Could Ujiri possibly be buy our way into the draft rather than tanking?

[Nilanka]

DD& Amir str8 up for a top 3 picks.
Ross str8 up for top 5 pick.

Those are some high-powered beer goggles you've got on there

[Jamshid]

NOWAY I will trade Big Val with any players in this draft.
DD& Amir str8 up for a top 3 picks.
Ross str8 up for top 5 pick.

[Kuh]

The play will be JV plus a couple of first rounders if you assume Wiggins falls out of the top 3, which may or may not happen. If he's top 3, it will be JV, a couple of first rounders, and another piece like an Amir.

JV, if he continues to progress like he has since Gay was traded, will be a huge trade chip. A 21-22 year old center with NBA experience, a ready body, and a blossoming career. He would be a top 5 pick in the draft this year if he was in college.

I'd do that deal in a second ... the other way round.

Sure, a top 3 pick is great. I'll still always take a player recently chosen with a top 4 pick (now proven to not be a bust) + 2 future first-rounders + an under-rated, under-paid, great contributor like Amir.

All to say ... if that's what people perceive the price to be for a top 3 pick this year ... then we shouldn't be buying.

[white men can't jump]

Giving up JV and picks is too much of a gamble IMO, possible top3 player in the league is a huge possible IMO. Angling for Wiggins this way looks more like a marketing decision than a basketball decision.

Yeah....Don't think he read my post right above his. Or just doesn't agree at all.

*It's worth noting that post-trade, in this good stretch for the team, Jonas has outplayed or at least played even against many of the top Cs in the league, including 3 guys he's often (and I think wrongly) compared to in Noah, Chandler and Hibbert.

[white men can't jump]

I have nothing but a gut feeling that they want the Canadian kid, and BAD. Let me get all conspiracy theory on this and say it may have been floated to Masai BEFORE he even took the role.

I love what JV has done since Gay was traded, but if the choice is a possible top 3 in the league player who is actually from your city versus a center who could possibly put up 20-12 in his best case scenario, what do you go for?

But how do you get a team to give up someone they think could be a top 3 player in the league? Especially teams like Utah and PHilly, who have young C prospects already. Would you trade Jonas and multiple picks for a guy who's never played an NBA game, and even if he becomes as good as hoped, you're totally strapped in terms of building around him?

I don't think Masai sells the farm for Wiggins. That's a very very dangerous move.

I maintain my stance of if Masai wants to get a pick in the 4-8 range, because I don't see a team with a top 3 pick in this draft (and if they would, only ecause they'd be taking something like 4 or 5 present and future assets from a team), that he will dangle Ross and maybe our own pick.

And if he wants a Canuck who might fall to our own pick, I've got my eye on Tyler Ennis.

[JawsGT]

I have nothing but a gut feeling that they want the Canadian kid, and BAD. Let me get all conspiracy theory on this and say it may have been floated to Masai BEFORE he even took the role.

I love what JV has done since Gay was traded, but if the choice is a possible top 3 in the league player who is actually from your city versus a center who could possibly put up 20-12 in his best case scenario, what do you go for?

Giving up JV and picks is too much of a gamble IMO, possible top3 player in the league is a huge possible IMO. Angling for Wiggins this way looks more like a marketing decision than a basketball decision.

[fizzle]

um, ya, so why would he be in play, for a chance to draft, what you already have.

I have nothing but a gut feeling that they want the Canadian kid, and BAD. Let me get all conspiracy theory on this and say it may have been floated to Masai BEFORE he even took the role.

I love what JV has done since Gay was traded, but if the choice is a possible top 3 in the league player who is actually from your city versus a center who could possibly put up 20-12 in his best case scenario, what do you go for?

[white men can't jump]

I don't think Masai gives up crazy assets just to get Wiggins. Everyone's overvaluing such a move because of the Canadian angle. Its not going to do much of any good long-term if he is handicapped in terms of trying to put a solid core around him. Trading Jonas and multiple picks is a BC type move. "Lets totally screw our ability to build in the future for the most marketable move".

I think if the Raps end up outside the lottery, Masai is more likely to target a guy in the 4-8 range. Say a Marcus Smart (my hope) if a team with a young PG is drafting around where he's expected to go. Ross, a young SG on a very cheap contract with good upside, plus our own pick could be a very intriguing deal to some teams.

For example, I'm not sure Utah would keep Burke over Smart, but assuming they would and that they don't get a top 3 pick (rumours are they want Mormon hero Parker), would they consider trading their pick for Ross and our pick? They'd probably re-sign Hayward if they can't draft Parker/Wiggins, and they'll still need another wing, and Ross' shooting and off-ball play should complement their bigs and other perimeter players.

**Not sure anyone would trade a pick that can be used on Parker or Wiggins. Their upside is too high, and other than maybe Miami, OKC and Indiana, no team is passing on such a forward as those guys project to be in their best cases. The amount of assets you'd have to give up to get a team into serious discussions would lead to a move where they are basically robbing you of everything you need to build around those guys, making it very hard to build a core around them and win.

[Jamshid]

The play will be JV plus a couple of first rounders if you assume Wiggins falls out of the top 3, which may or may not happen. If he's top 3, it will be JV, a couple of first rounders, and another piece like an Amir.

JV, if he continues to progress like he has since Gay was traded, will be a huge trade chip. A 21-22 year old center with NBA experience, a ready body, and a blossoming career. He would be a top 5 pick in the draft this year if he was in college.

You are 100% correct but that would be such a huge gamble.

[Superjudge]

The play will be JV plus a couple of first rounders if you assume Wiggins falls out of the top 3, which may or may not happen. If he's top 3, it will be JV, a couple of first rounders, and another piece like an Amir.

JV, if he continues to progress like he has since Gay was traded, will be a huge trade chip. A 21-22 year old center with NBA experience, a ready body, and a blossoming career. He would be a top 5 pick in the draft this year if he was in college.

Oh. ps. welcome aboard Fizzle.....

[Superjudge]

um, ya, so why would he be in play, for a chance to draft, what you already have.

[fizzle]

Nobody in their right mind is going to be a seller in this draft if they have pick from 1-10.

The play will be JV plus a couple of first rounders if you assume Wiggins falls out of the top 3, which may or may not happen. If he's top 3, it will be JV, a couple of first rounders, and another piece like an Amir.

JV, if he continues to progress like he has since Gay was traded, will be a huge trade chip. A 21-22 year old center with NBA experience, a ready body, and a blossoming career. He would be a top 5 pick in the draft this year if he was in college.

[Jamshid]

Guess no tanking?

"@MySportsLegion: Report: Cavs, Nets, Lakers, Grizzlies and Raptors all interested in trading for Luol Deng."

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Wounldn't it be funny if CHI actually move Deng and go to tank mode and get guy like Wiggins or Parker and match them along side Rose

[KHD]

Nothing the Raptors have is anywhere near enough to pry a top 10, let alone top 5, pick in this draft.

[JawsGT]

Yes and no. You still have those assets, but their value is drastically lowered. Just look at how people are saying that DD, Amir and Lowry's value are at an all-time high, pumped up by something as simple as this so-called 'fools gold' stretch of good play. Even Ross' is rising, when it looked like he was regressing.

So, please don't forget that tanking = losing. And losing badly, which means players playing badly. Yes, those same assets, but at pennies on the dollar. Trades are screwed.

This doesn't make sense. I'm assuming here that to tank, you cash in on Amir, DD and Lowry. What you get back will be young prospects, picks, and expirings. This is setting up the team to lose. you improve your draft position, but if that player you draft isn't a franchise altering talent, you still have the flexibility created and the other picks/prospects/expirings to fall back on. If you are suggesting that those other assets will be worth little because the team is losing well, that just doesn't make sense.