Raptors Offseason 2022

[Primer]

Split the difference: NBA combine shows Precious at 6' 7.5" w/o shoes.

OK it also shows 9'0.5 standing reach, Horford shows 8'11 flat.

[saints91]

Robert Williams has a longer wingspan by 4 or more inches, they’re around the same height. I’m guessing due to the wingspan being longer, Robert Williams would have the better standing reach… which really is the measurement that counts most when you are talking about basketball height. And than standing vertical after that.

[saints91]

I would trade anyone but Pascal or Scottie for Shai.

[Primer]

Robert Williams has a longer wingspan by 4 or more inches, they’re around the same height. I’m guessing due to the wingspan being longer, Robert Williams would have the better standing reach… which really is the measurement that counts most when you are talking about basketball height. And than standing vertical after that.

Robert Williams is a good center. So is Horford. So is Precious. That's my point. We have a good young center who is center sized just like Williams and Horford.

[TrueTorontoFan]

I would trade anyone but Pascal or Scottie for Shai.

get in line my friend

[grindhouse]

depends on the big

what’s your with rudy? we don’t need a point guard

[Demographic Shift]

So its pretty clear we have to improve from current status.
By improve I mean add talent.
We can do that via:
The Draft... except this year where we traded our first.. or maybe half a first..... for a high second round pick and the expiiing contract of Thad Young. Even for the most devout believers this pick isn't likely to get us more talent to push the top 6 players.
or
Free Agency...Looks like we are capped out right now and are only armed with the MLE for the coming free agent frenzy. Just like last year we can uset some help at a need position.To me thats at the 5 and a better backup PG than we have right now. These adds even if brilliant might move us up in the overall standings but still hard to see how an MLE signing moves you from good/dark horse status to contender.
or
Trades... Its very hard to see Bobby/Masai moving any one of Pascal OG Scottie Gary Fred or Precious unless its a serious talent upgrade that positions us as contenders. Compounding that is that anyone outside that core 6 isn't bringing back a big talent bump in a trade unless its a head case. Am delighted that our front office has been able to avoid taking on a cement head.

Unfortunately we are in the tweener zone.... between legit contender and dark horse team. Work to do. Improvement is going to be hard.
Need to see some of that EOY touch for a trade thats been dormant for a while on the pro personnel side of the business in the 2022-23 offseason.

Go Raps.

[TrueTorontoFan]

what’s your with rudy? we don’t need a point guard

I am not advocating for a point guard. My deal with rudy is the result of a number of things. For one he routinely gets the ball stripped after rebounds. He is turnover prone. Especially when you compare his numbers to other centers who do twice as much ball handling.. he is turn over prone.


He doesn't really offer much on offence. They say he is a role threat but he isn't super athletic other than the fact that he is tall so he actually sometimes gets it blocked... so its not like he is shaq or giannis down low where he is powering down on guys. He is really bad offensively as a decision maker and his only role is basically a permanent screener. We don't even do enough pick and roll as is and that is the only way to turn him into a threat. he simply IS not guarded on that end outside of 3 feet. So offensively it is tough because you will change your entire offensive philosophy of pushing the pace after a turn over because anyone can take the ball and run.. for a much more slower methodical style.



He is insane on defence yes but to make him truly effective again you are changing the your defensive style to more of a drop coverage because rudy has slow foot speed. Not the worst idea but why do it if you dont' have to. I do think it actually reduces your ability to be as versatile as a defensive team because you can't switch rudy out on the perimeter in the same way you can for a guy like precious. Precious isn't there yet but he showed more than just flashes on the defensive end.


I basically believe in the positionless basketball philosophy more than I believe in rudy gobert. Also we had lineups ALREADY this year that were 100th percentile so #1 in defensive ability... the problem was on the offensive end where we were 2nd percentile with the same line up. So I don't think we necessarily need another guy who is basically a glorified rim protector. For that much money too. If we are spending max money I'd rather chase a different guy or even go after Mo Bamba. Although I am not too keen on Mo Bamba right now but I am going to watch more film about him soon.

I think the offensive limitations are just too much and I think that we have shown we don't need a center to answer the problems. We didn't lose the series because we didn't have a guy who could guard Embiid. We lost the series because we put smaller defenders on harden and doubled on harden too often early on in the first 2 games of the series leading us to dig a hole for ourselves that was difficult to climb out.


Look at Miami. They didn't have a guy who is 7 feet that they had to put on embiid. Look at Boston beating Giannis. They have smaller centers that are athletic and long and smart.



I think we have more than enough to handle centers ... I think we have developed a style that can work. Even if you wanted to go down the direction of getting a center that is fine but I don't think we need to spend 35-40 million on one guy for that position UNLESS that guy is capable of being a two way player. I suppose yes I am advocating for donovan Mitchell but I think his defense in a different system could improve but even still I think I trust nurse and his system enough to invest in players that fit the system.

[TrueTorontoFan]

So its pretty clear we have to improve from current status.
By improve I mean add talent.
We can do that via:
The Draft... except this year where we traded our first.. or maybe half a first..... for a high second round pick and the expiiing contract of Thad Young. Even for the most devout believers this pick isn't likely to get us more talent to push the top 6 players.
or
Free Agency...Looks like we are capped out right now and are only armed with the MLE for the coming free agent frenzy. Just like last year we can uset some help at a need position.To me thats at the 5 and a better backup PG than we have right now. These adds even if brilliant might move us up in the overall standings but still hard to see how an MLE signing moves you from good/dark horse status to contender.
or
Trades... Its very hard to see Bobby/Masai moving any one of Pascal OG Scottie Gary Fred or Precious unless its a serious talent upgrade that positions us as contenders. Compounding that is that anyone outside that core 6 isn't bringing back a big talent bump in a trade unless its a head case. Am delighted that our front office has been able to avoid taking on a cement head.

Unfortunately we are in the tweener zone.... between legit contender and dark horse team. Work to do. Improvement is going to be hard.
Need to see some of that EOY touch for a trade thats been dormant for a while on the pro personnel side of the business in the 2022-23 offseason.

Go Raps.

I don't expect the talent we get from the 2nd round to push into the top 6 players but I do expect that player to come in and be a solid bench contributor and a solid prospect.

[G__Deane]

Unfortunately we are in the tweener zone.... between legit contender and dark horse team. Work to do. Improvement is going to be hard.
Need to see some of that EOY touch for a trade thats been dormant for a while on the pro personnel side of the business in the 2022-23 offseason.

Go Raps.

Masai said he wouldn't let us be there.....

[golden]

Masai said he wouldn't let us be there.....

We’re in a transition phase in the NBA where almost every team could be called a “tweener” or in “no man’s land”. There are no dynasty teams or Lebronto boogeymen.

Look no further than last year’s NBA final 4: Hawks, Bucks, Clippers, Suns.

What have you done for me lately?

It won’t take that much improvement from a relatively young team to get back into legit contender status with a puncher’s chance.

[TrueTorontoFan]

We’re in a transition phase in the NBA where almost every team could be called a “tweener” or in “no man’s land”. There are no dynasty teams or Lebronto boogeymen.

Look no further than last year’s NBA final 4: Hawks, Bucks, Clippers, Suns.

What have you done for me lately?

It won’t take that much improvement from a relatively young team to get back into legit contender status with a puncher’s chance.

its crazy though..... the transition happened so fast.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Masai said he wouldn't let us be there.....

he said he wouldn't let us be a a treadmill team... we aren't. Being a borderline contender vs dark horse team is just fine for the age and stage of this team.

[G__Deane]

We’re in a transition phase in the NBA where almost every team could be called a “tweener” or in “no man’s land”. There are no dynasty teams or Lebronto boogeymen.

Look no further than last year’s NBA final 4: Hawks, Bucks, Clippers, Suns.

What have you done for me lately?

It won’t take that much improvement from a relatively young team to get back into legit contender status with a puncher’s chance.

Gimme some decent changes and I'm all in again next season. Don't want to see Svi and Bonga for Larry and Moe which is what I expect.

[Primer]

Masai said he wouldn't let us be there.....

Masai said we wouldn't be a treadmill team. We went from champion to 4th pick to 5 seed. How is this a treadmill?