New Raptors plan - post Gay trade

[AJ360]

For the time being this team has waaayyy too many wing players, but at least our starting PG and SF have been settled, and in reality, we also have our SG (either DD or TR) and C of the future. Heck, even Amir has been great in starting this season at PF and Acy has potential as an energy player off the bench.

Taking a look at the entire roster, I expect there to be more moves before the deadline in order to create more balance.

[Matt52]

With Rudy Gay now officially a Toronto Raptor, it begs the question: What kinda team are we exactly?. I mean with Gay on the team, we don't really have any cap space and we're reaching the luxury tax soon. This basically means that for the next three years, our team isn't really gonna change much unless we execute big trades. Our roster will hinge upon the core of Lowry, Derozan, Gay, Andrea (if we do decide to keep him), and Val. Our bench can always change, but our starting line-up will most likely not change unless a Bargnani trade happens or if Ross moves to the starting line-up in the next year or two. So back to my question. What team are we? Are we still a fringe-playoff team? Are we an 6-8th seed for the next three years? Will we ever break out of the first round? That's just some of the major concerns with this trade. Will we be stuck in the bottom of the playoffs for 3 years? I guess it all depends on how Derozan, Val, and Ross continue to develop over these next three years. Thoughts?

Raps are a team in transition from the old guard to the new.

What happens between now and trade deadline is eagerly awaited.

[planetmars]

Bryan better make another move before the deadline.. although I have painful memories from the past summer. Bryan had cap space and assets, and he blew his wad on Fields and trying to chase Nash. Got Lowry which was great, but the highlight of that trade didn't last to long when he gave DeMar that extension.

I see Gay as a good move.. however I'm afraid of what he might do next (assuming he has another move lined up).

[thead]

just listened to an interview with BC the gist is as follows

- He wants to address the backup PG spot ASAP
- Haddadi might still be brought in. They haven't decided to waive him yet. There are immigration issues...
- Bargnani will be back within the week and come off the bench...just enough to prove he is healthy I hope
- Other moves are likely coming.
- DeRozan was mentioned briefly as player that might be moved ( my interpretation that wasn't explicitly stated)

[FoxMachine]

we've got to give bargs a shot with this lineup and see if they can all play into the extra pass system. if we have four guys out there who can average 15 a game they should be able to get good looks on every possesion

I agree with this whether we keep or trade bargnani.. I love the addition of Gay but we still do not have an allstar on this team and all this talk of ISO's in this and other threads is driving me crazy.. all we did was iso during our 4-19 start and as good as gay may be as an iso player we aren't gonna win games if he iso's everytime down the court.. we still have to play team ball. This team kinda reminds me of the old pistons when they went on their playoff runs and when none of them were allstars.. they played great team ball with 4 capable scorers and it got them a championship.. I think that's how we have to play with or without bargnani.. it will be nice to have gay in crunch time at the end of games but all this talk about being excited to ditch the team ball and run iso's everytime down the court needs to stop imo.

[Garbo]

I'm confused by the suggestions that we could ship Bargnani out and receive a first round pick with a bad contract.. Isn't Bargnani a bad contract? Why would anyone give us their pick just to exchange bad contracts?

[Raptor_11]

just listened to an interview with BC the gist is as follows

- He wants to address the backup PG spot ASAP
- Haddadi might still be brought in. They haven't decided to waive him yet. There are immigration issues...
- Bargnani will be back within the week and come off the bench...just enough to prove he is healthy I hope
- Other moves are likely coming.
- DeRozan was mentioned briefly as player that might be moved ( my interpretation that wasn't explicitly stated)

Some interesting bits. thanks

[Matt52]

I'm confused by the suggestions that we could ship Bargnani out and receive a first round pick with a bad contract.. Isn't Bargnani a bad contract? Why would anyone give us their pick just to exchange bad contracts?

The sad truth.

[Blacklash2k4]

just listened to an interview with BC the gist is as follows

- He wants to address the backup PG spot ASAP
- Haddadi might still be brought in. They haven't decided to waive him yet. There are immigration issues...
- Bargnani will be back within the week and come off the bench...just enough to prove he is healthy I hope
- Other moves are likely coming.
- DeRozan was mentioned briefly as player that might be moved ( my interpretation that wasn't explicitly stated)

I have a feeling that Bargnani will come off the bench the first few games and come back into the starting line-up afterwards until we get closer to the end of the trade deadline. The next two and half weeks or so well determine whether Bargnani stays a Raptors or be traded away. I'm pretty sure Casey and BC want to see how he fits in to the starting line-up before consider trading him away.

[Mindlessness]

Didn't BC say there more convos he'd had and that this may not be the last move he makes...Pretty sure I read that somewhere. At this point, I also see Fields having a very high trade value right now, as well as DD, so maybe we trade one of them to fill our holes, such as our PF of the future (and present)...Andrew Nicholson(not just for his Canadian-ness, obviously)? Paul Millsap?

But I still don't know if I like the 'Haddadi' trade (it should totally be called that) or not, I'm a guy who likes Long-Term to be better than the short-term, and so I'd have gone for Kawhi Leonard (even if it isn't possible), but that's me, I s'pose I am in between on my opinion of the 'Haddadi' trade.

Edit: Didn't exactly read the messages, so obviously we know that BC has had more convos, (I'm an idiot).

[Mindlessness]

Winning is profitable when you own the whole value chain as Rogers and Bell do...This smells a lot like the Blue Jays to me...green light to spend on elite level talent...they want to win and they want the downstream revenue that winning brings.

i agree 100% Bell/Rogers paid a hefty sum for MLSE & im sure there planning for a cash cow revenue stream to make up the $ spent on the purchase..making trades like this at the very least generate a buzz that has most fans glued to sportsnet which also benefits the bottom line..Media/entertainment companys arnt going to want a team that isnt marketable

In that case, I don't think the moves are going to all be before the Trade Deadline, I'd say they're gonna be spread out, because you can't acquire good to star players in just a couple of weeks, takes a loooooooooooooong time to orchestrate a huge deal in any sport. I don't think this was a HUGE deal, because there aren't many good players going from place to place, really there's a vet PG who's really good at passing and shooting, a young PF who could get better, another slightly above average vet SF, and a former all-star who's been struggling in the past few seasons.

Edit: Plus, AA (GM of the Jays) had a pretty good chunk of time in the offseason to get this done.

[Matt52]

In that case, I don't think the moves are going to all be before the Trade Deadline, I'd say they're gonna be spread out, because you can't acquire good to star players in just a couple of weeks, takes a loooooooooooooong time to orchestrate a huge deal in any sport. I don't think this was a HUGE deal, because there aren't many good players going from place to place, really there's a vet PG who's really good at passing and shooting, a young PF who could get better, another slightly above average vet SF, and a former all-star who's been struggling in the past few seasons.

Edit: Plus, AA (GM of the Jays) had a pretty good chunk of time in the offseason to get this done.

Gasol has been unhappy for months and BC has been offering BC for months. Another star player looking for a rejuvenation might be here sooner than we think..... if for nothing more than to send him on in the offseason to another team, like Minny:

As the Lakers prepare for their visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio spoke out on behalf of fellow Spaniard Pau Gasol.

"[Gasol] proved to the league he is one of the best," Rubio told reporters in Minneapolis. "He can pass. He can shoot. He can rebound. He can do a lot of things. I think if you use him in the right way, he is a top player in this league. If they don't want him, we are more than welcome to get him."

Gasol has voiced his frustration multiple times this season, especially on his recent move to the bench.

"It's been the last two years that it seems like they don't want him, but actually they need him," Rubio said. "He's a great player. He can do a lot of things and he had some issues with the knees too. It's been a lot of years without resting for him. But he's a veteran. He knows how to play."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers...C6628117.story

[raptors98]

I just want a starting caliber Power Forward who can rebound and defend the paint. With Ellis expiring in Milwuakee, what if we give Derozan and Andrea for Henson, Udrih and Dalembert, and Lamb. Dalembert and Udrih are expiring so we get cap space. Personally I love Henson as a player - and he comes very cheap. A Henson, Jonas frontline going forward with Amir of the pine is pretty solid defensively.
Henson's per 36 are great: 17 pts, 12 rbs and 1.6 blks all as a rookie

[Chr1s1anL]

I just want a starting caliber Power Forward who can rebound and defend the paint. With Ellis expiring in Milwuakee, what if we give Derozan and Andrea for Henson, Udrih and Dalembert, and Lamb. Dalembert and Udrih are expiring so we get cap space. Personally I love Henson as a player - and he comes very cheap. A Henson, Jonas frontline going forward with Amir of the pine is pretty solid defensively.
Henson's per 36 are great: 17 pts, 12 rbs and 1.6 blks all as a rookie

I would prefer Amir. A rookie starting front court? I don't think so. I find that ppl are seriously not giving Amir favour cosinderation.

[grindhouse]

Both dd and gay can post up help has to come cause one of them will have a mismatch everyone just has to hit open shots and the team is good.

As long as Amir can hit that 15' footer we are good.
On defense raps play help d so gay will be very good in this system

[grindhouse]

We saved money to spend it so forget about that anyone would do josh smith for Andrea ?

[TRex]

When i look at this roster right now. We're set at the 1,2,3,5 position. Lowry, DeRozan/Ross, Gay, JV.

What this team needs right now is a legit PF. Jefferson and Millsap i believe will be a UFA after this season correct? hmm

[Miekenstien]

When i look at this roster right now. We're set at the 1,2,3,5 position. Lowry, DeRozan/Ross, Gay, JV.

What this team needs right now is a legit PF. Jefferson and Millsap i believe will be a UFA after this season correct? hmm

I think for either of them it would require a klieza amnesty and bargs for anyone with space for either an expiring or picks with No players coming back.

[Miekenstien]

Also, I think Jefferson is going to get paid this year. he is a fantastic low post player. millsap should get bargs like money but could easily get over paid.

[phiLLy]

I'd take Millsap.