David West for Terrence Ross Trade Talks Happening | 8 Points 9 Seconds
The Pacers do want to make the playoffs this year, and the notion of their best player returning so quickly means that getting into the postseason is within their grasp. The idea of moving David West for Ross is further complicated by West’s $12.6 million player option for next summer. That’s a huge sum for someone his age that he is unlikely to sniff on the open market, so the smart money is West picking it up. So the Pacers moving him now for a younger player makes sense — if the team is in fact starting to prioritize, say, the 2017-18 season over 2015-16.
NBA Trade Rumors: Should The Raptors Trade Terrence Ross For David West? | Sir Charles in Charge
With Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson to lead their frontcourt, and a plethora of wing players like Ross going through the rotation, the Raptors don’t look like a team in dire need of a trade. Ideally, they need another All-Star quality player to become a true title contender, but certainly not to the extent that a ‘panic trade’ should take place. Especially when there is no such talent on the market right now anyway. Even though Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough and Patrick Patterson may not be the best big men in the league, they at least bring a certain level of toughness, size and hustle to make an impact. Or in the case of Patterson, provide some shooting ability to help space the floor (he’s actually shooting 40 percent from three-point range this year). That being said though, the Raptors are reportedly considering a trade that would send Ross to Indiana in exchange for the Pacers starting power forward, David West.
Weekly Rap: Raptors head back into the fire | Sportsnet.ca
DeMar DeRozan’s game-winning shot against the Washington Wizards was further evidence that the Raptors’ all-star from last season has fully returned from the injury that kept him out for 21 games. Beyond his clutch play, the best indication that DeRozan is back on his game has been the number of free throws he’s attempted in Toronto’s last three games. DeRozan has taken 35 shots from the charity stripe in that span, converting on 32 of them. This stat is telling, as it shows that he’s regained his old aggression in going to the hoop that he may have been a little wary of before coming off a groin tear.
DeMar Derozan vs. Terrence Ross and evaluating wings in the modern era | A Substitute for War
Both Derozan and Ross has a “secondary” value of either volume scoring or floor spacing that makes their teammates more efficient. There isn’t a conclusive way to determine which one is more valuable. However I do believe the “primary” value of Ross using 10 possessions a game at a league average efficiency is more valuable than Derozan using 20 possessions a game at a clearly below average efficiency, therefore to me Ross has something of a head start before deciding whether their volume scoring or spacing is more valuable. There are other ways to impact the game. Both are similar rebounders with Derozan averaging 4.6 total rebounds per 36 minutes to 4.4 for Ross and defensively they are hard to pick out. Ross has faster feet as the more dynamic athlete however Derozan has a strength advantage and plays a steadier, headier game on defense. Derozan is more experienced therefore if he has a defensive advantage right now Ross could catch up in a few years. Derozan is a quality passer at 3.5 assists per per 36 minutes to 1.3 for Ross, however Derozan turns the ball over 2.3 times per 36 minutes to 1.2 for Ross. In the stat ORTG where Ross had an edge at 104 to Derozan’s 102 assists and turnovers were accounted for in overall possession efficiency. I do not know whether Terrence Ross is a better player than Derozan right now because I can’t quantify the value of their spacing and volume scoring against each other. But I believe there is at least a strong case that Ross is as valuable or more. It isn’t a “no brainer” in favour of Derozan.
Sources: Raptors Ross And Valanciunas Are Available | Pro Bball Report
Invariably these sources have come from outside of Toronto as the Raptors organization has been one of the more tip-lipped franchises in the Association. However, with the opportunity to make significant noise in a weak Eastern Conference this season, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that President and General Manager, Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri has been talking with a lot of other GMs about what could be possible at the trade deadline this season.
Should Toronto Raptors keep or trade first-round draft picks. | Raptors Rapture
For the right player(s), I’d cheerfully give up our first-rounders this season or next. Note I’m not including the Knicks’ 2016 first-rounder we acquired as part of the Andrea Bargnani trade. GM Phil Jackson has belatedly recognized what everyone else knew: the Knicks are a mess, and he needs to rebuild. They are odds-on to endure another dreadful season in ’15-’16, and their first-rounder will be a huge value. Bargs is being mentioned as a buy-out candidate by the thoroughly unimpressed Knicks. The always bloodthirsty New York press will have a field day if that happens. The Knicks will have lost a single-digit (#1?) draft pick in exchange for a player they had to pay to go away.
Kyle Lowry: The Ascension of an All-Star | Hardwood Herald
Lowry would be selected No. 24 by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2006 NBA Draft, after two successful years at Nova. He also made a stop in Houston for a few years before finding his home in Toronto, where he has helped resurrect a franchise that has not been relevant since the turn of the century, and has been selected to his first All-Star Game this year as a starter for the Eastern Conference. Since entering the league, Kyle Lowry has had his share of ups and downs but has been able to not only sustain his career but rise to stardom using he same formula he used when it all began: Heart. Hustle. Toughness. Grit. Resilience.
Hearing ’We the North’ as Your Team Loses? Blame Canada | Bloomberg Business
“The feeling right now is that the Raptors have arrived,” said Dave Hopkinson, chief commercial officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the Leafs and the Raptors. “It’s our 20th season so it took us a little longer than we might have liked, but it’s undeniable that it’s here now.” The team’s fans have given back, doubling merchandise sales, giving the Raptors the fifth-best attendance in the 30-team league and selling more new season tickets than any club except LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, Hopkinson said. Sabrina Monaco, a long-time Leafs fan who works in finance, paid C$10,000 ($8,000) for Raptors season tickets after watching a play-off game last year. Unreal Vibe “The vibe in the Air Canada Centre was unreal, nothing like I had ever seen before and it got us so pumped and excited to see the game,” Monaco said. “I literally went home that night and started researching season tickets.” Forbes valued the Raptors at $920 million this year, up 77 percent from last year and the 14th-most valuable NBA team as tickets sales increased 7 percent. Forbes values the Leafs at $1.3 billion, the NHL’s most valuable team.
I can haz yo linkz??! rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
