Who brought the downer to the party?

[slaw]

I still believe that Bargs and Derozan are complimentary pieces that need a #1 option. Yeah, the draft is deep, but it ain't that deep. It seems highly unlikely you're going to find a franchise changer at 16 and below. I fear 2006-2007 all over again...

Having said that, things are different this time. In 2006-2007, they won with veterans and had little youth or capspace to work with. Now, even if they play themselves out of the lottery this year, they have a highly touted prospect in Valanciunas coming next season, should get a solid player in the draft, have assets to deal (Barbosa, Davis, Amir) and should have some room next year to upgrade another position.

Of course, it's 6 games in and they have a brutal stretch coming up. This will be a terrific topic if they are .500 at the trade deadline, though....

[MangoKid]

I don't think we're gonna get that franchise type player this season in the draft, but we will get a very good player nonetheless. I'm really hoping for Kidd-Gilchrist. He would be a perfect fit here. At least we're not paying anyone franchise type money.

[Matt52]

I don't think we're gonna get that franchise type player this season in the draft, but we will get a very good player nonetheless. I'm really hoping for Kidd-Gilchrist. He would be a perfect fit here. At least we're not paying anyone franchise type money.

If Bargnani continues playing like he is on offense and continues to put the effort in on defense, we have our franchise type player.

He'll never be a rebounding force, but if he ensures his man doesn't get the ball his teammates can expect a little inflation in their rebounding stats.

[Bouncepass]

For me, MKG (Gilchrist) is a better option for the Raptors. But I think his draft stock is going to keep climbing and he might be harder to snag than Barnes when all is said and done.

[heinz57]

i want to see competitive ball everytime i turn on a raps game.... the outcome at the end of the season be damned...

if they're a draft team, but lose alot of close games i'd be happy... if they fight for the 8th seed, i'll be happy...

what i dont have interest in is cheering for my team to fail for the sake of a potential future player.

that's loser talk.

that's like going to a club, ignoring the middle-aged hotties, and going with a barely 19 fattie... at least you got the plumper who at the very least can work a decent blowie but you're going to have to spend time you're not really sure you care to commit to trying to get her to lose the weight and get fit... with the hopes that IF she does manage to get fit, she'll stay with you because you were there for her in her blubbery days..

i'd rather enjoy my night

[Matt52]

i want to see competitive ball everytime i turn on a raps game.... the outcome at the end of the season be damned...

if they're a draft team, but lose alot of close games i'd be happy... if they fight for the 8th seed, i'll be happy...

what i dont have interest in is cheering for my team to fail for the sake of a potential future player.

that's loser talk.

that's like going to a club, ignoring the middle-aged hotties, and going with a barely 19 fattie... at least you got the plumper who at the very least can work a decent blowie but you're going to have to spend time you're not really sure you care to commit to trying to get her to lose the weight and get fit... with the hopes that IF she does manage to get fit, she'll stay with you because you were there for her in her blubbery days..

i'd rather enjoy my night

I've missed you, Heinz.

[heinz57]

lol... i was never really gone... site got blocked by my work, and i'm moving in a few weeks.. so no time for the net at night lately... so havent been able to post

BUT, somehow it's unblocked at work again...

[Mediumcore]

My vote is for getting a high draft pick at the expense of making the playoffs. It's great that this year is being used for developing players and a new culture of playing hard on defense, but at the end of the day it's clear that the current roster isn't nearly good enough to contend. They could play perfectly on both ends of the court and still not be able to beat the Chicago's, Miami's, Oklahoma's of the league in a 7 game series.

An upgrade in talent is required along with the the development of players and change of culture. I'ts a deep draft but if the difference is between a franchise player and a good player I'll take the franchise player...and suffer through another season of good effort and losing.

[yertu damkule]

For me, MKG (Gilchrist) is a better option for the Raptors. But I think his draft stock is going to keep climbing and he might be harder to snag than Barnes when all is said and done.

agree completely. the only thing barnes has on MK-G (IMO) is a more polished offensive game...but all the intagibles go to MK-G, and by all accounts, his shooting has improved quite a bit, and should continue to do so. he's getting raves about his bball IQ, intensity/effort, defensive-awareness, rebounding, etc. me likey...

[tucas]

Smartest thing ever posted on this site by anyone.

I have no doubt Davis will be a quality player, however I feel people have overrated him just a bit. No one has agreed with me when I said this because they feel we have to keep Davis but we can end up with a top 5 pick if we bundle our pick with him and we would get a much better player then Davis.

[NoPropsneeded]

i think playing well but not making the playoffs with like an 7th or 8th worst record would be good. We would be able to draft someone like MKG or Miller and with JV coming over it might push us over the top and we might make a run like OKC.

[GhostDog]

High lottery pick. We are still nowhere near a contending team. I'm happy with our improvement on D, that fact the Bargs is starting to show me something, and that DD is playing the best ball of his career. That being said, it would be the worst case scenario pushing for the 8th seed in the East.

This team needs a high draft pick to ensure that we have a chance to be a contending team at least 3-5 years from now (Not sure if that's possible with BC as GM, assuming he still is in that time frame, but I'll leave that thought for another discussion). Especially with this year being one of the deeper drafts in years.

[Matt52]

Everyone is talking about 'we need another high draft pick'.

The Raptors already have a high draft pick coming and his name is Jonas Valanciunas:




I've said this numerous times in this thread now but the Raptors might already have their franchise player from the least likely source imaginable. I think the odds of us having a franchise player in Andrea Bargnani are greater than getting one in the draft. Bargnani's play over these 6 games is franchise player calibre production. The bigger issue is will it be sustainable. That is an unknown but less of one than what the draft might bring in my opinion.

DeMar has also shown that he still has tricks and room for improvement up his sleeve. He is just 22!


A playoff appearance and a mid first round draft pick in a quality draft (with cap space, a young prospect, and our own pick which together might be able to move higher in the draft) would not be the end of the world.

The talk of this year has been a culture change. Winning and making the playoffs would certainly do that. Not to mention the respectability that goes along with it around the league. Imagine, suddenly a free agent signing or a trade to Toronto is not considered deployment to Siberia.

[Raptorsss]

What did I just watch? I think we need a high lottery pick, since we won't be a bad team for at least another 5 seasons. Unfortunately, Milwaukee and NYK don't look like they are better than the Raptors.

[e2thed]

You hear the Big Z one.

[NoPropsneeded]

that is actually a pretty sick song. When he says jonas valaciunas its really funny

[Mack North]

The only fear I have in the Raptors making or even flirting with a playoff spot is that BC takes a 180 degree turn on the rebuilding and makes a flurry of free agent signings again and sets us back another 3-5 years. The fact that he was itching to do it this past offseason shows he still hasn't quite learned his lesson yet. Thank goodness for Ed Stefanski, but if we make the playoffs, who's going to win that argument? (btw this is purely hypothetical. I still think we win 15 games or less.)

The draft looks good, but you never know with that -- you could end up drafting a guy who is injured all the time, or, just plain sucks.

Wow, 12-60 the rest of the way?? That sounds pretty tough to swallow now that they've been playing so well early on...

[RaptorDan]

Regardless of record or draft pick position, I want to see entertaining games every night. If every night is a blow-out or just plain ugly I won't watch. I'm glad that things are going pretty good so far, there is some optimism and most games have been fun to watch. It keeps me tuning in. And geez, it been so many years since any of my favourite teams have made the playoffs (Raptors, Bills) it would be a pleasure to watch.

[draftedraptor]

Playoffs. A winning team does wonders to the confidence of youngsters and we have plenty of them (DD, JB, ED, JJ). Bargnani can finally be that franchise player (if he wants to). We have a better shot at signing an all star Free agent.

Besides you will end up losing your best players if you cannot compete. like a bosh!

[Maleko]

I like the mention from Matt on the playoffs and high pick, and bring it on in some fashion. That said if it is one of the other I like the high pick. Am I cheering for the Raps to lose, of course not. I think we need a solid-if-not-stellar SF or PG from the draft and the other (PG or SF) via free agency/trade. Trading up to get the draft pick, and making the playoffs is an ideal scenario from my side.