Everything 2021-2022 Season

[LJ2]

Meh, players get to wrapped up in this "family, loyalty" mafioso shit. Masai was demars boss. When you stop performing at your job for multiple years in a row, it doesn't end well usually.

Its a thing where regular folks and athletes can actually be comparable. When your company talks about "family" and "loyalty", take it with a grain of salt. You're almost all replaceable, and you're only "family" until the day you stop performing your tasks to their standards.

Edit: And not to mention, what if the performance issues went the other way? If Masai was more incompetent, made bad moves, and the Derozan led Raptors were an irrelevant treadmill team? Would the loyalty have been so strong then?

I'm certainly not arguing that it's a business, but saying DeMar stopped performing at his job for multiple years is simply not true. He was an asset that needed to be moved in order to get a better asset, simple as that.

The unfortunate part of it is that if players demand a trade or leave in free agency, they aren't being loyal in the eyes of fans.

[KeonClark]

I'm certainly not arguing that it's a business, but saying DeMar stopped performing at his job for multiple years is simply not true. He was an asset that needed to be moved in order to get a better asset, simple as that.

The unfortunate part of it is that if players demand a trade or leave in free agency, they aren't being loyal in the eyes of fans.

he stopped performing where it mattered: against the Cleveland cavs in the playoffs. Literally nobody cared how many regular season wins we were getting anymore. We were hitting a brick wall, and he was the biggest reason among many.

[slaw]

Its a thing where regular folks and athletes can actually be comparable. When your company talks about "family" and "loyalty", take it with a grain of salt. You're almost all replaceable, and you're only "family" until the day you stop performing your tasks to their standards.

Everyone is replaceable. Learned that in my first real job when the genius, hotshot CEO got fired first day I was there. Next day, business as usual.

I don't begrudge DD having hard feelings cause in his position I would likely feel the same way. At the same time, probably best to move on at this point and just 'no comment' this topic.

[LJ2]

he stopped performing where it mattered: against the Cleveland cavs in the playoffs. Literally nobody cared how many regular season wins we were getting anymore. We were hitting a brick wall, and he was the biggest reason among many.

Yes, against the best player perhaps of all time (in his prime), Demar and the Raptors fell horribly short. What are we even talking about here, LOL?

[KeonClark]

Yes, against the best player perhaps of all time (in his prime), Demar and the Raptors fell horribly short. What are we even talking about here, LOL?

He didn't "fall short", he played much much worse than he's capable of playing.

Here's the last time we saw Demar Derozan in a Raptors uniform, if you need remembering

For DeRozan, the excruciating defeat was a night to forget across the board. He scored just eight points (on 3-12 shooting), his lowest total since before the All-Star break. He posted a game-worst minus-23 in 28 minutes, marking his worst plus-minus of the entire season. And he rode the pine for the final 14+ minutes of Game 3, as coach Dwane Casey benched his four-time All-Star in favor of Fred VanVleet and C.J. Miles.

“It was extremely hard,” DeRozan said of his late-game benching, according to TSN Sports. “I never want to be over there watching, especially the competitor that I am. I just want to be out there helping my team. It definitely sucks to be watching.”



While Casey’s decision to go to his bench was unusual, given DeRozan’s status as the face of the Raptors and his $27.7 million contract for 2017-18, it wasn’t all that difficult. Through three games, Toronto has been +24 with DeRozan off the court and minus-45 with him on the court.

As in years past, DeRozan has struggled to translate his regular-season performance to the playoffs. Through nine playoff games, he’s shooting 43.6% from the field and 28.6% from deep, off his season averages of 45.6% and 31.2 3P%. Against Cleveland, DeRozan’s bread-and-butter has dried up: He’s attempted a total of seven free throws in three games after averaging seven attempts per game for the season.

[GOLDBLUM]

Yes, against the best player perhaps of all time (in his prime), Demar and the Raptors fell horribly short. What are we even talking about here, LOL?

Raps no longer fell horribly short after Masai was able to do what needed to be done.

There was a way -- and as much as I love him -- Demar wasn't it.

And yes, sure, circumstances were unique, we didn't have to face Lebron.
The challenges were real though, nevertheless.

​​​​​​​Ultimately, all that matters is whether you got the job done or whether you didn't.

Hence...

[Hotshot]

Raps no longer fell horribly short after Masai was able to do what needed to be done.

There was a way -- and as much as I love him -- Demar wasn't it.

And yes, sure, circumstances were unique, we didn't have to face Lebron.
The challenges were real though, nevertheless.

Ultimately, all that matters is whether you got the job done or whether you didn't.

Hence...

Exactly. This is a business and if the goals aren't been met you change direction. Too many fans are conflicting affection for a player due to his personality & character than what his overall input to winning.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Callin pure BS when he said that if masai told him he might be traded earlier he would be “cool” yaright still wudda pouted

i liked DD a lot as a person but after they picked his D apart in the indiana series that was it

[Hotshot]

Callin pure BS when he said that if masai told him he might be traded earlier he would be “cool” yaright still wudda pouted

Almost certain DD would sabotage the deal by leaking it to other teams who would have pounced on social media with better offers. Luckily both SA & Toronto office like to be silent on players they are about to get.

[The Claw Reborn]

He is mediocre vs. he fell short = same shit lol…a nothingburger discussion.

let’s move on

[inthepaint]

This is all ancient history. Two players got traded because it made sense for both teams at the time. Other times, players move even though it's not in the best interest of the team. Happens a dozen times every season.

The real bother for Demar here is that the team won a title right after he left, and that understandably stings. That's it. Everything else (loyalty, Masai, phone calls, yada yada it's all noise). If it was another team winning that year, no one (Demar included) would be asking or talking about this on interviews.

The reality is, winning or losing doesn't fall on 1 player. There were other things that contributed to the playoff sweeps (questionable coaching, no forntcourt etc..), just as there were other things that contributed to the title (good coaching, solid frontcourt, deep 2-way team etc..), that weren't there for demar. Without that Kawhi doesn't win diddly-squat either. It wasn't all about Demar & Kawhi. Kawhi is a better player than Demar (heck he was top 5 player), but Demar is also better than hundreds in the nba and made millions as a result, while entertaining thousands of people over the years. Demar should focus on that and move on.

[TrueTorontoFan]

This is all ancient history. Two players got traded because it made sense for both teams at the time. Other times, players move even though it's not in the best interest of the team. Happens a dozen times every season.

The real bother for Demar here is that the team won a title right after he left, and that understandably stings. That's it. Everything else (loyalty, Masai, phone calls, yada yada it's all noise). If it was another team winning that year, no one (Demar included) would be asking or talking about this on interviews.

The reality is, winning or losing doesn't fall on 1 player. There were other things that contributed to the playoff sweeps (questionable coaching, no forntcourt etc..), just as there were other things that contributed to the title (good coaching, solid frontcourt, deep 2-way team etc..), that weren't there for demar. Without that Kawhi doesn't win diddly-squat either. It wasn't all about Demar & Kawhi. Kawhi is a better player than Demar (heck he was top 5 player), but Demar is also better than hundreds in the nba and made millions as a result, while entertaining thousands of people over the years. Demar should focus on that and move on.

No it wasn't I would actually say our bench sucked with guys like Bebe, and frankly we had two guys in our front line who were not plus or even average defensively. They got targeted and worked. Add that to offensive droughts from a lack of 3 point shooting and thats how we got swept. Straight up if we didn't have as many defensive holes we may have had a better chance against Cleveland in both years. Also injuries play a role too. JV getting hurt the year before and not really being there in the conference finals. Having an inability to make adjustments (Casey). It was a LOT of things.

[Dvdvideo]

Lol, looks like we can have Simmons now for a loaf of bread and a 2nd rounder. Too bad about the salary rules.......

[TheWaterboy]

Lol, looks like we can have Simmons now for a loaf of bread and a 2nd rounder. Too bad about the salary rules.......

Philly and the Nets both have outsized problems with a star player on their roster. How long until they start having talks around trading those star-players-with-problems for each other?

[TrueTorontoFan]

Philly and the Nets both have outsized problems with a star player on their roster. How long until they start having talks around trading those star-players-with-problems for each other?

On paper it would work. In reality it won't work. Kyrie won't play and won't get vaccinated and there are enough games that he won't play for meaning you are effectively wasting money. He has also suggested that he may retire if traded.