The 2016 Offseason thread

[Doc]

He is truly one of the worst radio personalities ever and his dumb ass believes Biyombo's agents are gonna let him turn down at least 15 per

Hey, if they have audio confirming this then great, but I can't see BB saying this right now. I mean, I could hear him suggest something like that because his head and heart seems to be in the right place, but he's no fool. Money does talk after all.

[Atothe]

Hey, if they have audio confirming this then great, but I can't see BB saying this right now. I mean, I could hear him suggest something like that because his head and heart seems to be in the right place, but he's no fool. Money does talk after all.

I honestly believe BB would take 10 per but why have agents if they don't do their jobs adequately. No way he resigns here. If he does then I'll change my screenname and will take the top suggestion

[DogeLover1234]

I think there's a lot things that guys are going to say in the next month that will sound great, but might come down to it's the thing you say when you don't want to look like an ass. Bismack can say that, and then when the Raptors can't offer him anything close to what he gets elsewhere, he can say it wasn't close enough, sorry, and he looks like a great guy.

Words are cheap.

Still the fact that he quite clearly wants to sign here makes things easier. He obviously is going to give Masai the best chance to resign him, so its really up to Masai and the cap at this point.

[Doc]

I honestly believe BB would take 10 per but why have agents if they don't do their jobs adequately. No way he resigns here. If he does then I'll change my screenname and will take the top suggestion

He does a ton of charity work too and just think how much more he can help out back in his homeland of Congo making that much more money. Just me suggesting that there's a greater picture to this then just BB's love for Toronto.

I expect BB to say or insinuate those sentiments, but don't think it'll happen. I obviously hope I'm wrong though.

[magoon]

Best way to use Ross' contract is in a trade and not to free up cap space to chase a free agent. Since Ross' contract is worth $10M after July 1... the Raptors can take back up to $15M in salary back.

It's a nice idea, but who are you trading for, exactly? I mean, I assume it's a power forward because that's our position of need, so:

1. Paul Millsap would force us to trade most of our available assets assuming Atlanta wants to trade him, which they probably don't.
2. Blake Griffin will be more expensive than Millsap and you have to assume we're competing against Denver and Boston for his trade (assuming, of course, the Clippers want to trade him - they might not), and they have more assets than us. Oh, and you better be damn sure he loves it in Toronto because he's on the last year of his deal.
3. Taj Gibson is aging and not what he was.
4. Kevin Love, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Derrick Favors, and Serge Ibaka aren't available at all.
5. Zach Randolph is but we don't want him.
6. Any highly promising rookie power forward still on their rookie deal is a super-valuable asset for a team because of the lopsided talent-to-salary ratio, so forget about Myles Turner, Willie Cauley-Stein, etc.

Basically the only plausible targets out there for a Ross trade are Kenneth Faried and Thaddeus Young. Faried's playstyle is wildly wrong for this Raptors team; he needs a run-and-gun fast break team, which is exactly what we aren't. Young is a good player who can execute defensively and contribute to the offense, but he's an undersized power forward (6'8" with a just-under-7-foot wingspan) who can get bullied by larger players in the post, and it was pretty obvious that Brooklyn wanted multiple assets for him during the regular season. I don't expect that to change dramatically.

If Young was available for JUST Ross, a straight-up one for one trade, I think we would take that in a second - Young is the better player (although Ross still has the higher potential ceiling for at least another year; Young is who he is, whereas if Ross finally puts it altogether he'll be a more valuable player overall). But I think Brooklyn asks for Ross and #9, or Ross and #27 and another asset (let's say Delon); I think the first is expensive and counter to Masai's style of building assets, and the second is unlikely.

[92TillInfinity]

He does a ton of charity work too and just think how much more he can help out back in his homeland of Congo making that much more money. Just me suggesting that there's a greater picture to this then just BB's love for Toronto.

I expect BB to say or insinuate those sentiments, but don't think it'll happen. I obviously hope I'm wrong though.

I was thinking about all of his charitable endeavors earlier. I've got to think that Masai's Giants of Africa event has got to impact Biyombo's in some small way. I wonder if Masai does some "under the table" type deal where MLSE or other companies/rich individuals agree to make sponsorships to Biyombo's charity in order to persuade him into resigning. Biyombo seems to be cut from the same cloth as Mutombo and Manute Bol in the sense that they re-invest a lot of their earnings back into Africa. Thoughts?

[Atothe]

I was thinking about all of his charitable endeavors earlier. I've got to think that Masai's Giants of Africa event has got to impact Biyombo's in some small way. I wonder if Masai does some "under the table" type deal where MLSE or other companies/rich individuals agree to make sponsorships to Biyombo's charity in order to persuade him into resigning. Biyombo seems to be cut from the same cloth as Mutombo and Manute Bol in the sense that they re-invest a lot of their earnings back into Africa. Thoughts?

That could be a real solution. "You stay and take a discount then we'll take of you for the rest of your life"

[magoon]

People really, really need to give up on Biyombo returning. Even if he takes a haircut to return - and he can say he wants to return, but most players aren't cap experts and he likely has no idea that the team realistically cannot afford him even if he gives them the discount he imagines, which is probably like 10% off what Portland or Dallas will be offering him, since they both need a dominant defensive center to anchor their offenses - that still means paying our backup center, who ideally plays maybe twenty minutes a game since we want JV to become a focal point for the team, in excess of ten million dollars per year.

That's a terrible use of cap space. Period. He's gone.

[mjt20mik]

Honestly even flipping him for Ross, when we need shooters, is a bad idea.

[slaw]

He is truly one of the worst radio personalities ever and his dumb ass believes Biyombo's agents are gonna let him turn down at least 15 per

I don't think people who don't really follow the NBA, and even many of those that do, quite realize what is going to happen to salaries this offseason.

[planetmars]

It's a nice idea, but who are you trading for, exactly? I mean, I assume it's a power forward because that's our position of need, so:

1. Paul Millsap would force us to trade most of our available assets assuming Atlanta wants to trade him, which they probably don't.
2. Blake Griffin will be more expensive than Millsap and you have to assume we're competing against Denver and Boston for his trade (assuming, of course, the Clippers want to trade him - they might not), and they have more assets than us. Oh, and you better be damn sure he loves it in Toronto because he's on the last year of his deal.
3. Taj Gibson is aging and not what he was.
4. Kevin Love, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Derrick Favors, and Serge Ibaka aren't available at all.
5. Zach Randolph is but we don't want him.
6. Any highly promising rookie power forward still on their rookie deal is a super-valuable asset for a team because of the lopsided talent-to-salary ratio, so forget about Myles Turner, Willie Cauley-Stein, etc.

Basically the only plausible targets out there for a Ross trade are Kenneth Faried and Thaddeus Young. Faried's playstyle is wildly wrong for this Raptors team; he needs a run-and-gun fast break team, which is exactly what we aren't. Young is a good player who can execute defensively and contribute to the offense, but he's an undersized power forward (6'8" with a just-under-7-foot wingspan) who can get bullied by larger players in the post, and it was pretty obvious that Brooklyn wanted multiple assets for him during the regular season. I don't expect that to change dramatically.

If Young was available for JUST Ross, a straight-up one for one trade, I think we would take that in a second - Young is the better player (although Ross still has the higher potential ceiling for at least another year; Young is who he is, whereas if Ross finally puts it altogether he'll be a more valuable player overall). But I think Brooklyn asks for Ross and #9, or Ross and #27 and another asset (let's say Delon); I think the first is expensive and counter to Masai's style of building assets, and the second is unlikely.

Yeah the PF isn't as deep a position as it once used to be. Off the top of my head some guys I'd look at (and we'd probably have to at the least package #9 and LAC's first for some of them):

- Gallinari
- Ariza
- Deng (via S&T)
- Henson
- Barnes (via S&T)

[Deino]

As for BIZ expressing his wish to resign with Raptors,i believe the guy,he's got nice character, respectful, has being the heart of this team(along with Kyle)when needed the most,and he appreciates the fans,city,teamates... not to forget his relationship with MU,so if he said he would like to come back with the team it's because he like where he is( where he belongs),now whether this is possible from financial angle,cap space...maybe ,maybe not,but I can't blame BIZ(or that reporter) for announcing his will/desire to stay in Toronto,even if it does not work out(can't offer him close to competitor's offers) i'm still gonna respect the guy for all what he brought to the city (toughness,pride,defence,playoffs success ...) and for trying to stick around.

[magoon]

Yeah the PF isn't as deep a position as it once used to be. Off the top of my head some guys I'd look at (and we'd probably have to at the least package #9 and LAC's first for some of them):

- Gallinari
- Ariza
- Deng (via S&T)
- Henson
- Barnes (via S&T)

Gallinari is extremely injury-prone and expensive. Ariza likely isn't available, nor Henson; they're both highly valued by their teams and both teams want to compete next season. Barnes will get a max deal from somebody so don't even bother. Deng - maybe, but a sign and trade likely isn't necessary.

[3inthekeon]

He is truly one of the worst radio personalities ever and his dumb ass believes Biyombo's agents are gonna let him turn down at least 15 per

Where does Walker say he believes Biz will turn down a better offer?

[Hotshot]

I honestly believe BB would take 10 per but why have agents if they don't do their jobs adequately. No way he resigns here. If he does then I'll change my screenname and will take the top suggestion

JV took a discount and he could have gotten much more, so Biz will probably do the same.