Everything Off Season

[DogeLover1234]

I do really like Ibaka, but he becomes pretty unplayable when his shots not falling. Like you really want a better defender and hes not particularly good with the ball in his hands. Hes a very good finisher in fairness to him, but his shooting is not as pressingn a need as a paint scorer imo. Harrel is verygood around the basket and getting to the line, thats more efficient than shooting threes and fits with a team that struggles to get those easy points. I mean against boston even Marc found success as a roll man.

[inthepaint]

If they're serious about holding a window open for Giannis, the Harrell really doesn't make much sense at all. Ibaka's a much better fit.

Also - am I the only one not that worried about the centre position? We've been spoiled with 2 starting calibre C's on the roster for several seasons in a row now, we really don't need to replace that level of talent at that position in the lineup. Who are we worried about at the 5 - Embiid, AD, Jokic? Like 3 guys who are offensive threats from that position?

For sure you want a guy who can defend in those match ups and not ruin your offence, but that can definitely be more of a depth/situational player. That's what most of this year's contenders have at the position.

My thoughts as well. No need to strain an already tight salary cap on C's, unless you're getting a KAT/Jokic/Embiid type of player.

Neither Serge nor Harrell are perfect, but Serge is a better shooter, better defender, equivalent rebounder, has already great on-court chemistry (especially on the Lowry picknroll) and locker room presence with our existing guys. He was our best 3pt shooter in the playoffs. Don't know why we would look for a defrosted hamburger outside when we got fresh steak at home.

I could see it if there was a vast difference in salaries between Serge and Harrell, or if Harrell would be expiring at the end of next season (to clear cap for 2021), but Harrell would probably come in expensive and with term, which makes no sense when you already have Serge.

To me you find a way to re-sign Serge (ideally on a 1yr balloon contract like Lowry), draft a young big to fight for back up minutes with Hernandez and call it a day for the C position. Gotta focus on wings as targets to improve our depth there, if anything

[golden]

We just need to get Boucher on the Lebron/Wade/Giannis "diet' and our center position problems are solved.

[planetmars]

If you had to chose between giving a long term contract to Serge or Harrell, who would you give it to? And do you think Serge can handle starters minutes going into his 12th season?

I agree Harrell doesn't seem like a Nurse type player and if the Raptors have a real shot at Giannis, then Harrell and Giannis on the court at the same time could be ugly. On the other hand if Siakam and Harrell are the front court of the future for this team then it may mesh a bit better with Siakam more of a willing and capable perimeter shooter.

I think Serge was showing he could handle starter minutes.. Gasol only played in like 45 games this season. Serge started the rest.

There is always a push by fans to get this team younger. The fact of the matter is, vets don't suck.. and most of them are pretty good. Our youth is with Pascal, OG and guys like Terrence, Matt, and any new draft pick/G-league guy. Fred too, if he sticks around.

Can Serge give us another 2 or 3 years? I think he can. I don't think we need 4 or 5 years from him. The problem with Harrell is fit. He's not a floor spacer. That's not good, especially on a team that likes to stretch the floor. RHJ was taking corner 3's. Boucher was jacking them up from the top of the arc. Dewan can shoot 3's too. It's a trait all our bigs need to have to succeed in a Nurse driven offense.

We have the guys to play differently. I mean we had Marc Gasol who was the anchor of the grit n' grind teams from Memphis. Yet we played him outside of the arc and his only offensive role was to pass the ball and to shoot 3's.

Harrell is fine. He's not great defensively which especially sucks as a center. But his biggest flaw to me is his inability to shoot.

[DanH]

I think Serge was showing he could handle starter minutes.. Gasol only played in like 45 games this season. Serge started the rest.

There is always a push by fans to get this team younger. The fact of the matter is, vets don't suck.. and most of them are pretty good. Our youth is with Pascal, OG and guys like Terrence, Matt, and any new draft pick/G-league guy. Fred too, if he sticks around.

Can Serge give us another 2 or 3 years? I think he can. I don't think we need 4 or 5 years from him. The problem with Harrell is fit. He's not a floor spacer. That's not good, especially on a team that likes to stretch the floor. RHJ was taking corner 3's. Boucher was jacking them up from the top of the arc. Dewan can shoot 3's too. It's a trait all our bigs need to have to succeed in a Nurse driven offense.

We have the guys to play differently. I mean we had Marc Gasol who was the anchor of the grit n' grind teams from Memphis. Yet we played him outside of the arc and his only offensive role was to pass the ball and to shoot 3's.

Harrell is fine. He's not great defensively which especially sucks as a center. But his biggest flaw to me is his inability to shoot.

Serge absolutely is a NBA quality starting C. And if you want to be about .500, yep, he’s an option.

Calling Harrell not great defensively is exceedingly generous. For all of Serge’s defensive struggles this year, Harrell is a significant downgrade.

[Quirk]

All in on Myles Turner then, if he is available.

[G__Deane]

Anyone to keep us a 55-60 win relevant team (will be harder next season) and give us a chance in 2021 FA

[golden]

Serge absolutely is a NBA quality starting C. And if you want to be about .500, yep, he’s an option.

Calling Harrell not great defensively is exceedingly generous. For all of Serge’s defensive struggles this year, Harrell is a significant downgrade.

Truly bizarre comment coming from a so-called logical, rational numbers guy. Over the last 3 seasons the Raps have a > .700 winning percentage when Serge starts, including this year.

[Maury]

Truly bizarre comment coming from a so-called logical, rational numbers guy. Over the last 3 seasons the Raps have a > .700 winning percentage when Serge starts, including this year.

This is CHR1ST14N (is that how he spelled it?) logic. Remember luis scola? He started on a 56 win team.

[DanH]

Truly bizarre comment coming from a so-called logical, rational numbers guy. Over the last 3 seasons the Raps have a > .700 winning percentage when Serge starts, including this year.

Serge is a perfectly fine starting PF beside a good C. He can get by as a starting C especially in a tandem, as you can protect him from bad mismatches. He is of course best as a bench C where his deficiencies can be hidden. And of course the team winning games largely while Serge sits is not a great argument for him being a good starting C.

[golden]

Serge is a perfectly fine starting PF beside a good C. He can get by as a starting C especially in a tandem, as you can protect him from bad mismatches. He is of course best as a bench C where his deficiencies can be hidden. And of course the team winning games largely while Serge sits is not a great argument for him being a good starting C.

And conversely, the team playing > .700 ball when Gasol is out is not a great argument for him being a great starting C. Sadly, that reality was exposed in the bubble.

[golden]

This is CHR1ST14N (is that how he spelled it?) logic. Remember luis scola? He started on a 56 win team.

What was the alternative? Starting the on/off king.... the great Patrick Patterson. Fine NBA starter he turned out to be. The one that got away.

[Maury]

What was the alternative? Starting the on/off king.... the great Patrick Patterson. Fine NBA starter he turned out to be. The one that got away.

I'm one of the guys that thinks the team would have performed better, but that's beside the point. You tried to say just because he played on a successful team he was part of what made that team successful which is clearly not always the case as evidenced by the corpse of luis scola being dragged to 56 wins.

[Maury]

And conversely, the team playing > .700 ball when Gasol is out is not a great argument for him being a great starting C. Sadly, that reality was exposed in the bubble.

I thought you loved advanced stats too. Aren't they really good with Gasol on the floor compared to him being off?

[DanH]

And conversely, the team playing > .700 ball when Gasol is out is not a great argument for him being a great starting C. Sadly, that reality was exposed in the bubble.

Any argument based on winning percentage that doesn't take the minimal effort required to take a slightly closer look at how the team won those games is bound to be not a great argument. No matter which direction is being argued.

The bubble did a lot of things, expose reality I would say is not one of them. Judging guys by how they perform after a 5 month layoff and then playing in an environment completely alien to a usual NBA environment feels like maybe the dumbest thing one could do with the bubble results? I take it Pascal is permanently unable to dribble now?