We're not getting Durant, how do we build a contender then?

[KHD]

I disagree.
- at PG Chris Paul is a top 10 player in the league - Tony Parker is not (and Lowry beats him)
- at PF Kevin Love and Anthony Davis are top 10 players in the league - Tim Duncan was (and PP and Amir are close to Timmy now)

Oh god lol.

[Mediumcore]

It's spelled "Angst."

LOL, I'm pretty sure it's spelled ank-t

[Kuh]

The Spurs have 3 HOFers and one of the a top 3 coaches of all time. You cannot say that they don't have top tier talent.

I disagree.
- at PG Chris Paul is a top 10 player in the league - Tony Parker is not (and Lowry beats him)
- at PF Kevin Love and Anthony Davis are top 10 players in the league - Tim Duncan was (and PP and Amir are close to Timmy now)
- the only one who could be a top 10 player is Kawhi Leonard at SF - and Demar Derozan was chosen as an allstar, not Kawhi

After that, look at what's left: Manu Ginobli, Tiago Splitter, Danny Green and Marco Belinelli?
Not that different from: Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Patterson, Terrence Ross and Greivis Vazquez

Yes, we have a ways to go still.

And the point stands that unless you believe Kawhi Leonard is a top 10 player in the league, the Spurs don't have a superstar. What they do have is solid talent at every position, great team play and coaching, and longevity together as a team. We can try to emulate that.

[OptimalOptimist]

and you're saying relying on JV is going to be the key to us contending???

With the rest of a team. You cannot rely on 1 player to contend. I rely on JV's growth as a key component.

[raptors999]

28 teams don't have LeBron or Durant. Neither teams that reached the finals have either now. OKC struggled in the playoffs and wasn't a lock to reach the WCF. League parity is a definite factor in determining a teams chances at a title.

[iblastoff]

I'm not saying adding a player via free agency isn't a good idea, I'm saying it is a move you can't rely on. Did you see what happened to Houston this offseason? Or the list of good players they let go because of their obssession of acquiring talent?

You can't build a team like the Heat. You can buy it, but there is absolutely no chance of this happening in Toronto.

and you're saying relying on JV is going to be the key to us contending???

[Puffer]

Ankt

It's spelled "Angst."

[Mediumcore]

Ankt

[DogeLover123]

The Spurs have 3 HOFers and one of the a top 3 coaches of all time. You cannot say that they don't have top tier talent. And that cannot be your only example. There are no teams that win it all without a truly transcendent player. The past 10 championships have all gone to the Spurs (3), the Mavs (1), the Heat (3), the Celtics (1) and the Lakers (2). These teams all had top ten players and great coaches. Masai knows that to win championships you need top tier talent, the likes of which the Raps currently dont have. (Not saying guys like Lowery and DD aren'y good players, saying that they are not top 10-15 players)

[DogeLover123]

Yes, i love the idea of Harrison Barns!! One of my favorites already and given the opportunity i totally see him being a great player! The Raps ave zero chance of getting Love, also not sure he would resign even if he came.

[imanshumpert]

Realistically, the Raps would need to find a top 10 player in the league to be a true CONTENDER. Although the Raps have a good young core, they are not talented enough as built to go to the finals. I think for awhile they should be content trying to get to the eastern finals. If they want to be true CONTENDERS, the best option would be to blow up the team (if they cannot get a transcendent player via free-agency or trade) but I don't think that the Raps should go in that direction, too much uncertainty. If they continue to draft well and make good decisions an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals is not out of the realm of possibilities.

This is false.

Which top 10 player in the league plays for the Spurs?

[DogeLover123]

Realistically, the Raps would need to find a top 10 player in the league to be a true CONTENDER. Although the Raps have a good young core, they are not talented enough as built to go to the finals. I think for awhile they should be content trying to get to the eastern finals. If they want to be true CONTENDERS, the best option would be to blow up the team (if they cannot get a transcendent player via free-agency or trade) but I don't think that the Raps should go in that direction, too much uncertainty. If they continue to draft well and make good decisions an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals is not out of the realm of possibilities.

[2kfeen]

You could keep gambling year after year on marque free agents like Dallas and Atlanta has been doing, and lose young players in the process. If your lucky, you get that free agent, otherwise you overpay for 2nd tier free agents.

What really works in this league is getting diamonds in the rough. Finding young players that are in bad situations, that are ready to break out. These playrs can come on the cheap too.

I see 2 or 3 off the top of my head that are ready to break out:
1. Greg Monroe (at center)
2. Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes might be interesting to put as our starting SF, and could come cheaper than his value.

Or we can always make a trade with some picks for Kevin Love at the deadline with 2-3 1st round picks + expiring and see how that works for us.

He could work with JV being a decent rim protector, Lowry > Rubio, DD >> Martin, bench is good too.

[Balls of Steel]

Why would you need KD (who will be DC bound) when we have Bruno? He'll be something else in 2 years (with him being away from 2 years).

[OptimalOptimist]

Except you know........ the Pacers actually won a round or 2 in the playoffs. Raps have done nothing thus far but lose to a division opponent that ended up behind them in the regular season.

And the 2 all stars you were referring to earlier? You have 1 fringe all-star, who has not achieved any perennial all-star status and another player who is trying to just get an all-star nod (in his late 20's) at a tough position (Wall, Irving, Rose, Rondo, etc).

Great enthusiasm about the Raps nowadays everywhere you go, but typical fan response of overvaluing of what they actually have talent wise.

I haven't been a Raptors fan for long but to me it seems like the total opposite. It seems like years of loosing prevent them from seeing any sort of positivety. The "trading Demar" trend was a perfect exemple of that.

The Pacers made stupid decisions and continue to do so. Let Stephenson go? For 9 mill a year? Max to HIBBERT? Raptors also don't have the finacial commitment that Indiana made last couple of seasons towards overpaid/overrated role players.

You know that the Raptors were 2 points off a first round win despite having less playoff experience as a TEAM than Paul Pierce did? That they were the only team in the playoff starting 2 sophomores?

DD hasn't been a perrenial all-star? Of course for god sake he's only a 24 years old improving every season. Lowry at this point of his career his the best PG in the eastern conference.

I could say that your comment is a typical being stucked in the past fan response.