ESPN Insider: Raptors' Worst Free-Agent Fit

[Tim W.]

You're creating a very small window to succeed if you want all th players to be the same age when JV enters his prime. The reality is that the team will have to look at free agency and trades as a means of improving the team and my original post did say "if we can get him for the right price and if he was healthy". Its just my opinion that JV and West could be a good tandem in the right conditions. I was thinking something along the lines of Webber and Divacs in the days when Sacramento use to be good. Not as good, but along those lines.

Peace.

I'm not creating a small window, I'm trying to maximize the shot they have. It's hard enough to build a real contender, as it is. There's no way the Raptors are going to be a contender in the next three years, so why sign a guy whose best years with the team will be the next 3? And if he makes enough of an immediate impact, it actually hurts the Raptors future by giving them a lower pick this spring. If the Raptors become a contender, it won't be because they signed a veteran like David West. It will because of who they draft this spring.

As for the Webber-Divac comparison, first of all, I don't know if a defensively soft front court on a team that never was able to make it to the Finals is one you want to copy, especially since you'll be creating a lesser copy. David West is not Chris Webber and Valanciunas is not Vlade (yet, anyways). It's like trying to copy Dallas' frontcourt starting with Bargnani....

[Nilanka]

And on the other side, he's got Paul to make him look good.

Yup, I think we're grossly underestimating Paul's impact on West's career so far. It's just like how every player fortunate enough to have played with Nash (other than Dirk and Amare), looked mediocre without him. Shawn Marion and Channing Frye, anyone?

[Soft Euro]

Yup, I think we're grossly underestimating Paul's impact on West's career so far. It's just like how every player fortunate enough to have played with Nash (other than Dirk and Amare), looked mediocre without him. Shawn Marion and Channing Frye, anyone?

Let's just ponder on the idea that Bargnani would have played with the Hornets instead of West... (with Chandler or Okafor beside him)

In the case of Marion I think the threat of Stoudemire made it even easier for him (to get easy baskets). He's still a player I'd like on my team in his prime.