The 2016 Offseason thread

[DanH]

Seems fair. Raptors really didnt do anything this summer.

Yeah, it's not like they upgraded their biggest weakness (starting PF) from last year or got a lottery pick.

[Demographic Shift]

So if you think NBA writers are off on Raptors off-season assessment take a look at another one, SI own's grades:

NBA off-season grades
76ers: A
Celtics: A
Knicks: D
Nets: C-
Raptors: C


Toronto Raptors

Best Move: Keeping DeRozan home. This was kind of a no-brainer, and never even felt that up in the air, but the Raptors couldn't afford to lose DeRozan, who could very well end up as the most important player in franchise history. That’s some admittedly heavy conjecture, but what Toronto has accomplished with the trio of DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Masai Ujiri has been one of the NBA’s better success stories. His contract is huge, but points to stability within the franchise, and the team was predictably thrifty around him in adding free-agent Jared Sullinger and draftee Jakob Poeltl, who should both contribute to the frontcourt this season. Keeping Lowry at a fair price after the upcoming season, in which he’ll turn 31, might be trickier. — J.W.

Worst Move: Not signing LeBron James. The Raptors didn’t really do anything this summer. They let Bismack Biyombo walk, which made sense considering they'd already committed big money to Jonas Valanciunas. They’ve been near the top of the East for a few years, but like everyone else in this conference, are handcuffed by LeBron James's existence. Keeping DeMar DeRozan ensures the Raptors will be a playoff team in the East. There’s just not much more they can do after that. — R.N.

The Skinny: The Raptors threw the party of a lifetime during the 2016 playoffs, fighting through longstanding questions about their postseason resolve to advance to the Eastern Conference for the first time in franchise history. Then they woke up on July 1, saw the bill, and grimaced as they reached for the credit card.

Make no mistake, All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan had one heck of a contract year in 2015-16, logging big minutes and posting career numbers. DeRozan enjoyed numerous advantages in his negotiations with the Raptors: he had formed a strong relationship with the fan base over seven years in Toronto, he had struck up a deep friendship with fellow All-Star guard Kyle Lowry, his contract came due at the peak of Raptors-related excitement, and he displayed night-to-night dependability throughout the 2015-16 season after missing 20+ games due to injury the previous year. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri didn’t have much of a choice: he had to pay up to re-sign DeRozan or risk an immediate backlash among fans and within the locker room.
With all of that context in place, there’s still no way to characterize a five-year, $139 million contract for DeRozan as a great development for the organization. Indeed, as soon as DeRozan’s pen hit the paper he became one of the league’s highest-paid players—and perhaps its most overpaid. Is it possible for any guard with limited defensive impact, no three-point range and minimal skills as a playmaker to deliver on a $27 million per year contract? No, or at least not easily. Despite the rising salary cap and the fact that DeRozan gave the Raptors a slight hometown discount, a contract as large as this will crimp Ujiri’s ability to add premium talent going forward.

That handicap arguably commenced this summer, as the Raptors, with a payroll already topping $100 million, elected not to re-sign Bismack Biyombo. A key figure throughout Toronto’s postseason run, Biyombo played his way into a handsome deal with Orlando, leaving the Raptors to replace him on the depth chart with rookie Jakob Poeltl. The Austrian 7-footer seemingly represented good value at No. 9, but he will almost certainly need years of development to become an impact player. Toronto’s defense, as a result of the center swap, will almost certainly take a step back next season.
Ujiri’s only other noteworthy summer move aimed to address the power forward spot, a source of recurring stress in recent years. Toronto settled on signing Jared Sullinger to a one-year, $5.6 million contract, a classic “Let’s hope it works out, but we’re not screwed if it doesn’t” signing. Raptors coach Dwane Casey will welcome Sullinger’s rebounding skills and may also look to encourage the former Celtic’s desire to shoot from beyond the arc in hopes of generating space in the half-court.

The sum total here—more than doubling DeRozan’s salary, losing Biyombo, going sideways with Sullinger as a replacement for Luis Scola and James Johnson—is a definite step backwards. Even so, Toronto remains one of the East’s deepest teams and it will enjoy the benefits of strong continuity as it eyes another extended postseason run.

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/08/24/atl...ose-al-horford

Curious statements by this guy...

Choosing/electing not sign Biymobo... wonder if he has any grasp of the salary cap .. there wasn't any choice here.. no room and spending 18M on a back up C isn't the most forward of thinking.

Poeltl needing years of development... a supposition at best or talking trash at worst... How can he possibly know if Poeltl shines or busts after 4 summer league games?

Seeing 24 year Sullinger as a lateral to backward move at PF from a 36 year old Luis Scola ... really ? Did you actually write that ?

Do like the humour with the worst move being not signing lebron james...

[Chr1s1anL]

Yeah, it's not like they upgraded their biggest weakness (starting PF) from last year or got a lottery pick.

Pretty quiet offseason to me.

[DanH]

Pretty quiet offseason to me.

Off seasons can be quiet and good at the same time, just as they can be loud and bad.

[charlesnba23]

Yeah, it's not like they upgraded their biggest weakness (starting PF) from last year or got a lottery pick.

Ohhhhh thanks

[charlesnba23]

Off seasons can be quiet and good at the same time, just as they can be loud and bad.

Ahhhhhh thanks again

[charlesnba23]

Mario Chalmers anyone?

[Chr1s1anL]

Off seasons can be quiet and good at the same time, just as they can be loud and bad.

I guess only time will tell. I like the Sully pick up but, I think the lost of Biz will hurt the defence.

[Puffer]

Advanced metrics consistently showed Biz as a bit of a wash. Helped defensively, hurt offensively. Let's not forget that this is the guy that RR had a "Bunny Watch" on because he couldn't hit the basket from 3 feet out.

Scola hurt the team virtually every minute he was on the floor after the first dozen games and he was the starting power forward all season.

Poeltl already has a better offensive game than Biz and I think he will surprise in terms of effectiveness as a backup center.

I'm guessing the Raps break 50 games again.

[DanH]

Advanced metrics consistently showed Biz as a bit of a wash. Helped defensively, hurt offensively. Let's not forget that this is the guy that RR had a "Bunny Watch" on because he couldn't hit the basket from 3 feet out.

Scola hurt the team virtually every minute he was on the floor after the first dozen games and he was the starting power forward all season.

Poeltl already has a better offensive game than Biz and I think he will surprise in terms of effectiveness as a backup center.

I'm guessing the Raps break 50 games again.

Yeah, let's not forget the Scola effect.

All season long, Valanciunas' on-court net rating:

With Scola: -6 (in 16 MPG)
Without Scola: +15 (in 11 MPG)

Valanciunas was literally a -92 while sharing the court with Scola (over 900 minutes) and a +238 in 600 minutes without him.

Replacing Scola with an actual basketball player is the equivalent of upgrading any other player to a superstar.

[KHD]

Yeah, let's not forget the Scola effect.

All season long, Valanciunas' on-court net rating:

With Scola: -6 (in 16 MPG)
Without Scola: +15 (in 11 MPG)

Valanciunas was literally a -92 while sharing the court with Scola (over 900 minutes) and a +238 in 600 minutes without him.

Replacing Scola with an actual basketball player is the equivalent of upgrading any other player to a superstar.

classic dwane

[Chr1s1anL]

I love Poeltl but, he won't be able to make up for Biz on defense in his rookie year. I think the JV/Biz combo was pretty big strength of ours Issy year.

[Deino]

Seems fair. Raptors really didnt do anything this summer.

I think he down played the significance of certain factors (retaining Derosan) after signing JV and Ross during the season, a healthy Caroll coming back,emergence of Powell, Sully's impact(better than Scola),along with this year rookies(Poeltel,Siakam) and we still get a C,i wonder what's OKC's grade after loosing KD no matter what they do it should be (in comparison) like F - .

[Oran]

Curious statements by this guy...

Choosing/electing not sign Biymobo... wonder if he has any grasp of the salary cap .. there wasn't any choice here.. no room and spending 18M on a back up C isn't the most forward of thinking.

Poeltl needing years of development... a supposition at best or talking trash at worst... How can he possibly know if Poeltl shines or busts after 4 summer league games?

Seeing 24 year Sullinger as a lateral to backward move at PF from a 36 year old Luis Scola ... really ? Did you actually write that ?

Do like the humour with the worst move being not signing lebron james...

Don't forget that he included James Johnson in the lateral move at the PF and while I liked JJ in his time here he wasn't exactly impactful last season (due to injuries and then lack of fitness from what I understand).

In terms of the Derozan contract though it is ugly and will probably only become more so as the years go by.

[Chr1s1anL]

I think he down played the significance of certain factors (retaining Derosan) after signing JV and Ross during the season, a healthy Caroll coming back,emergence of Powell, Sully's impact(better than Scola),along with this year rookies(Poeltel,Siakam) and we still get a C,i wonder what's OKC's grade after loosing KD no matter what they do it should be (in comparison) like F - .

Yeah, he didn't mention all that. He's grading the off season not the team as a whole.