Where Do The Raptors Rank In The East?

[golden]

I think what we need is a guy that can rebound but can also shoot.. it's tough to find someone that's cheap enough to fill that role. And it could be why we drafted Hernandez and brought back Boucher since they are both cheap, and capable enough to shoot/rebound the ball. Although Hernandez needs time and Boucher is really small in the post.

Guys like Kenneth Faried and Biyombo can hustle and grab boards, but that's all they can do. They become way to one dimensional and will rarely see the floor under Nurse's watch.

What we really need is for OG/Pascal/Norm to be above average rebounders. Kawhi grabbed a lot of boards last year and this rebounding issue was not a problem in the playoffs last year because of him. Our guys like to leak out though and/or bobble the ball instead of grabbing two hands on it so they can run. Marc and Serge are just not good enough. Kyle is awesome at it, but he's still only like 6'1.

Like I posted above.... Vonleh & Willy Hernangomez might be the only guys who meet that criteria.

[planetmars]

Like I posted above.... Vonleh & Willy Hernangomez might be the only guys who meet that criteria.

Missed that post.. yeah those are good.

More expensive option, but I also like Cody Zeller.. sort of a stiff defensively but can rebound like a boss. 18.6 TRB% this year. Shooting at about 38.5% with 2.0 attempts a game. Expires in 2021 so meets the Giannis timeline.

Makes $15M though. Norm+McCaw for Zeller? Than try to move Serge for a combo guard that can replace Norm's minutes.

[S.R.]

Even the meager rebounds we do get, if you watch closely, are often the come-right-to-you-not-contested type that pad rebounding stats. I want a guy that boxes out AND hustles AND goes up and fights for a few.

Any big even remotely trying to stand in the right place(s) gets 5 free rebounds a night ......

Boucher and RHJ have been the best rebounders in the rotation so far and the best offensive rebounders by far. But they'll lose minutes when everybody's back, Boucher mostly. Nurse needs to find ways to keep playing RHJ.

[Rudy Bargnani]

^^^
Biyombo is a prime buyout candidate as well he’s in his last year of his deal and could probably be added by some team for the minimum in February. Obviously he can’t shoot or space the floor but he can rim run and grab boards if he want to load manage Mark or Serge is having ankle problems still.

[S.R.]

I'd rather give Hernandez run than chase some of these other suggestions.

[bertarapsfan]

With our lineup back to full health there isn't even going to be minutes available for these potential buyout guys? We will have a frontcourt rotation of gasol, ibaka, Siakam and RHJ. I think its going to be pretty hard to upgrade that

[planetmars]

Kawhi and PG finally both playing against the Celtics tonight. I know what I'm going to do once the Magic game is over.

[Demographic Shift]

With our lineup back to full health there isn't even going to be minutes available for these potential buyout guys? We will have a frontcourt rotation of gasol, ibaka, Siakam and RHJ. I think its going to be pretty hard to upgrade that

Agree..with the pretty limited cap space the Raps have anyone Ujiri can find on the scrap heap will be marginally better or marginally worse than what’s on the roster now. And they don’t know the system the way the incumbents do. If they make a deal it’s going to be for a wing that can get his own shot ..an iso guy.

[planetmars]

It's still a bit early in the season (I usually look at the standings in December around Christmas), but it seems the East has 6 good teams, and a bunch of crappy teams.


Boston lost last night but looks legit and will be getting Hayward back who was their best offensive player before he went down.

Milwaukee are still good. Even without Middleton (and obviously Brogdon) they are winning consistently. Giannis is just too good, and their system works very well in the regular season.

Philly will still be good despite not having a go to scorer.. they have bench guys that can light it up, and when Embiid is healthy he's the best center in the league.

Miami is a surprise to me, but they keep winning, and winning big. Spo finally has some talented young players and Jimmy is fitting right in. They will be a hard team to beat night in and night out, and have enough depth that they could survive if someone gets hurt.

Indiana is quietly having a good season despite not having Dipo in the lineup, and their own injuries issues with Turner and now Lamb.

And then Toronto of course will be good - we've seen it.


After that it's like a bunch of crap. Brooklyn and Orlando are 7&8 right now, but it doesn't matter.. the rest of the East are just garbage including Detroit who is now 4-10 after losing to Charlotte a team we roasted by almost 40.


So I guess to have an easier road to the finals we need the first or second seed. I think its doable, but there is a lot more parity this year at the top than any previous year. Losing to both Boston and Milwaukee already stings as the tie breaker may be needed for seeding purposes.

I think we can beat any team in the East in a 7 game series, but I'd rather have an easier first round team than some of our other Eastern competitors.

[golden]

There's no difference between top 6 in the East and top 6 in the West. This the first season of true parity in the NBA that I've ever seen. It's wide open.

[Demographic Shift]

Way back in September we had the Q&A thread. I asked which team would be the first to pull the chute this year.
I think I said Detroit or Washington. Now I am convinced it will be the Pistons.
They got beat by the Bulls last night. The 5 and 10 Bulls.
Its bleak in Motown these days.

As crazy as it sounds they could do a deal with the Knicks for Drummond. The Knicks are the Trudeau Liberals of the NBA. They have cap space and a lot of disposable expiring salary in a wide range of numbers and are regarded as dummies. The Knicks can send back 2 or 3 of the 12 PFs they have under contract to make salary work and one of their 6 firsts over the next 4 years. The Pistons won't be picky if they can unload Drummond. Still they have Blake Griffin for 3 more years.

If your a Detroit fan.....The prospects on this season don't auger well right now. You have to face the music sometime. Might as well start now.

[planetmars]

I think San Antonio and Detroit should make a trade.

Griffin for DeMar and Belinelli

Casey gets his boy and unloads a couple of years off of Griffin's contract. Beli is giving Pops nothing. Griffin at least gives the Spurs something new/different, plus avoids having to worry about DeMar leaving in free agency.

[bertarapsfan]

I think San Antonio and Detroit should make a trade.

Griffin for DeMar and Belinelli

Casey gets his boy and unloads a couple of years off of Griffin's contract. Beli is giving Pops nothing. Griffin at least gives the Spurs something new/different, plus avoids having to worry about DeMar leaving in free agency.

You would think that if griffin was put on the market some teams would be able to come with better offers. Portland could give up CJ, Simons and maybe little. Miami could give them dragic,herro and some filler role players. Demar can opt out ofter this year and the F.A weak. So your basically just salary dumping griffin.

[G__Deane]

It's still a bit early in the season (I usually look at the standings in December around Christmas), but it seems the East has 6 good teams, and a bunch of crappy teams.


Boston lost last night but looks legit and will be getting Hayward back who was their best offensive player before he went down.

Milwaukee are still good. Even without Middleton (and obviously Brogdon) they are winning consistently. Giannis is just too good, and their system works very well in the regular season.

Philly will still be good despite not having a go to scorer.. they have bench guys that can light it up, and when Embiid is healthy he's the best center in the league.

Miami is a surprise to me, but they keep winning, and winning big. Spo finally has some talented young players and Jimmy is fitting right in. They will be a hard team to beat night in and night out, and have enough depth that they could survive if someone gets hurt.

Indiana is quietly having a good season despite not having Dipo in the lineup, and their own injuries issues with Turner and now Lamb.

And then Toronto of course will be good - we've seen it.


After that it's like a bunch of crap. Brooklyn and Orlando are 7&8 right now, but it doesn't matter.. the rest of the East are just garbage including Detroit who is now 4-10 after losing to Charlotte a team we roasted by almost 40.


So I guess to have an easier road to the finals we need the first or second seed. I think its doable, but there is a lot more parity this year at the top than any previous year. Losing to both Boston and Milwaukee already stings as the tie breaker may be needed for seeding purposes.

I think we can beat any team in the East in a 7 game series, but I'd rather have an easier first round team than some of our other Eastern competitors.

Imagine of Butler had come here.....or Beale ....or ....

[G__Deane]

Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 19 rebounds and a career-high 15 assists to lead the Bucks to their seventh win in the last nine games against the Blazers. Dude has a chance to be decent