KD what the Raptors need: Kelly

[Nilanka]

As Raptor fans, we'll have to pray OKC doesn't win a title in the next 3 years.

[mcHAPPY]

As Raptor fans, we'll have to pray OKC doesn't win a title in the next 3 years.

I think the lack of an impact asset out of the Harden trade is going to ensure that happens.

Kevin Martin was gone in 1 year and the TPE was not used they received in free agency.

Lamb has been replaced by an OLLLLD Caron Butler.

Adams is a decent NBA big but would you trade Harden for Adams?

You can't even point to the glorious financial flexibility as they remain wedged up against the luxury tax, and will not exceed it!, for 2 more years.

[sleepz]

I think the lack of an impact asset out of the Harden trade is going to ensure that happens.

Kevin Martin was gone in 1 year and the TPE was not used they received in free agency.

Lamb has been replaced by an OLLLLD Caron Butler.

Adams is a decent NBA big but would you trade Harden for Adams?

You can't even point to the glorious financial flexibility as they remain wedged up against the luxury tax, and will not exceed it!, for 2 more years.

OKC has a great chance to win it this year. They are my prediction to come out of the West.

Harden trade is done. What they have left is still enough to take them back to the Finals, although it will be a tough road.

As for this Kelly article, its wild speculation and the chances of it having are non-existent. I though it was D. Smith who wrote this so I was going to get on his blog this morning and question how he could ever suggest something this dumb and unlikely and if it is truly Masai's and Lieweke's game plan we are all in big trouble, but then saw it was Kelly and am now not surprised at all.

Not happening here.

[Letter N]

As for this Kelly article, its wild speculation and the chances of it having are non-existent. I though it was D. Smith who wrote this so I was going to get on his blog this morning and question how he could ever suggest something this dumb and unlikely and if it is truly Masai's and Lieweke's game plan we are all in big trouble, but then saw it was Kelly and am now not surprised at all.

Agreed, if your game plan is to win the lottery then you don't actually have a game plan.

[Shantz]

OKC has a great chance to win it this year. They are my prediction to come out of the West.

Harden trade is done. What they have left is still enough to take them back to the Finals, although it will be a tough road.

As for this Kelly article, its wild speculation and the chances of it having are non-existent. I though it was D. Smith who wrote this so I was going to get on his blog this morning and question how he could ever suggest something this dumb and unlikely and if it is truly Masai's and Lieweke's game plan we are all in big trouble, but then saw it was Kelly and am now not surprised at all.

Not happening here.

Why should we be in for "big trouble" if Ujiri and Lieweke are planning on making a run at Durant?

I'll admit that Kelly laid it on a little thick in the article...but to have a management team that is actually dreaming about adding one of the top players in the world is an excellent thing! If that was their only plan, then we have some issues to work out. But we are certainly not in deep trouble to have a front office that is strategically working towards huge goals.

If they fail, they fail. But even if there is a 1% chance that Durant could be lured to Toronto, the only failure would be in not trying to make it happen. That would be where "big trouble" would happen.

[Pele]

OKC has a great chance to win it this year. They are my prediction to come out of the West.

Harden trade is done. What they have left is still enough to take them back to the Finals, although it will be a tough road.

As for this Kelly article, its wild speculation and the chances of it having are non-existent. I though it was D. Smith who wrote this so I was going to get on his blog this morning and question how he could ever suggest something this dumb and unlikely and if it is truly Masai's and Lieweke's game plan we are all in big trouble, but then saw it was Kelly and am now not surprised at all.

Not happening here.

Yes, Kelly's article is all speculation.

However, I'm not sure how out of sync it really is.

Heck, when I heard TFC was targetting Forlan, and then actually went and picked up Bradley and Defoe, I became a Lieweke believer. Hell, who would have thought such a thing was possible. Then, to bring DeRosario back.....brilliant. Again, what the heck can't Tim do?

Apparently Tim used Drake extensively to lure Dafoe, and even had Lebron chat with Jermaine's mother. Now, I don't think Lebron will be chatting with KD's mother about Toronto, but I'm sure Kev be getting some VP invites and back-stage passes to Drake affairs.

Now, KD is christian and about as clean as they come NBA-wise. Maybe that's why Landry is still around (that, and of course, his untradeable contract) Still, I'm sure Tim will exploit any and every opportunity to lure a premier star like KD, that's just Tim's way. Why not play the "Toronto is a great home for people of faith" card.

FInally, certain things get burned into someone's psyche when they are young. I still can't help but think of the 80's Oilers when I see and Edmonton jersey. It's taken years of ineptitude to squander the sheen of greatness that once surrounded that organisation. KD was an impressionalbe kid when vinsanity was full swing. I'm sure he still harbours some latent excitement about Toronto from those days. If Tim can re-kindle that, get Kevin to see that we have a winning contender...just insert superstar to beat Miami, stoke a vision of championship glory in Toronto.....then I don't see it as a stretch to get KD in 2016.

Tim's the guy to do it, and Masai is the guy to make it happen....

[mcHAPPY]

Yes, Kelly's article is all speculation.

However, I'm not sure how out of sync it really is.

Heck, when I heard TFC was targetting Forlan, and then actually went and picked up Bradley and Defoe, I became a Lieweke believer. Hell, who would have thought such a thing was possible. Then, to bring DeRosario back.....brilliant. Again, what the heck can't Tim do?

Apparently Tim used Drake extensively to lure Dafoe, and even had Lebron chat with Jermaine's mother. Now, I don't think Lebron will be chatting with KD's mother about Toronto, but I'm sure Kev be getting some VP invites and back-stage passes to Drake affairs.

Now, KD is christian and about as clean as they come NBA-wise. Maybe that's why Landry is still around (that, and of course, his untradeable contract) Still, I'm sure Tim will exploit any and every opportunity to lure a premier star like KD, that's just Tim's way. Why not play the "Toronto is a great home for people of faith" card.

FInally, certain things get burned into someone's psyche when they are young. I still can't help but think of the 80's Oilers when I see and Edmonton jersey. It's taken years of ineptitude to squander the sheen of greatness that once surrounded that organisation. KD was an impressionalbe kid when vinsanity was full swing. I'm sure he still harbours some latent excitement about Toronto from those days. If Tim can re-kindle that, get Kevin to see that we have a winning contender...just insert superstar to beat Miami, stoke a vision of championship glory in Toronto.....then I don't see it as a stretch to get KD in 2016.

Tim's the guy to do it, and Masai is the guy to make it happen....

Don't forget Bobby Webster, salary cap expert. He was on NBA team during CBA negotiations. This guy will make sure the dollars and cents work to whatever Ujiri or Tim have planned or are preparing to be ready for.

[Pele]

Don't forget Bobby Webster, salary cap expert. He was on NBA team during CBA negotiations. This guy will make sure the dollars and cents work to whatever Ujiri or Tim have planned or are preparing to be ready for.

Nice, definitely will take creative cap tweaking.

[Jclaw]

The crazy thing about this plan is that it's actually realistic. No, not realistic that we should expect to get kd. Realistic in the planning sense. If we're trying to get kd, we'd keep lowry, develop the sophomores, keep derozan and aim for cap space in 2016. If we weren't trying to get kd, we'd keep lowry, develop the sophomores...etc. It's not like we'd be the pre Decision Knicks who gutted their whole roster and then had to fill it with pieces when they were unsuccessful. I like where this is going.

[slaw]

As for this Kelly article, its wild speculation and the chances of it having are non-existent. I though it was D. Smith who wrote this so I was going to get on his blog this morning and question how he could ever suggest something this dumb and unlikely and if it is truly Masai's and Lieweke's game plan we are all in big trouble, but then saw it was Kelly and am now not surprised at all.

Agreed, if your game plan is to win the lottery then you don't actually have a game plan.

See, I don't think management in Toronto views it as "winning the lottery" or as unlikely. I do think they are going to take a serious run at Durant (or someone like him). Leiweke has made it very clear he wants stars on his teams and he wants to win.

Will it happen? I have no idea but I am not going to discount Leiweke and this management team. Not after what happened with TFC.

[planetmars]

You hear about Washington believing in the same thing.. how Durant will want to come back "home".. and how they wondered if Wall would try to recruit him to play for the Wizards.

Also can't rule out NY or Brooklyn as potential favourites as well. NY's books are cleared in 2016 and they have Phil Jackson. Brooklyn's books are cleared and they have a Russian mogul. Durant will be coveted and the richest teams will have cap space. Going to be very difficult for TL/Toronto to win the pitch.. but I'm sure they will do everything to try and win it.

[white men can't jump]

You hear about Washington believing in the same thing.. how Durant will want to come back "home".. and how they wondered if Wall would try to recruit him to play for the Wizards.

Also can't rule out NY or Brooklyn as potential favourites as well. NY's books are cleared in 2016 and they have Phil Jackson. Brooklyn's books are cleared and they have a Russian mogul. Durant will be coveted and the richest teams will have cap space. Going to be very difficult for TL/Toronto to win the pitch.. but I'm sure they will do everything to try and win it.

That's ok. KD will basically have tons of options and he'll dictate where he goes. Still pretty much goes without saying that the Raps should be aiming for this kind of move, and 2016 seems like the logical time to try, at least in terms of free agency.

Sometimes we overlook other possibilities too because of the promise of the perfect scenario. Some other notable free agents in 2016....Love, Horford, David Lee, Ryan Anderson, Nic Batum....

Those are interesting names, and all of them could fit quite well with the Raps current core. Though personally I'd avoid Lee because he's already 30 and he's not very good defensively...But KD, Love, Anderson and Batum are all the same age. And while Horford is a bit older(he'll be 30), he'd likely be cheaper than KD or Love, and could be the kind of veteran leader this team needs.

[sleepz]

Agreed, if your game plan is to win the lottery then you don't actually have a game plan.

Who has a game plan to win the lottery? Typically most GM's might have a goal to be in the lottery and as high as possible but having your goal at be the #1 pick is erroneous because it's a lottery.

That being said targeting Durrant in 2 years is even a lower odd proposition than trying to get #1

[sleepz]

Why should we be in for "big trouble" if Ujiri and Lieweke are planning on making a run at Durant?

I'll admit that Kelly laid it on a little thick in the article...but to have a management team that is actually dreaming about adding one of the top players in the world is an excellent thing! If that was their only plan, then we have some issues to work out. But we are certainly not in deep trouble to have a front office that is strategically working towards huge goals.

If they fail, they fail. But even if there is a 1% chance that Durant could be lured to Toronto, the only failure would be in not trying to make it happen. That would be where "big trouble" would happen.

The 'big trouble' comes from the argument that KD would compliment the current roster and make them a contender. The assumption that they are keeping the roster intact and trying to build something. assuming that in 2 years that the team will be attractive enough to bring in KD is ludicrous. This team should worry about trying to get back to the playoffs next year (which is no guarantee at all) before thinking this core group of players is going to entice KD to come here, because it's not

I know this season has been exciting for many fans based on the teams play, but when you go through the players on this team and study the roster, I'm shocked most think this is a team with a bright future. This is 2007 over again and not even as good of a version of that team.

[white men can't jump]

Who has a game plan to win the lottery? Typically most GM's might have a goal to be in the lottery and as high as possible but having your goal at be the #1 pick is erroneous because it's a lottery.

That being said targeting Durrant in 2 years is even a lower odd proposition than trying to get #1

No, it isn't necessarily. Fact is we have no clue what odds we'd have in such a chase. You're just taking the most pessimistic view possible. First we have no clue if he'll leave, and second we have no clue what situation he'll be looking for. In all likelihood he'll be looking for a team ready to contend (where he'd be the missing piece), and an organization willing to do whatever it takes to have that opportunity. Toronto could easily fit that description, and then it's a matter of beating out your competitors.

Making sure you have capspace that year doesn't limit your options either. There are other very good possibilities. And really, it's a fairly easy plan for Toronto to make in terms of having cap flexibility that summer anyway.