Masai on The Fan - November 19

[mcHAPPY]

I agree, and I think it means one of the following things, in descending order of probability:

1. He has a trade that's 95 percent agreed to which involves Tyler Hansbrough
2. He has a trade with Cleveland that's 95 percent agreed to which involves Andrew Bynum
3. He has a trade with Milwaukee that's 95 percent agreed to which involves one or more of the 5-6 free agents they signed this year

(By "95 percent agreed to," I mean "both teams are basically agreed in principle but if something happened before December 15 they could change their minds.")

Not sure on Hansbrough. He is a nice contract to have draft night because he is a solid piece off bench and because only $1M is guaranteed next season.

I pray deal involves Bynum. I think if Toronto can deliver them Gay and Asik you get a good return which leads to Milwaukee...

... Would Milwaukee take a package of Lowry, DD, and Amir for Ilyasova, expirings, and either G'Po or 2014 first? If yes, I think you just got Asik via Houston.

We'll see though.

[BallaBalla]

why sign Hansbrough and then trade him after a month? it makes no sense?

Getting Bynum makes even less sense than that for a bunch of reasons: Contract, injury prone, and we have JV.

I would bank on him trying to trade Gay or Derozan this year (Gay can be traded to help a contender while we dump his contract, Derozan can be traded based on our coaching staff inflating his usage and his numbers while we know he isn't really that good)

[Nilanka]

why sign Hansbrough and then trade him after a month? it makes no sense?

Getting Bynum makes even less sense than that for a bunch of reasons: Contract, injury prone, and we have JV.

I would bank on him trying to trade Gay or Derozan this year (Gay can be traded to help a contender while we dump his contract, Derozan can be traded based on our coaching staff inflating his usage and his numbers while we know he isn't really that good)

Hansbrough is a low cost asset. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think Masai would hold onto him simply because he's had him for just 2 months....especially if he knows this team isn't a playoff team. If there's an enticing offer, Masai will pull the trigger.

As for Bynum, Cleveland could be regretting the acquisition, and hoping to unload him. Plus he's a nice expiring contract next season, just in time for the summer of 2016 when Lieweke plans to make a splash with the all-star game, and whatever else he has up his sleeve.

[KeonClark]

Derozan is the first major shakeup. He goes sometime in the "holiday season" or first 3 weeks of January. You heard it here first

[magoon]

why sign Hansbrough and then trade him after a month? it makes no sense?

It makes perfect sense if you think that Masai's free agent signings were designed to be gambles on low-cost players whose stock could sharply rise if given playing time. DJ Augustin and Austin Daye haven't panned out; Tyler did. "Sign a player cheaply and trade him for more" is right in line with Masai's entire "always get more value in a trade" M.O.

Getting Bynum makes even less sense than that for a bunch of reasons: Contract, injury prone, and we have JV.

You don't want Bynum for Bynum. You want Bynum for two reasons:

1. His contract is designed that he can be waived before January so that instead of being responsible for $12m this year, you're only responsible for $6m;
2. Trading for Bynum means you're taking a white elephant off Cleveland's hands, presumably in exchange for an asset they like (probably Rudy), which means you have leverage to get what you really want. In Cleveland's case, this is probably either Anthony Bennett or a pick.

[Rapstor4Life]

If DeMar goes then that really means an ear is wide open to the whole analytical stuff going on and Ross starts providing some stretch on the floor.

If DeMar goes Im hoping Ross gets the starting jo I got faith in him, he is at least active when playing now (really impressive Defense) his offense will come with his comfort level rising. DeMar and Lowry to Boston for Rondo.

[Bendit]

All I got was a lot of "aahs", "ers" and "nos/maybes". My crystal ball remains very murky. Like one of the pundits said "the gms around the league dont even know his intentions" (paraphrase)....and he talks to them all the time.

Has anyone read/seen an interview with Dan Tolzman (director of scouting) who came over with MU from Denver? Please provide a link if available. I have personally seen nothing....which speaks to the tight control Ujiri has on Raptor information.

[mcHAPPY]

It makes perfect sense if you think that Masai's free agent signings were designed to be gambles on low-cost players whose stock could sharply rise if given playing time. DJ Augustin and Austin Daye haven't panned out; Tyler did. "Sign a player cheaply and trade him for more" is right in line with Masai's entire "always get more value in a trade" M.O.



You don't want Bynum for Bynum. You want Bynum for two reasons:

1. His contract is designed that he can be waived before January so that instead of being responsible for $12m this year, you're only responsible for $6m;
2. Trading for Bynum means you're taking a white elephant off Cleveland's hands, presumably in exchange for an asset they like (probably Rudy), which means you have leverage to get what you really want. In Cleveland's case, this is probably either Anthony Bennett or a pick.

Bynum's deal is fully guaranteed this year and next if on roster January 7th.

Also, around half of that $6M will have already been paid by December 15th. Possibly on the hook for $38M to Gay or <$3M for Bynum to go away.

[slaw]

I just listened to Colangelo with an accent.

I disagree with that. BC always, always gave you enough hints to know what he was thinking. He always telegraphed his moves. Ujiri is very different in that respect.

[Primer]

If DeMar goes then that really means an ear is wide open to the whole analytical stuff going on and Ross starts providing some stretch on the floor.

If DeMar goes Im hoping Ross gets the starting jo I got faith in him, he is at least active when playing now (really impressive Defense) his offense will come with his comfort level rising. DeMar and Lowry to Boston for Rondo.

Demar's advanced stats are actually up across the board this season, and are finally above average.

WS/48
2012: .075
2013: .105

PER:
2012: 14.7
2013: 16.1

Not to mention he is shooting 35% from 3 this season, up from 28% last season. I know it bugs a lot of people for whatever reason but Demar is getting better still.

[Rapstor4Life]

No doubt he is and Gay is definitely the guy that has to go first I think DeMar could be a great guy to have around, but if we can sell him high and Ross continues to play like he has been why not?

Im a huge DeRozan fan too but I want a better Raptor team.

[mcHAPPY]

Demar's advanced stats are actually up across the board this season, and are finally above average.

WS/48
2012: .075
2013: .105

PER:
2012: 14.7
2013: 16.1

Not to mention he is shooting 35% from 3 this season, up from 28% last season. I know it bugs a lot of people for whatever reason but Demar is getting better still.

Yet his eFG% is almost at a career low and his TS% is at a career low.

He still brings very little other than scoring and is inefficient at that.

[Primer]

Yet his eFG% is almost at a career low and his TS% is at a career low.

He still brings very little other than scoring and is inefficient at that.

Actually, the fact his WS48 and PER are at career highs despite his eFG% and TS% being at career lows shows just how much he has improved outside of his scoring, as there is no way his scoring is the reason for above average advanced stats. It seems to me his advanced stats are up due to career highs in AST%, and STL% along with a career low in TO%, all while having a career high in usage%.

I would also argue that DD's shooting percentages will rise closer to his career average as the season goes on, but even if they didn't, he is a vastly improved player this season according to the advanced metrics.

Also, why is everyone ignoring what a good 3pt shooter Derozan has become? It was the big questions mark in the offseason for him and he has come and produced beyond my wildest expectations shooting over 35% on 3.4 attempts per game.

[Primer]

No doubt he is and Gay is definitely the guy that has to go first I think DeMar could be a great guy to have around, but if we can sell him high and Ross continues to play like he has been why not?

Im a huge DeRozan fan too but I want a better Raptor team.

If we can sell high on Derozan I'm fine with it, although I still think he has much higher to go.

I question your evaluation of Ross game though. He doesn't get to the line, like at all, so opposing teams will never be in foul trouble. He's also shooting basically the exact same FG% and 3P% as Derozan, so we'd get no improvement there.

I like Ross but all he's been able to do this year is consistently hit the catch and shoot 3. All the other parts of his game are extremely lacking. Basically, he's not close to pushing Derozan for his job, so I don't think we should be pushing Derozan out to make room.

If we ship Gay out I'd expect to see a lot more of Derozan and Ross on the court at the same time together. Hell, we might even start both of them. Ross would have to be the biggest benefactor of Gay getting shipped out when it comes to minutes. Then we could see how effective DD is playing with a "catch and shoot 3" specialist instead of a "long contested early in the shot clock 2" specialist.

[KeonClark]

If we can sell high on Derozan I'm fine with it, although I still think he has much higher to go.

I question your evaluation of Ross game though. He doesn't get to the line, like at all, so opposing teams will never be in foul trouble. He's also shooting basically the exact same FG% and 3P% as Derozan, so we'd get no improvement there.

I like Ross but all he's been able to do this year is consistently hit the catch and shoot 3. All the other parts of his game are extremely lacking. Basically, he's not close to pushing Derozan for his job, so I don't think we should be pushing Derozan out to make room.

If we ship Gay out I'd expect to see a lot more of Derozan and Ross on the court at the same time together. Hell, we might even start both of them. Ross would have to be the biggest benefactor of Gay getting shipped out when it comes to minutes. Then we could see how effective DD is playing with a "catch and shoot 3" specialist instead of a "long contested early in the shot clock 2" specialist.

We need to get rid of Derozan. The fact is Gay will leave anyways. This team will never go anywhere with Derozan starting 2.