Game 38 Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls - 9:00 PM EST Mar 14/21

[DanH]

Well, after watching the last 5 games. McCaw > Davis, Thomas, Watson, Yuta, Bembry.

I'm serious too.

Serious, sure. Right, not so much.

McCaw can't even succeed in the cushy low usage bench roles those players have been fine in. Them falling apart with bigger roles doesn't change that.

[Maury]

Well, after watching the last 5 games. McCaw > Davis, Thomas, Watson, Yuta, Bembry.

I'm serious too.

You might be right. But when you put Davis in with guys who can actually play, he plays a lot better. Still a major disappointment this year though. I also think I'd rather see Yuta play than McCaw. He brings some energy. McCaw is literally invisible.

[The Great One]

Yo put McCaw back in protocol

Well, after watching the last 5 games. McCaw > Davis, Thomas, Watson, Yuta, Bembry.

I'm serious too.

[KeonClark]

Band almost back together.

Yo put McCaw back in protocol

[planetmars]

Band almost back together.

[golden]

I understand what you're saying. Vucevic is already 30 and not a great defender.. but the missing core piece (outside a superstar) for us is a center. And I'm not sure how we get one. Drafting centers are tough because they take a long time to develop.

If we're trading Lowry I'd like to get a center back. I don't trust Boucher and/or small ball for long stretches.

Boucher is a more of a PF/SF. That's pretty clear now. He should not be playing center. He's the perfect backup to Pascal & OG.

[planetmars]

Don't like it. We're not necessarily better now, and not better long term. Vuc can get played off the floor just like JV does.

First off, before we agree on trading Lowry, we have to decide what direction we want to go. I don't think rotating him for a disgruntled quasi-star on the wrong side of his prime is the answer. We're not pushing for an all in move, yet. We need to get back to 50-55 wins before we hunt for the superstar piece.

I understand what you're saying. Vucevic is already 30 and not a great defender.. but the missing core piece (outside a superstar) for us is a center. And I'm not sure how we get one. Drafting centers are tough because they take a long time to develop.

If we're trading Lowry I'd like to get a center back. I don't trust Boucher and/or small ball for long stretches.

[KeonClark]

3-way trade Denver/Toronto/Orlando:
http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yftaosrf

Denver: Lowry, Clark
Orlando: Harris, Barton, FRP Toronto
Toronto: Vucevic

Denver starting unit: Murray, Lowry, MP Jr, Millsap, Jokic
Toronto starting unit: FVV, Norm, OG, Pascal, Vucevic
Orlando starting unit: Carter Williams, Harris, Barton, Gordon, Bamba/Birch/Aminu

Can try to get a FRP from Denver, but with Kyle being a UFA and probably non-commital, they may not want to do that. Harris sort of sucks, but Barton is good, and can get a FRP for Vuc that could end up being in the 12-17 range this year.

Don't like it. We're not necessarily better now, and not better long term. Vuc can get played off the floor just like JV does.

First off, before we agree on trading Lowry, we have to decide what direction we want to go. I don't think rotating him for a disgruntled quasi-star on the wrong side of his prime is the answer. We're not pushing for an all in move, yet. We need to get back to 50-55 wins before we hunt for the superstar piece.

[Demographic Shift]

Why wouldn't I watch?
I've been a fan since the land before time, I don't pick and choose the games (or seasons) to watch based on their chances of winning...what a weird comment lol

And remember prior seasons (different situations) where Lowry and DeMar would low grade but publicly criticize the lack of roster movement at the trade deadline as Colangelo or Masai not having faith in the team while other peer teams attempted to get better? That's where we are now and it's weird that Masai and Bobby appear absent for the most part.

Because the varsity isn't playing. It looks like an exhibition game that the Raps are giving some run to the guys looking to make the team. In the steaming world there are literally a hundred choices of what to watch for live sports.



Im sure the Raps front office are working the phones like the rest of the league looking to see whats out there. What do you think they're doing ?

Standing pat this time through doesn't seem to be much of an option. You can play it out and probably win one round then likely bow out in the 2nd round. Either way next years team will be quite different from the one we see today.

So...

If you can find help for this years team if you believe that with the right addition (an upgraded big or an Iso wing) you can make a run in a gettable east. You can be a buyer.
or
You can become a seller and wave goodbye to the championship era and make the trade for Lowry to get players and/or draft picks to begin the retool.

I hope they are going to be a buyer but if they wind up selling hope they do well, Kyle gives us something to be happy about one last time.

[golden]

When they got hit by covid, they were 14th in the east.... got players back and now they are 4th....

Yeah, but we were healthy when other teams had COVID and we started the season 2-8, so that didn’t really work for us.

[The Claw Reborn]

Kyle Lowry is more valuable now to the Clippers than any other player that could be available before the deadline. How desperate they are, we will find out soon.

Why a 3rd team and a very significant player going to the Raptors would force the hand of Bobby

Los Raptors. Lol (Kyle/ Kawhi/ Serge)

[The Claw Reborn]

LAC is a tough team to trade with since I believe they are hard capped. Orlando has Bamba.. and can give him more minutes. They can try to draft that Mobley kid if they fall back far enough. They currently have the 4th best pick.

I add an addendum on Bamba...

But I agree with you, Clippers are screwed if they dont win it all. Salary cap and future assets.

they are so fucked if Kawhi bolts lol

[The Claw Reborn]

Deadline is March 25th.. have 5 games left between then and now.

@Detroit
Utah
@Cleveland
@Houston (B2B)
Denver

If we go 5-0 then we are 22-22 so right at .500.. and that's best case scenario.

Maybe we don't buy and sell instead (ie, we sell Lowry/Norm for picks). Maybe we stand pat. Bobby is here long term and he's our GM. So MLSE will leave it up to him.

I'm curious what direction they take here.. .500 at the deadline is pretty sh!tty but we also got struck by bubble Pascal and then Covid.

Too many uncertainties, it is the most screwed up Raptors season not just the W/L record but everything else.

Masai is the key, he turns the wheels of MLSE. IMO, Webster is the Operations guy, but Masai has the last word.

MLSE and Masai just cannot come into terms...as of yet.

So probably no major trade will happen

[planetmars]

not sure, Orlando would be left with Isaac as their bigman especially Gordon also wanting out...

To me the closest three team deal is Kyle going to the Clippers, Vucecic to Toronto and Zubac and another Clipper player to match salaries plus picks from both Clippers and Toronto to Orlando.

Zubac is the back up C of the Clippers, it all depends how badly they want Kyle to play small ball with Serge and Morris as their bigs

LAC is a tough team to trade with since I believe they are hard capped. Orlando has Bamba.. and can give him more minutes. They can try to draft that Mobley kid if they fall back far enough. They currently have the 4th best pick.

[planetmars]

PM, that maybe a deal breaker if its up to Masai.

He stayed away from that deal as the third team to facilitate the move of Harden to BKN. Cleveland gave up a FRP to Houston and a 2nd round pick to BKN to acquire Jarrett Allen and Prince

though we are talking about Vucecic vs a lesser talented player like Allen.

Masai always wanted to have the upperhand on every deal he makes.

He cannot even make up his mind of his future, suspect he wants more what MLSE can give him.

Good chance MLSE would ever rubber stamp any major trade move at this time without Masai’s long term commitment first

Deadline is March 25th.. have 5 games left between then and now.

@Detroit
Utah
@Cleveland
@Houston (B2B)
Denver

If we go 5-0 then we are 22-22 so right at .500.. and that's best case scenario.

Maybe we don't buy and sell instead (ie, we sell Lowry/Norm for picks). Maybe we stand pat. Bobby is here long term and he's our GM. So MLSE will leave it up to him.

I'm curious what direction they take here.. .500 at the deadline is pretty sh!tty but we also got struck by bubble Pascal and then Covid.