Everything Off Season

[golden]

Let's assume the Bucks and Nets land 1 and 2. Bucks and Nets, sure (well, maybe, but let's say sure). Miami is better than they were... how exactly? Seems to me they are in the same situation as we are, with a couple young guys improving and some of their win drivers getting up there in age. Except they are starting from a 50 win pace team and not a 60 win pace team. Boston will improve with their young guys, and maybe they overtake us, making up 5 wins from that improvement.

To slip out of home court, the Raptors would have to have another team besides the Nets make up EIGHT wins on them (along with the Celtics making up 5). Yeah, maybe that happens. I don't think it's fair to look around at the East and say all our competitors have made up that much ground based on the offseason so far.

You don't expect Siakam to do better in his 2nd year in that role than in the 1st?

I'm not saying other teams might not make bigger improvements. I'm saying they have some real ground to make up, and the one area we really need improvement in (star player scoring in playoffs) is the one area we should feel pretty good about improving in.

Now, if FVV walks, or we let Marc go, yeah we'll take a step back. Which is also acceptable, because we'll likely still be in the conversation for home court. But I find it hard to imagine running the whole team back (give or take) and being significantly worse off, even compared to any improvement from our competitors.

I dunno, Miami and Boston's young guys have a lot more upside than our "young guys". I mean, Pascal, FVV and Norm aren't even young anymore. OG is still learning how to dribble a basketball.

And seriously, are you still clinging to the whole Gasol "winning his minutes" nonsense? lol. Geez, man... even Nurse pinned the blame on Gasol (and Siakam) crapping the bed in the bubble.

[NeedTristanThompson]

Couple of good moves by Horst there. The Jrue trade was insane though. Was it 5 picks (3 firsts, and 2 pick swaps)? I mean if they don't keep Giannis that haul is insanely good for New Orleans.

I like Bogdan but he's a sieve on defense. DiVincenzo was actually a pretty solid defender.

I'd say the Bucks are a bit better. Bledsoe was a playoff choker. Like consistently a choker. Jrue is not. Jrue isn't the best 3pt shooter, but he's as good as a defender, maybe better. Can run an offense. And the key is he won't choke when the playoffs start. Although they did lose Hill who was sneaky awesome for them. Didn't he shoot at like 50% from 3's? They have no backup, and if Jrue gets hurt (which is known to happen), whoops.

Bogdan gives the an elite 3pt shooter with big balls. Of course that hard caps them since it is a sign and trade.

Stein is thinking these two deals will get Giannis to sign the supermax. If that happens, Masai has to pivot. I hate the 2021 class other than Kawhi who's not leaving LA. I guess we stay on Lowry's back until it gives out.

WELL I AGREE W U ON ALL EXCEPt

U did not hear I SUPpose??

#KAWHI2021

IT's cool.

THAT has been the PLAN A EVERYDAY

KAWHI Needed to go home but NOW

HE KNOWS HIS HOME IS HERE

HE'S LBJ BACK TO CAVS

HE's

#KAWHI202111111

[Quirk]

#KAWHI202111111

Is everything OK?

[Puffer]

Re-sign FVV and Gasol and there's no reason we should be significantly less competitive than last year. If anything internal improvement should help us. Not bad for a holding pattern year, which was always the plan I think.

I was counting a lot on internal improvement. Norm seemed to be finally getting it. Siakim is obviously going to be better. OG will definitely improve. And up until a couple of weeks ago, I was looking forward to a positive leap from Davis. I expected him to show the greatest improvement of anyone. That dream is gone. But OG, Siakim, hopefully, Norm, Maybe Hernandez, and some miracle work by Masai to get a resurrectable vet and a couple of gems from the draft, and the Raptors stick within the top 6 in the conference (expecting Freddie to be back).

[DanH]

I dunno, Miami and Boston's young guys have a lot more upside than our "young guys". I mean, Pascal, FVV and Norm aren't even young anymore. OG is still learning how to dribble a basketball.

And seriously, are you still clinging to the whole Gasol "winning his minutes" nonsense? lol. Geez, man... even Nurse pinned the blame on Gasol (and Siakam) crapping the bed in the bubble.

And they did crap the bed in the bubble. No argument here.

Doesn't change how much of the success last season was largely attributable to those two (along with Lowry, of course, always and forever). And how much it will hurt if they lose that. Obviously no reason to expect that with Siakam, he will bounce back to his regular season form and the questions will arise again in the playoffs when defences ratchet up. And yet everyone assumes that because Gasol is older, his struggles are 100% projectible onto next season.

If they try to replace Gasol with Ibaka, they will indisputably be worse off. If they try another replacement, they would be very lucky to replicate what Gasol provided. If they bring back Gasol... they may still lose what he provided last season. It is possible he is just done. I've just seen no real reason to believe that, unless you really want to believe it. The bubble is shoddy evidence for anything.

[DanH]

I was counting a lot on internal improvement. Norm seemed to be finally getting it. Siakim is obviously going to be better. OG will definitely improve. And up until a couple of weeks ago, I was looking forward to a positive leap from Davis. I expected him to show the greatest improvement of anyone. That dream is gone. But OG, Siakim, hopefully, Norm, Maybe Hernandez, and some miracle work by Masai to get a resurrectable vet and a couple of gems from the draft, and the Raptors stick within the top 6 in the conference (expecting Freddie to be back).

6th in the conference feels like a floor. If you get luck like you describe, they should be well above 6th.

[slaw]

I was counting a lot on internal improvement. Norm seemed to be finally getting it. Siakim is obviously going to be better. OG will definitely improve. And up until a couple of weeks ago, I was looking forward to a positive leap from Davis. I expected him to show the greatest improvement of anyone. That dream is gone. But OG, Siakim, hopefully, Norm, Maybe Hernandez, and some miracle work by Masai to get a resurrectable vet and a couple of gems from the draft, and the Raptors stick within the top 6 in the conference (expecting Freddie to be back).

It is premature to think about where Raps fit in terms of standings. Notwithstanding the Harden to Brooklyn hype, as of right now only the Bucks have made any moves at all. Miami, Toronto, Boston and Philly haven't done anything. I can't imagine they are all going to sit still.

[NeedTristanThompson]

Is everything OK?

OFC IT IS!!! #KAWHI2021 is happening, and Raps still might be top 4 in the east next yr knock on wood!

Even third if heat and celts take a dive, 2nd is in play if nets flop

so ya!

Why do ask?

It's ok we don't got Kawhi nxt yr dw

#KAWHIIIIIIII2021111

And they did crap the bed in the bubble. No argument here.

Doesn't change how much of the success last season was largely attributable to those two (along with Lowry, of course, always and forever). And how much it will hurt if they lose that. Obviously no reason to expect that with Siakam, he will bounce back to his regular season form and the questions will arise again in the playoffs when defences ratchet up. And yet everyone assumes that because Gasol is older, his struggles are 100% projectible onto next season.

If they try to replace Gasol with Ibaka, they will indisputably be worse off. If they try another replacement, they would be very lucky to replicate what Gasol provided. If they bring back Gasol... they may still lose what he provided last season. It is possible he is just done. I've just seen no real reason to believe that, unless you really want to believe it. The bubble is shoddy evidence for anything.

RESIGN MG

Masai did say he was a priorityyyy

#MG2020
#TT2020
#AD2020
#DD2021
#KAwhiiiiiiii202111111

[DogeLover1234]

It is premature to think about where Raps fit in terms of standings. Notwithstanding the Harden to Brooklyn hype, as of right now only the Bucks have made any moves at all. Miami, Toronto, Boston and Philly haven't done anything. I can't imagine they are all going to sit still.

Yeah we arent even to the draft yet lol. That being said its a good year to move on from any non-core player. Don’t think we can try and recreate magic with institutional wisdom and marginal player progressions. Time to add another scoring option, some upside and shake things up. We arent out but running it back isnt an option anymore, we know that story.

[bertarapsfan]

[Kagemusha]

#punt2021

[Demographic Shift]

OK.. so its done.
Jrue Holiday is in Milwaukee...

The Bucks send back three unprotected firsts and 2 pick swaps.
Gotta think 1 or possibly 2 of the three 3 draft picks wind up in the mid 20 or lower... but those pick swaps and 1 of those 3 unprotected picks could wind up being 3 lottery picks.
Along with Bledsoe and Hill.

Does anyone besides me thing this was a huge overpay ?

[Quirk]

OK.. so its done.
Jrue Holiday is in Milwaukee...

The Bucks send back three unprotected firsts and 2 pick swaps.
Gotta think 1 or possibly 2 of the three 3 draft picks wind up in the mid 20 or lower... but those pick swaps and 1 of those 3 unprotected picks could wind up being 3 lottery picks.
Along with Bledsoe and Hill.

Does anyone besides me thing this was a huge overpay ?

Nothing is an overpay if gets Giannis to sign.

[A.I]

OK.. so its done.
Jrue Holiday is in Milwaukee...

The Bucks send back three unprotected firsts and 2 pick swaps.
Gotta think 1 or possibly 2 of the three 3 draft picks wind up in the mid 20 or lower... but those pick swaps and 1 of those 3 unprotected picks could wind up being 3 lottery picks.
Along with Bledsoe and Hill.

Does anyone besides me thing this was a huge overpay ?

Major overpay with the draft picks, but if the Bucks can manage to keep Giannis and Holiday long term, it becomes a win. If Giannis leaves, then they are screwed.

[inthepaint]

OK.. so its done.
Jrue Holiday is in Milwaukee...

The Bucks send back three unprotected firsts and 2 pick swaps.
Gotta think 1 or possibly 2 of the three 3 draft picks wind up in the mid 20 or lower... but those pick swaps and 1 of those 3 unprotected picks could wind up being 3 lottery picks.
Along with Bledsoe and Hill.

Does anyone besides me thing this was a huge overpay ?

For Jrue Holiday in a vacuum, yes, it's an overpay. If Giannis said they needed to be better at the point guard position and the Pelicans played hard ball putting that as the price for Jrue, then that's what you gotta pay if you're the bucks. On a smaller scale, this is not unlike the Paul George move to the Clips. The haul Clips had to pay was to secure both George and Leonard.