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Jack offers insights into what comes next.....
What pieces are hazardous?? Inquiring minds want to know!
Thing is the Atlantic is not always going to be a pushover. Boston is only going to get better. Brooklyn actually played well down the stretch after early season tough love from Hollins.
One of DeRozan or Lowry seems inevitable to be traded. How else do you improve or add the pieces to allow improvement through growth and/or free agency?
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/...ack-armstrong/
Jack: Back then there was a greater sense of urgency as you wanted to hold on to Chris Bosh, and in order to keep a foundational player around, you’ve got to continue building a winning vibe. With all due respect to the guys they currently have on their roster now, there’s not a guy on the roster who’s as good as Chris Bosh. So I think that Masai at the trade deadline knew that this was far from a finished product, and decided to punt rather than go for first down. So I think he said ‘okay, let it breathe, let’s see how this season pans itself out, let’s see how this team performs in the playoffs, and then we’re open to any / all moves that come out’.
I think the approach taken was the right approach. You don’t want to start building on a foundation that you’re not convinced in or don’t believe in yet.
People forget that the assistant GM at the time you mention was Masai Ujiri. So again, he has a pretty good sense of what took place, and he doesn’t want history to repeat itself again. I think he has a pretty good sense of this roster, and as crazy as it sounds, I think what happened against Washington might end up being a blessing in disguise, because it gives you an even greater understanding that this isn’t a group to build on top of. There are some pieces that are good to keep, and there are some pieces that could potentially be hazardous for you.
I think it’s been a great two year run. It’s been a lot of fun. Yes, it was disappointing getting swept by Washington, but when you look at the totality of the two years, it’s time now, based on what you learned from that, to go in a different direction. Does it have to be dramatic? No. But I think you’re going to have a different team next year.
I think the approach taken was the right approach. You don’t want to start building on a foundation that you’re not convinced in or don’t believe in yet.
People forget that the assistant GM at the time you mention was Masai Ujiri. So again, he has a pretty good sense of what took place, and he doesn’t want history to repeat itself again. I think he has a pretty good sense of this roster, and as crazy as it sounds, I think what happened against Washington might end up being a blessing in disguise, because it gives you an even greater understanding that this isn’t a group to build on top of. There are some pieces that are good to keep, and there are some pieces that could potentially be hazardous for you.
I think it’s been a great two year run. It’s been a lot of fun. Yes, it was disappointing getting swept by Washington, but when you look at the totality of the two years, it’s time now, based on what you learned from that, to go in a different direction. Does it have to be dramatic? No. But I think you’re going to have a different team next year.
Kiyan: Where are the Raptors in the rebuild process now? Does the playoff sweep mean the Raptors have relapsed further into a rebuild, and does having the all-star game in Toronto next year force Masai to build a good team for next season?
Jack: That’s an interesting question, that I don’t know the answer to. I think the benefit that Masai has is that they’re in the Atlantic Division. So whatever they do, they can still maintain a relatively competitive standing in the division that they’re in.
I’ll say this: Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are in the primes of their career. This is not a young team. I don’t buy into that whatsoever. Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross are going into their fourth year, they’re the only two guys that are young and even play.
These guys (Lowry and DeMar) are in the prime of their career, I can’t see a rebuild with those two guys. DeMar DeRozan has lost enough in his career, he wants to keep going.
Bottom line is – and I think I’ve said this enough times and I firmly believe it – they need a starting small forward, and they need a starting power forward.
Jack: That’s an interesting question, that I don’t know the answer to. I think the benefit that Masai has is that they’re in the Atlantic Division. So whatever they do, they can still maintain a relatively competitive standing in the division that they’re in.
I’ll say this: Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are in the primes of their career. This is not a young team. I don’t buy into that whatsoever. Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross are going into their fourth year, they’re the only two guys that are young and even play.
These guys (Lowry and DeMar) are in the prime of their career, I can’t see a rebuild with those two guys. DeMar DeRozan has lost enough in his career, he wants to keep going.
Bottom line is – and I think I’ve said this enough times and I firmly believe it – they need a starting small forward, and they need a starting power forward.
One of DeRozan or Lowry seems inevitable to be traded. How else do you improve or add the pieces to allow improvement through growth and/or free agency?
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/...ack-armstrong/
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