Patience desperately needed: Look how far Raptors have come in a year

[mcHAPPY]

A lot has happened in the past year and a bit for the Raptors. Tim Leiweke was hired, BC was reassigned, Masai was hired, and BC left the building. That was all off the court. On the court has seen dramatic changes as well.


This was the Raptors line up at the end of the 2012-13 season (34-48):

PG: Lowry, Telfair, JL3
SG: DeRozan, Anderson, Fields
SF: Gay, Ross, Kleiza, Pietrus
PF: Amir, Acy, Bargnani*
C: Valanciunas, Gray

*Injured

Draft pick situation: none in 2013, all first rounders moving forward
Prospects: Zubcic



This was the Raptors line up at the end of the 2013-14 season (48-34):

PG: Lowry, Vasquez, Stone, Buycks
SG: DeRozan, Salmons, De Colo
SF: Ross, Fields, Novak
PF: Amir, Patterson, Hansbrough
C: Valanciunas, Hayes

Draft pick situation: all first rounders moving forward, plus lower of DEN/NYK 2016
Prospects: Zubcic


This is still an unfinished line up heading in to 2014-15:

PG: Lowry, Stone*, Buycks*
SG: DeRozan, Williams, Fields
SF: Ross, Novak, Bruno
PF: Amir, Patterson, Hansbrough
C: Valanciunas, Hayes, Bebe

*Not guaranteed contract

Draft pick situation: all first rounders moving forward, plus lower of DEN/NYK 2016
Prospects: Daniels, Zubcic
Restricted free agents: Patterson, Vasquez, De Colo


This is what Toronto has on the books for 2015-16:

PG: Lowry,
SG: DeRozan
SF: Ross, Novak, Bruno
PF: Patterson
C: JV, Bebe

$42M committed + 1st round pick



So what are the points here?
1. The Raptors have come a long way in a short amount of time.
2. 3 players who ended the 2012-13 season on the roster were no longer in the NBA last year.
3. Only 5 players remain who ended the 2012-13 season today.
4. The team is on the right track for sustainable growth and contention.


Enjoy the ride Raptor fans!
The team is no longer looking for quick fixes and short cuts only to maybe reach the playoffs.

[imanshumpert]

Trust in Masai

[007]

Looking at 2012-2013 team, and comparing it to the 2013-2014, there was so much change.

[Bonus Jonas]

Nice post

But what 5 guys aren't in the NBA anymore? I can only count Pietrus and Kleiza. Isn't Gray still on Sacramento?

Telfair just signed, JL3 is probably staying in Utah, Acy and Anderson are still on NBA teams.

And is Zubcic ever coming over?

[mcHAPPY]

Nice post

But what 5 guys aren't in the NBA anymore? I can only count Pietrus and Kleiza. Isn't Gray still on Sacramento?

Telfair just signed, JL3 is probably staying in Utah, Acy and Anderson are still on NBA teams.

And is Zubcic ever coming over?

You're right.

My bad.

There are 3 not in league last year. Although technically I think we should say 4 and include Bargnani. Dude checked oooooooooout!

I included Telfair because he wasn't in league last year. He is signed to unguaranteed contract for next season though with OKC.

[thead]

pretty crazy stuff... what's really interesting to me is what happens next

[imanshumpert]

People will try to say that most of our core guys (Lowry, DeRozan, Ross, Amir, JV) are all BC guys. That's sort of irrelevant. BC actually did have a good eye for talent and has always been pretty solid when it comes to the draft (which is why I don't understand why the hell he kept trading all our picks). His problems were: knowing what to pay to retain/acquire that talent (*cough* Fields *cough* Bargs *cough* Gay *cough* Kapono... you get it), recognizing which pieces fit together and a complete and utter lack of patience.

I can only imagine what BC would've done after that 6-12 start. Probably dealt Lowry for Jennings, and shipped off Valanciunas and parts for Tyson Chandler.

[enlightenment]

Sooo... whatsup with this Zubcic guy?

[Bonus Jonas]

You're right.

My bad.

There are 3 not in league last year. Although technically I think we should say 4 and include Bargnani. Dude checked oooooooooout!

I included Telfair because he wasn't in league last year. He is signed to unguaranteed contract for next season though with OKC.

PRIMO OUT!

Sounds like a mafia about pasta.

[Bonus Jonas]

Sooo... whatsup with this Zubcic guy?

Drafted him 56th overall in 2012, 6'11 SF/PF. Playing in Croatia if I'm not mistaken.

[enlightenment]

Drafted him 56th overall in 2012, 6'11 SF/PF. Playing in Croatia if I'm not mistaken.

How old is he now? Is he any good?

[ceez]

all hail based Masai

[Jamshid]

MU has done great this off season. Not over paying for the role players and signing Lowry to a reasonable contract are all steps in the right direction.

Now, he has Hayes, Novak and Fields to move to get a good SF ... This team needs a good SF ( 7-8 million a year) ...

I am willing to give up 2nd round picks to move any of those 3 guys.

[TSF]

all hail based Masai

I wonder if he'll promise to get Lil B to remove the curse as part of the pitch to bring durant here

[Jamshid]

MU from his time at Denver has shown to be good at moving small players and also moving stars for smaller pieces. However, in his resume, he does not signing a SUPER STAR ... Can he do it ... This team will need a Super star in a year or so to make the next step and get out of the 2nd round.