USA Today: Ujiri's magic touch guides Raptors to contention

[mcHAPPY]

More US national media attention for those seeking it - this time USAToday:

"A whirlwind, but it's been great," Ujiri told USA TODAY Sports of his seven months with the Raptors. "Everybody has been good. It's been to fun to try and get it going. We have so much work to do. We just had a good patch but it doesn't mean we're here."

"The team is playing well. Everybody's encouraged," Ujiri said. "The NBA is a crazy league. One day, it's great. The next day, it's tough. I give coach credit. Congratulations to him for coach of the month. They players have been unbelievable.

"The players know, I have communicated to everybody where we stand. We want to be a good team, a winning team. If it's not that way, we have to figure out a way to rebuild the team or figure it out. Everybody's clear how this thing works."

"We want to have an effect on the league as a basketball team," Ujiri said. "I don't believe in any of that B.S. that everybody says about Toronto. Players are going to want to play in Toronto, and we have to show that. I have to show that we can put a brand on the court to compete. We'll continue to try and do that."

"Just get on the phone and call or listen to calls. All the general managers are unbelievable with this stuff," he said. "Until two people say, 'We have a deal,' ... one person cannot do it. Deals are tough to do, but it's our job and we try our best to help our organizations going forward."

"Nothing against Rudy; he's a great player, but the guys we have fit in well, and that's been the momentum we needed going forward," Casey told USA TODAY Sports. "The camaraderie after the trade has been important. They've done a good job of buying in, staying together and working together."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...trade/4346583/



I just took Masai's quotes. Be sure to click link.

[mcHAPPY]

No doubt Raptors are flavour du jour.

[isaacthompson]

Nice article. Loving the influx of attention this team is getting. Very well deserved over this last stretch.

[tsc8]

I love that having the ability to recognize that Bargnani and Gay suck and dump them for nothing of consequence (love the 2016 #1 - but nothing of consequence to the current team) qualifies as "the magic touch".

[JawsGT]

I love that having the ability to recognize that Bargnani and Gay suck and dump them for nothing of consequence (love the 2016 #1 - but nothing of consequence to the current team) qualifies as "the magic touch".

Are you serious? Dude, Patterson, Salmons and at times Vasquez have all made significant contributions to this current team and their presence has definitely had a positive impact. They fit in nicely with what the Raps are doing. Maybe they are not important pieces for the future, but presently, we need those guys.

[BallaBalla]

Are you serious? Dude, Patterson, Salmons and at times Vasquez have all made significant contributions to this current team and their presence has definitely had a positive impact. They fit in nicely with what the Raps are doing. Maybe they are not important pieces for the future, but presently, we need those guys.

If you ask me, this is the biggest key so far even more than Lowry and Derozan's play, and the ball movement.

You have 3 guys who are coming off the bench who do two key things:

1. provide only a slight drop off on defense, (and in salmons case, there is even an increase in some instances)
2. provide a unique and different skill set on offense which causes the other team to make adjustments.

2Pat, for example, coming off the bench and being able to make 3's is extremely challenging for a team with little depth, like Washington, to adjust to. But he's a real 4 in body type, so he can still rebound.

Even Vasquez is taller that an average PG, so its a matchup that other teams have to pay attention to.

I would LOVE to sign 2pat and salmons for next year, but I'm not sure that any of these guys will resign.

[tsc8]

Patterson's been good I grant you - Salmons is shooting 35.6% and Vaszquez 34.9% - they both have TS% lower than the bricktastic level attained by Rudy Gay. They are replaceable parts that could have been found elsewhere - my bigger point was that simply getting rid of Bargnani and Gay has had a far greater impact on the success of this team than any of Ujiri's own acquisitions. 95% of our current success is due to players that were here when Masai got there. He just removed the the two anchors that were holding them down. Kudos to him for finding the suckers to take them off our hands - it just made me laugh to think that knowing enough to dump those two qualifies as the "magic touch".

[slaw]

Couple things.

Kudos to him for finding the suckers to take them off our hands - it just made me laugh to think that knowing enough to dump those two qualifies as the "magic touch".

Knowing that they needed to go and being able to actually accomplish it are two different things. Just getting rid of them and getting back useful pieces is another still.

Patterson's been good I grant you - Salmons is shooting 35.6% and Vaszquez 34.9% - they both have TS% lower than the bricktastic level attained by Rudy Gay

Players are not judged by TS%. If they were, Kyle Korver would be practicing his Hall of Fame speech.

I love that having the ability to recognize that Bargnani and Gay suck and dump them for nothing of consequence (love the 2016 #1 - but nothing of consequence to the current team) qualifies as "the magic touch".

Where the dependence on the historical statistical analysis of players overrides reality....

[Bendit]

If you ask me, this is the biggest key so far even more than Lowry and Derozan's play, and the ball movement.

You have 3 guys who are coming off the bench who do two key things:

1. provide only a slight drop off on defense, (and in salmons case, there is even an increase in some instances)
2. provide a unique and different skill set on offense which causes the other team to make adjustments.

2Pat, for example, coming off the bench and being able to make 3's is extremely challenging for a team with little depth, like Washington, to adjust to. But he's a real 4 in body type, so he can still rebound.

Even Vasquez is taller that an average PG, so its a matchup that other teams have to pay attention to.

I would LOVE to sign 2pat and salmons for next year, but I'm not sure that any of these guys will resign.

2Pat is a rfa end of this year and the Raps can match any offers made him if they choose to do so. Salmons has a buyout of 1 mil. and MU will likely opt for that to increase cap space.

[Masai Ujiri]

I like this attention we're getting. Just increasing the chances of both Lowry and DeRozan making the all-star team. Which is great regardless of whether you're in the trade them (increased perceived value) or keep them (2 all-stars baby!) camp.

[ceez]

Sense i get from the article is Ujiri is just waiting for a 3-4 game slump to pull the trigger on a couple trades

He's just sitting there in a oversized chair, stroking a hairless cat and waiting. Waiting for the chance. Raps will lose a few games to superior teams and he'll just cackle to himself. "It appears the hunter has become the hunted!" he'll mutter under his breath as he adjusts his monocle.

[Rapstor4Life]

I would love to see Patterson and Salmons remain here good guys put on the hard hat and go to work guys. Salmons I can see walking, but Patterson I want to see him as a Rap for the long haul hes great. Things that need to be addressed is a back up SG DeRozan needs help when he sits and Ross has earned his spot in the starters keep him there and just watch him develop.

Patterson, Hansborough, Salmons should still be here for the next little while excellent role players.

[vino]

I would love to see Patterson and Salmons remain here good guys put on the hard hat and go to work guys. Salmons I can see walking, but Patterson I want to see him as a Rap for the long haul hes great. Things that need to be addressed is a back up SG DeRozan needs help when he sits and Ross has earned his spot in the starters keep him there and just watch him develop.

Patterson, Hansborough, Salmons should still be here for the next little while excellent role players.

Salmons is as good as gone after this season. I wouldn't mind keeping him, but not for $7mil. Funny thing is that the Raps need exactly what he provides (hopefully with higher ceiling) - wing D and leadership.

Our team will be able to move forward when MU has the cap space (minus Salmons, Fields, Hayes...) and the 3rd bold in Matt's original post becomes true.

[p00ka]

Salmons is as good as gone after this season. I wouldn't mind keeping him, but not for $7mil. Funny thing is that the Raps need exactly what he provides (hopefully with higher ceiling) - wing D and leadership.

Our team will be able to move forward when MU has the cap space (minus Salmons, Fields, Hayes...) and the 3rd bold in Matt's original post becomes true.

If Salmons adds near as much to the chemistry in the locker room, and practice court, as he's been showing during game time, I wouldn't bet on him being gone. Surely MU won't pick up the $7M option, but that doesn't mean they can't sign him to a new deal. He's 34, and won't get much in offers beyond vet minimum, and could just boil down to what situation he likes more. Being an important vet piece on an up and coming squad, that he likes playing with, may just be his cup of tea.

[white men can't jump]

If Salmons adds near as much to the chemistry in the locker room, and practice court, as he's been showing during game time, I wouldn't bet on him being gone. Surely MU won't pick up the $7M option, but that doesn't mean they can't sign him to a new deal. He's 34, and won't get much in offers beyond vet minimum, and could just boil down to what situation he likes more. Being an important vet piece on an up and coming squad, that he likes playing with, may just be his cup of tea.

Are there any CBA rules against waiving and re-signing a player though? I feel like there must be.