More Questions Than Answers

[JawsGT]

I'm really just trying to explore realistic options to balance the roster and reduce the teams dependence on Lowry and Demar as primary shot creators, either for themselves or others. I see JV as playing a key role in this. If the team is successful with running more offence through JV, then that alone could be a big difference, as now you can mix and match bench players with JV while Lowry and Demar rest. The same would be true if we were to acquire a Millsap or Gallo, for example.

When I was considering Ibaka as a realistic target, I was thinking we were mainly getting back an elite defender with limited offensive capability. Ibaka could help with D if Cory were moved, but not really with offence, and we would likely lose Ross in that trade. So we would still be dependent upon Lowry and Demar with the bench, unless JV got more minutes as a primary offensive weapon with bench units and proved effective. So unless you have confidence in Powell's ability to create offence, we would really need to acquire a more capable offensive player for the bench in the event an Ibaka type was acquired. And of course, Cory has more salary than the youngsters, which would make moving him the more realistic option for creating that necessary cap space.

[lewro]

Found this in the comment section of the FA primer. Is this one of you guys taking a piss or for real? (Got 3 invites):


"Also, a thanks to Daniel Hackett and Anthony Doyle for error-checking the post."

Out of random curiosity I looked these guys up (it only takes a few seconds):
Daniel Hackett is an Italian-American pro playing in Greece, an odd person to be a proofreader on a nba cap article on a Raptors blog, but whatever.
Anthony Doyle is (was) a convict executed by lethal injection in 2014...

Damn Blake, I'll make the damn Patreon donation if it means you stop raising the dead for cheap labour.

[Barolt]

Found this in the comment section of the FA primer. Is this one of you guys taking a piss or for real? (Got 3 invites):


"Also, a thanks to Daniel Hackett and Anthony Doyle for error-checking the post."

Out of random curiosity I looked these guys up (it only takes a few seconds):
Daniel Hackett is an Italian-American pro playing in Greece, an odd person to be a proofreader on a nba cap article on a Raptors blog, but whatever.
Anthony Doyle is (was) a convict executed by lethal injection in 2014...

Damn Blake, I'll make the damn Patreon donation if it means you stop raising the dead for cheap labour.

Thank you for posting that here, I would've missed it and that's hilarious.

[lewro]

Np. I'd be certain it's a joke but the comment section is that bad.

[DanH]

Found this in the comment section of the FA primer. Is this one of you guys taking a piss or for real? (Got 3 invites):


"Also, a thanks to Daniel Hackett and Anthony Doyle for error-checking the post."

Out of random curiosity I looked these guys up (it only takes a few seconds):
Daniel Hackett is an Italian-American pro playing in Greece, an odd person to be a proofreader on a nba cap article on a Raptors blog, but whatever.
Anthony Doyle is (was) a convict executed by lethal injection in 2014...

Damn Blake, I'll make the damn Patreon donation if it means you stop raising the dead for cheap labour.

I don't know about Barolt, but Blake did ask me to look it over before posting.

[DanH]

And I've actually had about a dozen people follow me on twitter assuming I was the Italian basketball player.

[Barolt]

I don't know about Barolt, but Blake did ask me to look it over before posting.

Yeah, he asked me the same.

[Apollo]

Unless Ujiri has a plan he can achieve to add more talent to the team, the Raptors will take a step back because the Pacers and Celtics are going to be a lot better. A collection of moves that adds up to a lateral move equals a step back this season.

[DanH]

Unless Ujiri has a plan he can achieve to add more talent to the team, the Raptors will take a step back because the Pacers and Celtics are going to be a lot better. A collection of moves that adds up to a lateral move equals a step back this season.

Meh, that's what everyone said about last off-season, even with all the changes, that the East had improved more than the Raps had and they would take a step back.

I think any talk of BOS or Indy improving much over last year is very premature at this point. I don't love what Indy has done so far - Thad was a solid move, but I think Hill to Teague is a downgrade for a team that basically defended its way to every win they got last year. And BOS has done nothing yet.

[slaw]

Unless Ujiri has a plan he can achieve to add more talent to the team, the Raptors will take a step back because the Pacers and Celtics are going to be a lot better. A collection of moves that adds up to a lateral move equals a step back this season.

Well, maybe. I'm inclined to give it until the end of summer before drawing conclusions. As for the Raps, between JV, Carroll, Powell and Joseph there is plenty of room to get more from the existing group and that's leaving aside Derozan who can still be more effective with further minor adjustments to his game.

[3inthekeon]

Meh, that's what everyone said about last off-season, even with all the changes, that the East had improved more than the Raps had and they would take a step back.

I think any talk of BOS or Indy improving much over last year is very premature at this point. I don't love what Indy has done so far - Thad was a solid move, but I think Hill to Teague is a downgrade for a team that basically defended its way to every win they got last year. And BOS has done nothing yet.

Hard to see a repeat of last years magic now that Scola has priced himself out of our range.

[LJ2]

I don't know if they will take a step back, but unless a move is made I don't see them taking a step forward either. The only player I've heard the Raptors associated with in free agency has been Jamal Crawford and I don't know how much truth there is to that. If it was true I guess it helps our bench. Lowry with bench line up's would be pretty dynamic with Crawford in there.

[KeonClark]

Yeah, he asked me the same.

That two timing sunuvabitch

[Apollo]

Meh, that's what everyone said about last off-season, even with all the changes, that the East had improved more than the Raps had and they would take a step back.

I think any talk of BOS or Indy improving much over last year is very premature at this point. I don't love what Indy has done so far - Thad was a solid move, but I think Hill to Teague is a downgrade for a team that basically defended its way to every win they got last year. And BOS has done nothing yet.

Dan, we all know that the Raptors were fortunate to get through back to back game sevens. Not to take anything away from them but they weren't far and away #2 in the east once playoffs rolled around. They came out #2 but not by much and do they should strive for more than a lateral.

I'd like to see a Hail Mary TD attempt. Even if at the end of the day it's a report similar to the Ibaka report where someone out bidded them and so they "lost".

[Barolt]

I'm perfectly fine with staying the course. I think a big part of who we were was our chemistry and bench, and I like continuity there. It doesn't move our ceiling, but it keeps our floor solid and our future intact.