Raptors 2021-2022 Preseason + Training Camp

[LJ2]

Looks like they chose the guys with some NBA experience.

[golden]

Looks like they chose the guys with some NBA experience.

Which is good because there is an abundance of youth on the roster.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Which is good because there is an abundance of youth on the roster.

even though everyone in the media wants us to get younger for some reason lol ... we are one of the younger teams in the nba. We actually have a good pool of talent that is up and coming.

[Bendit]

I am glad for Dekker (sad about Ish) who also made some nice team-centric comments in his last presser interview.... and unselfish too. I thought his last game's shooting 'explosion' was noteworthy because it was done under his own personal circumstance's (making the team) pressure conditions... so would be helpful having a shooter in similar circumstances during the season.

[The Claw Reborn]

Unfortunate for Wainwright who badly needed that stability for his family most especially his daughter and for Gillespie who’s guaranteed contract was comparable to an annual salary of a manager at Tim Horton’s. I really hope they both find luck somewhere else. Or maybe the 905 team can give them more exposure.

As for Dekker, fwiw he really responded when it mattered most, under pressure and his life on a thread. He made dead eye shots on his very last audition to wear that jersey. This team may need that mental fortitude when his number is called.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Unfortunate for Wainwright who badly needed that stability for his family most especially his daughter and for Gillespie who’s guaranteed contract was comparable to an annual salary of a manager at Tim Horton’s. I really hope they both find luck somewhere else. Or maybe the 905 team can give them more exposure.

As for Dekker, fwiw he really responded when it mattered most, under pressure and his life on a thread. He made dead eye shots on his very last audition to wear that jersey. This team may need that mental fortitude when his number is called.

It is unfortunate but you can't make decisions based on that. I would say there is a solid chance Wainwright lands SOMEWHERE. Not sure where but some where. At least on G-League team and then getting called up. That said, there is a good chance he lands some where.

They arent eligible on the 905 because their guarantees were over 50k, or at least that was the case for Ish. I think Freddie's G-league rights may be owned by memphis so that's another issue.



On the Dekker front, yeah I missed the last game largely, but looked at the highlights and he cooked. I didn't see him do badly on defence but no other real play that wowed me other than the shooting. We do need shooting on this team and having another vet helps especially one with NBA experience. I think it was the correct move.


I really did think they would stay with Wainwright because of his summer league play and his later guarantee. I do not think he impressed me personally throughout the preseason. I was impressed by Justin C. In my opinion Ish's strengths didn't shine in the preseason partially because we already have an abundance of strength at what he can do well. He didn't appear to be a great playmaker, but seemed to be good at rebounding as a wing and just an overall solid athlete so he could play defence solidly. Justin on the other hand shot better and had a nose for the ball in terms of positioning and rebounding etc etc.



Freddie you feel for because you wonder if it was a confidence thing but he looked out of place ever since summer league. He struggled even passing the ball, dribbling it even once without travelling, and did not rebound well enough to warrant a spot. To get that spot you gotta rebound like your name is Reggie Evans.

The person who probably could have had the biggest to gain from a preseason performance was Freddie. A spot was there for the taking but he couldnt put it together in a lot of ways within a game setting.

[golden]

Gillespie had a roster spot gift-wrapped for him and got more chances than anybody to win it. He’s not an NBA player at the moment.

[planetmars]

Before we congratulate Dekker, I don't think he's guaranteed anything. We just made a decision on Ish, and have until Monday to make a decision on Sam and Isaac as well. I know Blake Murphy implied both are back, but I think he meant both are safe for now (correct me if I interpreted it incorrectly).

It's a bit of a shock to be honest. Wainright's partial guarantee gave us a bit more flexibility to make a decision on him. He was a bit too hot and cold for my liking, but seemed to be a good locker room presence.

If we guarantee just one guy I think I'd rather have Dekker over Bonga, but Bonga got more minutes, started, and won one of those championship belts during training camp. I think it goes to him.

[planetmars]

Chicago made their decision. Stanimal out but Matt Thomas in. Johnson was an ex lottery pick. Matt Thomas was a camp invite for the Raptors. Our scouting team is legit man.

They really should have a new award. Best scout(s) in the NBA. We'd win it every year though.

[Hotshot]

Before we congratulate Dekker, I don't think he's guaranteed anything. We just made a decision on Ish, and have until Monday to make a decision on Sam and Isaac as well. I know Blake Murphy implied both are back, but I think he meant both are safe for now (correct me if I interpreted it incorrectly).

It's a bit of a shock to be honest. Wainright's partial guarantee gave us a bit more flexibility to make a decision on him. He was a bit too hot and cold for my liking, but seemed to be a good locker room presence.

If we guarantee just one guy I think I'd rather have Dekker over Bonga, but Bonga got more minutes, started, and won one of those championship belts during training camp. I think it goes to him.

I think Blake did refer in one of his tweets that since they aren't cut they are still safe on the roster for now. Giving there is still Covid around it will make sense to go with the full 15 players on the roster just in case there is a minor outbreak and they lose a couple of players to quarantine + whatever injury someone has at that moment.

I am sure if there is a player out there that has already been dropped from a team (Giles?) or will be cut in the next few days before the season start that the Raptors have greatly coveted, he will be brought on board in the expense of either Dekker or Bonga. If Dekker or Bonga survive the next few days, I am sure they will have the pressure to perform in the limited minutes they do end up providing or the Raps will again grab someone from the G league for the needs that may arise.

After that it's the midseason trade or trade deadline that might bumped them off the roster. Such is the life of the players at the end of the bench in the NBA.

[planetmars]

I think Blake did refer in one of his tweets that since they aren't cut they are still safe on the roster for now. Giving there is still Covid around it will make sense to go with the full 15 players on the roster just in case there is a minor outbreak and they lose a couple of players to quarantine + whatever injury someone has at that moment.

I am sure if there is a player out there that has already been dropped from a team (Giles?) or will be cut in the next few days before the season start that the Raptors have greatly coveted, he will be brought on board in the expense of either Dekker or Bonga. If Dekker or Bonga survive the next few days, I am sure they will have the pressure to perform in the limited minutes they do end up providing or the Raps will again grab someone from the G league for the needs that may arise.

After that it's the midseason trade or trade deadline that might bumped them off the roster. Such is the life of the players at the end of a roster in the NBA.

There is one additional variable in terms of carrying 15 guys and that's being over the tax. If we stick with 14, we are below the tax. But we also have until the end of the season (so technically the deadline) to get under the tax which is risky because it forces our hands (assuming we don't want to pay the tax - and I don't believe we've ever done that in the Masai era).

I think they should go with 15 guys and either pay the tax, or work on some deal at the deadline. Dragic and Boucher's contracts are likely going to be moved as they are both expiring. Could also move someone for a 2nd rounder like we did with Davis and Thomas last year.

[Hotshot]

Paying the tax is the prudent business move you need to operate more smoothly at times like this. I would be surprised if MLSE start to penny pinch right now.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Paying the tax is the prudent business move you need to operate more smoothly at times like this. I would be surprised if MLSE start to penny pinch right now.

I mean it depends. Because if you go into the luxury tax it compounds by year. They were below the tax as a team last year though so they wont be into the repeater tax. That said you ideally want to be a tax payer team when you are certain your team will be going for a chip run or two or three. Why? because once that repeater tax kicks in it starts getting more difficult to make moves without trading one of your top line talents. It also makes it harder to add middling talent via free agency. I know everyone says free agency and cap space specifically is useless, but I disagree. I think free agency to obtain stars is likely useless. There are some key pieces that you can go for if you have some cash lying around. You can get a Richard Holmes level guy or some key role player bench guys if needed.

[planetmars]

Paying the tax is the prudent business move you need to operate more smoothly at times like this. I would be surprised if MLSE start to penny pinch right now.

We traded 2nd round picks to duck the tax during our chip run. We are no where close to contending. It's fine to penny pinch during a rebuild. It's not like a guy like Bonga or Dekker would mean much at the end of the day.

But I am happy to be proven wrong.

[007]

Yeah ducking the tax when you know you’re not a contender makes sense if it doesn’t come at the cost of anything of real value. Like TrueTorontoFan said above, making sure you avoid any compounding penalties gives you more leeway to go into the tax easily once you’re confident in the team you have