GAME 53 - Toronto Raptors vs Cleveland - April 10 2021 @ 7:30 PM EST

[G__Deane]

Norm shot 2 for 10 for 9 points against the Pistons last night

Separation anxiety ....

[TheWaterboy]

It was nice to see even if it was against the Cavs. It felt like with the roster so depleted, the guys who suited up were playing really loose. Maybe the lack of pressure to win or lose helped them relax?

How much is this driving up Trent Jr.'s worth with him already having two career nights in his brief time with the Raps?

Trent Jr.s worth as an RFA is being tempered a little by the fact that he's an RFA, and also (since he doesn't actually have to sign an offer sheet with a lousy team) by the fact that the best team with cap space potentially available, Miami, has Oladipo and are likely to keep him if he is productive with their system and their current team.

The Raptors will want to stay below the tax line if they can, but based on what they've seen so far I would expect them to offer him somewhere between OG money and Fred money, in different configurations including the bridge deal and the Norm-style player option. I would expect them to at least seriously consider matching offer sheets up to 25 mil... but by the time you get to teams who are willing to offer that much, you're likely to be in serious la-la-la-loser territory, I think.

[LJ2]

Trent Jr.s worth as an RFA is being tempered a little by the fact that he's an RFA, and also (since he doesn't actually have to sign an offer sheet with a lousy team) by the fact that the best team with cap space potentially available, Miami, has Oladipo and are likely to keep him if he is productive with their system and their current team.

The Raptors will want to stay below the tax line if they can, but based on what they've seen so far I would expect them to offer him somewhere between OG money and Fred money, in different configurations including the bridge deal and the Norm-style player option. I would expect them to at least seriously consider matching offer sheets up to 25 mil... but by the time you get to teams who are willing to offer that much, you're likely to be in serious la-la-la-loser territory, I think.

I was thinking because he only has 3 years in the league and because he's just now being given the chance to play a major role, that it might be a James Harden in OKC situation. A bunch of teams like say Dallas for example, might take a chance on adding a young player showing signs he can be an future All Star.

I was thinks ng he may get OG type offers, yikes if it's upwards of 20M

[planetmars]

I don't think Trent will sign an offer sheet with someone else.. and another team won't tie down their cap space for 48 hours with an offer either, knowing that the Raps will match. This is all moot in my opinion.

Trent will make less than Norm. He's 22 and still has a lot to prove. He'll get about $17-18M on the high end. Like what Bogdonovich got in Atlanta. But that was an overpay because they didn't want the Kings to match.

I still think we get him for $15M/yr. $60M/4 seems reasonable. He's starting now, but that's because Lowry is hurt. When the full team is back, he'll be coming off the bench.

[golden]

If Birch starts, then Malachi, Trent, Bembry & Boucher will be our bench when Lowry/FVV/ Siakam are healthy. Same group that just demolished the Cavs last night as starters.

All of a sudden... we have depth?

[LJ2]

I don't think Trent will sign an offer sheet with someone else.. and another team won't tie down their cap space for 48 hours with an offer either, knowing that the Raps will match. This is all moot in my opinion.

Trent will make less than Norm. He's 22 and still has a lot to prove. He'll get about $17-18M on the high end. Like what Bogdonovich got in Atlanta. But that was an overpay because they didn't want the Kings to match.

I still think we get him for $15M/yr. $60M/4 seems reasonable. He's starting now, but that's because Lowry is hurt. When the full team is back, he'll be coming off the bench.

$15M/yr. would be great. I just think teams like taking chances on potential, especially when they start start dropping 40 burgers.

[LJ2]

If Birch starts, then Malachi, Trent, Bembry & Boucher will be our bench when Lowry/FVV/ Siakam are healthy. Same group that just demolished the Cavs last night as starters.

All of a sudden... we have depth?

Still questioning if Masai still works here

[JawsGT]

If we are healthy, the starting unit will be

lowry, fred, GTJr, OG, pascal. No way trent comes off the bench.

[Maury]

If we are healthy, the starting unit will be

lowry, fred, GTJr, OG, pascal. No way trent comes off the bench.

I think this is probably what Nurse will do.

[LJ2]

If we are healthy, the starting unit will be

lowry, fred, GTJr, OG, pascal. No way trent comes off the bench.

He will have to come off the bench for the remainder of this season, no way Pascal is banging with C's. That may 1) keep his value down a bit and 2) be an incentive to resign next season when the team will have an open starting spot with Lowry gone. Or one of the 3 core members or Trent gets packaged for a star. Too many good players is a good problem to have.

[G__Deane]

I'm 100% ready to see FVV and Flynn and GT Jr., Pascal and OG, C and bench along with whatever Lowry brings back, which I hope is something rather than nothing

[Dvdvideo]

This sounds odd but I'm ok with lowry off the bench.

I guess this game proves why they wanted to sit siakam for this one and not the next, Cleveland defense in the first half was equal to a bad high school team.

Trent showing signs of how dangerous he could be in a 7 game playoff series, like lava hot when he's on a roll. I was watching the Cleveland feed, they were begging for someone please to stop him, lol.

Also funny, at the start of the feed they show a basketball calling themselves "sexland", which is obviously a reference to sexton but lol........

[JawsGT]

He will have to come off the bench for the remainder of this season, no way Pascal is banging with C's. That may 1) keep his value down a bit and 2) be an incentive to resign next season when the team will have an open starting spot with Lowry gone. Or one of the 3 core members or Trent gets packaged for a star. Too many good players is a good problem to have.

Our best lineups all season didnt have a center on the court. OG would likely get the assignment for most Cs. It was the same when norm was here. Neither birch or baynes will start in place of trent, or boucher, thst would be crazy.

[JawsGT]

He will have to come off the bench for the remainder of this season, no way Pascal is banging with C's. That may 1) keep his value down a bit and 2) be an incentive to resign next season when the team will have an open starting spot with Lowry gone. Or one of the 3 core members or Trent gets packaged for a star. Too many good players is a good problem to have.

We dont have too many good players, far from it. The starting unit I listed plus boucher and flynn. I like bembry and dont mind him getting minutes. Maybe we can add birch to the mix now. But we have 7 players and maybe 2 more. Thats not too many.

[G__Deane]

Our best lineups all season didnt have a center on the court. OG would likely get the assignment for most Cs. It was the same when norm was here. Neither birch or baynes will start in place of trent, or boucher, thst would be crazy.

I bet you see Birch get a few starts over Boucher actually.