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Grange on Raptors: Raps embrace Lowry, forget Nash (SportsNet.ca)

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  • Grange on Raptors: Raps embrace Lowry, forget Nash (SportsNet.ca)

    It seems unfathomable, but it might be true.

    The Toronto Raptors are better off without Steve Nash.

    That's what happens when the consolation prize -- not that anyone around the franchise would call Kyle Lowry that -- is off to the best start a newcomer has had through three games in franchise history.

    The Raptors love Lowry, the point guard of the present and the future they acquired from the Houston Rockets and the one they handed the keys to the franchise when they couldn't give them to Nash as Captain Canada.

    They love everything about him, from his bowling ball with a sneer style to his absurdly team-friendly contract, which still has this year and next remaining at $12 million total.

    If Lowry, 26, continues to perform anything close to the level he has through his first three games, where he's averaged 23.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.7 steals while shooting 57.5 per cent from the field, he'll be the most underpaid player in the NBA.

    It's gotten to the point where Raptors president Bryan Colangelo has had to fend off 'what's the catch' queries from fans who can't quite believe the guy who looks like he could be the best all-around point guard in franchise history (and we know, it's only been three games) was acquired for a protected future first-round pick and Gary Forbes of all people.

    "I had a guy come up to me and say 'look, this guy's great, but what are we missing, how we'd get him'?" Colangelo said in advance of the Raptors' quick two-game road swing through Oklahoma City and Dallas which begins Tuesday night. "How do we get this guy for a first-round pick?"

    The answer, in a nutshell, is the Raptors were the beneficiaries of a unique combination of circumstances. They began when Lowry, whose chief flaw may be a bullheadedness that can occasionally tip over into hot-headedness, got into a scrape with Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale.
    "Once we got an answer from Steve we were very quickly able to turn our focus to Kyle," said Colangelo. "I knew there was still a deal there (after draft night) but I didn't think we'd pull it off in 24 hours; but it gave them the flexibility and the roster spot they wanted."

    "Sometimes things don't happen for a reason," said Colangelo. "He's a tough guy and he wants nothing to do with 'nice game, good try. He wants to win. We're thrilled to have him."

    http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/2...rison_raptors/

    Good article on Lowry. Worth the click to read the rest.

    Does the bold make anyone else feel warm and fuzzy inside?

  • #2
    You had me at "Raps embrace Lowry, forget Nash"

    Comment


    • #3
      Lowry is probably the most suitable pg for Caseys system: tough as nails, great defensively, a leader, competitor, always hustles, he's a dude perfect for the culture change in Toronto. Nash is a great offensive player, but really he's just Jose 2.0 and old.

      Comment


      • #4
        There is no doubt the Raptors are better off with Lowry than Nash. The team was probably better off without Nash regardless of Lowry (although MLSE's wallet may not be) but thats a different topic.

        But were the Raptors really looking for Lowry?

        The answer is yes, but there is no doubt that Nash was the team's first priority. The Raptors could have traded for Lowry on draft night but it would have cost them the No.8 pick they used on Terrence Ross.

        It also would have hampered them in their run for Nash.
        didn't Colangelo say there was no draft day deal available?

        There are alot of things that bother me about Colangelo, but his complete dishonesty is perhaps what irks me the most. I'm not expecting him to release minutes of his daily thought processes... but I'm also not expecting him to lie.

        Comment


        • #5
          Craiger wrote: View Post
          There is no doubt the Raptors are better off with Lowry than Nash. The team was probably better off without Nash regardless of Lowry (although MLSE's wallet may not be) but thats a different topic.

          didn't Colangelo say there was no draft day deal available?

          There are alot of things that bother me about Colangelo, but his complete dishonesty is perhaps what irks me the most. I'm not expecting him to release minutes of his daily thought processes... but I'm also not expecting him to lie.
          Perhaps his comment was that there wasn't an offer he was willing to do. A firm #8 pick in a deep draft immediately is more valuable than a vague future pick.
          Heir, Prince of Cambridge

          If you see KeonClark in the wasteland, please share your food and water with him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Craiger wrote: View Post
            Didn't Colangelo say there was no draft day deal available?

            There are alot of things that bother me about Colangelo, but his complete dishonesty is perhaps what irks me the most. I'm not expecting him to release minutes of his daily thought processes... but I'm also not expecting him to lie.
            ...? Huh? From the Day-1 that Colangelo has talked about this deal, I've been of the understanding that he nixed a Draft-Day deal to acquire Lowry because it would have cost the #8 pick. Nothings changed.

            Comment


            • #7
              joey_hesketh wrote: View Post
              ...? Huh? From the Day-1 that Colangelo has talked about this deal, I've been of the understanding that he nixed a Draft-Day deal to acquire Lowry because it would have cost the #8 pick. Nothings changed.
              Nothing has changed other than the fact that if the rumor for giving up #8 thi syear for Lowry could have been done it probably should have instead of the future 1st rounder.

              If they knew Demar was going to be offered an extension why draft T.Ross? I would have preferred they gave up the pick this year than a future 1st rounder.

              Comment


              • #8
                sleepz wrote: View Post
                Nothing has changed other than the fact that if the rumor for giving up #8 thi syear for Lowry could have been done it probably should have instead of the future 1st rounder.
                Disagree. A guarenteed #8 Pick is far more valuable than a Protected Pick for the next 5 years, that could eventually turn out to be nothing more than a Pick in the 20s.

                Comment


                • #9
                  sleepz wrote: View Post
                  Nothing has changed other than the fact that if the rumor for giving up #8 thi syear for Lowry could have been done it probably should have instead of the future 1st rounder.

                  If they knew Demar was going to be offered an extension why draft T.Ross? I would have preferred they gave up the pick this year than a future 1st rounder.
                  "If they knew Demar was going to be offered an extension.."

                  Why do you assume they knew on draft night they were going to offer an extension, and that it would be accepted, when that didn't go down until after DD did the work on his body and game over the summer and they had a month of camp with him? Ya think that maybe the progress he showed made for the offer that worked for him, who also had a say in it?

                  And why not draft Ross because they had DD? A team doesn't need two quality SGs? Perhaps one coming of the bench for big minutes, a la Ginobli, Harden (with OKC), Allen with Miami, Crawford with LAC, etc......

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Craiger wrote: View Post
                    There is no doubt the Raptors are better off with Lowry than Nash. The team was probably better off without Nash regardless of Lowry (although MLSE's wallet may not be) but thats a different topic.



                    didn't Colangelo say there was no draft day deal available?

                    There are alot of things that bother me about Colangelo, but his complete dishonesty is perhaps what irks me the most. I'm not expecting him to release minutes of his daily thought processes... but I'm also not expecting him to lie.
                    You dont understand how it works obviously. If every GM just came out and said what he was thinking of doing to the fans then we would get terrible deals, draft picks, FA contracts. its like game of poker. you have to hide your cards to be successful.

                    they did mention after the trade though. they wanted lowry regardless of nash and they didnt want to give houston this year pick.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      It's still early but I have to admit he has been satisfactory so far.
                      your pal,
                      ebrian

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                      • #12
                        pesterm1 wrote: View Post
                        You dont understand how it works obviously. If every GM just came out and said what he was thinking of doing to the fans then we would get terrible deals, draft picks, FA contracts. its like game of poker. you have to hide your cards to be successful.

                        they did mention after the trade though. they wanted lowry regardless of nash and they didnt want to give houston this year pick.
                        Yep because I obviously said a GM should saying everything he's thinking. Wait a minute:

                        I'm not expecting him to release minutes of his daily thought processes... but I'm also not expecting him to lie.
                        I didn't say that........

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Craiger wrote: View Post
                          Yep because I obviously said a GM should saying everything he's thinking. Wait a minute:



                          I didn't say that........
                          Perhaps lying is part of the deception/poker face game.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Nilanka wrote: View Post
                            Perhaps lying is part of the deception/poker face game.
                            Fox Mulder being the King of THAT game, obviously.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              joey_hesketh wrote: View Post
                              Disagree. A guarenteed #8 Pick is far more valuable than a Protected Pick for the next 5 years, that could eventually turn out to be nothing more than a Pick in the 20s.
                              The pick they traded away is actually guaranteed lottery, unless they make the playoffs (or completely bottom out) five years in a row.

                              Top 3 protected this years draft, top 2 protected the next two years, and top 1 protected the next two years after that.

                              But yeah, trading away a possible mid-teen pick (if the Raps barely miss the playoffs, 9th place) for Lowry? Good trade.

                              Comment

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