Looking Ahead: 2016 Free Agency

[charlesnba23]

People are talking about KD because we are tired of talking about the average players who really won't make much of a difference in the playoffs. We need a star and until we get one we will be a second round team.

You sure?

[Maury]

You sure?

Yah I'm pretty sure. When you think about it we beating Miami isn't the greatest accomplishment as their third best player is an 80 year old Joe Johnson and they literally don't play a centre. I'm all for this team and will be cheering for them at every step of the way but at the end of the day you need a star to get it done.

[Hotshot]

Yah I'm pretty sure. When you think about it we beating Miami isn't the greatest accomplishment as their third best player is an 80 year old Joe Johnson and they literally don't play a centre. I'm all for this team and will be cheering for them at every step of the way but at the end of the day you need a star to get it done.

I agree, the Raptors are still a tier 2 team and this unfortunately will be evident if they get passed Miami and will face the well rested Cavs.

[Maury]

I agree, the Raptors are still a tier 2 team and this unfortunately will be evident if they get passed Miami and will face the well rested Cavs.

Exactly what I'm saying. I commend them for their efforts, and am proud of them, and will continue to cheer and route for them but I think we all know the harsh reality of this league; you need a star to win it big.

[Hotshot]

Exactly what I'm saying. I commend them for their efforts, and am proud of them, and will continue to cheer and route for them but I think we all know the harsh reality of this league; you need a star to win it big.

Yep, this is why a team like OKC can put away The Spurs in a 7 game series even though they have less wins then the Raptors.

[bigfatbob]

We should go after the following realistic FA if DeRozan is not signed and have him walk or resign him and trade him to a team for a PF.

1) Nicholas Batum - This guy wants to play for the Raptors and is a better shooter and plays well in the playoff, I say sign him to a three year deal and mold him into our starting SG day one.

2) Allen Crabbe - He could be a decent backup SF as he has shown with the Blazers. With this move, Ross is expendable, a possibly sign and trade Ross to Portland for resigned Allen Crabbe and one of their PF

3) Mirza Teletovic - Could be a decent PF down the stretch as he has really improved over the season but he would demand a big pay day in the summer

4) Dwight Powell - A decent backup PF or a stretch 4, young and Canadian, could be our starting PF for years to come given the right coach to coach him.

5) Jordan Hill - If we can't resign Biyombo (ask for more), we take Jordan Hill, a good backup C behind Valanciunas, although he hasn't shown much in the playoff but his a still a decent player

6) Mareese Speights - Play with a championship team with the Warriors, he would ask for more in the summer, I say give him a chance and give him Biyombo's money in the summer, a decent backup C or starting PF the Raptors need.

7) Gerald Henderson - Decent backup SG, Raptors killer, career backup, give him the vet minimum and start Powell.

no to batum. I watched a ton of hornets games this season, and I can tell he is a big diva, always has some sudden excuse for injuries right when he starts to suck (mostly when he plays against good teams), hes streaky and not reliable. Not to mention he is clumsy as hell, always turns the ball over. He is definitely not better than derozan. Trust me grass is not greener in his case. If you thought you hated derozan, you will despise batum, especially since it will take a max contract to bring him here.

I said it earlier, but I want raptors to go after jeremy lin hard. I know he will probably try to aim for a starting pg spot somewhere but he has a ton of potential, and this past season he played mostly as an SG next to kemba. Lin/Lowry would be a deadly combination. I also have a feeling that spurs are going to try and sign him this year.

On top of that, the hornets might not say it but I think they are also pretty desperate to keep lin. He was a bigger reason for the hornets success this season than batum was, though they won't publicly admit it. Im not sure how far they'll go to resign Lin, but I wouldn't be surprised if they try to low ball batum to make it fit. Lin still has some holes in his game but he is really polishing up; Id say at this point, Lin isn't far behind lowry skills wise, and is far ahead of CoJo. He's also smart and has a ton of room for growth, something raptors need alot more of on the team.

There aren't many players out there who can single handedly take down the Cavs, Spurs, Celtics, heat, even us. Most of those types of guys are either all-stars or mvp level players. Sure Lin might be streaky, BUT if we can get him in our arsenal and for below market level we have the option to use him as a nuke on other teams and will be sitting on a gold mine. On top of that he has alot of trade value.

With the circus of kd going on this offseason, we might be able to sign lin with all the confusion and undercut the hornets and other teams in the process. I say go git it Masai!!

[tenforthewin]

Don't want any part of Lin, we got Joseph and Lowry for one more year. Maybe Get Lin in 2017 or 2018. Lin will sign at the most 2 years deal with a team either with the Hornets or maybe the Spurs so we acquire Lin in 18-19 season that is if he doesn't declare retirement since Yao retires at the age of 31-32. No matter what, if DeRozan bolt for another team, we need a scorer until Norman Powell proves otherwise.

[bigfatbob]

Don't want any part of Lin, we got Joseph and Lowry for one more year. Maybe Get Lin in 2017 or 2018. Lin will sign at the most 2 years deal with a team either with the Hornets or maybe the Spurs so we acquire Lin in 18-19 season that is if he doesn't declare retirement since Yao retires at the age of 31-32. No matter what, if DeRozan bolt for another team, we need a scorer until Norman Powell proves otherwise.

Lin might get starting offers the coming season on some bad teams that really need a decent pg. On the other hand, he could also join up with another team on the east as a combo guard off the bench. Lin/john wall combo, lin/drose/butler, lin/paul george/george hill, lin/wade etc etc would be a nightmare situation for the raptors. I think its better to have him on the team than have to go against him, especially if the price is right. Depending on where he signs, it could have an impact on the eastern conference standings in the next season.

[Scraptor]

Well that's probably the end of the KD dream. Just goes to show the value of star power in the NBA that he and Westbrook and a solid but unspectacular supporting cast could take down the Spurs best ever regular-season squad, one that was rested and deep and healthy.

[bigfatbob]

Well that's probably the end of the KD dream. Just goes to show the value of star power in the NBA that he and Westbrook and a solid but unspectacular supporting cast could take down the Spurs best ever regular-season squad, one that was rested and deep and healthy.

the old lineup with duncan is not as good as it used to be, but it has less weaknesses. The LMA/Kwhai leonard lineup just got exposed, hard, still has weaknesses but I think pop will figure it out eventually

[MixxAOR]

Thunder fans say they don't see Thunder front office paying Ibaka too much, they are pretty happy with Steven Adams. So maybe Ibaka is a possibility

[KHD]

Well that's probably the end of the KD dream. Just goes to show the value of star power in the NBA that he and Westbrook and a solid but unspectacular supporting cast could take down the Spurs best ever regular-season squad, one that was rested and deep and healthy.

spurs went full raptor in this series. isolation after isolation.

good D by the thunder but also the spurs old guard finally ran out of gas.

They'll reload this summer though. Kawhi/Aldridge is still a superb combination and they can add more to it. Sad to see Duncan go out like that though.

[Apollo]

Terrence Jones could be Ujiri's steal of FA. He's young, talented, high upside, will come cheap due to being misused and has great mentor in Demarre Carroll. Jones could be starting by all star break. Kyle could really relate to him being a player who also felt he wasn't treated right in Houston; they missed each other by one year in Houston FYI.

[3inthekeon]

Terrence Jones could be Ujiri's steal of FA. He's young, talented, high upside, will come cheap due to being misused and has great mentor in Demarre Carroll. Jones could be starting by all star break. Kyle could really relate to him being a player who also felt he wasn't treated right in Houston; they missed each other by one year in Houston FYI.

Jones is an OK ISO defender unless other teams pass the ball around. Then he becomes clueless, constantly getting lost in no man's land. Similar issues as JJ. Fine and good to believe you can teach IQ, but it rarely happens.

[thead]

Jones is an OK ISO defender unless other teams pass the ball around. Then he becomes clueless, constantly getting lost in no man's land. Similar issues as JJ. Fine and good to believe you can teach IQ, but it rarely happens.

to be fair, HOU has been a bit of a mess and he has been in and out with injury.

Do I want to spend bucks figuring out if we can make him fit? Not necessarily

THAT being said. Is it possible for HOU to trade us Motiejunas in an S&T for Ross?