SI: Raps "due for most constructive season without making playoffs"

[mcHAPPY]

This is very true - it also leads straight back to the "tear it down" vs. "soldier on" debate. I'm guessing Ujiri's open to either, depending on how the first half (or so) of the season plays out.

As someone else said MU already knows what he wants to do. It is all about timing and opportunity - and if the plan is to tear it down, a maximum return on assets.

[ceez]

I think MU, like the rest of the league, want to see what kind of Rudy we have after the eye surgery.

[psrs1]

I don't really care what thier record was after the Rudy trade. The thing that matters is that we played great D after that trade. If Casey can replicate that. Which is pretty likely. We're be in a lot of games. I don't know about y'all but, I feel a lot more confident in those close games with a player like Rudy Gay on our team.

Agreed. Plus Rudy can shut down opposing teams' stars defensively....If he can recognize when to find the open look if he gets double teamed rather than force the issue the team will do better.

[psrs1]

As someone else said MU already knows what he wants to do. It is all about timing and opportunity - and if the plan is to tear it down, a maximum return on assets.

I don't know if the plan is to tear it down at this point. If we start 5-19 then that will obviously change..

[mcHAPPY]

I don't know if the plan is to tear it down at this point. If we start 5-19 then that will obviously change..

It was a different thread I referred to - thought it was this one. I agree with this:

Maybe I'm just bored because it's been forever since the season and draft ended and thus anything of real substance to talk about, but all this talk about MU waithing to see how we start the season to decide what he wants to do next is just sounding like bs to me. Does a guy who has been around the NBA for so long now, and has intimate knowledge of the players really need to see how the same team from the previous year is going to fare this season? Like what is there left for him to judge about the roster? JV isn't going any where and all the likely suspects for a trade (Gay, DeRozan, Lowry, Amir, Feilds) are known quatities. They aren't about to do something completely extraordinary this season. I think MU already knows what he wants to do and no matter how we start the season it won't change his plans.

http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/forum...l=1#post232351

I have to agree with this. The worst thing MU could do is say, "Maybe it is best if players x/y/z go to a new place" or "I am looking to send out all our better but overpaid players." We know how that worked with Bargnani - the phone stops ringing and there is no value to be found based on the lack of transaction after BC's statements regarding trading Bargnani.

If MU did not know what he wanted to do I'd be kind of scared. Gay with 7 years, Lowry with 7 years, DeRozan with 4 years, and Amir with 8 years experience are all known quantities. Outside of a spectacular diamond in the rough find among the minimum contract players the only real unknown on the Raptors roster is does Fields regain his jumpshot or not. Outside of last year's rookies, everything else is pretty much known in my opinion and it is why I am with Mediumcore and MU knows what he wants to do. If blowing up is the plan he is just waiting for the right opportunity to maximize return on assets.

[Puffer]

....If MU did not know what he wanted to do I'd be kind of scared. Gay with 7 years, Lowry with 7 years, DeRozan with 4 years, and Amir with 8 years experience are all known quantities. Outside of a spectacular diamond in the rough find among the minimum contract players the only real unknown on the Raptors roster is does Fields regain his jumpshot or not....

To this I would add, does Rudy's surgery provide any help at all to his shot, how much has Jonas improved his game, with the added weight and playing time over the summer, and can T Ross pull himself out of the morass of shit he seems to be embedded in. I think those are all interesting questions that need 15-20 games into the season to answer.

[mcHAPPY]

To this I would add, does Rudy's surgery provide any help at all to his shot, how much has Jonas improved his game, with the added weight and playing time over the summer, and can T Ross pull himself out of the morass of shit he seems to be embedded in. I think those are all interesting questions that need 15-20 games into the season to answer.

The rookie contract guys are definite unknowns.

[blackjitsu]

Also, Fields' value is probably a bit low. If he has fixed his shot he suddenly increases his trade value.

[Chr1s1anL]

I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we will be competitive in a lot of games. I think If were in as many close games as last year. We will do better than last year in those situations for thread reason growing pains, more shooter and more vets.

[S.R.]

It was a different thread I referred to - thought it was this one. I agree with this:




I have to agree with this. The worst thing MU could do is say, "Maybe it is best if players x/y/z go to a new place" or "I am looking to send out all our better but overpaid players." We know how that worked with Bargnani - the phone stops ringing and there is no value to be found based on the lack of transaction after BC's statements regarding trading Bargnani.

If MU did not know what he wanted to do I'd be kind of scared. Gay with 7 years, Lowry with 7 years, DeRozan with 4 years, and Amir with 8 years experience are all known quantities. Outside of a spectacular diamond in the rough find among the minimum contract players the only real unknown on the Raptors roster is does Fields regain his jumpshot or not. Outside of last year's rookies, everything else is pretty much known in my opinion and it is why I am with Mediumcore and MU knows what he wants to do. If blowing up is the plan he is just waiting for the right opportunity to maximize return on assets.

It's not that he doesn't know what the roster can do - it's that he doesn't know what transaction opportunities there are. The questions are more along the lines of letting Gay/Lowry play out their contracts and enjoying some short-term success (if things go well), or moving them - for what? He doesn't know, and neither do you or I. Does he trade a guy for 10 cents on the dollar just to dump him a year early? Under what conditions - if the team is 1-20? 5-15? Who's he taking back? Longer contracts? Does anyone offer picks/prospects for one guaranteed year of Rudy Gay? Or if the team plays well, a couple guys show some improvement, and no great deals present themselves, what does he do in the next 1-2 years with Gay & Lowry? What if they want to re-sign for a reasonable amount? What if they want more? Less? Who knows!

There are way, way too many variables that have yet to play out. I'd say he's going to wait and see what happens on and off the court - this is how he seems night-and-day different than Colangelo, who was more dead-set on imposing his will on the franchise regardless of what was happening on the court. Ujiri seems more flexible, more patient. That's how the 'Melo-drama played out.

"Wait and see" doesn't equal "not having a plan." It would mean having Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D,....I'd envision Ujiri having a portfolio full if "if...then" contingency plans. They've got a list of players they want, transactions they'd like to pursue, impending FA's they plan on recruiting, etc.

[golden]

It was a different thread I referred to - thought it was this one. I agree with this:




I have to agree with this. The worst thing MU could do is say, "Maybe it is best if players x/y/z go to a new place" or "I am looking to send out all our better but overpaid players." We know how that worked with Bargnani - the phone stops ringing and there is no value to be found based on the lack of transaction after BC's statements regarding trading Bargnani.

If MU did not know what he wanted to do I'd be kind of scared. Gay with 7 years, Lowry with 7 years, DeRozan with 4 years, and Amir with 8 years experience are all known quantities. Outside of a spectacular diamond in the rough find among the minimum contract players the only real unknown on the Raptors roster is does Fields regain his jumpshot or not. Outside of last year's rookies, everything else is pretty much known in my opinion and it is why I am with Mediumcore and MU knows what he wants to do. If blowing up is the plan he is just waiting for the right opportunity to maximize return on assets.

I don't think MU is really biased towards blowing it up or not. Maximizing return on every transaction seems to be MU's MO, so far into his short career. Whether or not his superior horse-trading skills can translate in to a complementary and competitive NBA roster remains to be seen.

[mcHAPPY]

I don't think MU is really biased towards blowing it up or not. Maximizing return on every transaction seems to be MU's MO, so far into his short career. Whether or not his superior horse-trading skills can translate in to a complementary and competitive NBA roster remains to be seen.

Obviously we are all going on our own opinions here but when I think about TL comments upon being hired, the comments he has made since, and Ujiri's goal of being a contender, I don't see how the Raptors have any other option but to blow it up. Again, just my opinion. If the Raptors roster was stacked with a lot of value contracts, then that would be different. It would make building much easier. But given the number of key players who are on anything but value contracts and the needs combined with tradeable assets the Raptors have, I don't see any other approach. If the plan is to let the key free agents (Lowry/Gay) expire and walk away at the end of the year, why waste the opportunity to get something for them or get elite talent through the draft? Again, this is all opinion on my part and any other person's take is just as valid as my own.

[mcHAPPY]

It's not that he doesn't know what the roster can do - it's that he doesn't know what transaction opportunities there are. The questions are more along the lines of letting Gay/Lowry play out their contracts and enjoying some short-term success (if things go well), or moving them - for what? He doesn't know, and neither do you or I. Does he trade a guy for 10 cents on the dollar just to dump him a year early? Under what conditions - if the team is 1-20? 5-15? Who's he taking back? Longer contracts? Does anyone offer picks/prospects for one guaranteed year of Rudy Gay? Or if the team plays well, a couple guys show some improvement, and no great deals present themselves, what does he do in the next 1-2 years with Gay & Lowry? What if they want to re-sign for a reasonable amount? What if they want more? Less? Who knows!

There are way, way too many variables that have yet to play out. I'd say he's going to wait and see what happens on and off the court - this is how he seems night-and-day different than Colangelo, who was more dead-set on imposing his will on the franchise regardless of what was happening on the court. Ujiri seems more flexible, more patient. That's how the 'Melo-drama played out.

"Wait and see" doesn't equal "not having a plan." It would mean having Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D,....I'd envision Ujiri having a portfolio full if "if...then" contingency plans. They've got a list of players they want, transactions they'd like to pursue, impending FA's they plan on recruiting, etc.

Bold one: I agree with this. Essentially what I am saying. Once the season starts you might have teams like Cleveland/Charlotte/Detroit who are looking to make the playoffs at all cost willing to kill three birds with one stone:
1st bird: knock Toronto down who is likely to be in same group of teams striving to make final 3 playoff spots.
2nd bird: leap frog the other 2 teams who may attempt to acquire Toronto assets,
3rd bird: further their own rebuilding efforts.


Bold two and three: definitely agree.

Bold four: Good points and exactly what I was thinking but never took the time to put down. Great summary. Free agency is very interesting should Favors or Monroe not be given an extension.

[charlz]

Bargnani come Hell Or High Water cost us so many games last season.....

At the risk of sounding like a cry baby ... The refs took the gas out of last raptor season.
MLSE needs to hold the league to account they 'stole' half a dozen games last season.