Toronto Raptors who are still playing Alumni thread ....

[KeonClark]

CJ Miles , JV does and Wright had good playoff games it's DeRozan who was a disappointment ( and Lenard and Green addressed that ) ... Can we say Masai struck out in the buyout market cause Lin is no gain in what we lost and comes from losing scenarios . Did he make that trade and thinking he could have restacked the shelves in buyouts and come up way short .. Did Pau even give Toronto a look ?

It was worth the risk. I like our starting 5, all vets, all former or current all star/all nba or former champions.

who the fuck cares if Pau gave Toronto a look pau is 96 years old. Didnt Toronto give pau a look? Does pau even play?

[planetmars]

Playoff experience is at an all time high with the roster we currently have:

Kawhi - 87 games, 33.4mpg, 1 ring (FMVP)
Danny - 100 games, 25mpg, 1 ring
Marc - 59 games, 39.7mpg, WCF
Serge - 109 games, 30.5mpg, NBA Finalist
Kyle - 62 games, 33.6mpg, ECF
Powell - 33 games, 14.3mpg, ECF

If experience matters.. we've got it in spades.

[golden]

Playoff experience is at an all time high with the roster we currently have:

Kawhi - 87 games, 33.4mpg, 1 ring (FMVP)
Danny - 100 games, 25mpg, 1 ring
Marc - 59 games, 39.7mpg, WCF
Serge - 109 games, 30.5mpg, NBA Finalist
Kyle - 62 games, 33.6mpg, ECF
Powell - 33 games, 14.3mpg, ECF

If experience matters.. we've got it in spades.

MaCaw's got rings too.

[S.R.]

All the moves were also in light of:

1) Making the most of what might only be one year of Kawhi and
2) Showing Kawhi the organization will go all out to put talent around him

Does playing with JV next year factor into Kawhi's decision this summer at all? Almost certainly not. What about a Raptors organization that treated him right, had a good year, and showed him their ability to bring talent in to play with him? Because no matter what our thoughts are, Gasol is a much, much bigger name than JV. Masai's shown a lot of what he can do this season. They've got to be hoping it impresses Kawhi, that he sees the Raptors as a great organization and a good place to be.

Then there's just trying to hit the highest peak possible this season. Can certainly argue Gasol has the potential to help do that.

I just think in the end it was sooooo much change to the roster since training camp. Half the team is different. That's tough to deal with let alone max out your potential with, hopefully everything pulls together.

[Puffer]

All the moves were also in light of:

1) Making the most of what might only be one year of Kawhi and
2) Showing Kawhi the organization will go all out to put talent around him

Does playing with JV next year factor into Kawhi's decision this summer at all? Almost certainly not. What about a Raptors organization that treated him right, had a good year, and showed him their ability to bring talent in to play with him? Because no matter what our thoughts are, Gasol is a much, much bigger name than JV. Masai's shown a lot of what he can do this season. They've got to be hoping it impresses Kawhi, that he sees the Raptors as a great organization and a good place to be.

Then there's just trying to hit the highest peak possible this season. Can certainly argue Gasol has the potential to help do that.

I just think in the end it was sooooo much change to the roster since training camp. Half the team is different. That's tough to deal with let alone max out your potential with, hopefully everything pulls together.

Another what 14 games? And then 4-5 games with a bottom feeder team, with days between games and then a week before the next round?

There is more than enough time to sort things out. And for everyone to know and understand their roles, their teammates roles and how everyone likes to play...or at least how the 5 starters like to play. That's the end of rotation players job. Know how to play with the starters as they are subbed in and out. And play crazy good "D."

[golden]

Another what 14 games? And then 4-5 games with a bottom feeder team, with days between games and then a week before the next round?

There is more than enough time to sort things out. And for everyone to know and understand their roles, their teammates roles and how everyone likes to play...or at least how the 5 starters like to play. That's the end of rotation players job. Know how to play with the starters as they are subbed in and out. And play crazy good "D."

It's not as much churn as it seems. CJ & JV weren't even playing and Delon was barely in the rotation at the time of the trade. Assuming you keep the starting 5 that's been together the entire season, it simplifies Nurse's job to figuring out a transition lineup and bench rotation. You could sub out Kyle and Serge early for FVV and Gasol, and then have Kyle come back in with the bench to get run with Gasol when Kawhi sits. The closing lineups would be situational and matchup dependent.

[Raptor Jesus]

All the moves were also in light of:

1) Making the most of what might only be one year of Kawhi and
2) Showing Kawhi the organization will go all out to put talent around him

Does playing with JV next year factor into Kawhi's decision this summer at all? Almost certainly not. What about a Raptors organization that treated him right, had a good year, and showed him their ability to bring talent in to play with him? Because no matter what our thoughts are, Gasol is a much, much bigger name than JV. Masai's shown a lot of what he can do this season. They've got to be hoping it impresses Kawhi, that he sees the Raptors as a great organization and a good place to be.

Then there's just trying to hit the highest peak possible this season. Can certainly argue Gasol has the potential to help do that.

I just think in the end it was sooooo much change to the roster since training camp. Half the team is different. That's tough to deal with let alone max out your potential with, hopefully everything pulls together.

Not to mention these men have career ambitions. Delon did not want to go into the offseason an RFA without playing time or stats to bargain for a contract. CJ was redundant the minute Green showed his own injury cleared up. JV is great but wasn't pushing SI, Marc might and he's battled Kawhi and Danny in the playoffs for years. I think we can start to look at all the success stories our system produces. Sure lament that we couldn't maximize them, or that someone else might, but take a second to consider that our system is to the point where we can't utilize all the great players it produces.

MU has done his job at the highest level there is. Fed 2 coaches an abundance of player development, talent, and never cut a corner. He ate shit when we stood pat, he'll eat the bowl of shit coming for selling home grown talent for mercenaries, and he did right by nearly every player he signed, cut, traded, or drafted. I'm pretty sure only DeAndre from the second round in like 2015 isn't thriving in an NBA system.

[bertarapsfan]

it funny to think no matter who we play in the first round will have a raps Alum. Nets got carrol and Davis Detroit has the Casey connection. Miami has James Johnson. Orlando has Ross and Jeff wellman. and if hornets sneak in they got Bismack. lots of old raptors out their doing well. that should speak to our competence in finding and evaluating talent.

[Puffer]

..Detroit has the Casey connection...

Don't forget José Calderon.

[inthepaint]

Demar with 26/9/8 in Spurs win over Golden State. I'm happy every time GSW lose but it's kinda extra nice knowing it was Demar's doing in part.

[guyroch]

Demar with 26/9/8 in Spurs win over Golden State. I'm happy every time GSW lose but it's kinda extra nice knowing it was Demar's doing in part.

Your not alone .. The Spurs it's like having another team to shoot for .

[3inthekeon]

ESPN on San Antonio's resurgence driven by their defence. Two keys singled out by Pops are Derrick White (another of SA's great late 1st picks) and Yak.

Aside from White, another boost for the defense comes from 7-foot center Jakob Poeltl, who has helped All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge to bolster protection against shots inside the arc. After struggling earlier in the season at adjusting to his role in San Antonio's system, Poeltl is averaging 2.1 blocks since Feb. 26. Poeltl tied a career high with five blocks in each of the previous two games headed into Monday's clash with the Warriors, joining elite company in Duncan, David Robinson and Antoine Carr as the only Spurs to have totaled five or more blocks in back-to-back outings.

Meanwhile, with White matching up against the opponent's top perimeter threat on most nights, San Antonio's defense has been 4.0 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. As of games through Monday night, the 6-foot-4 White ranks No. 1 in the NBA among guards in contested shots per game (9.5), and he averages 1.6 blocks per game since Feb. 26.

"It's a combination of Jakob -- he takes up a lot of space, he's pretty mobile, he allows [Aldridge] to do some other things out there," Popovich said. "But Derrick White is a big part of that also. He sets the tone for us out on the perimeter, and Jakob guards pick-and-roll really well. He's got good mobility, and he moves around on the court where he can cover a little bit more ground near the rim. So it helps us."

[guyroch]

JV 33 and 15 tonight .. Don't think Grizzlies are missing Gasol

[MixxAOR]

[SkywalkerAC]

I quite like having Memphis as a team-to-watch laden with players I care about. Bruno and Delon out there making plays (and some mistakes), JV going in hard. Good OT win for them over Houston last night.