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Tim Leiweke: "we may ultimately have to, excuse my English, suck to be good"

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  • #46
    Another thing is that it may not be this year that we get a top pick, it is a new process that the new management is committed to. We don't force anything, we let the choices come and let the correct decisions become apparent as time goes by.

    It's true that we wont give guys away just to get rid of them and literally try to be as bad as possible, that just isn't how it works. The guys running the team now need to make the right call on all of our players and correctly manage the assets by keeping the keepers and getting fair value for the ones that we decide to move. That is why we didn't trade Gay to the Pistons in that terrible deal.

    I just think that these people have the foresight to realize that this team is good enough to perform at a relatively high level and potentially make the post season this year. The point is that they may not be satisfied making the playoffs without the ammunition needed to actually win.

    "Never bring a knife to a gun fight" is the appropriate quote, I think.

    If you read some of the opinions in the media they are quick to remind you that the last place team never gets the top pick, but who said anything about being the last place team? We just need to make good moves and bring in valuable young pieces to grow in our revamped system that is focused on winning and producing proper high level players with the right skills and mindset to succeed.

    I like Rudy Gay, but if we can trade him for a choice pick that gets us to the top of the lottery while improving our own pick (a la Cleveland trading with the Clippers and getting Kyrie Irving...) I will love the man and I'm not afraid to say it.
    Change the name...Give this city and this country something we can be PROUD of... something we can EMBRACE... something that REPRESENTS us... Please MLSE any name except Raptors...anything, please?

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    • #47
      MLSE: There is only one caveat to you being hired here Mr. Lieweke, you can't completely get rid of Bryan Colangelo.

      TL: Can I make his life miserable by relegating him to a role he will hate, and slamming him in the media every chance I get?

      MLSE: No Mr. Lieweke that would not be okay with us.

      TL: Oh, (pulls out massive set of nuts and slaps them on the table) because I'm going to anyway, and in doing so triple the value of MLSE.

      MLSE: Bryan who?
      For still frame photograph of me reading the DeRozan thread please refer to my avatar

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      • #48
        Losing is a risk

        The key point here for me is he basically identifies a losing record as a risk. He doesn't indicate that it will happen.

        And please don't tell me he has to say that because he clearly does not. He was pulling no punches here in this interview from what I read.


        As for Bryan, he was under contract and being paid a heavy price. I'm sure they didn't want to eat that expense so it was smart to handle it that way. Colangelo left when he was ready and the team saved money.

        Matt52 wrote: View Post
        A lot can change in a year.

        Harrison 2, Sleden, Hairston are all solid players but again a lot can and will change.

        Exum and Micic excite me. Four of the players I listed are point guards and all are 6'4"-6'6".
        Yeah and even then those mock drafts won't be right. You can't trust the mocks guys. Anybody in their top twenties could go in any number a spots in the lotto. Those mocks are always wrong and the further out you go, the more inaccurate they are. That "elite 6" might not be so elite after another NCAA season. Perceived potential can waver, injuries happen, arrests happen, etc. Also, the tournament has made NBA players millions in extra money on rookie deals. Get a hot hand in March and somebody will buy in a lot earlier. Likewise, get cold in March and you could be falling to the Raptors at #15.

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        • #49
          He understands human psychology.

          Brandon, he may or may not have meant that but if he didn't it served the same purpose as if he did: Giving seemingly sincere gestures of appreciation will always go far. This guy is familiar with Dale Carnigie.

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          • #50
            Brandon wrote:
            Does Toronto deserve a pro basketball team?
            Yes. Toronto is bigger than a lot of other NBA cities. It seems to be profitable, and Toronto regularly has more people in the stands than a few teams who have better records. I can't think of any reason why Toronto doesn't or wouldn't deserve a basketball team.
            "They're going to have to rename the whole conference after us: Toronto Raptors 2014-2015 Northern Conference Champions" ~ ezzbee Dec. 2014

            "I guess I got a little carried away there" ~ ezzbee Apr. 2015

            "We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

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            • #51
              Brandon wrote:
              Well, I wonder if his gestures of appreciation for the city, whether sincere or not, would be quite as pithy, if he'd been reading some of the stuff posted in places like this for years about how great Bargnani is, how great Derozan is, how we just don't understand their greatness, and how it all seems to be Chris Bosh's fault. I've often wondered the opposite of what Leiweke has: Does Toronto deserve a pro basketball team?
              I don't know....I often wonder more "Does Toronto deserve a pro hockey team?" with the shitty way the Leafs have been run for.....50 years. The fact that Leafs fans are possibly the dumbest/blindest/stubbornest sports fans on the entire planet (not meaning to offend Leafs fans as people. They can be smart people, just dumb sports/hockey fans)....

              If the Leafs were in just about any other market...even many Canadian markets....they'd be a joke, and would have surely folded in a fair amount of American cities.

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              • #52
                Brandon wrote:
                I don't know that I've heard an owner trash his team like that before. He needs to read some of the ignorant fan nonsense before he's sure he doesn't deserve Toronto.
                I didn't read any quotes in the article from Rogers or Bell CEOs or from Larry T.

                Who is this owner?

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                • #53
                  Matt52 wrote: View Post
                  I didn't read any quotes in the article from Rogers or Bell CEOs or from Larry T.

                  Who is this owner?
                  Smart ass. you know what he meant :P
                  For still frame photograph of me reading the DeRozan thread please refer to my avatar

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                  • #54
                    saints91 wrote: View Post
                    I still say we are one all-star/ borderline allstar PF away from being a contender. We have the assets, go get one. I think we were a 8th seed last year, had we traded for Rudy prior to the start of last season. We are probably an 7-6th seed now, and with one more piece, we are top 4. With the youth this team has, we can be relevant (1-4 in the East) for 5-10 years
                    I agree. That team is easily the 8th seed last year if it weren't for the 0-19 they went early in the year. Imagine having a stretch like that and then almost making the playoffs (by 4 or 5 games). C'mon guys, its not that bad.
                    Welp, that sucked.

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      I have a couple of points that are going to go all over the place.

                      First, we ARE a superstar away from winning a championship. Add lebron james to this exact team( obviously not possible.) and tell me we shouldn't win or at least be one of 3 teams competing for it?

                      Since we cannot just get a lebron james we have to draft him. Now look at the spurs. They had a very good team before tim Duncan. Injury to their best player brought them to the bottom and got a 1st overall pick and with that and good management leads to a dynasty. The best thing to do (obviously takes "luck") would be to have an injury plauged season, lose a bunch of games and keep the main core of guys (while making some small moves) and get a high draft pick. Personally i think its best to blow it up. Keep JV, Amir, Ross and maybe demar just because i like him and trade everyone else for picks and as many next year as possible and young talents. Only way to build it without massive amount of luck.

                      Edit,

                      Just to add, even "tanking" takes luck but i want a bunch of young players under a coach still trying to win to grow and learn while sucking but improving. That is the ideal situation for me.

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Burnit482 wrote: View Post
                        I have a couple of points that are going to go all over the place.

                        First, we ARE a superstar away from winning a championship. Add lebron james to this exact team( obviously not possible.) and tell me we shouldn't win or at least be one of 3 teams competing for it?

                        Since we cannot just get a lebron james we have to draft him. Now look at the spurs. They had a very good team before tim Duncan. Injury to their best player brought them to the bottom and got a 1st overall pick and with that and good management leads to a dynasty. The best thing to do (obviously takes "luck") would be to have an injury plauged season, lose a bunch of games and keep the main core of guys (while making some small moves) and get a high draft pick. Personally i think its best to blow it up. Keep JV, Amir, Ross and maybe demar just because i like him and trade everyone else for picks and as many next year as possible and young talents. Only way to build it without massive amount of luck.

                        Edit,

                        Just to add, even "tanking" takes luck but i want a bunch of young players under a coach still trying to win to grow and learn while sucking but improving. That is the ideal situation for me.
                        Hoo-ray, another thread goes the tank/tinker/rebuild route.....
                        Heir, Prince of Cambridge

                        If you see KeonClark in the wasteland, please share your food and water with him.

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          c_bcm wrote: View Post
                          I agree. That team is easily the 8th seed last year if it weren't for the 0-19 they went early in the year. Imagine having a stretch like that and then almost making the playoffs (by 4 or 5 games). C'mon guys, its not that bad.
                          no one cares about making the 8th seed and having a first round exit.

                          you mean 4-19. and it was more like missing the playoffs by 10 games, since the end of the season was obviously against teams who DID make the playoffs and didn't give a shit about winning.

                          either way, by your logic are you saying that milwaukee and philadelphia were in a great place last year then? philly was ahead of us despite not making the playoffs and milwaukee actually made it to the playoffs! oh boy look how well that turned out for both teams!

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            iblastoff wrote: View Post
                            no one cares about making the 8th seed and having a first round exit.

                            you mean 4-19. and it was more like missing the playoffs by 10 games, since the end of the season was obviously against teams who DID make the playoffs and didn't give a shit about winning.

                            either way, by your logic are you saying that milwaukee and philadelphia were in a great place last year then? philly was ahead of us despite not making the playoffs and milwaukee actually made it to the playoffs! oh boy look how well that turned out for both teams!
                            You are absolutely right, this team could be another Philly/Milwaukee or it could develop as an Indy/Memphis type team. If you have the forsight, you might say that Casey isn't the right coach and we don't have the right players so let's blow it up. Or, you might say, that Casey is the right coach, he can get the players to buy into his system and being a team moving in the right direction we can pick up a key player in 2014.

                            This season/off-season is an evaluation time for MU to see if Casey is the right coach and whether he builds on this roster or tears it down. But, unless you are trading for a superstar or a top 5 2014 pick, this will be the team to start the season.
                            -"You can’t run from me. I mean, my heart don’t bleed Kool-Aid."
                            -"“I ain’t no diva! I don’t have no blond hair, red hair. I’m Reggie Evans.”

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                            • #59
                              isaacthompson wrote: View Post
                              We're Canadian, the media will never change.
                              Give it another decade, when home grown talent starts becoming the norm in the NBA, and more non-Canadians start dominating the NHL game.

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                ceez wrote: View Post
                                Man if he actually does that he's going to earn the ire of every leaf fan it's going to be amazing. The past, it's all they have.
                                Exactly. The past. IF they start winning, they will all start praising him. All he needs to do is win

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