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Zach Lowe on Lowry, Derozan and the 2014 All-Star Game

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  • Zach Lowe on Lowry, Derozan and the 2014 All-Star Game

    Zach Lowe's thoughts on the ASG. Lots of relevant raptor material, but click the LINK for the rest of Lowe's thoughts, he's the best NBA blogger/journalist out there right now.

    2. You want a real snub? Travel east to the league’s weaker conference, and take a gander at Kyle Lowry. His omission is one of the worst I can recall, and it’s safe to assume the league’s coaching fraternity is punishing Lowry for his well-chronicled run-ins with just about every coach he’s come across in Memphis, Houston, and even Toronto. Lowry is second among all Eastern Conference guards in PER, and considering the tiny gap between Lowry and the top guy (Dwyane Wade), and Wade’s 13 missed games, you could easily argue Lowry has been the best guard in the conference. John Wall, a deserving All-Star, is right there, but he’s really the only other guy in the discussion...

    3. DeMar DeRozan over Lowry is probably the wrong choice, but it’s at least semi-defensible in a weak field. DeRozan is still a poor shooter — 43 percent overall, 30 percent from deep — but he has made big strides as a defender and a passer, and he’s getting to the line a ton in a career season. He soaks up a huge load of possessions for a team that needs a fulcrum in a post–Rudy Gay world. I took Afflalo over DeRozan for my team, and I still would today, but I’m not throwing a fit about it. Johnson is the guy who doesn’t belong.

    4. It’s funny, by the way, how three of Bryan Colangelo’s key decisions in Toronto don’t look so bad now. DeRozan’s contract extension took widespread criticism, including here, and it’s still a bit too long and pricey for my taste. But if he keeps improving, he’ll live up to it, and Toronto could easily find a home for him via trade. Colangelo got Lowry for a pick that became Steven Adams, though of course a pick that juicy has larger value that just Adams; Houston used it as the key piece in the James Harden deal. Amir Johnson’s contract looks downright good now.

    None of this erases the Andrea Bargnani stain, the Gay trade, or the insane Landry Fields contract. But the record is mixed, not one of total failure, and the record of almost every GM regresses to “mixed” over time.
    "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

  • #2
    Do you guys still think DeMar's contract is horrendous?

    Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

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    • #3
      JordanMariam14 wrote: View Post
      Do you guys still think DeMar's contract is horrendous?

      Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
      Since I've long backed Demar, I never had a huge problem with the contract itself, only the timing. It was symptomatic of BC's tendency to bid against himself. We had the right to match Demar at any price as an RFA, so why not let him prove his value? Henderson got 3 yrs $18mm, so we might have saved a couple million a year.

      That said, who's to say Demar hasn't been motivated by the commitment the organization has shown to him, by wanting to live up to the contract? One could argue that a softer contract might have made him feel disenfranchised, content to drift along until his contract year. I really do believe he feels he can rep the city, as Ed mentioned after he was traded.

      The nice thing about the contract is the lack of raises. In two seasons it should be very solid value, just as Lowry is pretty amazing value right now. But barring injury or regression I doubt Demar exercises his player option and we will have to renegotiate that fourth year.

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      • #4
        JordanMariam14 wrote: View Post
        Do you guys still think DeMar's contract is horrendous?

        Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
        I never felt it was horrendous.
        I'm not going to sit here and say I knew Demar would become an All-Star, but I never had any serious doubts that he would live up to it.

        Though I was also the guy arguing in favour of Amir's contract early on ... so maybe I'm just a homer who likes em all. (except Landy's. Nobody likes that contract except Landy ... and Mrs. Landy...)

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        • #5
          I've always been pro DeMar but the timing of that contract was weird. If you look at players who became free agents who had similar years (last year) they all signed smaller contracts: Henderson and OJ Mayo ($8 Mill per). Even if waiting only led to saving half a mill over the full contract, that's still half a mill in a salary cap league. BC always slightly, or extremely overpaid players. The fact that most played up to the contract shouldn't be lauded. That's the difference between having a player at league value and having a bargain.

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          • #6
            For me it was always about the timing of the contract. I'm glad DD is living up to it, but there was always a possibility that he wouldn't. That contract could have easily looked like Jose's or Andrea's as opposed to Amir's.

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            • #7
              edit: wrong thread
              Last edited by iblastoff; Sun Feb 2, 2014, 01:29 PM.

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              • #8
                Scraptor wrote: View Post
                Since I've long backed Demar, I never had a huge problem with the contract itself, only the timing. It was symptomatic of BC's tendency to bid against himself. We had the right to match Demar at any price as an RFA, so why not let him prove his value? Henderson got 3 yrs $18mm, so we might have saved a couple million a year.
                ^This. We could have had him for an amazing price and had a player who was worth more than his contract. That is how you build good basketball teams by being savvy with your money early, so you have tons of wiggle room when the team gets good.

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                • #9
                  OldSkoolCool wrote: View Post
                  ^This. We could have had him for an amazing price and had a player who was worth more than his contract. That is how you build good basketball teams by being savvy with your money early, so you have tons of wiggle room when the team gets good.
                  I believe BC was big on showing loyalty to his players though.
                  Whether right or wrong, I believe that is what drove these "bidding wars with himself".
                  One will never know if that loyalty played any part in the improvement we've seen today, as Scraptor said.

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                  • #10
                    wtf? people still talking as if they know better about "the timing" of DeMar's contract? lol, it's a bargain already, in the very first year, and people who haven't a clue what his value was among GMs in the league, still think they know enough to criticize the timing? lol, it's working out very fine, folks, and will be even greater value for a few years to come. Accept it. Live with it. Hell, should be rejoicing in it, not whining about some unqualified "better deal" that one imagines it could have been. OJ Mayo? lmao at people who wanted him over DeMar. We have a young man with character and commitment. Things that OJ has only read about at best.

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                    • #11
                      salmon wrote: View Post
                      wtf? people still talking as if they know better about "the timing" of DeMar's contract? lol, it's a bargain already, in the very first year, and people who haven't a clue what his value was among GMs in the league, still think they know enough to criticize the timing? lol, it's working out very fine, folks, and will be even greater value for a few years to come. Accept it. Live with it. Hell, should be rejoicing in it, not whining about some unqualified "better deal" that one imagines it could have been. OJ Mayo? lmao at people who wanted him over DeMar. We have a young man with character and commitment. Things that OJ has only read about at best.
                      It would really help the conversation if you actually read the thread. No one wanted OJ Mayo. I'm a DeMar supporter -- as pretty much every debate on him that I have commented on has shown. I merely used OJ as a player who put up similar numbers last season and got a smaller contract.

                      In business you try to get the most production for the least amount of salary paid. If BC let the market dictate any of the contracts that he signed players to he could have saved millions.

                      That's a big deal in a salary cap league.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        salmon wrote: View Post
                        wtf? people still talking as if they know better about "the timing" of DeMar's contract? lol, it's a bargain already, in the very first year, and people who haven't a clue what his value was among GMs in the league, still think they know enough to criticize the timing? lol, it's working out very fine, folks, and will be even greater value for a few years to come. Accept it. Live with it. Hell, should be rejoicing in it, not whining about some unqualified "better deal" that one imagines it could have been. OJ Mayo? lmao at people who wanted him over DeMar. We have a young man with character and commitment. Things that OJ has only read about at best.
                        You clearly have no sense of nuance to respond in such an inflammatory fashion.

                        Nobody is claiming that the contract isn't good value. Nobody isn't happy that Demar is here. But being a savvy GM means being opportunistic.

                        There was zero risk in waiting till he became an RFA. I don't care if we could have signed Demar for a little less. I'm just saying it was a characteristic of BC to act rashly. There are just so many examples. From the midnight signing of Kapono to the Landry Fields debacle to giddily announcing that Bargs was available on ESPN after the Rudy trade, to signing Demar in the tunnel leading to the ACC, these aren't the moves of someone who is cool and collected, they are hasty, emotional decisions.

                        Gambling on upside is fine if it works out like with Demar, but when it doesn't like with Bargs it can severely harm a team and its capspace. And it doesn't change the fact that it was a gamble when one wasn't necessary.

                        I have defended BC in the past based on the notion that it's Canada and you have to overpay, and I do admire his focus on loyalty, but the timing of this particular decision was pretty indefensible regardless of how Demar has played afterward.

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                        • #13
                          None of this erases the Andrea Bargnani stain, the Gay trade, or the insane Landry Fields contract. But the record is mixed, not one of total failure, and the record of almost every GM regresses to “mixed” over time.
                          Everyone here loves Zach Lowe, yet, its funny how many of you will completely pretend this comment wasn't part of his article.
                          Last edited by Superjudge; Sun Feb 2, 2014, 06:02 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Scraptor wrote: View Post

                            There was zero risk in waiting till he became an RFA.
                            Ok.

                            So a lot of guys here will wait until some writer brings it up.... when the writer talks about how a player needs to feel respected or wanted by his employer. Positive gestures, and trust are important. So honestly, ya, you can wait it out, see how cheap you can lowball your guy..... or you can sign him in good faith, show him you are putting your support and confidence in him, and nurture a positive relationship with your employee.

                            and this:

                            the timing of this particular decision was pretty indefensible regardless of how Demar has played afterward.
                            Just ridiculous and completely gives away a naive and "fantasy sports" mentality.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Craig wrote: View Post
                              Everyone here loves Zach Lowe, yet, its funny how many of you will completely pretend this comment was part of his article.
                              I'm confused, how is it not part of the article ?

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