Trade or Run Out the String?

[DanH]

If they wait for the deadline to move all their vets, the market will probably shrink to where they can only find a good deal for one or two of them anyway. Heck, they've waited too long as it is, in all likelihood.

Ultimately, the choice to win or not will come down to whether they trade Lowry. Either of Gasol or Serge would be fine at C. No idea what the Raptors' intent is. Decision might be made for them - if they are killing it at the deadline, probably ride that wave. If they are sitting in the 6-8 range and the offence has scuttled or they've had some injuries, I imagine they sell, sell, sell.

[G__Deane]

"Would interest drop off if three of the top five players were traded away for picks at the trade deadline on February 6th?"
3/4 of the "current" Raptor fans are bandwagon fans who will fade away this season and couldn't really care less about a 3rd or 4th place finish in the East and a first or second round exit. The arena will still sell out but the TV ratings are dropping through the floor, perhaps less than the Kyle/DD days.

They (we) expect more now. I'll still enjoy basketball but I want to dream about ECF and Finals again and I realistically can't with this roster. MLSE won't give up the playoff revenue or go full rebuild after the Chip but I'd look at trading Kyle, Gasol and Serge if the return was high end talent that matches up with and Siakam and OG's emergence/development. And I still don't think that elite telent is coming here as a FA

Just being real (buzzkill) here.

[Puffer]

Masai Ujiri has indicated he is inclined to run it back with the existing team, tweaking what he can. Of course, that may well be smoke for the fans and players. Are there advantages to doing that? As opposed to trading away the Dance Master, Master Chef MaFuzzy and Mr. Raptor?

There is a fair bit of momentum built up, in terms of engagement with the team and basketball, especially this season, with the Wold's coming up in September, more Canadians in the league, more Canadians potentially on the Raptors, a bigger contingent of Canadians in the NCAA after this past seasons 55, and maybe more Canadians getting drafted next year.

There is a reasonable chance the Raptors could finish with home advantage in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. There are playoff revenues to consider, and no payroll tax this season, with Danny and Kawhi's salaries coming off the books and being replaced with scrubs and low level developmental player contracts.

Would interest drop off if three of the top five players were traded away for picks at the trade deadline on February 6th? If the team was just playing out the string and giving their young players reps?

What kind of picks would other teams give up for any of these guys? Is there a reason to hang onto Lowry as a counterpoint to the trading of DeMar, to demonstrate continuity in the team? Or should Masai work to send Lowry and company to a contender so they have a shot at another Larry OB?

Just wondering what folks are thinking.