Do Raptors have an identity?

[Craiger]

The Raptors definetely have an identity. All sorts of them.

Outside Canada - their identity is irrelevance
Inside Canada - their identity is mediocracy
To the analyitics community - its treadmill
To the optimistic fans - its just needs more time + potential
To the good NBA teams - its +1 in the win column
To the tanking teams - its thanks for not challenging me for a top pick

They are kind of the Chimera of the NBA. Many different heads, but the body is always the same.

[Chr1s1anL]

I don't get what you're trying to say. Are you happy with just beating the tankers and the other lower seeds of the league? If that is the best you can do then why not support a tank in the hopes of getting more talent on the team? I think someone mentioned that we've lost to Miami 12 straight games now which is not a sign of a team being able to beat any team on any given night.

I can't support losing on purpose. I'm also not ok with waiting another half a decade to play in the playoffs.

[Nilanka]

What about the current situation? Losing without a purpose?

[mcHAPPY]

I can't support losing on purpose. I'm also not ok with waiting another half a decade to play in the playoffs.

Players and coaches do not lose on purpose.

I don't think you'll have to wait 5 years. A measly 2 should do it.

However if they keep with this core then yes you will likely have to wait another 5 years.

[slaw]

What about the current situation? Losing without a purpose?

That should be the team motto (my Latin's rusty):

Amittens sine proposio - Losing without a purpose.

Your Toronto Raptors.

[Mediumcore]

I can't support losing on purpose. I'm also not ok with waiting another half a decade to play in the playoffs.

Nobody WANTS to support losing, but there aren't any other options other than playing sub .500 ball and getting swept in the first round if you stay this route...and that's the BEST case scenario.

Look at Masai's track record for drafting late first round picks like Farried and Fournier. Give him some lottery picks and he can reshape this team pretty quickly.

[phez]

What about the current situation? Losing without a purpose?

so business as usual?

[Axel]

I can't support losing on purpose. I'm also not ok with waiting another half a decade to play in the playoffs.

It's not losing on purpose if it's done for the purpose of building a championship team. Building a team where most of the assets are futures is still building something. Better than interchanging random parts and bad contracts and hoping for the best. Patience should be trait #1 of all Raptors fans (because honestly, what else have we had?)

[Chr1s1anL]

Players and coaches do not lose on purpose.

I don't think you'll have to wait 5 years. A measly 2 should do it.

However if they keep with this core then yes you will likely have to wait another 5 years.

A measly 2 years? Yeah, right. To you know how bad we would have to be to have a shot at the top 5 chance at #1? We would have to trade Lowry, DD and Gay and take picks back. Than we have to hope we get lucky and actually stay in the top during lottery. Than we draft some kid. We won't make the playoffs next year cause the team will be too young. How our we suppose to attract free agents to put around these kids after having 7 consecutive non playoff appearance.

[mcHAPPY]

A measly 2 years? Yeah, right. To you know how bad we would have to be to have a shot at the top 5 chance at #1? We would have to trade Lowry, DD and Gay and take picks back. Than we have to hope we get lucky and actually stay in the top during lottery. Than we draft some kid. We won't make the playoffs next year cause the team will be too young. How our we suppose to attract free agents to put around these kids after having 7 consecutive non playoff appearance.

Jeez Louise man.

This is like a dog chasing his tail - both of us.

You absolutely nailed it by the way except you seem to think the Raptors are farther away from being really bad than anywhere near 'good'.

Yes, they trade Lowry, DD, and Gay.

Yes, they get picks.

Yes, they go in to the draft needing luck. The reality is this year they only need to be the 6th or 7th worst team to get a great player.

Yes, they use any other picks to draft solid players. Given the track record of Weltman and Masai, I think this is easily doable.

Yes, you take those drafted players in 2014 and put with JV and Ross.

Yes, you take 2015 drafted players and add them to the mix.

Yes, you then go in to free agency touting the talent and potential of the roster combined with the value signings you had made over the previous 2 seasons.


Let me ask you this: how are the Raptors suppose to attract free agents to join the current core when a) they have no cap space, or b) the players who got you to the playoffs are gone?

Don't be so fickle as to think the youth is the only way to build a team. Those rookie contracts tied to players with potential have a lot of value in the new CBA.

I guarantee 2015-16 will be a break out year for the Raptors. Guarantee it. It will be the 2009-10 of the OKC Thuner. Book it.


Everyone throwing around Houston and Indiana should take a look at Golden State. Remember just a year and a half ago Raptors loss the coin toss for Harrison Barnes at 7. Look at the Warriors now. Amazing where talent in the middle of the lottery combined with solid coaching and great management can get you.

[JimiCliff]

I can't support losing on purpose. I'm also not ok with waiting another half a decade to play in the playoffs.

There's a very real chance that if this current core is kept intact, it will miss the playoffs for the next five years.

And there's, oh, let's say, a 97% chance that if this current core is kept intact, it will lose badly in the first round for the next five years.

[Nilanka]

Man, losing out on Barnes (and Lillard) still keeps me awake at night.

Sigh.....

[JawsGT]

The stats may suggest our defense is ok, but watching the games says otherwise. It is certainly better than our offense, which isn't saying much is it? So I wouldn't say we have an identity. Going back to the reputation thing, I doubt there is a team in the league that fears this team, or even thinks it will be a tough matchup when they look at the schedule. Every team that plays the Raps probably thinks they are going to win, or has a good chance of doing so. Conversely, I don't get the sense that this Raps team ever enters a game thinking they are going to control the game and get a W. They have no attitude or swagger or perhaps it's just confidence. This team just doesn't have it collectively, and it's hard to develop that when two of your players are chewing up the possessions and taking alot of bad shots.

[Chr1s1anL]

There's a very real chance that if this current core is kept intact, it will miss the playoffs for the next five years.

And there's, oh, let's say, a 97% chance that if this current core is kept intact, it will lose badly in the first round for the next five years.

Your basing this after 4 games? Oh alright. Damn god no here is our GM.

[Bendit]

Man, losing out on Barnes (and Lillard) still keeps me awake at night.

Sigh.....

One on a coin flip, the other with our pg getting a triple double in the last game for a meaningless shit win and to crown it all a pass on Drummond when he fell. A trifecta of management ineptitude then leading to a mediocre capped team.

Rant over.