Raptors 2014 Free Agency: non-Raptors thread

[imanshumpert]

I keep saying it. Kobe is running out of gas, the recent roster decisions have been mostly questionable and impact free agents haven't shown much interest in them. This isn't your Dad's LA Lakers, this isn't the Lakers you grew up watching.

Hill is a symbol of the new Lakers.

They have no shot at LeBron. They have no shot at Melo. They probably have no shot at Love or Durant. There is nobody capable and willing to come save them. The Lakers are about winning rings but they won't be doing any of that anytime soon.



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This. Idk why people think that just because they're the Lakers they're just suddenly going to fix the team in 1/2 a season and start competing for titles again. The Lakers have had lull periods before, and I'm expecting to see one here too.

[BobLoblaw]

no he didn't, he just rarely played. advanced statswise, the grizz were at their best when he was on the floor with gasol rather than z-bo. i have a friend who's a writer for the grizz and he said the majority of people out there were hoping they'd re-sign Ed and let Zach walk, unless he took a drastic paycut.

The majority of Grizzlies fans are pretty dumb then.

[imanshumpert]

The majority of Grizzlies fans are pretty dumb then.

This... Z-Bo is 1000000000000 times better.

[Apollo]

This. Idk why people think that just because they're the Lakers they're just suddenly going to fix the team in 1/2 a season and start competing for titles again. The Lakers have had lull periods before, and I'm expecting to see one here too.

People think that way because they've been good for so long. They had the two best players in the league for a really long time. Then they rebuilt practically overnight but then they still had the best player in the league to work with. They think the team will overcome because of the past.

What they are failing to see or are under valuing is that the Lakers no longer have the driving force behind the success. Jerry is irreplaceable, he was the Wayne Gretzky of owners and just like Gretzky, his kids are a echo of what he was in his area of greatness.

Now they essentially need to start from scratch like the Have Nots. Will players want to go there via free agency? Sure, some will but the superstars are passing. Maybe seeing how they handled Dwight (while he played hurt all year and still posted elite numbers) was enough to scare them away. Maybe they don't want to deal with Kobe, a still dominate personality but with fleeting impact. Maybe they don't want to deal with an owner who doesn't seem to know his head from his ass when it comes to building a strong, stable team?

I'm not sold on them finding a superstar in the draft. If they were bold and ballsy, maybe they would off up Kobe plus anything else the Cavs would like in exchange for Wiggins. That will never happen though. I think they're partially stalled until Kobe retires.

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[ball4life]

People think that way because they've been good for so long. They had the two best players in the league for a really long time. Then they rebuilt practically overnight but then they still had the best player in the league to work with. They think the team will overcome because of the past.

What they are failing to see or are under valuing is that the Lakers no longer have the driving force behind the success. Jerry is irreplaceable, he was the Wayne Gretzky of owners and just like Gretzky, his kids are a echo of what he was in his area of greatness.

Now they essentially need to start from scratch like the Have Nots. Will players want to go there via free agency? Sure, some will but the superstars are passing. Maybe seeing how they handled Dwight (while he played hurt all year and still posted elite numbers) was enough to scare them away. Maybe they don't want to deal with Kobe, a still dominate personality but with fleeting impact. Maybe they don't want to deal with an owner who doesn't seem to know his head from his ass when it comes to building a strong, stable team?

I'm not sold on them finding a superstar in the draft. If they were bold and ballsy, maybe they would off up Kobe plus anything else the Cavs would like in exchange for Wiggins. That will never happen though. I think they're partially stalled until Kobe retires.

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Retaining Kobe is their due diligence. What Kobe is to that franchise is not measurable. If it means sucking for two years to give Kobe the respect he deserves. Then by all means that's what they should/ would do.

FAs in the future would look at that before looking at Dwight drama.

[BobLoblaw]

People think that way because they've been good for so long. They had the two best players in the league for a really long time. Then they rebuilt practically overnight but then they still had the best player in the league to work with. They think the team will overcome because of the past.

What they are failing to see or are under valuing is that the Lakers no longer have the driving force behind the success. Jerry is irreplaceable, he was the Wayne Gretzky of owners and just like Gretzky, his kids are a echo of what he was in his area of greatness.

Now they essentially need to start from scratch like the Have Nots. Will players want to go there via free agency? Sure, some will but the superstars are passing. Maybe seeing how they handled Dwight (while he played hurt all year and still posted elite numbers) was enough to scare them away. Maybe they don't want to deal with Kobe, a still dominate personality but with fleeting impact. Maybe they don't want to deal with an owner who doesn't seem to know his head from his ass when it comes to building a strong, stable team?

I'm not sold on them finding a superstar in the draft. If they were bold and ballsy, maybe they would off up Kobe plus anything else the Cavs would like in exchange for Wiggins. That will never happen though. I think they're partially stalled until Kobe retires.

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Reputation in this field is so brittle. If Stern didn't veto their Hornets trade, they would likely be the best team in the league right now, Chris Paul, Dwight, possibly Kobe. Jimmy Buss would be celebrated as the man who refused to trade Bynum for Kidd prematurely, and held onto Pau and Bynum for just the right amount of time. Long enough to win championships, not long enough for the Lakers to fall on their faces. Kobe would be contending again, with a new set of teammates, with a very real shot of becoming the greatest winner since Russell.

That veto was a crushing blow, both to the Lakers and Jimmy Buss.

[JimiCliff]

Reputation in this field is so brittle. If Stern didn't veto their Hornets trade, they would likely be the best team in the league right now, Chris Paul, Dwight, possibly Kobe. Jimmy Buss would be celebrated as the man who refused to trade Bynum for Kidd prematurely, and held onto Pau and Bynum for just the right amount of time. Long enough to win championships, not long enough for the Lakers to fall on their faces. Kobe would be contending again, with a new set of teammates, with a very real shot of becoming the greatest winner since Russell.

That veto was a crushing blow, both to the Lakers and Jimmy Buss.

I think his reputation is more based on obvious boneheaded behaviour, like the Mike Brown/Phil Jackson/Mike D'Antoni fustercluck.

[The Great One]

Just a matter of time.

Indeed, Cavaliers have put Andrew Wiggins on table in their effort to acquire Kevin Love from Timberwolves who been firm in trade demands.

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) July 17, 2014

[imanshumpert]

Wiggins probably in tears lol. Going from Kyrie and King James to Rubio and LaVine

[ball4life]

Wiggins probably in tears lol. Going from Kyrie and King James to Rubio and LaVine

can you imagine Lavine and Wiggin as wings in that team with Rubio setting them up. probably wont win alota games but for sure will let the fans make the most out of their money.

[Apollo]

Reputation in this field is so brittle. If Stern didn't veto their Hornets trade, they would likely be the best team in the league right now, Chris Paul, Dwight, possibly Kobe. Jimmy Buss would be celebrated as the man who refused to trade Bynum for Kidd prematurely, and held onto Pau and Bynum for just the right amount of time. Long enough to win championships, not long enough for the Lakers to fall on their faces. Kobe would be contending again, with a new set of teammates, with a very real shot of becoming the greatest winner since Russell.

That veto was a crushing blow, both to the Lakers and Jimmy Buss.

Stern vetoed the deal for a good reason.

What good business manager operates without a Plan B?

Dwight didn't leave town because Chris Paul wasn't playing with him. Chris Paul doesn't play for the Rockets. Dwight left LA because they F'd up in how they handled him.

Also, what Jimi said.

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[BobLoblaw]

Stern vetoed the deal for a good reason.

I agree. Though to be fair, in hindsight Goran Dragic is a much better asset / player than anything the Hornets got from the Clippers.

But in a more strategic sense, it made more sense for the Hornets to tank. So even though the Clippers deal sucked more, it helped them win the lottery.

Stern vetoed the deal for a good reason.

What good business manager operates without a Plan B?

Dwight didn't leave town because Chris Paul wasn't playing with him. Chris Paul doesn't play for the Rockets. Dwight left LA because they F'd up in how they handled him.

Also, what Jimi said.

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What the Lakers f'ked up with Dwight is that they had pretty terrible supporting cast around him (in large part due to age and health issues), which led to a rocky season and a lot of blame by the media. If Chris Paul is with the Lakers, I doubt Dwight leaves.

In general, there's a lot of drama going on over there. Brother - sister drama, brother - sister's husband drama. I think it significantly exaggerates actual decision making issues.

[JordanMariam14]

If Wiggins gets traded to Cavs, do you think it's possible that he'll sign with us in free agency? Or try his best to get here some how, just saw some tweets about it.

Imagine a lineup with a developed Ross, or Bruno, paired up with Wiggins and JV.. Wow

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[white men can't jump]

If Wiggins gets traded to Cavs, do you think it's possible that he'll sign with us in free agency? Or try his best to get here some how, just saw some tweets about it.

Imagine a lineup with a developed Ross, or Bruno, paired up with Wiggins and JV.. Wow

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I assume you meant Wolves....

But yes. I'd say in general there's a good chance he'll want to come to Toronto down the line. Minnesota is no place to build a career. It's a bad market and they don't build winners. Cleveland isn't either usually, but now with LeBron there, it's a unique opportunity to grow under him and take over what could be a perennial contender.

[JordanMariam14]

I assume you meant Wolves....

But yes. I'd say in general there's a good chance he'll want to come to Toronto down the line. Minnesota is no place to build a career. It's a bad market and they don't build winners. Cleveland isn't either usually, but now with LeBron there, it's a unique opportunity to grow under him and take over what could be a perennial contender.

Future's looking bright..

I'm so glad MLSE hired Tim Leiweke.. they call him the "ultimate closer" (even Adam Silver said it).

Already he's got the Jays to be good (until a week or two ago), Raptors to be good, TFC signings and improvement, closing the All Star Game deal, and potentially getting the 2017 Hockey events for the Leafs 100th anniversary.. All in one year

I hope TL can get KD to the Raps.. Ultimate closer for a reason and looks like we already started building for it (cap space)

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