Everything Goran Dragic

[Primer]

Bobby also said that the Raps wanted to move on from Lowry because he's older and we're moving in a new direction. We don't need a 35 year old vet on this team.

We gave Svi a guaranteed contract. And with all the partial guarantee deals, we're right at that tax line. Maybe the Svi signing was the precursor to the Dragic buyou? Save some money, and fill out the roster with a few of the guys fighting it out at camp without having to worry about the tax at all.

And furthermore if we get 2-3 contracts back in a Dragic trade, we're out of roster spots really quickly.

Either way, I won't be shocked if a buyout happens. Will be funny watching some fans reactions though if it does go down. I think a lot of people will flip their stance just like they did when we drafted Barnes over Suggs.

We didn't want to resign Lowry for 3 years. We did not sign Dragic for 3 years, his contract is this season only. Can you not see the massive difference there? I can 100% guarantee you if Lowry would come back on a 1 year deal he would be on the team right now. Dragic is a great bench vet, we need one of those this season.

If we get multiple contracts back we waive the junk guys coming back or waive guys like Yuta or Ish. Most likely we'll be at 14 and have an extra roster spot already so could take a 2 for 1.

[planetmars]

We didn't want to resign Lowry for 3 years. We did not sign Dragic for 3 years, his contract is this season only. Can you not see the massive difference there? I can 100% guarantee you if Lowry would come back on a 1 year deal he would be on the team right now. Dragic is a great bench vet, we need one of those this season.

If we get multiple contracts back we waive the junk guys coming back or waive guys like Yuta or Ish. Most likely we'll be at 14 and have an extra roster spot already so could take a 2 for 1.

Bobby admitted that he wanted to go younger and that was the reason why they moved on from Lowry. It wasn't the 3 years. It was his age, and direction of the team.

I'm not shitting on Dragic the player though. I know he's a good player. He was arguably the best Heat in last year's playoffs. At least averaged the most points in the 4 games they played against the Bucks. He's exactly what we need since we're so thin at guard and we could definitely use the depth and his experience.

This is not about what I want.. I'd hate a buyout. I just think it's going that way. Masai will give more than he takes when it comes to a players demands (like he did with Trent's extension). That's how he's operated since he's been here. Dragic wants to go to the Mavs. The Mavs want him. There is no deal where we can remain salary neutral for next year thanks to Powell's contract. And their young players are not something we think is worthy enough to take on additional salary for. So we buy him out. Save some money, get under the tax, and fill out our team without having to waive someone we like (like Yuta) to do it.

The only thing that will suck is the optics. We would have ended up trading Lowry for only Achiuawa. But Masai will get over it.

[inthepaint]

a) So Raptors will pay him 19 mil to sit out because Raptors are butthurt. And that'll show them?
b) it'll be close but that's what they are negotiating probably. how much money is he willing to leave on a table.

Not because of butthurt, but to draw a line and set a proper precedent. It's a last resort, but if we're not prepared to do that when push comes to shove, what's keeping every joe blow from coming here (either through trade, free agency and even draft) to say "hey gimme my money but ship me out, I don't wanna play."?

Like, I can understand superstars doing it, you tried for a while, your team is not building the proper pieces around you, you're at your prime and looking for a different situation. Fine. I don't like it before free agency, but at least you can rationalize it. But 35 yr old role players? Screw that. If you choose to sit down at and tank your value at age 35 on your last nba years, go ahead and take a sit son, we got young guys here that need minutes and are actually motivated to make their name.

So no buyout for me. Even if the Raptors got the full 19M back (which is unlikely), they'd still be hooped in my book because whatever salary room this generated it's pretty much useless at this point in terms of team building, since everyone worth signing outright has been taken. Retain your assets. They don't fall on our laps like they do in LA or NY. Offer the man an honest chance to earn his next deal on his contract year by giving him a role and good minutes, like everyone else. If he's a true pro like he says he is, he'll take it. If he doesn't, he's got a lot more to lose as a player than we do as a team.

[golden]

Not because of butthurt, but to draw a line and set a proper precedent. It's a last resort, but if we're not prepared to do that when push comes to shove, what's keeping every joe blow from coming here (either through trade, free agency and even draft) to say "hey gimme my money but ship me out, I don't wanna play."?

Like, I can understand superstars doing it, you tried for a while, your team is not building the proper pieces around you, you're at your prime and looking for a different situation. Fine. I don't like it before free agency, but at least you can rationalize it. But 35 yr old role players? Screw that. If you choose to sit down at and tank your value at age 35 on your last nba years, go ahead and take a sit son, we got young guys here that need minutes and are actually motivated to make their name.

So no buyout for me. Even if the Raptors got the full 19M back (which is unlikely), they'd still be hooped in my book because whatever salary room this generated it's pretty much useless at this point in terms of team building, since everyone worth signing outright has been taken. Retain your assets. They don't fall on our laps like they do in LA or NY. Offer the man an honest chance to earn his next deal on his contract year by giving him a role and good minutes, like everyone else. If he's a true pro like he says he is, he'll take it. If he doesn't, he's got a lot more to lose as a player than we do as a team.

I'd love to play hardball like anybody else, but let's face it... Raptors are the ugly girl/guy in high school. We have to try harder and have the best personality, just to stay on the outer edge of the dating radar screen. Depressing - but it's reality. There's a reason why we are consistently player & agent friendly.

[MixxAOR]

Not because of butthurt, but to draw a line and set a proper precedent. It's a last resort, but if we're not prepared to do that when push comes to shove, what's keeping every joe blow from coming here (either through trade, free agency and even draft) to say "hey gimme my money but ship me out, I don't wanna play."?

Like, I can understand superstars doing it, you tried for a while, your team is not building the proper pieces around you, you're at your prime and looking for a different situation. Fine. I don't like it before free agency, but at least you can rationalize it. But 35 yr old role players? Screw that. If you choose to sit down at and tank your value at age 35 on your last nba years, go ahead and take a sit son, we got young guys here that need minutes and are actually motivated to make their name.

So no buyout for me. Even if the Raptors got the full 19M back (which is unlikely), they'd still be hooped in my book because whatever salary room this generated it's pretty much useless at this point in terms of team building, since everyone worth signing outright has been taken. Retain your assets. They don't fall on our laps like they do in LA or NY. Offer the man an honest chance to earn his next deal on his contract year by giving him a role and good minutes, like everyone else. If he's a true pro like he says he is, he'll take it. If he doesn't, he's got a lot more to lose as a player than we do as a team.

I don't see how it's setting a precedent. Dragic is not a star but he's wanted by Mavs. They not going to spend assets to get him but they want him. So he's not tanking his value. He'll keep his body fresh and Raptors will pay him 19 mil. It's either pay him full 19 mil or you negotiate buyout so they don't spend all of the money. 19 mil is not some bum change even for MLSE.

[inthepaint]

I'd love to play hardball like anybody else, but let's face it... Raptors are the ugly girl/guy in high school. We have to try harder and have the best personality, just to stay on the outer edge of the dating radar screen. Depressing - but it's reality. There's a reason why we are consistently player & agent friendly.

That may be true, but even the "ugly guy/girl in high school" needs confidence and a sense of self-worth, otherwise they'll be just used and pushed around.

[golden]

That may be true, but even the "ugly guy/girl in high school" needs confidence and a sense of self-worth, otherwise they'll be just used and pushed around.

Our franchise is highly respected.... to a point. We just have to work a hell of lot harder at all times to maintain that respect. Problem is that pro sports has transitioned into the entertainment industry, where popularity is also critical (and highly monetizable) and Raptors aren't exactly in the cool kids club.

[inthepaint]

I don't see how it's setting a precedent. Dragic is not a star but he's wanted by Mavs. They not going to spend assets to get him but they want him. So he's not tanking his value. He'll keep his body fresh and Raptors will pay him 19 mil. It's either pay him full 19 mil or you negotiate buyout so they don't spend all of the money. 19 mil is not some bum change even for MLSE.

It can set a precedent Mix because if you just start giving away players that actually have value simply because they want to play somewhere else, there's nothing from keeping other future players (vets, prospects, rookies, whatever), of any caliber, to say "hey I'll take your money but I wanna play somewhere else, you guys are cool with that right, you've done it before". You also don't fold for another nba team. We shouldn't say, hey Cuban, I know you want Dragic, but I also know you don't want to give any assets for him though. Hmm, ok, you can have the cake and eat it too, we're real soft here.

As for Dragic, you can keep your "body ready" all you want, but if you're not playing actual nba games for a whole season, at age 35, you're gonna come back a different player. It will be closer to post-wash Marc Gasol or his former teammate Udonis Haslem. If his goal is to be a token bench cheerleader for Luka, like Haslem was for the Heat, yeah, he can do whatever. But if you want to actually extend your career and remain a contributing rotation player while being paid accordingly and with term, you gotta play actual nba games, nothing replaces that.

As for MLSE, maybe I have a different perspective than most other fans but I personally don't care about their money. I want them to build the best possible team for now and/or the future, within the common money-spending rules followed by all the other teams. If that means eating 1 yr of salary of an average role player to show that we're no pushovers, yeah I think they should do that if it came down to it.

[MixxAOR]

It can set a precedent Mix because if you just start giving away players that actually have value simply because they want to play somewhere else, there's nothing from keeping other future players (vets, prospects, rookies, whatever), of any caliber, to say "hey I'll take your money but I wanna play somewhere else, you guys are cool with that right, you've done it before". You also don't fold for another nba team. We shouldn't say, hey Cuban, I know you want Dragic, but I also know you don't want to give any assets for him though. Hmm, ok, you can have the cake and eat it too, we're real soft here.

As for Dragic, you can keep your "body ready" all you want, but if you're not playing actual nba games for a whole season, at age 35, you're gonna come back a different player. It will be closer to post-wash Marc Gasol or his former teammate Udonis Haslem. If his goal is to be a token bench cheerleader for Luka, like Haslem was for the Heat, yeah, he can do whatever. But if you want to actually extend your career and remain a contributing rotation player while being paid accordingly and with term, you gotta play actual nba games, nothing replaces that.

As for MLSE, maybe I have a different perspective than most other fans but I personally don't care about their money. I want them to build the best possible team for now and/or the future, within the common money-spending rules followed by all the other teams. If that means eating 1 yr of salary of an average role player to show that we're no pushovers, yeah I think they should do that if it came down to it.

How is paying a dude to do nothing is not being a push over lmao. Get his toxic, flopping ass outta here. He'll pay most of his 19 mil and he can get the fuck out.

And if in the future guys want a buyout they can get the fuck out too. As long as they pay for majority of their contracts.

[MixxAOR]

You guys want Dragic taking away shots and minutes from our young guys so he can get a better contract after this year with another team? Let him get a buyout and let him go.

[planetmars]

I don't know the math off the top of my head, but I'd want enough back on a buyout that allows us to bring back Yuta. Give the 13th spot to another camp invite like Ish or Dekker (maybe Gillespie, but hopefully not him). Then have the ability to use the Kyle TPE (about $4.8M) on a player via trade if we wanted. Or the full BAE ($3.6M) on a free agent to help improve our depth for the year, while ducking the tax.

[inthepaint]

How is paying a dude to do nothing is not being a push over lmao. Get his toxic, flopping ass outta here. He'll pay most of his 19 mil and he can get the fuck out.

And if in the future guys want a buyout they can get the fuck out too. As long as they pay for majority of their contracts.

You're not being a pushover, because you're not giving away for free a perfectly serviceable role player that's under contract with you, just because the other team wants him but is too cheap to pony up any other asset like in any fair trade. But hey, I'm with you, if he's paying back at least close to what he's getting from us, then go on your merry way, but I'd be asking for at least a 2RP from the mavs, if the rules allow. Equivalent to the "cash consideration" type you get for second rounders sometimes, to at least try to wash some the difference we have to pay up, and for our trouble to facilite this shenanigans. I have a feeling another player(s) will come though, we'll see.

Thing is, all this in theory could have been avoided if we knew exactly what we were getting on the Lowry trade. Yes, in theory it's a rotation player under contract, but these days, funny as it is, the team gotta ask and make sure that the contract will be honoured somehow, because sadly, that's no longer a given these days. If we knew beforehand it would have to be a buyout (which is not for sure this is just a rumour), fine, but that means you're getting just Achiuwa for Lowry. If you know that from the start, you have a firmer ground to ask for something else for the Groat, like another player instead, or a pick.

[saints91]

I’m with inthepaint. Dragic is a good player that would actually help the second unit. If he doesn’t want to be here, tell him to stay home like Memphis did with Iggy. Tell his agent to find a trade and leave it at that.

Buying a guy out is just as much of a waste of money as telling him to stay home. Ya, we save a couple couple million, but you let another team benefit from the money you gave him.

And we buy him out so another guy like Dekker might play a couple garbage minutes with us? You guys are forgetting Dragic is sixth or seventh man quality. If Dallas wants him, then pony up and trade for him.


All of this is moot because it’s just another rumour to keep things exciting if the offseason. Guys workout together all the time, it doesn’t mean they are forcing a trade.

[planetmars]

Okay so this tweet makes me happy now:

Schultz works for ESPN, so might be legit.

[Hotshot]

Okay so this tweet makes me happy now:

Schultz works for ESPN, so might be legit.

It's probably Mavs media entertaining the thought.

When Kawhi was traded here several "experts" claimed that Kawhi will never report to camp & the rest is history.

It's the dog days of summer before training camp where nothing is happening and sports media is trying to create fake news to entertain its subscribers.