There has never been a better time to rebuild than right now

[Edgar]

I'm far more inclined to keep Lowry unless the deal blows me out of the water. Derozan I'd deal for a top 10 pick and some filler. Think DD for #4 and Calderon, DD for #5 and Nicholson, DD for #6 and Thompson, DD for #8 and Tolliver, DD for #9 and Stephenson.

I respectfully disagree - With Kyle's history and the questionable buy-in from him right now there's no way I want to flirt with the possiblity of his trade value plummeting if he forces trade/checks out a couple weeks after Derozan is dealt for a pick and filler. IMO if you trade DD you better have a solid plan to move Lowry pronto...

[Primer]

I respectfully disagree - With Kyle's history and the questionable buy-in from him right now there's no way I want to flirt with the possiblity of his trade value plummeting if he forces trade/checks out a couple weeks after Derozan is dealt for a pick and filler. IMO if you trade DD you better have a solid plan to move Lowry pronto...

Kyle's history is being a top 30 player the past 2 seasons, and leading the Raptors from lottery hell to division titles and the playoffs two years running. Without him we will suck again, book it.

[Axel]

Kyle's history is being a top 30 player the past 2 seasons, and leading the Raptors from lottery hell to division titles and the playoffs two years running. Without him we will suck again, book it.

We might suck now. We certainly sucked from Christmas on.

And Kyle's history extends well beyond these past 2 seasons. It's like people completely forgot about his ineffective first season too. Kyle needs a very specific set of circumstances to perform at an elite level. Based on the exit comments by KL and Casey, not sure how well set his circumstances at this season.

[OldSkoolCool]

I'm gonna ask the question again to everyone that is looking to trade either DD or KL, what is the MINIMUM return you accept?

What is the price that makes you say, ok, we are keeping the band together for another season? Cause Fully asked for the threshold, I answered with my min threshold, but I really think others posted their asking price.

So what's your breaking point, knowing the alternative is to bring the same core back?

KL - top 8 pick and some second rounders with a bad contract

DD - combination of a very late lotto (13-14) and a late first (25+) or a prospect + bad contract

[magoon]

Nicely done. Options are quite limited and not as good as some fans here think. This post really summerized out top 10 partners in this draft. Now, add to it that we are hoping to move both of DD and KL for 2 top 10 and this make the whole thing more like a pipe dream rather than reality.

A couple things.

Firstly, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando will all listen seriously to trade offers for their picks. Charlotte's need is shooting and if someone can offer a good sniper on a decent multi-year deal they'll think about it strongly. Orlando is in much the same boat. Our problem is that all we could really offer them would be Terrence Ross and he's clearly not worth the pick (even though Orlando supposedly likes him a lot). Miami needs depth everywhere but we can't offer them positional strength where they need it at the price point they need. So: they're all potentially trade partners for other teams. Just not us.

Second: although there will be a lot of competition for the Knicks pick in terms of trade offers, I don't think anybody will match an offer of DeRozan for the #4 plus taking back Calderon's salary. That's effectively a $20m swing deal for the Knicks.

Third: I've laid out before how I think the Lowry-Sacramento trade is a natural fit for both us and Sacramento. We get the assets, they manage to get a star-level PG on their team along with his BFF Rudy Gay and they don't have to worry about cap issues as a result.

[IwishIwasZachLowe]

THIS IS HOW YOU REBUILD:

Step 1: DO NOT RE SIGN ANYONE. 30 million in cap space is the best place to start.

Step 2: Trade Kyle Lowry and the 20th pick for PF Jason Thomspon, Darren Collison, 2015 1st rounder and 2016 1st rounder. The Sacramento Kings are desperate for some form of success, Lowry’s all star pedigree and friendship with Rudy Gay helps, but it gives Demarcus Cousins point guard stability for the first time in his career. Jason Thompson is a rebounding PF with a decent contract at 6 mil\yr and would be an upgrade to Amir Johson. Darren Collison would provide much of what Kyle Lowry does but is slightly younger and is paid half of what Lowry is. The Raptors then draft Justise Winslow, he already has an NBA body at 19, and has the potential of being the Raptors franchise player for years to come. The 2016 1st rounder may be a stretch, but if Ujiri turned Bargani into a 1st rounder, I have a feeling he can turn Lowry into 2.

Step 3: Trade Ross and a 2nd round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats 1st overall pick. Charlotte was dead last in the East last year in 3 pt % and the impatient MJ wants to win now. Draft Willie Cauley Stein, a young athletic rim protector the Raptors desperately need with a high IQ. Would form a great Centre tandem with Valenciunas and could one day even take his job.


Step 4: Trade Vasquez and a 2nd round pick 2016 to the Boston Celtics for their 28th pick, 1st round pick. Boston was second last in league in 3 point shooting, and Vazquez would also fill the void of a veteran PG presence backing up Marcus Smart. Raptors could use this pick to fill the void of Vasquez and Lou Williams by drafting Terry Rozier. A young combo guard with athleticism and a 38% 3 point range at Louisville.

Step 5: Sign SF Wesley Matthews to a 3 year, 40 million dollar deal. A lot of money for a player who just can’t walk. Matthews suffered a season ending achilles tear injury in March. But, these are the type of situations the Raptors must gamble on to get a great talent like Matthews. He shoots the 3 at 40% and defends better than almost anyone in the league at his position. What else, he’s apparently a great character guy, someone that Derozan and Winslow can learn from going forward.

[IwishIwasZachLowe]

Step 7: Sign Corey Joseph to a 3 year, 12 million dollar deal. The Raptors paid Vasquez 6 million to back up Lowry in 2015, Joseph is a better defender and can shoot the 3 with similar accuracy.

Step 8: Sign K.J. McDaniels to a 3 year, 12 million dollar deal. K.J. had a great start to his rookie season last year with the Sixers, he was later traded to Houston and didn’t play much. He plays solid defence and showed the ability at times to hit the 3 last year, a low risk, high reward to back up Demar Derozan.

[IwishIwasZachLowe]

Step 6 was sign Draymond Green, but I have a better chance hooking up with Megan Fox then the Raptors do getting Draymond Green.

[Mess]

K.J. has potential but he's nowhere close to earning that kind of money. That's a 2nd pick of the draft salary right there. He doesn't contribute close to that - except if you value vine-worthy blocks - then he gives you your money's worth. Plus he shoots the 3 as well as DD does. I'd want him on the Raptors sure. But if there's a sucker that's going to pay him that much I hope it's not the Raptors.

[ceez]

i'd flip either of them for a top 10 pick or a pick (any pick) and a prospect

[IwishIwasZachLowe]

It is high for KJ I agree, but you are slightly paying for potential and overpaying for him to come to Toronto. But, in year 2 or 3 of his contract it may look like a cheap contract similar to Carroll. Although he is yet to prove the shooting consistency and defending prowess as Carroll.

[Shantz]

Solid article on the situation in Sacramento and how the Kings' timeline is currently different from that of DeMarcus Cousins. Although it's not the focus of the article, can't help but see more confirmation of Sacramento's need to switch things up now. One can't be in love with the draft when this has been your draft reality for the last six years:

The Kings are picking sixth in June’s draft, marking the seventh straight year the Kings have had a top-10 pick. In that time, the Kings ended up with Cousins, Spencer Hawes, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette (via trade), Ben McLemore and Sauce Castillo Nik Stauskas.

Outside of Cousins, the top 10 has not been kind to Sacramento. I think they are by far the likeliest team in the top 10 to move their pick for young veterans.

http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2015/06/...medium=twitter

[JWash]

One question though.

If most people here don't see DeRozan or Lowry as core pieces of a championship team... why would an NBA Front Office give up top 5 or even top 10 picks for them?

[planetmars]

One question though.

If most people here don't see DeRozan or Lowry as core pieces of a championship team... why would an NBA Front Office give up top 5 or even top 10 picks for them?

Sometimes making the playoffs is more important to an owner then building a championship caliber team. Look at Shantz post above yours as an example as to why Sacramento may give up a pick. NY has a 31 year old Melo locked up, and has the pressure to win. They could move theirs as well.

[white men can't jump]

One question though.

If most people here don't see DeRozan or Lowry as core pieces of a championship team... why would an NBA Front Office give up top 5 or even top 10 picks for them?

Easiest answer possible is through an example. And I'll set it up by saying, our best player is either DeMar or Lowry right now (most would say Lowry), and he's not good enough to be THE core piece of a championship team. Nor is DeMar. Can they be A core piece of a championship team? Sure. Absolutely. Pretty much anyone with starter talent could in the right situation.

So what team already has a main guy to build around? Easy answer is Sacramento. If we traded Lowry to Sacto for #6 and pieces, Lowry would now be the 2nd/3rd best player on Sacto with Gay, both after Cousins who's the clear-cut franchise talent. Someone posted an article from Hardwood Paroxysm about how Sacto has not done very well building through the draft, and they're nearing the end of their window with Cousins...as in, if they can't make some noise withint the next 2-3 years, Cousins is most likely bolting. So given that timeline could be the amount of time it takes to develop a player (and that can still be a fairly optimistic outlook), why wouldn't they trade a #6 pick for a guy who could come in and make them immediately better, and through that 2-3 year window?

Sacto is the easiest example by far. Other teams that may not be quite as obvious options, but teams like Orlando, Charlotte, maybe the Knicks (because they fell out of the top 3), and maybe even a Detroit or Miami. Teams that may prefer the certainty and immediate return of a proven NBA player over a draft pick.