The 2016 Offseason thread

[Sinbad]

Leafs are a big deal in TO so i get that. I get the MLB playoffs as well. But damn look at the TSN schedule. Golf talk Canada? lol are u kidding me? Classic CFL football? is there such a thing?

Absurd.

On some level, we knew this was coming. You would think that TSN would want to put out live content, even if it is preseason. But if it competes with a Leafs broadcast, we know what way they'll lean. Golf Talk? FOH.

[GLF]

I know the game isn't supposed to be televised. But if you guys find ANY link that might be showing it please post it.

[MixxAOR]

I know the game isn't supposed to be televised. But if you guys find ANY link that might be showing it please post it.

http://www.nba.com/pistons/multimedi...son-livestream

[Lupe]

I know talent (mostly) trumps everything, but the guy won 67 games and he's unhappy (allegedly, but based on his history it's not a reach). He wouldn't like people cheering louder for Lowry...let alone Bruno.

Triggered.

[golden]

For those who hate on T-Ross. This is what $22-25M/yr buys you......

[Hotshot]

For those who hate on T-Ross. This is what $22-25M/yr buys you......

Its preseason!

[Sinbad]

Interesting take on the Raptors by anonymous NBA scouts about the off-season and upcoming year.

"Remember: They probably should have lost to the Pacers in the first round last year, and they almost lost to the Heat in the second round. Both were seven-game series. They weren’t the best when it came to the playoffs. . . . Losing [center] Bismack Biyombo [to the Magic] will hurt them a little bit, but the addition of Jared Sullinger, alongside Patrick Patterson, *allows them to spread the floor and be better offensively. . . . DeMar DeRozan had a great year and a terrible postseason. It was almost like all season they run sets for him to catch and shoot, then in the playoffs he’s trying to go one-on-one. He’s a good player, but when you don’t shoot well, you’re limited. He lost his confidence too. . . . Kyle Lowry can make big shots. He can shoot the three; he can run a team. I would put him in the second tier of point guards. . . . It’ll help a great deal to have DeMarre Carroll healthy. He makes the most sense for them at the three. Good defender, average shooter but gives them the capability to play small. . . . Jonas Valanciunas will be a big part of what they do. Each year he gets a little better and last year I thought he was playing really, really well before he got hurt. He’s a low-post threat who can step out to 12 feet. He’s so strong and he’s got good hands. . . . When they picked up Cory Joseph last *summer, I knew they would use him and Lowry together a lot. When it was crunch time or when they were protecting its lead, they went to that backcourt quite a bit. It was strong. . . . I don’t trust Terrence Ross as much as I do Norman Powell. When Ross doesn’t shoot well, he doesn’t really help you."

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/10/20/nba...ern-conference

[DanH]

Strange that they thought DD had catch and shoot plays run for him all year. He didn't. He was a primary ball handler all year and one of the most used and most effective PnR ball handlers in the league.

[Sinbad]

Strange that they thought DD had catch and shoot plays run for him all year. He didn't. He was a primary ball handler all year and one of the most used and most effective PnR ball handlers in the league.

True. But I think what he was implying was that while the sets were initially run for DD to catch and shoot, it often turned into a PnR if he didn't shoot right away. We certainly saw a lot of that where he would reset and call for a screen.

[Machine]

Strange that they thought DD had catch and shoot plays run for him all year. He didn't. He was a primary ball handler all year and one of the most used and most effective PnR ball handlers in the league.

Yet another analyst/scout/expert who only watched the raps in the playoffs

[slaw]

Strange that they thought DD had catch and shoot plays run for him all year. He didn't. He was a primary ball handler all year and one of the most used and most effective PnR ball handlers in the league.

I'm convinced a lot of these "anonymous scout" articles are just the reporter writing conventional wisdom stuff and putting quotes around it.

[DanH]

True. But I think what he was implying was that while the sets were initially run for DD to catch and shoot, it often turned into a PnR if he didn't shoot right away. We certainly saw a lot of that where he would reset and call for a screen.

I guess? Still, DD averaged 2.5 catch and shoot FGA's in the regular season last year, and 2.3 per game in the playoffs. I don't think they ran anything different in the playoffs, he was just worse at executing (and recognizing when to pass).

[slaw]

I know talent (mostly) trumps everything, but the guy won 67 games and he's unhappy (allegedly, but based on his history it's not a reach). He wouldn't like people cheering louder for Lowry...let alone Bruno.

If true, yeah, you have to wonder about a guy who wanted to go to SA knowing full well the deal there and now being bitter(?) he isn't getting the superstar treatment. The whole thing doesn't smell right and doesn't make much sense.

[Sinbad]

I guess? Still, DD averaged 2.5 catch and shoot FGA's in the regular season last year, and 2.3 per game in the playoffs. I don't think they ran anything different in the playoffs, he was just worse at executing (and recognizing when to pass).

They didn't run anything different in the playoffs. I haven't seen a single take on DD's approach that hasn't brought up his bad playoff performance, which is affecting how scouts analyze and view him as a player.

[Sinbad]

If true, yeah, you have to wonder about a guy who wanted to go to SA knowing full well the deal there and now being bitter(?) he isn't getting the superstar treatment. The whole thing doesn't smell right and doesn't make much sense.

It was the same thing with Aldridge in Portland, coveting the attention and endorsements that Lillard received. If there's merit to him being dissatisfied with Kawhi being prioritized over him, he'll be out of there in a hurry.