Buyer's Market

[mcHAPPY]

I have seen it suggested by some that the Raptors may be buyers come the trade deadline instead of sellers.

So let's put on our thinking caps in case Masai is reading

1.) who do we think or know is for sale?

2.) who is expendable to land said person?

3.) do we start giving up picks in order to land a stud?


I think guys like Jeff Green, Danny Granger, Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol etc... are players that could be for sale. I'd love for us to snag Ersan Ilyasova personally...if we are going forward with Lowry he is the perfect 3 to compliment

Good thread idea.

1.) Go to HoopsHype.com daily! lol

2.) I'd like to see Ross and JV kept strictly because of their rookie deals and the benefits of restricted free agency along with Bird Rights.

3.) No no no no. Please no trading of picks. They are so valuable today. However if Masai has an established core in his mind, then sure. Indiana, for example, did not give up any picks until this past year to strengthen their bench with their core of Hill/Lance/PG/West/Hibbert established.

[ceez]

Guys like Ilyasova and especially Green don't really move the needle. I don't really see how they'd be that much of an upgrade especially since at this stage of their careers they are what they are.

Need to look younger. More potential.

One guy I'd throw the kitchen sink at is Po. I don't think Milwaukee does more than laugh if you ask about him though.

[The Great One]

I have seen it suggested by some that the Raptors may be buyers come the trade deadline instead of sellers.

So let's put on our thinking caps in case Masai is reading

1.) who do we think or know is for sale?

2.) who is expendable to land said person?

3.) do we start giving up picks in order to land a stud?


I think guys like Jeff Green, Danny Granger, Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol etc... are players that could be for sale. I'd love for us to snag Ersan Ilyasova personally...if we are going forward with Lowry he is the perfect 3 to compliment

We don't have any assets to trade for a 'stud' player. Pretty sure, JV, Ross, DD, and our own 2014 1st round pick are not going anywhere. So how do we get that stud player?

As for the names that you mentioned. Randolph is the perfect fit because what this Raps team is lacking is a big that can post up and score.

Only 2 things can happen between now and the trade deadline:

1. A Kyle Lowry trade.
2. Nothing.

PS - No way i trade Lowry for GARBAGE. By garbage, i mean, the Knicks and Nets rumoured offer a month or so ago. Or the ESPN Insider article that i read earlier today about Lowry to the Rockets for Lin and draft picks.

[Fully]

My preference would be to try and package a few first rounders together, plus something else, and go after a legit elite player. Trading a pick for a young player who you have less control over in terms of years and salary doesn't seem very wise all things being equal.

Fair enough, but I'd argue that all things aren't equal when the player you'd draft with that pick won't actually be on the roster for 2+ years.

[Scraptor]

I think there are going to be a few opportunities. Unfortunately, right now there is a pretty clear demarcation between who's going for it and who's not. Here are the bubble teams I think might do something:

Detroit, if Dumars gets fired, would likely become a seller. Monroe is up for an extension and is the obvious target if he comes cheap enough. Not a good defender but really strengthens the offense.

Cleveland is a mess. I would love to buy Anthony Bennett off them for cheap. If they would take a guy like Steve Novak plus say a couple seconds or something, I would totally do it. I have no idea where their heads are at with Bennett but he is racking up DNPs and they are racking up losses, so who knows if they decide to cut bait the way Phoenix did with Marshall.

Boston is likely a seller but neither Rondo nor Green do anything for me, unless we are also moving out one of our starting five somewhere. (Edit: I LOVE Rondo but there's no fit here.)

Philly probably sells Young and Turner, I like Young but I don't know what they'll ask for him. Not interested in ET.

Orlando sells Afflalo and probably Nelson but neither are very attractive.

Milwaukee likely sells Sanders. If we can get him cheap he's a monster, but I have no idea what we'd do with Val, and I love Val. Ilyasova is probably available but has limited low post value. Giannis is likely unavailable at this point. Bucks fans would riot if they traded him, and Hammond knows it.

I doubt much happens in the west. New Orleans is disappointing but they don't own their own pick. Minnesota is the real wildcard, I hope they tear it down and make Love available but it's a remote possibility. I doubt Kroenke tears down Denver given the ego hit after all the changes they made last offseason. Lakeshow might sell Pau but he doesn't fit here in terms of long term team building.

Houston is interesting. I really think Morey is desperate to move Asik. If we could get involved in a three way there's a real opportunity there. Just have to figure out how to get involved in the right way.

[magoon]

Houston is interesting. I really think Morey is desperate to move Asik. If we could get involved in a three way there's a real opportunity there. Just have to figure out how to get involved in the right way.

Asik to Cleveland
Bennett to Toronto
Novak, Carrack Felix, and picks from Cleveland to Houston

[Nilanka]

3.) No no no no. Please no trading of picks. They are so valuable today. However if Masai has an established core in his mind, then sure. Indiana, for example, did not give up any picks until this past year to strengthen their bench with their core of Hill/Lance/PG/West/Hibbert established.

Chisholm mentioned an interesting point in his latest article. It seems like this year's draft is so overhyped, that if we were to sell our pick, we could probably ask for a small fortune in return.

I'm not necessarily in favour of trading picks, but if there ever was a year to maximize value for it, this is it.

[Mediumcore]

Any thoughts on how bringing in a "stud" player changes the dynamic of the way the team plays? Do we go from a spread out offense with everyone sharing the ball to more iso, half court type style? Does Lowry thrive in a half court style? Does a slower game eliminate the youth, athletecism of our team, and bigs especially? Does Amir's lack of size at the 4 get hilighted when things slow down?

Just things to consider when looking at players to trade for. They have to fit into the offense. For that reason I see players like Jeff Green being a good fit.

[Nilanka]

Any thoughts on how bringing in a "stud" player changes the dynamic of the way the team plays? Do we go from a spread out offense with everyone sharing the ball to more iso, half court type style? Does Lowry thrive in a half court style? Does a slower game eliminate the youth, athletecism of our team, and bigs especially? Does Amir's lack of size at the 4 get hilighted when things slow down?

Just things to consider when looking at players to trade for. They have to fit into the offense. For that reason I see players like Jeff Green being a good fit.

Not sure I'd consider Green to be a "stud" personally.

I would like to see an upgrade at PF targeted. The lack of a low-post double-team threat is what's keeping our offense from being balanced. When the jumpers aren't falling, we need someone to dumb the ball to.

[JawsGT]

The trade deadline is usually quiet in the NBA, and I expect the same this year. Usually a lot of talk but no action. The type of player I think could really help the Raps is one like Z-Bo. We need more inside and low-post scoring, plus I think his personality would fit well with the team. The problem with Z-Bo of course is his pay and age. If acquiring Z-Bo were to make us contenders this year than I would be fine with pursuing him, but I don't think it does so I would pass on him. But that type of player would be great I think.

Monroe is another name. I think TRoss, Hans, and maybe a second rounder or two would be a good offer. I'm not sure it would be enough for DET though. But I still hesitate on this offer, as I would like to see how Ross develops, plus it leaves us with a glaring hole at SF. Now maybe we can address the SF position at the draft, and if there was a way to get a guy like Wilson Chandler for next season I think that would be pretty good going forward.

Rolling into next season with a core of JV, Monroe, Chandler, Demar, Lowry, Amir, 2Pat and Vasquez would be nice I think, but I'm not sure how that's put us in terms of cap. Monroe, Lowry, as well as 2Pat and Vazquez would need to be resigned in the offseason I think, so we would probably be capped out with a roster that hasn't had much time together, which is a somewhat scary.

[isaacthompson]

Any thoughts on how bringing in a "stud" player changes the dynamic of the way the team plays? Do we go from a spread out offense with everyone sharing the ball to more iso, half court type style? Does Lowry thrive in a half court style? Does a slower game eliminate the youth, athletecism of our team, and bigs especially? Does Amir's lack of size at the 4 get hilighted when things slow down?

On the off chance that we bring in a stud, reverting back to an iso-heavy offense is the most likely scenario.

I don't think Casey is coaching this team next year if this happens. We've seen what this team can do when ball movement is made a premium. A so-called stud could potentially ruin this, as we've seen with Gay and even DeMar out (albeit one game).

[isaacthompson]

Ilyasova is a 3

people say you don't want too much of a good thing but when the skills you are duplicating are passing rebounding defense and 3pt shooting, high IQ unselfish basketball...well...give me 15 of those

Hes a Power Forward actually. or at least according to his last 3 seasons and NBA.com Stretch 4.

According to Basketball Reference (position-wise throughout his career):

88% at PF
2% at SF
9% at C

Not sure how accurate it is, but interesting to see those numbers nevertheless.

[Mediumcore]

Not sure I'd consider Green to be a "stud" personally.

I would like to see an upgrade at PF targeted. The lack of a low-post double-team threat is what's keeping our offense from being balanced. When the jumpers aren't falling, we need someone to dumb the ball to.

Neither do I, and that is why I think he fits the current offense well. He doesn't go into iso very much, can defend, shoot the 3..basiacally the same type of player we have now, just better at what he does.

The current rosters success is is based on ball movement, so you would think bringing in players that can do that makes more sense than "studs" whom are generally ball stoppers.

Having said that our current roster is built to win regular season games, but not championships. Stud players are what wins championships for the most part.

[Balls of Steel]

I think there are going to be a few opportunities. Unfortunately, right now there is a pretty clear demarcation between who's going for it and who's not. Here are the bubble teams I think might do something:

Detroit, if Dumars gets fired, would likely become a seller. Monroe is up for an extension and is the obvious target if he comes cheap enough. Not a good defender but really strengthens the offense.

Cleveland is a mess. I would love to buy Anthony Bennett off them for cheap. If they would take a guy like Steve Novak plus say a couple seconds or something, I would totally do it. I have no idea where their heads are at with Bennett but he is racking up DNPs and they are racking up losses, so who knows if they decide to cut bait the way Phoenix did with Marshall.

Boston is likely a seller but neither Rondo nor Green do anything for me, unless we are also moving out one of our starting five somewhere. (Edit: I LOVE Rondo but there's no fit here.)

Philly probably sells Young and Turner, I like Young but I don't know what they'll ask for him. Not interested in ET.

Orlando sells Afflalo and probably Nelson but neither are very attractive.

Milwaukee likely sells Sanders. If we can get him cheap he's a monster, but I have no idea what we'd do with Val, and I love Val. Ilyasova is probably available but has limited low post value. Giannis is likely unavailable at this point. Bucks fans would riot if they traded him, and Hammond knows it.

I doubt much happens in the west. New Orleans is disappointing but they don't own their own pick. Minnesota is the real wildcard, I hope they tear it down and make Love available but it's a remote possibility. I doubt Kroenke tears down Denver given the ego hit after all the changes they made last offseason. Lakeshow might sell Pau but he doesn't fit here in terms of long term team building.

Houston is interesting. I really think Morey is desperate to move Asik. If we could get involved in a three way there's a real opportunity there. Just have to figure out how to get involved in the right way.

Oh he's a monster all right, with that 44M contract extension he signed last August.

[DanH]

Good thread idea.

1.) Go to HoopsHype.com daily! lol

2.) I'd like to see Ross and JV kept strictly because of their rookie deals and the benefits of restricted free agency along with Bird Rights.

3.) No no no no. Please no trading of picks. They are so valuable today. However if Masai has an established core in his mind, then sure. Indiana, for example, did not give up any picks until this past year to strengthen their bench with their core of Hill/Lance/PG/West/Hibbert established.

Plus Hibbert was picked with an acquired pick. Got to go in that direction first before you start moving picks out.