Rank this offseason

[CalgaryRapsFan]

What you and like 90% of the rest of the RR community are failing to see is that even though Casey hasn't been fired, both he and MU aren't dumb enough to allow the Iso ball jumpshot trigger happy offense and the switcharoo scramblefest break-our-own-ankles defense to continue for another season after being thoroughly SWEPT in the playoffs. That series is getting in our heads as if we're all possessed by some demon of sorts.

Masai was clearly cheesed about it all, and has surely given casey a "get your shit together!" type of talk. Kinda like the one he gave lowry that suddenly made lowry play proper. Lowry, JJ, and PPat voiced their displeasure about how casey is doing things but only masai can put the man in his place and i'm pretty sure he did.

They've played ISO-ball under Casey for the past two seasons, and they've kept the same coach and core, so I'm not sure how I'm being the least bit reactionary. If you're suggesting the selfish play started in the playoffs, then I'd argue that you haven't watched them enough to warrant such a hypothesis.

It's all talk until they take the court next season. I'm 100% hopeful that we'll see a significant change in their offensive game-planning, but as of today, I'm not holding my breath... and as a fan, that scares me!

[Apollo]

To me personally, the best offense they had (outside of the Superstar Carter days; they don't have a superstar so forget that) was Colangelo & Co.'s fast break, ball movement system. They played selfless ball but they had multiple guys who could knock down shots when need be (Calderon, Ford, Bosh, Parker, Garbajosa and if I remember correctly maybe Mo Pete in that first year).

I personally don't like ISO ball. The star(s) should take game the in their hands when the clock is wearing down and nothing is happening. I don't want them being "Phoenix North" again but I'd like to see the current system change a little.

Carroll was a good add. He can knock down shots. He can guard his man.

[S.R.]

Just for kicks:

2014 (Lou, JJ, Bruno) vs. 2015 (Ridnour*, Demarre, Wright) = ?

*Hopefully Ridnour's part of a transaction that brings a new PF, then we'd have a really nice 3-on-3 game here.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Just for kicks:

2014 (Lou, JJ, Bruno) vs. 2015 (Ridnour*, Demarre, Wright) = ?

*Hopefully Ridnour's part of a transaction that brings a new PF, then we'd have a really nice 3-on-3 game here.

It's really (Amir + Hansbrough + Hayes + Lou + Vasquez) VS (Carroll + Wright), as of today... as an obviously incomplete analysis, the Raps certainly don't appear to be a better team than last year's squad, while many EC teams around them have improved significantly.

[Heatdreamer]

Using your philosophy at the end of free agency if the team looks like :
Amir+ psycho + Vazquez+ Lou + Hayes= wright + DeCarroll + ++ than the off season could be determined.
However , comparing up to the cap
Amir + Vazquez+ $8 million ( Lou ) = Wright+ Carroll+ $10.9 million is a more valid comparison.(possibly Ariza+ T Jones). Time will tell, wait to see what Masai actually does.
What happens if he resigns Lou and just adds TJones. Is that a better offseason.?

[Edgar]

Depth Chart:

Lowry, Wright
Derozan, Ross, Wright
Carroll, Ross, Johnson
Patterson, Johnson, ? , Bruno?
Jonas, ? , Nogueira?

5 Roster spots
not many tradable contracts besides Ridnour's

Weaknesses - Rookie backup PG with no 3rd string, No 3rd traditional big, questions at backup Center, Rotation has limited upside


Needs (IMO)

Need a 10-20 mpg Shooting Guard/Wing (Have bird rights for Lou and Nando) - Could bring in the elder Wright (Dorell), Jordan Hamilton, etc

Unless Bruno and/or Bebe are deemed ready to play 10+ MPG (somewhat unlikely) they will need both a prototypical PF (Bird-rights for Hansbrough?) and Center (Koufos, Jason Smith, etc)

Fill out the last 2 spots with fliers on young/undrafted FA's with upside and send them to D-League when roster is healthy

[S.R.]

Depth Chart:

Lowry, Wright
Derozan, Ross, Wright
Carroll, Ross, Johnson
Patterson, Johnson, ? , Bruno?
Jonas, ? , Nogueira?

5 Roster spots
not many tradable contracts besides Ridnour's

Weaknesses - Rookie backup PG with no 3rd string, No 3rd traditional big, questions at backup Center, Rotation has limited upside


Needs (IMO)

Need a 10-20 mpg Shooting Guard/Wing (Have bird rights for Lou and Nando) - Could bring in the elder Wright (Dorell), Jordan Hamilton, etc

Unless Bruno and/or Bebe are deemed ready to play 10+ MPG (somewhat unlikely) they will need both a prototypical PF (Bird-rights for Hansbrough?) and Center (Koufos, Jason Smith, etc)

Fill out the last 2 spots with fliers on young/undrafted FA's with upside and send them to D-League when roster is healthy

That lineup is losing ground in the East.

[McRealistic]

Too early to say anything ...

[S.R.]

Very too Early ...

Too early to say anything ...

You should remove posting in this thread from your daily to-do list.

[BobLoblaw]

The Greivis trade was brilliant. With that Demarre contract, we got better, we probably made Atlanta worse, and we probably stopped the Knicks from improving as much as they could, and so we made that next year's pick better. 60 mil well spent so far, but yep, I'll wait a month before full evaluation.

[tonious35]

At face value: B- (productive, progressive, but not to push the team to ECF level)

Masai placed more cement on the foundation of the team after trading Vasquez for more future picks. He is really placing onus that the Raptors MUST and BY ALL MEANS develop their rookies and fully utilize the 'Sauga D-League opportunity. Now he is placing Kit Ramsey's look-alike from Bowfinger (Delon Wright) into the fray to be the bench Elfrid Peyton.

Carroll was a solid pickup and I am a fan of him too, I was surprised that his 3pter developed as much as Kahwi Leonard did. No T-Ross disappointing us at SF any more, he will HAVE to play guard from Bench. No Hansborough or Amir, so JJ must be played no matter what!

More to come, will wait it out.

No "all-star" power forward signed. PF and backup center still a worry.

Still TBD

[tonious35]

The Greivis trade was brilliant. With that Demarre contract, we got better, we probably made Atlanta worse, and we probably stopped the Knicks from improving as much as they could, and so we made that next year's pick better. 60 mil well spent so far, but yep, I'll wait a month before full evaluation.

Knicks are first priority that we need sucking balls, but remember that we need Denver to bomb low too to make pick into top 15 range...

[tonious35]

That lineup is losing ground in the East.

No Fools Gold this year please. They can make the playoffs in the east again, but they need to be a team that goes back to playing good to great defense and stop chucking away possessions into another team's fast break. 6th or 7th seed (44 wins, with more minutes to the rookies)

[Demographic Shift]

It's really (Amir + Hansbrough + Hayes + Lou + Vasquez) VS (Carroll + Wright), as of today... as an obviously incomplete analysis, the Raps certainly don't appear to be a better team than last year's squad, while many EC teams around them have improved significantly.

A few have improved...but only one moves up a tier to eastern contender... washington IMO A couple others improve but not really moving the competitive balance needle... others will improve on Win Loss but thats all.

So here is the buck fifty analysis for right now which is 3 days into FA with losts of shoes left to drop.

Atlanta... Just don't see the 60 win season again.. no new talent... lost Carroll ... in the PO.. good but not as good as last years edition.
Cavs.. The band is back together again next year and are the faves to win the Conf 1st seed... Still the big swinging dick on the block as long as LBJ calls Cleveland home. Only worries is that they have two porcelin dolls in Irving and Love.
Bulls... Same team.. but all a year older... Rose knees are still a concern and Pau / Dunleavy are older.. slower.. Gibson who we might make a play for seems to be perenially knicked up... not better.. maybe worse.
Raps... Right now we are not as good as last years team if we don't get some interior defense and rebounding infused into the line up...Bruno and Bebe aren't NBA players yet... Lou.. love or hatem is likely gone. Work to be done.
Whiz... nice adds with Dudley and possibly they get David West.... Wizards improved over last year.
Bucks... better than last year and the litmus test on small ball... Not much buzz when Monroe signed for 18.5 a year... you'd think it would be hailed more than it was... he will help the bucks anemic offense.. they should be able to cover his defenswe.... they still badly need a pg.. MCW is not the answer.. team most likely to make a big jump in the standings.
Celts... for all the bluster .. the Celts did shit on a stick so far.. couple more non impact draft choices...they added our guy who we will miss until those first rounds of ankle issues flare up ....so nuthin really.. Ainge accomplished squat.... still they will improve... more wins.. but might not make the playoffs..
Nets.. .this is a treadmill team... moved a young guy Plumlee for another young guy... kept the band together... Young and Lopez and Johnson and Williams.... Until they can unload Williams and Johnson they are the poster version of stuck in the middle.
HeAT ... Its tough to get a read on the Heat...Dragic is now what.. 30 or close to it and seems real interested in the South Beach nite life.. who wouldn't be.. me being me... this guy has won nowhere..Dwane Wade is OOOLLLLLD... and hurt .. and getting dem cheques.... Bosh is coming off a serious illness with blood clots in his lungs.. I hope he has his health..he could be tentative.. maybe not.. Whiteside is a grenade waiting to go off... do we see 2014 Hassan or do we see the 5 prior years of Dleague Hassan.... Winslow is a clear upgrade at SF but he is rookie... no much impact this year... Deng is older as well... McBob comes back this year though.. I'd say they are scuffling to get into the playoffs again this year.. this is against popular opinion right now. its me being me but not buying the Heat stock right now....
Pacers George is back and Hibbert and West are out....Ellis comes in... not sure what they got of a substantive nature... not much I fear.... think they are going south as well.
Pistons No idea.. they got Drummond and a bunch of guys from the Suns.. Stan Johnson...maybe they keep reggie jackson.. stan van gundy has got a lot of work in front of him... no playoffs again this year in Motown
BobHornetCats... Same..Batuum who I really would have liked here in Raptorville makes them better.. but Al J is older and is hurt a lot.. Kemba Walker is a great college guard but is meh at the NBA... Kidd Ghilcrhrist is one more bad season from being on those bust charts we see.... Kaminsky will help.. just not this year.... BTW.. if you line up Kaminsky and Zeller together i bet 8 out of 10 people can't tell them apart... another hammer in the tool box when you already have one.. curious choice... they miss the PO again this year.
Magic This is the epitome of the burden of great potential... Young C who can score... more wings than American Airlines.. and two young long term fixtures in the backcourt. Problems are the guards can't shoot the 3... and there isn't enought minutes for all the wings (yes they match whatever is bid for Harris) and they have no veteran leadership... They improve their win/loss.. but they still don't move up a tier as serious competitors..
Knicks Carmelo comes back for the year and they double their win total.. they still miss the playoffs... better .. hell it would be hard to be worse...
76'ers Year 5 of the tank... they still suck... One day the good citizens are going to see that they have a con man running a ponzi scheme at the helm and will tar and feather him... Keep selling future valuations Sam... but your strategy is morally bankrupt.... Love Okafor dropping the jersey...

So there you have it... The Raps get to the dance again next year... anywhere between 4 and 8 depending on how the GM fills in still unsolved problem of rebounding ...both on the offensive and defensive glass.. he really really needs to fix that before October..

[Euro Slow Car]

*Beep Beep*

If he signs Uros Slokar, I'd give MU an "A"!!!

*Vrooooooooooooom*