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Raptors 2014 Free Agency: Raptors Thread

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  • Funny exchange On prime time sports just now. Mccowan was interviewing Casey. Time for a last throwaway question. Bob says something like, hey you've been hanging out in Vegas for the past few days...have you had a chance to talk to James? Casey says yes, they sat down for a while yesterday....and bob realizes Casey didn't catch that he was trying to be funny by asking about Lebron James. In either case, Casey gave a great, long answer about James Johnson and it sounds like they are going into things with their eyes wide open and that the believe Johnson can fit in their system.

    Comment


    • white men can't jump wrote: View Post
      I've been trying to get excited about this signing but failing all day.

      James Johnson can potentially bring exactly what the team needs on D from their reserve wing....

      He doesn't shoot 3s. He has been a difficult presence everywhere he's been by clashing with coaches.

      There are guys who play good D while shooting the 3 and/or being good locker room guys or even leaders.

      The pickings weren't great in free agency....but I still just feel "meh" about bringing JJ back. Lets hope his head is screwed on right, and also it would be nice if he got up 2000 3pters a day this offseason or something.
      I not trying to come at you or anything but I would really like to know who was out there in free agency that we could have REALISTICALLY gotten that is better that James Johnson? Everyone is hating on the signing but no one out there was enticing to me except Chris Douglas Roberts and he is a risk as well. Xavier henry and Wesley Johnson are big risks because they only played well under Mike Dantoni and we all know how his system makes players look good. Also he doesn't stress defense so they would give us no D. PJ Tucker and Vince were never happening. Vince said he wanted to stay in Dallas and Phoenix said they would match PJ Tucker deals. That was just fans trying to make something out of nothing. Jordan Hamilton has proven nothing in the league and is a bad defender. Al Farouq Aminu is pretty much a taller younger Fields. That never made sense to me. Shawn Marion disliked Toronto and most likely wants to play for a contender. Our name was never linked to Marvin Williams and he isn't that great of a player anyway. Evan Turner would be a bad fit and he's had trouble in the locker room as well supposedly. Ariza is too expensive. And then there are guys like Caron Butler, Rashard Lewis,Richard Jefferson, Paul Pierce, Francisco Garcia and Metta World Peace who are just too old and are on the decline.Oh and there's Beasley but James Johnson is better than him so there's that. I really want to know from everyone who hates this deal WHO you liked so much that we could have honestly got? Cause I really don't get it.
      I relish negativity and disappointment. It is not healthy. Somebody buy me a pony.

      Comment


      • white men can't jump wrote: View Post
        I've been trying to get excited about this signing but failing all day.

        James Johnson can potentially bring exactly what the team needs on D from their reserve wing....

        He doesn't shoot 3s. He has been a difficult presence everywhere he's been by clashing with coaches.

        There are guys who play good D while shooting the 3 and/or being good locker room guys or even leaders.

        The pickings weren't great in free agency....but I still just feel "meh" about bringing JJ back. Lets hope his head is screwed on right, and also it would be nice if he got up 2000 3pters a day this offseason or something.
        Don't try to come down from the heights of pj tucker, come up from the world of salmons/fields. Ross was last year and will be this year, our main defensive SF. When it comes to guys who are too big for Ross, Johnson will step in. Ross, if all goes according to plan will be our 3 and D guy. Who is available to take that specific backup role at 2.5 million a year for two years? Yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous but TH is making 3M to be our 4th or 5th big.

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        • GLF wrote: View Post
          I not trying to come at you or anything but I would really like to know who was out there in free agency that we could have REALISTICALLY gotten that is better that James Johnson? Everyone is hating on the signing but no one out there was enticing to me except Chris Douglas Roberts and he is a risk as well. Xavier henry and Wesley Johnson are big risks because they only played well under Mike Dantoni and we all know how his system makes players look good. Also he doesn't stress defense so they would give us no D. PJ Tucker and Vince were never happening. Vince said he wanted to stay in Dallas and Phoenix said they would match PJ Tucker deals. That was just fans trying to make something out of nothing. Jordan Hamilton has proven nothing in the league and is a bad defender. Al Farouq Aminu is pretty much a taller younger Fields. That never made sense to me. Shawn Marion disliked Toronto and most likely wants to play for a contender. Our name was never linked to Marvin Williams and he isn't that great of a player anyway. Evan Turner would be a bad fit and he's had trouble in the locker room as well supposedly. Ariza is too expensive. And then there are guys like Caron Butler, Rashard Lewis,Richard Jefferson, Paul Pierce, Francisco Garcia and Metta World Peace who are just too old and are on the decline.Oh and there's Beasley but James Johnson is better than him so there's that. I really want to know from everyone who hates this deal WHO you liked so much that we could have honestly got? Cause I really don't get it.
          Well, Aminu can bring a similar level of D as James Johnson, and knows his role much better. He understands who he is as a basketball player and what he needs to work on, and understands what being a team player is.

          You can say Tucker and Vince were never happening....but no offence man, you never think ANYTHING good is going to happen for Toronto. I'm pretty sure at some point in free agency you said you were convinced we were going to lose each of our guys. Like "I don't think this is a good sign and it looks like Lowry/Pat/Vasquez won't be coming back"....well guess what? All of them came back. PHX is trying to spend their capspace and thus who knows what happens if they are able to make an impact on the market? I do agree we didn't have the best chance to land Tucker, since he's a RFA, but there may have been a window. As for Vince, Dallas is thrashing about in free agency and could actually field the same or worse team next year if they fail to get anything done. They barely made it into the playoffs in the West. Maybe Vince would be amenable to coming back to Toronto then.

          As for other guys. Marvin Williams isn't a great player...but neither is JJ. At least Marvin can score a bit and shoot a bit from outside.

          Then you have low-cost options like the guys you mentioned....Henry and Wes Johnson. Wes is a low-impact guy. Henry has more potential, but has physical concerns.

          Some of those guys you mention as on the decline....Well Butler might still have something left. Hard to know. Pierce could've been an interesting option except he has outrageous salary demands.

          Could have been other options. Just because a guy hasn't proven anything, doesn't mean he won't.

          Who could we have honestly got? I don't know. But I'm ok saying that, whereas you always honestly think the Raps will fail at all things all the time....so if I asked you who you thought we would honestly be able to get before this signing, I'm sure your answer would've only had the worst possible options out there, like just minimum value guys who are unproven (Hamilton, Henry, etc..) or possibly washed up (Artest, Jefferson, etc...).

          I don't hate the JJ signing. Like I said, just feel "meh" about it. A small gamble that could find us still needing to address the SF spot mid-season. Here's hoping it works out.

          Comment


          • Bendit wrote: View Post
            And he used to be a Raptor...albeit for a cuppa coffee.
            Fun fact: James Johnson has played more games for the Raptors than any other team over his four-team, five-season career.

            Comment


            • Scraptor wrote: View Post
              Fun fact: James Johnson has played more games for the Raptors than any other team over his four-team, five-season career.
              Wow, Raptors teams sucked hard. Just, Wow

              Comment


              • white men can't jump wrote: View Post
                Well, Aminu can bring a similar level of D as James Johnson, and knows his role much better. He understands who he is as a basketball player and what he needs to work on, and understands what being a team player is.

                You can say Tucker and Vince were never happening....but no offence man, you never think ANYTHING good is going to happen for Toronto. I'm pretty sure at some point in free agency you said you were convinced we were going to lose each of our guys. Like "I don't think this is a good sign and it looks like Lowry/Pat/Vasquez won't be coming back"....well guess what? All of them came back. PHX is trying to spend their capspace and thus who knows what happens if they are able to make an impact on the market? I do agree we didn't have the best chance to land Tucker, since he's a RFA, but there may have been a window. As for Vince, Dallas is thrashing about in free agency and could actually field the same or worse team next year if they fail to get anything done. They barely made it into the playoffs in the West. Maybe Vince would be amenable to coming back to Toronto then.

                As for other guys. Marvin Williams isn't a great player...but neither is JJ. At least Marvin can score a bit and shoot a bit from outside.

                Then you have low-cost options like the guys you mentioned....Henry and Wes Johnson. Wes is a low-impact guy. Henry has more potential, but has physical concerns.

                Some of those guys you mention as on the decline....Well Butler might still have something left. Hard to know. Pierce could've been an interesting option except he has outrageous salary demands.

                Could have been other options. Just because a guy hasn't proven anything, doesn't mean he won't.

                Who could we have honestly got? I don't know. But I'm ok saying that, whereas you always honestly think the Raps will fail at all things all the time....so if I asked you who you thought we would honestly be able to get before this signing, I'm sure your answer would've only had the worst possible options out there, like just minimum value guys who are unproven (Hamilton, Henry, etc..) or possibly washed up (Artest, Jefferson, etc...).

                I don't hate the JJ signing. Like I said, just feel "meh" about it. A small gamble that could find us still needing to address the SF spot mid-season. Here's hoping it works out.
                James can score a bit and shoot a bit from outside as well. Even Toronto media said the Vince thing wasn't going to happen and made no sense so it's not just me. It came out we liked PJ and everyone ran with that but realistically that wasn't going to happen. We could have tried I'm not saying that we couldn't but it was much more likely we wouldn't get him than we would. We just didn't have enough money. It's not me feeling like we can't get anyone it's more trying to look at the situation and the money we have and also listening to what's being written out there. If you like Xavier and Wesley better than Johnson then that's your opinion but I don't see it personally. Marvin would have been a good choice and we could have gotten him but we were never linked to him so I assume Masai doesn't care for him that much. I didn't want you to take it at me taking a shot at you I just wanted to hear your side to see if maybe there was someting I was missing. I know I'm very negative and worry a lot but I truly could not see us getting PJ Tucker or Vince and many people thought the same. But we could have tried because you never know
                I relish negativity and disappointment. It is not healthy. Somebody buy me a pony.

                Comment


                • GLF wrote: View Post
                  James can score a bit and shoot a bit from outside as well. Even Toronto media said the Vince thing wasn't going to happen and made no sense so it's not just me. It came out we liked PJ and everyone ran with that but realistically that wasn't going to happen. We could have tried I'm not saying that we couldn't but it was much more likely we wouldn't get him than we would. We just didn't have enough money. It's not me feeling like we can't get anyone it's more trying to look at the situation and the money we have and also listening to what's being written out there. If you like Xavier and Wesley better than Johnson then that's your opinion but I don't see it personally. Marvin would have been a good choice and we could have gotten him but we were never linked to him so I assume Masai doesn't care for him that much. I didn't want you to take it at me taking a shot at you I just wanted to hear your side to see if maybe there was someting I was missing. I know I'm very negative and worry a lot but I truly could not see us getting PJ Tucker or Vince and many people thought the same. But we could have tried because you never know
                  The thing is so far, he hasn't really done anything consistently well on offence. He seems to think of himself as a Magic or LeBron, who should get the ball at the top and be allowed to do whatever he wants. He's 27, has all the physical tools in the world he could ever need, even has a good feel for the game, and he's bounced around his whole career because he's a pain in the ass.

                  Other signings may have been lower impact, but also lower risk.

                  Others still may have been higher impact, and probably higher cost.

                  Instead we signed a guy who has worn out his welcome everywhere he's been, and are hoping it works out. Well, it better, because we gave him two guaranteed years, so it makes it a bit harder to manage options if they have find a better option and/or move James out.

                  Comment


                  • bryan colangelo wrote: View Post
                    It's obviously a pattern with this guy.

                    Casey doesn't suffer fools though, unless Bryan Colangelo forces him to play them (Rudy, Bargnani). He is definitely the type of coach that would rather play a bad player that buys into team culture/game plan than a more talented played with a shit attitude.
                    You know, for all your talk of Casey being misrepresented by Raptors fans, you are making far worse misrepresentations in an effort to totally revise history. Casey was forced by Colangelo to play Rudy and Bargnani??

                    The first thing Casey said when he got here was that Bargnani could be our Dirk. Then he said Bargs should get the ball come hell or high water. He drew up iso after iso for Rudy and later admitted to relying on Rudy isos too much.

                    The MLSE board told Casey to play whoever he wanted during Colangelo's lame duck last season. To the point where Colangelo complained that Casey had taken Lowry and turned an alley cat into a housepet. It was only after Rudy was traded (upon whom Casey relied heavily) that Lowry finally got his chance to shine and play his game, which had earned him kudos in Houston.

                    Casey has his strengths and weaknesses, and Colangelo had his strengths and weaknesses. It's pure idiocy to say one guy was the source of every single problem with this franchise now that he's no longer in the picture. Demonizing the past in order to lionize the present is the same kind of delusion that led to an excessively grandiose view of Colangelo in the first place.

                    Comment




                    • Casey seems to like the signing.
                      Only one thing matters: We The Champs.

                      Comment


                      • white men can't jump wrote: View Post
                        The thing is so far, he hasn't really done anything consistently well on offence. He seems to think of himself as a Magic or LeBron, who should get the ball at the top and be allowed to do whatever he wants. He's 27, has all the physical tools in the world he could ever need, even has a good feel for the game, and he's bounced around his whole career because he's a pain in the ass.

                        Other signings may have been lower impact, but also lower risk.

                        Others still may have been higher impact, and probably higher cost.

                        Instead we signed a guy who has worn out his welcome everywhere he's been, and are hoping it works out. Well, it better, because we gave him two guaranteed years, so it makes it a bit harder to manage options if they have find a better option and/or move James out.
                        I definitely hear the concern and it makes sense. I just don't think I see anyone out there being much less of a concern unless they were out of our price range. But yes there is definitely a risk in signing him again. I hope he works out too and I have faith he will but time will tell. I trust in Masai and he's a good judge of character and was able to turn Kyle around. Casey also had a long discussion with Johnson about his role and what they are looking for. So I have a good feeling this time might be different.
                        I relish negativity and disappointment. It is not healthy. Somebody buy me a pony.

                        Comment


                        • GLF wrote: View Post
                          I definitely hear the concern and it makes sense. I just don't think I see anyone out there being much less of a concern unless they were out of our price range. But yes there is definitely a risk in signing him again. I hope he works out too and I have faith he will but time will tell. I trust in Masai and he's a good judge of character and was able to turn Kyle around. Casey also had a long discussion with Johnson about his role and what they are looking for. So I have a good feeling this time might be different.
                          Truthfully I thought he could be an option...just that he'd not be near the top of the options they look at. Definitely a better move than a Wes Johnson for example...But yeah, risky.....

                          And you have a good feeling? Crazy!!!

                          Comment


                          • Whoa guys! GLF has a good feeling?!

                            Things are turning around on here.

                            lol wmcj beat me to it.
                            "Bruno?
                            Heh, if he is in the D-league still in a few years I will be surprised.
                            He's terrible."

                            -Superjudge, 7/23

                            Hope you're wrong.

                            Comment


                            • GLF wrote: View Post
                              I definitely hear the concern and it makes sense. I just don't think I see anyone out there being much less of a concern unless they were out of our price range. But yes there is definitely a risk in signing him again. I hope he works out too and I have faith he will but time will tell. I trust in Masai and he's a good judge of character and was able to turn Kyle around. Casey also had a long discussion with Johnson about his role and what they are looking for. So I have a good feeling this time might be different.
                              Again, he is replacing Salmons and Fields. As long as he doesn't kill anybody or at least keeps it quiet, everything's good. Salmons FG% - 36

                              Comment


                              • Given his MMA background, I just want JJ to be the basketball equivalent of this guy:

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