'21-'22 Roster Construction

[Kagemusha]

After doing some thinking I've concluded that it's in this team's best interest to not rush the process or rely too heavily on this year's draft picks.

With that out of the way, I think the Raptors front office should:

PG: Let Lowry walk. Make FVV the starter, Flynn as backup PG or PG3.

SG: Resign GT Jr to a multi-year + sign a young SG with potential to a multi-year contract (Sterling Brown, Bryn Forbes etc.)

SF: OG starts, bring back Yuta or Bembry as wing depth. Let Hood walk.

PF: Siakam, Boucher as the backup PF.

C: Let Baynes walk, and sign TWO centers to multi-year contracts. This is important IMO.

The 3 centers that I believe to have the highest ceiling for the Raptors are Willy Hernangomez, Richaun Holmes, and Nerlens Noel.

A combination of any 2 will be a major upgrade at the post with Holmes + Hernangomez having the highest PPG potential.

This ultimately fills any major holes without putting too much pressure on the result of this upcoming draft.

1st Rd Pick draft best player available, ideally Suggs or Green.

2nd round picks can be filling wing/guard depth. Brings the roster up to 13 before summer league/training camp.

I think there should be some importance placed on bringing in players on multi-year contracts as this team grows and moves forward as it will help create much-needed stability in the locker room as well as providing excellent ammunition for future trades.

I like it except the part where we just let Kyle walk when we can S&T him for like Seth Curry and/or Thybulle, plus pick for instance.

[planetmars]

I like it except the part where we just let Kyle walk when we can S&T him for like Seth Curry and/or Thybulle, plus pick for instance.

If you sign and trade Kyle we're pretty much capped out.. and if you want to sign multiple centers, it becomes difficult. We basically will have the mid level and that's what we used on Baynes and Len last year.

[c-troop]

would you be against otto porter jr instead of signing a young sg


to me if you are signing GTJ and you already are likely to have a green or suggs pick then it shifts the need of getting an SG since Bembry can fill spot minutes and we have 2 second rounders

I think the 'need' isn't shifted at all because you never know what you're gonna get in the draft (think back to when we drafted Delon and Norm).

The front office could very well pick up back 2 back SF's in the second round and find a gem.

I'd still rather sign a young NBA caliber SG to a multi-year contract, especially now that we are potentially walking away from the best guard T.O's ever had.

Still, need to find a way to replace/substitute the shooting Kyle brought without leaning too hard on an unproven rookie IMO.

[S.R.]

Just throwing this out there after seeing some social media chatter re: 'the Raptors will never repeat a Kawhi trade, that kind of thing just doesn't happen, blow it up now and grab more picks.' There is for sure a recent trend of teams overpaying for stars, the packages LAC sent for PG13 (rationale being it got them Kawhi, too) or LAL for AD (needed to get someone to put with Lebron ASAP) are huge. Sending legit players/borderline stars plus 4+ 1st round picks, some massive outgoing packages to bring those guys in. I'd say those moves are partly made by teams under immense short-term pressure, trying to placate other stars on the roster with very short or expiring deals.

But some other star trades the last few years have been reasonable too, BOS got Kyrie for IT, Jae Crowder, and a 1st. Houston got CP3 for Lou, Harrell, Pat Bev, and a 1st. WAS got Russ for Wall & a 1st. Say want you want about those players or the results or whatever, just saying it is possible to retool mid-cycle and change things up. I don't know why the discussion gets flattened out to tank or die all the time.

Also, teams with their stars locked up for decent term aren't pressured into those kind of deals and generally aren't making them. I'm not sure in hindsight we'll see some of those win-now overpays as wise on the part of the spending team. LAL got a chip out of it so that did pay off for them. But the Raptors are not in the same kind of position the LAC were when they were desperate to land Kawhi, or LAL were with Lebron signing such short deals (and his history of bouncing around). Raptors have good players locked up and have the privilege of taking their time hunting deals and considering moves. I'd put money on them being a very good team next season, they can do nothing right now and improve and take it from there. A #4 pick is going to need some development time anyway. Time is on their side.

[inthepaint]

Just throwing this out there after seeing some social media chatter re: 'the Raptors will never repeat a Kawhi trade, that kind of thing just doesn't happen, blow it up now and grab more picks.' There is for sure a recent trend of teams overpaying for stars, the packages LAC sent for PG13 (rationale being it got them Kawhi, too) or LAL for AD (needed to get someone to put with Lebron ASAP) are huge. Sending legit players/borderline stars plus 4+ 1st round picks, some massive outgoing packages to bring those guys in. I'd say those moves are partly made by teams under immense short-term pressure, trying to placate other stars on the roster with very short or expiring deals.

While understandable, I think the people that say "that Kawhi type of trade will never happen again" often have their judgement clouded by recency. We have to look at that trade from the perspective that existed at the time of the trade, rather than based on what happened after: We didn't trade for a guy that made a game-7 winning shot and a finals MVP. That stuff happened after. We traded for guy with a mysterious injury that hadn't played in almost a year, didn't trust his club's medical staff, was creating a rift within his teammates, had a meddling uncle, and overtly wanted to leave the Spurs to LA. Several teams passed on the asking price on the trade for these reasons. He was basically a very high risk rental with a lot of red flags.

He did what he did (Game 7 winning shot, finals MVP, and all the other awesome stuff) AFTER we got him, and a lot of it was due to the framework we had in place for him (right teammates, coach, medical staff, winning culture, tolerance for load management etc..). We added a ton of value to Kawhi as an nba player, and I don't think the Raptors as a club gets enough recognition for that.

If we had had an early exit that year and he was further banged up, his value (albeit probably still high) would be way lower than what it is now. Players perceived value can change pretty quickly in the NBA, (eg. Isaiah Thomas, Cousins, Gasol etc); sometimes players can sink or have renaissances depending on where they play, and most notably: star players get disgruntled and ask for trades now more than ever. All these things tell you a "Kawhi type of trade" is totally repeatable, under the right timing/circumstances.

All that to say I agree with you that Raps are in a good spot. Continue to draft & develop well on a winning environment, incrementally add value through trades, and they will almost always have the assets to put a good bid for the bigger fish. Maybe a KAT 2 years from now at age 28 has had enough in Minnesota, other teams see flags with his "competiveniss" or some other question mark, he comes here and helps us make the finals. Who knows. There's a lot more parity in the league now. Finals now is Suns vs Bucks with no player there being a past champion. Just stay ready, don't piss away assets, and we'll be in the mix.

[The Claw Reborn]

https://twitter.com/shamscharania/st...069684737?s=21

Sources: The Philadelphia 76ers have opened up trade conversations surrounding three-time All-Star Ben Simmons and have engaged with teams.

Full details and more on Inside Pass at @TheAthletic:

If they dont want Kyle, I would hope Masai consider trading Van Vleet/ Boucher and future picks.

That package may or may not be enough depending on how one values the players involve.

[The Claw Reborn]

exciting offseason:

Masai has tradeable assets with monetary value like Siakam (33 million) and Van Vleet (19.5 million)

2021 4th pick
two 2021 SRPs
intact future FRPs and SRPs

MLE, BAE

possible sign and trade of Kyle

There are fringe stars and superstars who are definitely available

[DanH]

https://twitter.com/shamscharania/st...069684737?s=21



If they dont want Kyle, I would hope Masai consider trading Van Vleet/ Boucher and future picks.

That package may or may not be enough depending on how one values the players involve.

Lowry in a sign and trade makes by far the most sense for both teams. Would be astonished by any other Simmons trade to the Raps.

Heck, even if the Raps are involved in a Simmons for Lowry SnT, I also think there's a solid chance Simmons ends up elsewhere and the Raps just get a portion of the asset base that is traded for him.

[planetmars]

I don't think the Raps bite on that one.. Simmons doesn't help the Raptors, and does Philly even want Lowry? Feels like they had their chance at the deadline and screwed it up.

One team to watch out for would be Portland. They have to keep Lillard happy.

McCollum + Simons for Simmons.

Philly gets an all-star caliber player with a prospect.. where McCollum can create for himself and open things up for Embiid. Portland gets an elite defensive player and can help create for the Trailblazers when Lillard wants to rest. They have shooters all around him too if they keep Norm.

[DanH]

I don't think the Raps bite on that one.. Simmons doesn't help the Raptors, and does Philly even want Lowry? Feels like they had their chance at the deadline and screwed it up.

One team to watch out for would be Portland. They have to keep Lillard happy.

McCollum + Simons for Simmons.

Philly gets an all-star caliber player with a prospect.. where McCollum can create for himself and open things up for Embiid. Portland gets an elite defensive player and can help create for the Trailblazers when Lillard wants to rest. They have shooters all around him too if they keep Norm.

Philly should certainly prefer Lowry over McCollum, but that is an interesting fit. The timing for Lowry is a downside, has to wait until after the draft, which is a huge window for these sorts of trades.

[The Claw Reborn]

Everyday I see tweets from Kyle, I am softening my stance of him being traded huhuhu 🥲

[The Claw Reborn]

fwiw about Simmons

The Toronto Raptors are among teams that are believed to have expressed interest, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. The extent of that interest, however, is not known at this time. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings are other known suitors, Stein reported.

[slaw]

While understandable, I think the people that say "that Kawhi type of trade will never happen again" often have their judgement clouded by recency. We have to look at that trade from the perspective that existed at the time of the trade, rather than based on what happened after: We didn't trade for a guy that made a game-7 winning shot and a finals MVP. That stuff happened after. We traded for guy with a mysterious injury that hadn't played in almost a year, didn't trust his club's medical staff, was creating a rift within his teammates, had a meddling uncle, and overtly wanted to leave the Spurs to LA. Several teams passed on the asking price on the trade for these reasons. He was basically a very high risk rental with a lot of red flags.

It's not like there isn't a current example of a guy whose stock is lower than ever, coming off a disappointing playoff run, basically being run out of town, with a seemingly major issue, and who teams might be nervous about trading a lot of assets to acquire.

As for Kawhi, this is a great point people should remember. Kawhi helped Toronto win a title but the Raptors rehabbed his body and his image and gave him a platform from which to rebuild his profile. Otherwise, he's an injury prone, part-time superstar, who can't carry a team through a deep playoff run with questionable leadership skills who can't win without Duncan/Ginobili/Parker/Popovich, which, oddly, is what he is now.

[Kagemusha]

So we trade Kyle for BS and we draft Suggs/Green.

FVV
Suggs/Green
OG
Pascal
BS

[slaw]

I don't think the Raps bite on that one.. Simmons doesn't help the Raptors, and does Philly even want Lowry? Feels like they had their chance at the deadline and screwed it up.

One team to watch out for would be Portland. They have to keep Lillard happy.

McCollum + Simons for Simmons.

Philly gets an all-star caliber player with a prospect.. where McCollum can create for himself and open things up for Embiid. Portland gets an elite defensive player and can help create for the Trailblazers when Lillard wants to rest. They have shooters all around him too if they keep Norm.

That's an absolutely terrible trade for Philly.

If CJ is all Philly can get for Simmons then they should just hang on to him. McCollum is a pylon on defense, a ball hog who takes terrible shots at the most inopportune times and he adds nothing in terms of playmaking (in fact he slows your offense to a crawl). McCollum always gets looped in with Lillard as part of the 'one of the best backcourts in the NBA' but the reality is Lillard is 95% of that backcourt and CJ is one of the biggest issues in terms of Portland's roster not being good enough to win. He should have to give 50% of his salary to Lillard - made him a 'star'.