This franchise is finally going in the right direction!

[TRex]

As a Raps fan this is the best feeling i've felt since the VC era. I feel like next year and in the following years i feel like we have a team that is just not a playoff team but a team that could make some noise.

The acquisition of Rudy Gay is tremendous. Still can't believe we got him for Jose and Ed. No offence to both but Jose after this season will likely be a goner. Davis? he's improved so much this season. But what exactly is his ceiling?

Raptors on the other hand is getting an all-star caliber type of player who's only 26 years old. A guy that can create his own shot, a guy that is capable of hitting big shots late in the game. A guy that will give them some respectability. He's everything the Raps need.

Raptors core right now - JV, Amir, Gay, DeRozan, Ross and Lowry. That's pretty good. Very young but so much potential.

JV and Ross upside i think is MASSIVE. Gay i think is an all-star caliber type of player. I think he's going to blossom here as the #1 option. Lowry i think is a very talented PG. One of the best if not the best rebounding PG in basketball. He needs to stay healthy though to be effective. Amir is a heart and soul type of player. Every team needs a guy like that. DD, i think is the one that will benefit the most with the Gay acquisition. All the pressure of being "the guy" is now on Gay. If he can continously put up 16-17ppg as the 2nd-3rd option on offence then that's huge for this team.

[Blacklash2k4]

It's still too early to say whether this was the right decision or not. Only time will tell whether Gay produces like an All-star, whether Bargs will produce against with the pressure off him, whether DD will continue to develop, how well Val and Ross will develop in the future, and whether Davis will become an amazing player or not. But I do agree! I'm excited about this new team.

[Matt52]

It's still too early to say whether this was the right decision or not. Only time will tell whether Gay produces like an All-star, whether Bargs will produce against with the pressure off him, whether DD will continue to develop, how well Val and Ross will develop in the future, and whether Davis will become an amazing player or not. But I do agree! I'm excited about this new team.

Or what BC does next with any sort of trade or transaction.

[phiLLy]

I think it'll go in the right direction, if Bargs/DD/Kleiza, and the other dead-weight players are moved for something worth-while.

[Kuh]

It's good to see someone who likes this transaction.

I feel that this transaction is a huge mistake: that it removed the best (Calderon) and one of the best (Davis) players from the Raptors in return for a famous Gay mediocrity. I detest it so much that I am going to be a fair weather fan, and am going to sign off for the next few months, rather than watch what I feel will be the inevitable losses that will ensue.

If you can be that dumb with a trade, why should I suffer through watching the pain that ensues. I'll tune in next year to see how Valanciunas is coming along.

[ReubenJRD]

It's good to see someone who likes this transaction.

I feel that this transaction is a huge mistake: that it removed the best (Calderon) and one of the best (Davis) players from the Raptors in return for a famous Gay mediocrity. I detest it so much that I am going to be a fair weather fan, and am going to sign off for the next few months, rather than watch what I feel will be the inevitable losses that will ensue.

If you can be that dumb with a trade, why should I suffer through watching the pain that ensues. I'll tune in next year to see how Valanciunas is coming along.

Jose Calderon was our best player at the time, but now that he's in Detroit, is he a better overall player than Brandon Knight/Rodney Stuckey? I don't think so.
Our best player that most Raptor fans say is, just isn't a great player on other respective teams. Getting Rudy Gay easily boosts our talent level, and is easily our best player, but Rudy Gay's best is greater than Jose Calderon's. This is such a mediocre franchise, we get used to having these mediocre players, and I definitely don't think he is ANYWHERE NEAR mediocrity. Many NBA players feel that he is a tier below guys like Durant, Bryant, James.. Check Kendrick Perkins' twitter. :P

I'm sad that Jose had to leave, same with Ed Davis, but Ed Davis was a nobody until this season came, and there was speculation since the off-season Jose was being moved, to me, there is not surprise, just the fact that this team was in a unique position to acquire such a great talent in Rudy Gay.

Also, the majority of this board and many other fans agreed that one of Amir/Ed/Bargnani needed to be traded to address our log jam at the power forward. We did that, and as I said just previously, Ed Davis was a nobody until he showed great improvement. He played his way for this deal to happen, & I was expecting a good player, but not Rudy Gay.

The only negative about this trade, is the financial impact it puts on the salary cap, but likely the amnesty provision is being used on Kleiza this Summer, and Bargnani being likely shipped out before the deadline. A couple of deals could fix that, and we do have Pietrus likely walking which is another 3$ million off the books (correct me if mistaken).

Bryan Colangelo hasn't done an overly impressive job in the past, but this deal is smart, lucky, and very good for this team short term, and long term. An elite player, who covers the position we've most longed to fill for year after year.

[Afro_Daddy]

B4 i didnt wanna go for gasol because i loved ed davis but now i think now is the time where you must trade bargs for pau gasol.. makes to much sense. ed davis is gone so the PF postion is open and gasol is coming off the bench in LA.. the move helps both teams soooo much it just makes sense.. D12 needs a stretch 4 and a lineup of K-low/demar/Gay/gasol/Jv or amir at 4 and gasol at 5 makes me nut in my pants LOL.. when bargs comes back dont even play him just trade him he can only hurt his trade value to LA by playing like a rustier version of himself. GET THIS DONE BC

[Rapstor4Life]

Hell no to Gas oft get a younger big that doesn't flop every play and exist just so guys 1 ft shorter than him make highlights.

[FoxMachine]

B4 i didnt wanna go for gasol because i loved ed davis but now i think now is the time where you must trade bargs for pau gasol.. makes to much sense. ed davis is gone so the PF postion is open and gasol is coming off the bench in LA.. the move helps both teams soooo much it just makes sense.. D12 needs a stretch 4 and a lineup of K-low/demar/Gay/gasol/Jv or amir at 4 and gasol at 5 makes me nut in my pants LOL.. when bargs comes back dont even play him just trade him he can only hurt his trade value to LA by playing like a rustier version of himself. GET THIS DONE BC

the thought of that lineup definitely excites me, especially if ross can become consistent by next year and push demar out of the starting lineup.. dunno if that deal has a real chance but visions of getting beyond the first round and having a chance at conference finals are dancing in my head

[Balls of Steel]

I think it'll go in the right direction, if Bargs/DD/Kleiza, and the other dead-weight players are moved for something worth-while.

+1. Took the thoughts right out of my mind!

[Matt52]

In keeping with the title of this thread..........

The Raptors - THE RAPTORS! - of all teams are in position to take advantage of other teams struggles on the court, in the locker room, and in the accounting books.

I hope the situation in LAL with Gasol works out in the Raptors favor as well. There is not going to be a large market for Gasol.... likely none outside of Minnesota and Toronto. The problem LA has is the Wolves are fighting for the same playoff spot they are and they may not make good trade partners. My assumption is Minnesota wants Gasol and LAL are looking to deal him.... those thoughts are probably fatally flawed but whatever.....

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

So lets ride with the assumption that Minnesota wants Gasol. Lets also assume LAL are interested in Bargnani. Let us also assume the salary cap and luxury tax goes up $5M each to $63M and $75.9M. Finally lets assume Kleiza is amnestied. Lets see how much fun thinking positively can be:

1) http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=aveunm9
Lakers just saved about $50M.
Raptors get backup PG, Roy is medical retirement so $5.1M in cap space, and Pekovic is a restricted free agent.

2) In doing this Raps payroll for next season goes from $74.4M to:

minus Kleiza $4.6
minus Bargnani add Barea: minus $6M

So Raptors payroll is down to just over $63M which is new cap giving them full MLE to use.

3) Raptors also have Pekovic and DeRozan as trade assets.



Or the Raptors could hold Gasol until off season at which point Minnesota has to make a decision on Pekovic when someone makes an absurd DeAndre Jordan/Roy Hibbert like offer and Minnesota is also in possession of much more cap space and a likely high lotto draft pick (currently top 13 protected).


Anyways, we'll all see what happens soon enough. Bargnani needs to get back out there first of all. The Raptors future may be brighter and more flexible than I previously thought.

Maybe the Lakers would take DeRozan and Bargnani for parting with Gasol... either directly to Toronto or somewhere else. That certainly opens up a lot of flexibility again for Toronto.



Next 3 weeks are going to be VERY interesting.

[FoxMachine]

In keeping with the title of this thread..........

The Raptors - THE RAPTORS! - of all teams are in position to take advantage of other teams struggles on the court, in the locker room, and in the accounting books.

I hope the situation in LAL with Gasol works out in the Raptors favor as well. There is not going to be a large market for Gasol.... likely none outside of Minnesota and Toronto. The problem LA has is the Wolves are fighting for the same playoff spot they are and they may not make good trade partners. My assumption is Minnesota wants Gasol and LAL are looking to deal him.... those thoughts are probably fatally flawed but whatever.....




So lets ride with the assumption that Minnesota wants Gasol. Lets also assume LAL are interested in Bargnani. Let us also assume the salary cap and luxury tax goes up $5M each to $63M and $75.9M. Finally lets assume Kleiza is amnestied. Lets see how much fun thinking positively can be:

1) http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=aveunm9
Lakers just saved about $50M.
Raptors get backup PG, Roy is medical retirement so $5.1M in cap space, and Pekovic is a restricted free agent.

2) In doing this Raps payroll for next season goes from $74.4M to:

minus Kleiza $4.6
minus Bargnani add Barea: minus $6M

So Raptors payroll is down to just over $63M which is new cap giving them full MLE to use.

3) Raptors also have Pekovic and DeRozan as trade assets.



Or the Raptors could hold Gasol until off season at which point Minnesota has to make a decision on Pekovic when someone makes an absurd DeAndre Jordan/Roy Hibbert like offer and Minnesota is also in possession of much more cap space and a likely high lotto draft pick (currently top 13 protected).


Anyways, we'll all see what happens soon enough. Bargnani needs to get back out there first of all. The Raptors future may be brighter and more flexible than I previously thought.

Maybe the Lakers would take DeRozan and Bargnani for parting with Gasol... either directly to Toronto or somewhere else. That certainly opens up a lot of flexibility again for Toronto.



Next 3 weeks are going to be VERY interesting.

you're right, that was fun

(edit: not being sarcastic)

[Matt52]

you're right, that was fun

(edit: not being sarcastic)

And don't even get me started if the lottery gods deliver a top 3 pick.

In another 15-20 games, let the tank talk begin: sit Lowry and Gay for the rest of season for "injuries."

[NoPropsneeded]

I'm still pissed that i have to wait till friday to see my man Rudy go to work. How long do these damn physicals even take? 15 mins? like c'mon

[FoxMachine]

And don't even get me started if the lottery gods deliver a top 3 pick.

In another 15-20 games, let the tank talk begin: sit Lowry and Gay for the rest of season for "injuries."

Karma owes us

[FoxMachine]

I'm still pissed that i have to wait till friday to see my man Rudy go to work. How long do these damn physicals even take? 15 mins? like c'mon

u mean sunday?

[FoxMachine]

anybody noticing how bad Memphis looks right now? just sayin... :P

I also think its kinda funny how during the game right now, none of the crew at halftime were saying anything about Toronto and what they might be like with gay (and they talked about the trade a lot) but people like chuck are now saying "I looooooove ed davis" ...yeah right, where were these comments while he was in Toronto? go south of the border and get instant love

[Raptor_11]

anybody noticing how bad Memphis looks right now? just sayin... :P

Gettin destroyed!

[Matt52]

anybody noticing how bad Memphis looks right now? just sayin... :P

They have to be demoralized.

There are reports Gay didn't quite mesh in locker room and he did not want to be in Memphis period but ownership clearly sent a message, "We are a have not team." Maybe this summer they can add some pieces to show it was the right move..... or maybe it is just one bad game.

[white men can't jump]

anybody noticing how bad Memphis looks right now? just sayin... :P

I also think its kinda funny how during the game right now, none of the crew at halftime were saying anything about Toronto and what they might be like with gay (and they talked about the trade a lot) but people like chuck are now saying "I looooooove ed davis" ...yeah right, where were these comments while he was in Toronto? go south of the border and get instant love

Yeah....I don't think anyone would argue it was a good trade for Memphis. While I do think if they decide to also trade Randolhps (which I suppose now they'll wait and probably do in the offseason or next year), Ed fits in very nicely next to Gasol, Prince is a shadow of his former self, and now they basically have zero offensive ability on the wing.