Everything 2017 Off-Season

[psrs1]

I sense we win a couple, not much different than last year, and it's kind of status quo as we hope to retain a 50 winner as lebron ages

So Casey can keep his job and KL can get paid.....

[DanH]

I sense we win a couple, not much different than last year, and it's kind of status quo as we hope to retain a 50 winner as lebron ages

And that would be fine. I got no sense from last game that there was a reason to expect us to win a couple. Same was true last year, but still.

At the very least I hope to see big changes to the rotation for game 2. Casey needs to make any move he has now, not after losing both on the road. Or, if there aren't changes to the rotation, changes to the game plan. If that means JV (whose inclusion I very much favour) sits, so be it. If it means playing small and daring Love to score on us (which I think is a losing proposition), bring it on. I need to see something - I need to see that the new options we have make it possible for us to really compete with the Cavs. There's always going to be a LeBron James-esque player in the way (never mind the next few years where this core would be at its best, when LeBron James himself will still be in the way). If we can't make a real series out of this group, with all these weapons (a group that will be impossible to keep together because of the true value of the talent on the roster right now), against a version of the Cavs that has struggled as much as this year's version, then I'm struggling to see the point in locking up the core and going into the tax.

This group is the great hope for this era of Raptors basketball. I need to see something real from them.

[Nilanka]

And that would be fine. I got no sense from last game that there was a reason to expect us to win a couple. Same was true last year, but still.

At the very least I hope to see big changes to the rotation for game 2. Casey needs to make any move he has now, not after losing both on the road. Or, if there aren't changes to the rotation, changes to the game plan. If that means JV (whose inclusion I very much favour) sits, so be it. If it means playing small and daring Love to score on us (which I think is a losing proposition), bring it on. I need to see something - I need to see that the new options we have make it possible for us to really compete with the Cavs. There's always going to be a LeBron James-esque player in the way (never mind the next few years where this core would be at its best, when LeBron James himself will still be in the way). If we can't make a real series out of this group, with all these weapons (a group that will be impossible to keep together because of the true value of the talent on the roster right now), against a version of the Cavs that has struggled as much as this year's version, then I'm struggling to see the point in locking up the core and going into the tax.

This group is the great hope for this era of Raptors basketball. I need to see something real from them.

That's a really long way of saying, we're the Atlanta Hawks

[Nilanka]

So LBJ's teams are 22-2 when they win Game 1 in the playoffs.

If we lose, what is your blueprint going forward?

I think the question can be boiled down to: do you think the roster is talented enough to pay luxury taxes, and just see what a new coach can do... Or is the roster not talented enough, such that a new coach wouldn't make a meaningful enough difference to matter?

If ownership finds it profitable to win 50 games every year, and never make it past the ECF, then I could see all the important pieces being retained, and we ride out this group until it expires (in 3-4 years).

But if ownership's goal is to win a championship, I'm honestly up in arms on how to do it. There isn't a single player on this roster worth building around as a "transcendent talent".

[KeonClark]

If ownership finds it profitable to win 50 games every year, and never make it past the ECF, then I could see all the important pieces being retained, and we ride out this group until it expires (in 3-4 years).

But if ownership's goal is to win a championship, I'm honestly up in arms on how to do it. There isn't a single player on this roster worth building around as a "transcendent talent".

Detroit 2004. Dallas 2011. San Antonio 2014. Right place, right time. Rosters not realistically much better at the top, middle or bottom then what we have now

[Nilanka]

Detroit 2004. Dallas 2011. San Antonio 2014. Right place, right time. Rosters not realistically much better at the top, middle or bottom then what we have now

Dallas had a 1st ballot hall of famer, still putting up peak numbers.

San Antonio still had their 3 headed monster in Duncan, Parker, Ginobili...plus a future MVP candidate in Leonard.

And even the Pistons had 4 allstars in their starting lineup, with a hall of fame coach patrolling the sidelines.

I hear you on the "anything can happen" mantra, but IMO, building a team while hoping for a LeBron ACL tear seems just as much of a gamble as building through the draft.

But from a business/financial perspective, it's a no brainer. Keep winning games and earning big profits with a few rounds of playoffs every year.

[The Great One]

The biggest question mark this offseason is 1.)would they bring back Lowry? he's 31 and always struggles in the playoffs. And 2.) What to do with JV?

[S.R.]

The biggest question mark this offseason is 1.)would they bring back Lowry? he's 31 and always struggles in the playoffs. And 2.) What to do with JV?

Just to add, major changes can happen with those decisions (+ coaching) this summer, but also trades in the future are a very real option if your guys are on decent contracts. It doesn't all have to happen this summer.

[MixxAOR]

The biggest question mark this offseason is 1.)would they bring back Lowry? he's 31 and always struggles in the playoffs. And 2.) What to do with JV?

1) They gotta trade JV. He's not somebody we should commit to.
2) Bring back Lowry. He's 31 but his play style doesnt rely on athleticism. Get legit depth behind him so he could play 30 minutes per night plus take 10-15 games off
3) get rid of Carroll
4) Resign Ibaka and Tucker.

[Rand]

it's gonna be long. super long.

[Deems]

I'm really excited about playing Cleveland. Not because I think it's a particularly easy matchup, but because this is the measuring stick that the whole season has been leading up to, especially with Masaii's deadline moves. They were outclassed by Cleveland last year, we went into this year with the goal of moving up into that class. Now we get to see just where we stack up.

No. Where. Close.

[Hotshot]

[The Great One]

Here's what needs to happen in the offseason:

1. Let Lowry walk. Sign and Trade. There's no way you give this guy the max. Are u kidding me???
2. Fire Casey
3. Trade Carroll
4. Let Patterson walk
5. Re-sign Ibaka and Tucker. Ibaka should be the main priority.
5. If you can find good value for JV, then move him. If not then keep him.
6. Talk to DeRozan and tell him to work on his 3pt shot. Because his mid range game doesn't translate in the playoffs. It's VITAL for him to add a 3pt shot in his arsenal.

[S.R.]

Here's what needs to happen in the offseason:

1. Let Lowry walk. Sign and Trade. There's no way you give this guy the max. Are u kidding me???
2. Fire Casey
3. Trade Carroll
4. Let Patterson walk
5. Re-sign Ibaka and Tucker. Ibaka should be the main priority.
5. If you can find good value for JV, then move him. If not then keep him.
6. Talk to DeRozan and tell him to work on his 3pt shot. Because his mid range game doesn't translate in the playoffs. It's VITAL for him to add a 3pt shot in his arsenal.

I'm on board with this, but that is a lot of change. Just without Lowry + Casey you could have a dramatically different team.

They still need a talent injection from somewhere, they also need better 3 point shooting and more ability to defend this type of offence. It's not just Cleveland - Golden State, Houston would be doing the same thing. Time to quit trying to do your own thing and catch up with the way the game has evolved.

[A.I]

Here's what needs to happen in the offseason:

1. Let Lowry walk. Sign and Trade. There's no way you give this guy the max. Are u kidding me???
2. Fire Casey
3. Trade Carroll
4. Let Patterson walk
5. Re-sign Ibaka and Tucker. Ibaka should be the main priority.
5. If you can find good value for JV, then move him. If not then keep him.
6. Talk to DeRozan and tell him to work on his 3pt shot. Because his mid range game doesn't translate in the playoffs. It's VITAL for him to add a 3pt shot in his arsenal.

You can always surround Derozan with shooters, get a coach who can implement a system like that, have Derozan as the main ball handler and if he gets double teamed or trapped, you got shooters all around you.

Problem with Casey's system is the offense is so focused on guard heavy isos/has inconsistent shooters that it makes trapping Derozan so much easier, and Derozan and Lowry struggle passing it out of the double because there is no off-ball movement.