What about... No FA and no trades?

[charlesnba23]

Valanciunas/Gray/Magloire
Bargnani/Davis/Johnson
Barnes/Johnson/Kleiza
DeRozan/Forbes/Anderson
Calderon/Bayless/Rookie

This is a roster that we could easily have by next october, without losing big money or players. In fact, it's the same team as this year, but this is JV instead of Alabi, Barnes instead of Butler, Anderson instead of Barbosa and a rookie (Dee Bost, Scott Machado or Maalik Wayns) instead of Carter.

I think we should wait 2013 to try to make a big splash in the free agency, since there is going to be a lot more good players than this year. We should also wait next summer to decide who is our starting PG of the future. There is going to be a lot of options, since Calderon's contract runs up in 2013. Bring him back as a starter? Backup? Make Bayless our starter? Draft a really good PG? Sign a big FA PG?

As for the ''logjam'' at the PF spot, I don't think this is that much of an issue. Let's wait and see what are JV capabilities, and let's see what Bargs, Amir and Ed will do this summer and at the beginning of next season.

I think the best is not to change this team mentality that Casey has build, at least for now. I know I said exactly the opposite last week, but hey, I'm not thinking the same anymore...

As for now, I think we should wait to do trades. I would start the season with this roster, and then see.

What y'all thinking?

[Puffer]

All depends on the trades available draft night and also what is available in free agency. I am going to blindly trust the Raptors brain trust to make the right moves. I am in agreement with everything that has happened in the last 14 months. I am willing to stick with the Management of this team for the next 14.

[mcHAPPY]

Valanciunas/Gray/Magloire
Bargnani/Davis/Johnson
Barnes/Johnson/Kleiza
DeRozan/Forbes/Anderson
Calderon/Bayless/Rookie

This is a roster that we could easily have by next october, without losing big money or players. In fact, it's the same team as this year, but this is JV instead of Alabi, Barnes instead of Butler, Anderson instead of Barbosa and a rookie (Dee Bost, Scott Machado or Maalik Wayns) instead of Carter.

I think we should wait 2013 to try to make a big splash in the free agency, since there is going to be a lot more good players than this year. We should also wait next summer to decide who is our starting PG of the future. There is going to be a lot of options, since Calderon's contract runs up in 2013. Bring him back as a starter? Backup? Make Bayless our starter? Draft a really good PG? Sign a big FA PG?

As for the ''logjam'' at the PF spot, I don't think this is that much of an issue. Let's wait and see what are JV capabilities, and let's see what Bargs, Amir and Ed will do this summer and at the beginning of next season.

I think the best is not to change this team mentality that Casey has build, at least for now. I know I said exactly the opposite last week, but hey, I'm not thinking the same anymore...

As for now, I think we should wait to do trades. I would start the season with this roster, and then see.

What y'all thinking?

It is a possibility but:

For 2013-14, Raps would have about $41M tied up in Bargnani, Amir, Kleiza (assume player option picked up), Ed Davis, JV, 2012 first round pick and the cap holds for qualifying offers to James Johnson and DeMar DeRozan. To this $41M, you have to add any 2013 first round draft pick contract. With little roster upgrade, outside of rookies, realistically the Raptors would be looking at another lottery pick as the remaining 5-6 roster spots for 2012-13 would be filled with the likes of Jamaal Magloire, Rasual Butler, and Anthony Carter. So, for the sake of argument, lets add $2-$2.5M to the Raptors salary cap number for a 6-10 draft pick bringing $43-$43.5M.

Then:

You have to assume no free agents were added this summer - or, again, none that are longer than 1 year.

Finally:

You have to assume Bayless either played out his qualifying offer or signed elsewhere (i.e. the Raps didn't match or take back any contract) and DD and JJ are playing out their qualifying offers becoming unrestricted free agents with the very possibility the Raptors lose them for nothing next summer.


Personally, I disagree on waiting. The time to add assets without having to worry about the salary cap is this summer and trades, not free agency, is the best route to go in my opinion. Next summer, you can do it too, but you're going to have fewer assets and less leverage. The only way to 'win' in free agency is to overspend. Long term, that is not a good strategy.

The last thing to consider is Casey and BC's contract situation. They need results next year. If they fail it is not only their ass on the line but fans too. A new GM and coach sets the rebuild back a year or two - in my opinion, of course.



Just my opinion but I do like the thought in the original post.

[ReubenJRD]

It is a possibility but:

For 2013-14, Raps would have about $41M tied up in Bargnani, Amir, Kleiza (assume player option picked up), Ed Davis, JV, 2012 first round pick and the cap holds for qualifying offers to James Johnson and DeMar DeRozan. To this $41M, you have to add any 2013 first round draft pick contract. With little roster upgrade, outside of rookies, realistically the Raptors would be looking at another lottery pick as the remaining 5-6 roster spots for 2012-13 would be filled with the likes of Jamaal Magloire, Rasual Butler, and Anthony Carter. So, for the sake of argument, lets add $2-$2.5M to the Raptors salary cap number for a 6-10 draft pick bringing $43-$43.5M.

Then:

You have to assume no free agents were added this summer - or, again, none that are longer than 1 year.

Finally:

You have to assume Bayless either played out his qualifying offer or signed elsewhere (i.e. the Raps didn't match or take back any contract) and DD and JJ are playing out their qualifying offers becoming unrestricted free agents with the very possibility the Raptors lose them for nothing next summer.


Personally, I disagree on waiting. The time to add assets without having to worry about the salary cap is this summer and trades, not free agency, is the best route to go in my opinion. Next summer, you can do it too, but you're going to have fewer assets and less leverage. The only way to 'win' in free agency is to overspend. Long term, that is not a good strategy.

The last thing to consider is Casey and BC's contract situation. They need results next year. If they fail it is not only their ass on the line but fans too. A new GM and coach sets the rebuild back a year or two - in my opinion, of course.



Just my opinion but I do like the thought in the original post.

+1 This upcoming off-season is the time to start in terms of starting to build our way to contention.

[charlesnba23]

+1 This upcoming off-season is the time to start in terms of starting to build our way to contention.

I totally agree with this. I just think that the core of this team would be build to start our way to contention. We don't need to rush things, that's my point. I clearly don't see a way we could really improve our team via trades, at least right now (this summer). That's why I think we should wait until the beginning of 2013 to explore trade ideas. Let's see what this group can give us before doing anything we could end up regretting.

[Puffer]

... I clearly don't see a way we could really improve our team via trades, at least right now (this summer). ...

Back to Matt's argument about using cap space plus trade exceptions to get a player you really want by helping out another team through eating a bad contract included in the deal.

[mcHAPPY]

Back to Matt's argument about using cap space plus trade exceptions to get a player you really want by helping out another team through eating a bad contract included in the deal.

That was Apollo's original argument with regards to getting another draft pick. I took it a step further with taking a bad contract to get a good player.