Everything Off Season

[LJ2]

One piece of speculation I will add is we have a fairly significant spot to fill with Marc most likely gone. We could have filled it with one of the less significant bigs that were signed yesterday, but not a peep from the Raps. Could they be working on someone with a bit more notoriety? Those guys generally have options and take their time in free agency.

[slaw]

Personally, I'm never one to make moves just for the sake of it. That said, what I would do now is aggressively pursue guys like Beal, Oladipo, Harden, Gobert, KAT, Embiid, etc, even if it means losing some combination of current assets, future picks and the 2021 cap space. Take a risk and take control of the team's fortune now by pursuing an elite shooting guard and/or centre for the future to pair with Siakam & OG, while the champioship shine is still there. Soon we might not have the capital to pursue big trades anymore. To me that beats a pipe dream scenario where Giannis leaves a better team offering more money (like the Bucks), to come here (and not Miami).

Even if those players are available, and Harden is the only one that appears to be, not a single one of them makes the Raps a championship team. The only guys that would put Raps in that realm straightaway are: Lebron (not going anywhere), Kawhi (Not going anywhere and I'm not even so sure about this anymore given his injuries), Davis (not going anywhere), Doncic (maybe, but hasn't done it yet and isn't going anywhere), and Giannis (free agent next year with close ties the organization's leaders).

Masai gave an interview after the title and mentioned that he thought he had built championship teams in the past but never really got it until they actually had a real championship team (and I vaguely recall him saying Riley or someone like Riley had mentioned this to him). It's easy to talk yourself into a really good player coming in and elevating the team but we all know that isn't enough. Raps need a superstar. They don't have one. They have a real chance to get one. You don't ruin that by trading the farm for KAT or Beal.

Ironically, what people who want to be title competitive NOW are actually arguing for is the Derozan-Lowry Raps: almost but never quite good enough. If you believe all that really matters is title contention (personally I do not by your mileage may vary), then you should be thrilled with waiting a year for a possible Giannis signing cause it is the surest path to what you want.

[Ebonhawke]

Bucks have added DJ Augustin and Bobby Portis this morning

[planetmars]

Portis and Augustin over Ilyasova and Hill.
Holiday over Bledsoe and DiVincenzo.

They also lost Robin Lopez.

I actually think DJ is underrated. He'll be a good fit, but he's not as savvy as Hill is/was for them.

I think the Bucks basically just treaded water and moved a couple of deck chairs around. Holiday is better than Bledsoe simply because of Blesdoe's playoff failures. But DiVincenzo was a pretty good young piece for them which they don't have anymore.

[bertarapsfan]

Bucks have added DJ Augustin and Bobby Portis this morning

The rest of the East shaking in their boots

[slaw]

The rest of the East shaking in their boots

Shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Hotshot]

Fred resigned 85 million for 4 years Woot woot

[Ebonhawke]

[Mitchell Duong]

Good stuff. Fred got paid and didn't hamstring us.

[slaw]

One down, one to go.

[TheWaterboy]

Fred resigned 85 million for 4 years Woot woot

Of course, we don't know the details yet, but at that figure, it's likely Fred is not making more than 20 mill in whichever year Masai think he needs the most cap flexibility. I can certainly live with that. And if that contract has no player options, it feels like it's going to be a solid contract going forward.

Now that that's settled, we may get actual movement on Marc and/or Serge and/or an unnamed MLE big.

[Hotshot]

Now let's get Ibaka+Giles & the offseason is done.

[DogeLover1234]

One piece of speculation I will add is we have a fairly significant spot to fill with Marc most likely gone. We could have filled it with one of the less significant bigs that were signed yesterday, but not a peep from the Raps. Could they be working on someone with a bit more notoriety? Those guys generally have options and take their time in free agency.

I think its probably that we just didnt target the guys who went early at those prices and other teams did. Those in a rush typically overpay. I just think we are overvaluing future cap space and undervauing actual assets now. We cashed in a lot of yought for Marc/Serge/Kawhi etc. which was totally worth it. Now all those guys are off the books and we have capspace to show for it - thats only as good as the players you sign. At some point I think you have to use it to build up an asset base to make a trade - rather just kicking the cap space down the line by signing rentals. It doesnt have to be flashy or expensive at all just something tangible and ideally to help on the basketball court.

[bertarapsfan]

Great deal for both sides. Player option helps fred if he wants to look for 1 big contract in 3 years. Not going to be unmovable and can be the heir to lowry if he even starts to fall off.
Im happy with that, now maybe what ever happens with the C position will fall into place later today

[A.I]

Good deal, didn't have to over pay to keep him. I'm surprised a team like the Knicks didn't throw an overpaid contract his way.