Raptors on the Rise?

[Nilanka]

Then MU is no better than BC, and its being poorly played out. Because its numbers, and you have to extrapolate. every win, is like 4 wins in a tank race. Trust me.

Toronto just went 3-1, and it was like going 9-3.

they fell far out of the tank race doing that, and now, literally need a 6 game losing streak just to catch up.

A 6 to 10 game losing streak is perfectly within this team's capabilities.

There are 60 games left this season. Sixty. To say that we don't have a chance at top 6 pick because we're sitting at 9-13 in December, is what's partially adding to my mind-boggling-ness....

[stooley]

Nailed it, thank you for bringing this up....I've been keeping kinda quiet and just letting this blow over so I don't sound like a broken record that the team is going to do a rebuild via the draft

For the love of God, can a moderator please amalgamate some of the more poignant ideas posted re:tanking/not tanking and sticky that thread.

I don't know if I can see the same ideas rehashed anymore

[p00ka]

I still boggles my mind that some haven't accepted the tank is in full effect.

Stubbornness I guess. Just silliness not to see that a trade making the team better is a tank move.

[Nilanka]

Stubbornness I guess. Just silliness not to see that a trade making the team better is a tank move.

Maybe acquiring Gay was a tank move then?

[Cody73]

I believe this team is way better without Gay. Vasquez was last years MIP runner-up, and with more playing time, he'll improve this team. Derozan is slowly becoming a all-star. I know it's taken longer than we expected, but this team will continue to thrive with JV getting better every game. Also our bench improved a bunch.

TANK NATION????????

I think not.

Nuff said.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I believe this team is way better without Gay. Vasquez was last years MIP runner-up, and with more playing time, he'll improve this team. Derozan is slowly becoming a all-star. I know it's taken longer than we expected, but this team will continue to thrive with JV getting better every game. Also our bench improved a bunch.

TANK NATION????????

I think not.

Nuff said.

So basically, like every pro-tanker that views MU's moves (real, rumored and expected) as evidence of tanking, you've shared your perception. Cheers.

"Nuff said" is up to MU and his future actions, just like all the anti-tankers pointed out in the wake of the Gay trade.

[Nilanka]

I believe this team is way better without Gay. Vasquez was last years MIP runner-up, and with more playing time, he'll improve this team. Derozan is slowly becoming a all-star. I know it's taken longer than we expected, but this team will continue to thrive with JV getting better every game. Also our bench improved a bunch.

TANK NATION????????

I think not.

Nuff said.

I don't think Vasquez, DeRozan and Jonas are enough to fulfill Lieweke and Ujiri's dreams about hosting Larry O'Brien trophies....

[white men can't jump]

I don't think Vasquez, DeRozan and Jonas are enough to fulfill Lieweke and Ujiri's dreams about hosting Larry O'Brien trophies....

And something anti-tankers seem to forget. Most of the new "assets" we got for Gay are only here for the season. This means that to get another great piece while we have some extra assets to work with, it would have to happen this season, and if it doesn't, we'll once again have plenty of holes to fill.

[Nilanka]

And something anti-tankers seem to forget. Most of the new "assets" we got for Gay are only here for the season. This means that to get another great piece while we have some extra assets to work with, it would have to happen this season, and if it doesn't, we'll once again have plenty of holes to fill.

NO!

Ujiri wants to win now!

[p00ka]

I don't think Vasquez, DeRozan and Jonas are enough to fulfill Lieweke and Ujiri's dreams about hosting Larry O'Brien trophies....

I don't think STAND PAT NOW or TANK are the only cards they see in the deck

[ball4life]

NO!

Ujiri wants to win now!

Yup! Championship or bust this season!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[p00ka]

And something anti-tankers seem to forget. Most of the new "assets" we got for Gay are only here for the season. This means that to get another great piece while we have some extra assets to work with, it would have to happen this season, and if it doesn't, we'll once again have plenty of holes to fill.

It appears some (not fair to paint everyone with the same brush, unless you can read their minds) tankers forget that MU holds rights from rookie contracts of both Vasquez and Patterson, so only 1 of 4 (not most) can be assumed gone by end of season, so assuming number of holes to fill at this point is nothing but imagination. Do tankers understand the difference? Lately, it seems not.

Beyond that, what's this "great piece" that you imagine getting, using those assets, that's going to fill "plenty of holes"? This filling plenty of holes thing, while the fire is hot, seems contrary to any tanking strategy I've seen on here. Confusing.

[Uncle_Si]

I agree that the raptors are on the rise. They're sky rocketing under Ujiri compared to BC. They're out of this world even, maybe even better than that. But it's not because they won a couple games against a tanking team and some teams that used to be good but aren't any more.

The raptors are on the rise because of MU and his boss TL. I have a difficult time hoping for this team to lose every game and it has been fun watching them. But championships are the goal. Not good wins over bad teams.

[white men can't jump]

It appears some (not fair to paint everyone with the same brush, unless you can read their minds) tankers forget that MU holds rights from rookie contracts of both Vasquez and Patterson, so only 1 of 4 (not most) can be assumed gone by end of season, so assuming number of holes to fill at this point is nothing but imagination. Do tankers understand the difference? Lately, it seems not.

Beyond that, what's this "great piece" that you imagine getting, using those assets, that's going to fill "plenty of holes"? This filling plenty of holes thing, while the fire is hot, seems contrary to any tanking strategy I've seen on here. Confusing.

Sorry, I should have said "none are locked in beyond this season".

Holes? Well, we'll be missing a starting and backup PG. We will have basically only DD and Ross as competent wings. We will still lack size behind Jonas. Basically the only position where we'll be 2 deep is PF. Which will be exactly the same as when we entered this season. So yeah, that sounds pretty bad to me.

Also...Do you know what speculation sounds like (yes, speculation, what everyone here including your pompous self engage in every day)? The Raptors, as constructed, are not likely capable of reaching contender status.

A "great piece" would help that a great deal, and anti-tankers have been pointing to Masai creating improved flexibility by accumulating assets to help do this in a way other than getting a high pick this year. But with 3 of 4 assets being free agents of varying kinds (I doubt Salmons gets his option picked up regardless of hwere he ends the season) at season's end, it gives a short window to use such assets to acquire such a player. Therefore it is not a very good option since it depends on a star becoming available before February and Toronto being a viable destination, which might be beyond their control if said star makes a demand including potential destinations other than the Raps. If such a thing does not happen, then in the summer, they are not in a great spot, where any deal would likely have to include one or more of Amir, Jonas, DeMar and Ross.

The "holes" comment was a continuation of that train of thought. The one great piece isn't supposed to fill the holes, but holes are less of a problem if you have such a piece. Without using the assets this year to get a great piece, the Raps are basically left with whatever capspace and the above mentioned core assets they have to improve and plug in the holes, including if that means re-signing someone like Vasquez. This is exactly the kind of thing that leads to a treadmill situation. Again, they'll need at least 2 decent wings, a starting and backup PG, and a backup C at minimum to keep this team successful at whatever modest level they might be capable of, which is far from a great situation, and very much sounds like another treadmill period in the making. They will not have a lot to work with.

[Superjudge]

It appears some (not fair to paint everyone with the same brush, unless you can read their minds) tankers forget that MU holds rights from rookie contracts of both Vasquez and Patterson, so only 1 of 4 (not most) can be assumed gone by end of season, so assuming number of holes to fill at this point is nothing but imagination. Do tankers understand the difference? Lately, it seems not.

Beyond that, what's this "great piece" that you imagine getting, using those assets, that's going to fill "plenty of holes"? This filling plenty of holes thing, while the fire is hot, seems contrary to any tanking strategy I've seen on here. Confusing.

Who fucking cares, I want Wiggans yo!