Demar for draft pick poll - don't freak out, read first

[Nilanka]

Chances of Durant signing with Toronto with DeRozan = 0.000032%

Chances of Durant signing with Toronto without DeRozan = 0.000031%

[imanshumpert]

I know i know *puts his hand up*....

No max free agent is going to sign here if Lowry and Derozan are gone. Anyone who thinks max players will sign here to play with JV and T Ross are delusional. Without Lowry and Demar we are on the same level as the Bucks and the Sixers IMO.

This might be exaggerating, because we would have a couple nice prospects to work with from the draft as well, but yeah we'd pretty much have the same overall perception from the league.

Star players go to teams to play with other proven star players. Unless Val or Ross become stars like... now, we have absolutely no chance of getting Durant if DeMar and Lowry aren't on the roster.

What some of you are suggesting is just so stupid it's hard to process. Ok trade DeRozan for like the 7th pick. Draft Exum or Smart or something. Lowry realizes the team is not serious about winning at the moment, jumps ship to the Lakers or some other team that is actually trying to contend.

Exum spends the next season learning the NBA game. Has a solid season, finishes 3rd in rookie of the year voting, Ross and Valanciunas also improve but the talent level is not there overall. Raps win like 30 games.

The next year the Raptors add another nice prospect in the draft, improvement again from Exum, Ross, Val. Best case scenario happens and Dante sneaks onto the all-star team. Raps only win 40 games though.

And now it's 2015/16 free agency. The Raptors have Exum, Ross, Val and the 2015 pick as their core and are coming off a 40 win, 9th seed season. Ujiri picks up the phone.

Ujiri: Hey, Kevin, we'd like to have you play for the Raptors next season
Durant: *Laughs* *Hangs Up*
Ujiri: Kevin...? You still there?

[DanH]

Which max free agent is going to sign here if Lowry and DeRozan are gone?

Max cap space can be used in a variety of ways, not limited to outright signing a superstar.

[imanshumpert]

Max cap space can be used in a variety of ways, not limited to outright signing a superstar.

Ahhh ok, so trade away all-star/fringe all-star players to sign newer, more exciting all-star/fringe all-star players.

Gotchya

[CalgaryRapsFan]

CRF and DanH ... I'm curious, at #10, who do you feel we could get that will improve this team over its current state?

If I was only allowed to make 1 trade, then I wouldn't trade DeRozan for anything less than top 5 or 6.

I had stated that my vote was based on 2 things:

1. I don't think DeRozan's value around the league is enough to garner a top 5 or 6 pick (ie: without adding sweetener and/or taking back salary, bad or otherwise)

2. My end game wasn't simply using the #10 pick to draft a replacement player. My stated goal would be to only make the trade (DeRozan straight-up for #10 or better) if/when subsequent deals were unofficially agreed upon to move into the top 5 or 6 to target a specific player (ie: Wiggans).


I voted to play along with the OP, but I don't like looking at any roster move in a vacuum. Without knowing other related/subsequent moves (or at least knowing which prospects are available at each draft slot), I wouldn't trade DeRozan for just a pick (well maybe top-3).

[stooley]

If I was only allowed to make 1 trade, then I wouldn't trade DeRozan for anything less than top 5 or 6.

I had stated that my vote was based on 2 things:

1. I don't think DeRozan's value around the league is enough to garner a top 5 or 6 pick (ie: without adding sweetener and/or taking back salary, bad or otherwise)

2. My end game wasn't simply using the #10 pick to draft a replacement player. My stated goal would be to only make the trade (DeRozan straight-up for #10 or better) if/when subsequent deals were unofficially agreed upon to move into the top 5 or 6 to target a specific player (ie: Wiggans).


I voted to play along with the OP, but I don't like looking at any roster move in a vacuum. Without knowing other related/subsequent moves (or at least knowing which prospects are available at each draft slot), I wouldn't trade DeRozan for just a pick (well maybe top-3).

I don't wanna be a douche.

But that was pretty much playing AGAINST the OP (which was supposed to be in a vacuum and ignoring whether or not any team would actually make the trade).

I was just trying to figure how people on these boards valued Demar against the young prospects coming in, since if we'd tanked this year, we would have had to trade DD at pennies on the dollar.

But I still love ya CRF.

[special1]

Chances of Durant signing with Toronto with DeRozan = 0.000032%

Chances of Durant signing with Toronto without DeRozan = 0.000031%

Chances of Nilanka eating crow 100% LOL

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I don't wanna be a douche.

But that was pretty much playing AGAINST the OP (which was supposed to be in a vacuum and ignoring whether or not any team would actually make the trade).

I was just trying to figure how people on these boards valued Demar against the young prospects coming in, since if we'd tanked this year, we would have had to trade DD at pennies on the dollar.

But I still love ya CRF.

I was going to add a line to say that I realized I kinda cheated on the OP, but you beat me to it! lol

It's a tough question, with so many unknowns, to just pick a draft slot. Maybe a multiple-choice of the top-10 prospects would have been a better option?

For me, there's definitely a few players I'd take straight-up over DeRozan. However, I don't know exactly where they might be available. Should I vote for say #3, if there's 3 players I like better? Or should I vote for #5, based on the assumption that at least one of them will likely fall that far?

Bottom line is, all this is likely nonsense, since I doubt DeRozan alone would return a top-10 pick even, especially straight-up (due to salary matching requirements at least). That's why for me this was a tough one to vote for, especially without being able to explain my rationale.

[mcHAPPY]

I don't wanna be a douche.

But that was pretty much playing AGAINST the OP (which was supposed to be in a vacuum and ignoring whether or not any team would actually make the trade).

I was just trying to figure how people on these boards valued Demar against the young prospects coming in, since if we'd tanked this year, we would have had to trade DD at pennies on the dollar.

But I still love ya CRF.

Oh.

Hmmm.

I kind of have tunnel vision on this topic.

For JUST a pick this year.... ugh, it probably has to be top 4. I'm high on Parker, Exum, and Wiggins. I think one of those are guaranteed to be there at 4.


I keep dreaming about a 3 team deal with PHX and Sacramento.

[DanH]

Ahhh ok, so trade away all-star/fringe all-star players to sign newer, more exciting all-star/fringe all-star players.

Gotchya

Again, cap space can be used for more than just signing players. Although it does afford the opportunity to try a large offer for a superstar, so there is that. In the meantime, it also affords more flexibility in trades, which can be very valuable in trying to trade for a superstar, and also in trying to trade for high draft picks, which could yield a superstar.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I don't wanna be a douche.

But that was pretty much playing AGAINST the OP (which was supposed to be in a vacuum and ignoring whether or not any team would actually make the trade).

I was just trying to figure how people on these boards valued Demar against the young prospects coming in, since if we'd tanked this year, we would have had to trade DD at pennies on the dollar.

But I still love ya CRF.

I'm curious why you feel this way. You don't think the Raptors could've tanked - purposefully or just by being bad - while retaining DeRozan?

Personally, I think if Lowry had been dealt immediately after the Gay trade, the team would have crumbled. I can't foresee them rallying around each other the way they did with Lowry as the team's heart & soul and on-court leader. I expect DeRozan would have been severely dejected (and rightfully so) and the entire team would've played like dead men walking.

I don't think even the most vocal and aggressive of tankers ever suggested trading DeRozan for anything less than maximum fair market value (of course there's lots of room for debate about what this may have been).

[imanshumpert]

Are we seriously discussing tanking right now...

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Are we seriously discussing tanking right now...

Nope. We're discussing why DeRozan would ever need to be traded for anything less than maximized fair market value, be it past, present or future. Come on now, keep up!

As a 'hater', I'd hate (really, no need to air quotes) to trade a valuable asset at anything less. If anything, I'd hope multiple interest would lead to a bidding war. Any discussion of trading DeRozan has always come from a place that truly believes the net result would be the Raptors improving in the long-term (debatable of course).

[imanshumpert]

Nope. We're discussing why DeRozan would ever need to be traded for anything less than maximized fair market value, be it past, present or future. Come on now, keep up!

As a 'hater', I'd hate (really, no need to air quotes) to trade a valuable asset at anything less. If anything, I'd hope multiple interest would lead to a bidding war. Any discussion of trading DeRozan has always come from a place that truly believes the net result would be the Raptors improving in the long-term (debatable of course).

Don't talk to me like that please I'm not 6.

[stooley]

Don't talk to me like that please I'm not 6.

chill out man.