better, they will have money available for him in 2 years.

T Dot O Dot · Post by **T Dot O Dot** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:24 pm

I get that were trying to build a winning culture and in order to play the part you have to look the part

but it's funny to me how this fanbase & media has gone batshyt crazy with delusions of grandeur after one good season

Kevin Durant? Really?

Then there's this article Grange wrote about Wiggins going to basketball purgatory in Minny sets the stage for a homecoming once his rookie deal is up..... when no player on their rookie scale contract has EVER turned down a max extension in the history of the NBA

and now we're looking down upon Minny and calling them perennial doormats

We're not that far removed from absolute suckitude to be pullin shyt like this

seriously

sotola · Post by **sotola** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:16 pm

normally I would agree with you dot but the current Raptor ownership isn't the same as the one owned by MLSE. TFC spent a bundle to turn their team around and Lieweke isn't afraid to make a serious splash. they would have all financial means necessary to make it happen and they wouldn't be afraid to go in to tax territory if they knew they could assemble the right group around him.

Are the chances good? No. Is it even realistic? probably not

Depends on how MUCH a fan Durant was of the Raptors. If he was just a mild fan, probably not a factor. If he was a serious fan, he might want to be the face of the franchise.

It also depends on how Caboclo, Ross, and Val continue to develop. If they continue to improve for 2 more seasons, that's a pretty good group. It also depends on whether Westbrook can ever stay healthy. if he's on the sidelines more than he is playing, it's not unlikely that Durant might leave.

Tons of things can happen in 2 years but I would rather the team, and by extension Drake, do whatever it takes to make the franchise relevant by planting seeds like that concert. It might never work but waiting until July 1st, 2016 wouldn't work either

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