Game #64 Toronto Raptos @ Clevland Cavaliers

[Primer]

Yeah, I predicted cost-cutting when MLSE CEO Frisdahl stepped down in January, and they put the CFO in charge. The timing was bad... just before the trade deadline.

The other, possibly bigger, reason I think they made the trade was to avoid the embarrassment of having to buyout Dragic. The cost of having the Spurs eat Dragic' salary was a FRP.

We didn't do the trade to avoid a Dragic buyout, that's a ridiculous take.

We wanted to bolster our bench with Thad Young, and the cost of getting him was swapping picks.

Don't twist yourself into knots when the reason we made the deal isn't some conspiracy. We wanted bench help, we got bench help, very simple and straightforward.

[Jclaw]

Game is tomorrow (Wednesday)

Yup. Not used to this time off

[DanH]

We should also note that assuming our pick will be 15th-16th is also a worst case assumption. If we're going to assume the absolute worst on both ends then yeah, the deal will look a little worse. Right now it is 17th. We're about as close to dropping to the 15th pick as to ending up at 19th. 17th is probably a fair spot to leave it in.

So it's likely 17th dropping to 33rd. If we get healthy and go on a run, more like 19th to 33rd (unless the Pistons drop off to league worst again which would be nice).

Meanwhile, it's important to remember that if we lose that mid-1st, it means we guaranteed ourselves a year of playoff development for Scottie, which is maybe the most valuable thing we could possibly add to the team? If we lose out of the play-in we keep our pick and punt the owed pick to next season.

I do think the reason they made the trade was because they appreciated the guys on the roster killing themselves for wins and wanted to bring in some support, and Thad was the guy they could get for a protected pick, which was likely all they were willing to give up (given the guys who didn't move and how much the guys who did moved for), and who fit with their roster concept. It was a basketball trade. It probably looks pretty good once we are healthy, but it was by no means a cure all (and the price was by no means a cure-all price).

[gambler]

The counter argument is Thad was a key bench piece last season for the Bulls averaging over 24 minutes per game and starting 23 games. We view him as that player and getting that key bench piece was worth moving back 10-15 spots in the draft.

I don't put any stock in his brief stint with the Spurs this season. I put stock in his prior 13 seasons of being a very good player.

i have no idea why some people would believe taht a 33 year old 4 or 5 would suddenly fall off a cliff who is not coming off an injury....even a small injury....and really has no prior injury history. imo, .thsi is the type of guy you can find great value in at 8mm/year unlike a guy like porzinges at 35/mm who some delusional raptors fans where clamoring for. fvv is coming back today or the next game.....OG within the next threer games and hopefully a healthy malicki as well....then you guys are going to see a very very very good basketball team with 15 games left. massai and nurse are world level guys and they konw what theyre doing....they have to go into the post season 100 percent healthy....these last 7 games no one is going to remember them once the playoffs start

[gambler]

We should also note that assuming our pick will be 15th-16th is also a worst case assumption. If we're going to assume the absolute worst on both ends then yeah, the deal will look a little worse. Right now it is 17th. We're about as close to dropping to the 15th pick as to ending up at 19th. 17th is probably a fair spot to leave it in.

So it's likely 17th dropping to 33rd. If we get healthy and go on a run, more like 19th to 33rd (unless the Pistons drop off to league worst again which would be nice).

Meanwhile, it's important to remember that if we lose that mid-1st, it means we guaranteed ourselves a year of playoff development for Scottie, which is maybe the most valuable thing we could possibly add to the team? If we lose out of the play-in we keep our pick and punt the owed pick to next season.

I do think the reason they made the trade was because they appreciated the guys on the roster killing themselves for wins and wanted to bring in some support, and Thad was the guy they could get for a protected pick, which was likely all they were willing to give up (given the guys who didn't move and how much the guys who did moved for), and who fit with their roster concept. It was a basketball trade. It probably looks pretty good once we are healthy, but it was by no means a cure all (and the price was by no means a cure-all price).

i disagree....i dont think they brought in thad for support...they brought in thad to win now.....they are goign for it....you dont play your starters 35-40/game for 6 weeks with no days off risking injury wiht a goal to make the play in and possibly a first round playoff win


it makes no sense



look at those nine fotation players....thats not a team whose goal is to win a play in and go home

[G__Deane]

i have no idea why some people would believe taht a 33 year old 4 or 5 would suddenly fall off a cliff who is not coming off an injury....even a small injury....and really has no prior injury history. imo, .thsi is the type of guy you can find great value in at 8mm/year unlike a guy like porzinges at 35/mm who some delusional raptors fans where clamoring for. fvv is coming back today or the next game.....OG within the next threer games and hopefully a healthy malicki as well....then you guys are going to see a very very very good basketball team with 15 games left. massai and nurse are world level guys and they konw what theyre doing....they have to go into the post season 100 percent healthy....these last 7 games no one is going to remember them once the playoffs start

Malachi*

[G__Deane]

NOW it's game day. Lets go!

[gambler]

Malachi*

yeah ...thats the guy im hoping for.... 43/41 with a 3/1 t/o and 1.5 steals to go along with 4 rebounds in 28/minutes......condense that down to a 12-15 min/game in the playoffs....nice....real nice....https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/player/ga.../nba/year/2021


thad/20.....bouche/20....malachi/10 and precious/birch combo at 10.....theres your 60 min/game.

[DanH]

i disagree....i dont think they brought in thad for support...they brought in thad to win now.....they are goign for it....you dont play your starters 35-40/game for 6 weeks with no days off risking injury wiht a goal to make the play in and possibly a first round playoff win


it makes no sense



look at those nine fotation players....thats not a team whose goal is to win a play in and go home

Uhh, yeah. I'm not seeing what the disagreement is here. Besides your too emphatic use of the term "going for it." They've kept their powder pretty dry for being able to actually go for it in future. Yes, they traded for Thad to help the team make the playoffs this year and go as deep as they can. But if they were going for it, they could have gotten a better win now piece by spending more assets, which they clearly were not ready to do.

[gambler]

Uhh, yeah. I'm not seeing what the disagreement is here. Besides your too emphatic use of the term "going for it." They've kept their powder pretty dry for being able to actually go for it in future. Yes, they traded for Thad to help the team make the playoffs this year and go as deep as they can. But if they were going for it, they could have gotten a better win now piece by spending more assets, which they clearly were not ready to do.

there was nothing available.....unless you considered porzingis an option which he wasnt even for free. you cant pay a p/t player 35/mm a year...thats not an asset thats a liability.

imo the raptors would have zero chance without an efficient thad young and his 20 min/game as those minutes cannot go to precious or birch. the jury is still out on malichi because the raptors are not going anywhere without him as well shoooitng 43 and 40 with a three to one t/o ratio.