Shouldn't We HOPE For A Bad Year?

[bhattmagandhi]

That way we can have a good chance of landing a top 3 lottery pick and REALLY start retooling & rebuilding this franchise, the conventional (i.e. OKC) way.

[Courtside]

No need to tank. The team we have will compete hard night in and night out but we'll take our share of loses. I think we'll win more than the 12 games one article said we would next year.

[ezz_bee]

No need to tank. The team we have will compete hard night in and night out but we'll take our share of loses. I think we'll win more than the 12 games one article said we would next year.

+1

Losing big doesn't guarentee a player that can transform your franchise, see AB. However we are likely to end up in the lottery and that's okay by me. We can also trade up for a better pick without tanking.

[Apollo]

That way we can have a good chance of landing a top 3 lottery pick and REALLY start retooling & rebuilding this franchise, the conventional (i.e. OKC) way.

Not sure how I could watch the games if I was cheering against them.

[malefax]

Why is OKC the 'conventional way'? Because of all the championships they've won?

Trying to be one of the three worst teams in the league is a 'strategy' for idiots. It's much harder than it sounds in a league with so many terrible, terrible teams, it kills your fan base, and it doesn't actually work. It's popular among sportswriters because the concept is easy to understand. But it's not actually how good teams get built. Good teams get built through trades, mostly, with solid drafting and signing huge free agents playing a role as well.

[bigbubbamac]

No, we don't need to tank. We just take the year for whatever it turns out to be. We also cannot sell away our future just to make it into the playoffs either. This is a year for patience. We cheer when we win, and we look for the improvements made in the games we lose, and we don't let ourselves fall into the win now or else frame of mind. Management has to assess our talent, determine what's works and what doesn't and be willing to call a spade a spade, or a dud a dud. This is a contract year for BC, let's see if he ups his game like players do when they are in a contract year.

[Apollo]

Why is OKC the 'conventional way'? Because of all the championships they've won?

OKC is the conventional way because it's how it was done historically. The Celtics and Lakers are new school models. The Heat have taken it a step further even by taking out the middle man. At the end of the day I feel the Raptors are more likely to build a team the conventional way than the new school way. None of the big name free agents have been lining up to play in Toronto... Ever. Why will that ever change? Best bet is to play the odds. The way the Blazers and Thunder are running things the way the Raptors need to proceed. They're both merely copying what the Spurs had done, who copied past success stories. Building from within, it's the way of the past and I would place all my chips on it being the way of the future. Why? Hard salary cap, it's coming. Go take a look at how NFL teams operate. It's the fate of the NBA.

[Nick]

Raps are already viewed as a joke around Canada, and the league for that matter. It could kill the franchise.

[Bendit]

That way we can have a good chance of landing a top 3 lottery pick and REALLY start retooling & rebuilding this franchise, the conventional (i.e. OKC) way.

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum.

And how do you propose a franchise goes about "tanking" and then at the very least semi guarateeing themselves a rebound thru the draft (which is what I think it is you are advocating). What if it were a terrible draft year or the choice turned out to be an Oden who was the consensus pick and the guy who went #2 was a Durant. And if one were to gut the team and put D leaguers on the floor (like NY and Miami did) and were unable to sign any of the top tier free agents (NY) or come up against a Miami which created more cap space than us...

There are no guarantees either way and you dont have to be in the cellar in order to have a decent team and continue to be tweaking the roster. It just takes astute drafting and signings (in talent, team fit, length of contract in mesh with other team members) and a vision of the style the team will play. Put the onus on management and not give them the easy way out which is what "tanking" is. And how do you tell the players that is going to be the mo. How respectful is that to anyone?

What you are advocating is not palatable for most. OKC got lucky with Durant and otherwise managed and chose their players well. BC has made mistakes in executing the steps suggested. I think he understands that now in some areas. I agree with him that the Raptors should not lose purposefully (he considers rebuilding a euphemism for this). Lets see what he does with his next batch of descisions

[DoNDaDDa]

the thing that all these tools dont realize or are to blind to see is OKC might have a lot of talent now cause they were always high in the lottery but OKC also used to be seattle supersonics!!!!!!! they tanked forr years! no fans wanted to watch! then guess what the team was relocated because nobody in seattle gave a shit about them anymore!!!!! if we follow this model the Toronto Raptors might end up down south!!! do we real raptors fans want our team to tank for years to draft young players only to watch them win for our team in another city! GET REAL!!! ALL U DOOM & GLOOMERS THAT WANT THE TEAM TO TANK WILL BE KICKING YOURSELVES WHEN YOUR WATCHING THE KANSAS CITY RAPTORS WIN IT ALL!!!!!!!!!

[Apollo]

Lewis and Allen only left the franchise three seasons ago. It only took them two seasons to restructure before getting back into the post season.

[mo-sales]

OKC is the conventional way because it's how it was done historically. The Celtics and Lakers are new school models. The Heat have taken it a step further even by taking out the middle man. At the end of the day I feel the Raptors are more likely to build a team the conventional way than the new school way. None of the big name free agents have been lining up to play in Toronto... Ever. Why will that ever change? Best bet is to play the odds. The way the Blazers and Thunder are running things the way the Raptors need to proceed. They're both merely copying what the Spurs had done, who copied past success stories. Building from within, it's the way of the past and I would place all my chips on it being the way of the future. Why? Hard salary cap, it's coming. Go take a look at how NFL teams operate. It's the fate of the NBA.

First off, I really don't think a hard cap will be implemented. Stern has other priorities that he will want to get accomplished first and the luxury tax system he has place works fairly well imo. He is after the guaranteed length of max deals, plus an extra year in college and probably twitter.

The Celtics were nothing like the Heat, they tanked in the Durant season, were stocked with young players and draft picks and then seized an opportunity to get two all stars in the tail end of thier prime for discounted rates. The raps resemble the 2008 pre trade Celtics, the only way they are going to get significantly better is too throw all their chips on the table. Trying to become great through being awful is not viable strategy.

I know there is a tanking movement growing in raptorland, but everyone needs to understand this coming draft is the weakest in a decade. Every single college player worth his salt declared for this past draft as none of them wanted to get screwed if the new CBA altered the rookie scale contracts. Of course it is loaded at the top, but the entire lottery is going to be filled with freshmen.

There is as good a chance of landing Chris Paul via the TPE as there is the being league doormats and actually coming away with a top pick.

[DoNDaDDa]

Lewis and Allen only left the franchise three seasons ago. It only took them two seasons to restructure before getting back into the post season.

OK but u seem to forget that like the raps with bosh the supersonics with allen & lewis werent much good. they had 2 allstars & still sucked. they were restucturing long before allen & lewis left. they had lottery picks for years even with them two.fans already had a sour taste in there mouths before they tanked. and after.. we all now how that turned out for seattle!!!!
also if young players grow in a loosing culture they usually become perenial LOOSERS & u dont have to look further than our own past allstars that left. all of them came into the league & lost alot, the loosing grows on them & eventualy u get good players who can put up numbers but cant win to save there careers!!! example: VC= Looser, TMAC=Looser, Bosh=Looser, u see any pattern here!!!!!! LOL

[Lark Benson]

To those of you who think that free agency and trades are a better option for acquiring franchise-level talent in the NBA, you really need to open your eyes. Let's look at last year's standing, shall we?

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland (drafted LeBron)
2. Orlando (drafted Dwight Howard)
3. Atlanta (drafted Al Horford, drafted Josh Smith, would probably be contending for a title if they drafted a point guard instead of Marvin Williams)
4. Boston - the exception
5. Miami - drafted Wade
6. Milwaukee - drafted Bogut and Jennings
7. Charlotte - team's going nowhere anyway, irrelevant
8. Chicago - drafted Rose and Noah

Western Conference

1. Lakers - traded for Kobe on draft night
2. Dallas - drafted Dirk
3. Phoenix - drafted Amar'e, imported Nash even though they originally drafted him
4. Denver - drafted Carmelo, traded for Nene on draft night
5. Utah - drafted Williams and Boozer
6. Portland - drafted Roy, Aldridge, and Oden though he hasn't had a chance to make an impact much
7. San Antonio - drafted Duncan, Parker, Ginobli
8. OKC - drafted Durant, Westbrook

Now in nearly all of these cases, the franchise players for these teams have been drafted high in the lottery and their teams have built around them. Anyone still want to argue that you've got a better shot at putting together a team through free agency and trades?

[ibzilla]

This draft is top heavy. 2 players that fill a need and will be best player available are Harrison Barnes and Perry Jones. Raps should tank, its a good thing the barnes deal didn't go down because it was a horrible deal. Overpaying for another veteran because BC wants to keep his job with a few wins. Long term perspective its better they lose while they play the young guys, not take their pt away with overpaid vets. Tank and cross your fingers for Perry Jones.