Article: Ujiri Resting Heavily On Maintaining The Status Quo

[golden]

You could have written the similar type of article about Daryl Morey after his first 2 seasons. Morey was hired in 2006 (and became GM in 2007), and didn't land James Harden until 2012. But Morey wasn't sitting on his hands: he was accumulating assets, picks and developing young players in the D-League and waiting in the weeds for a potential all-NBA player to become available. (side note: I guess the Raps getting that D-League franchise was also status quo?)

And that's the important point here: all-NBA talent isn't available every season, so you can't just "make a bold move" for the sake of making a bold move. That's classic Colangelo-esque. You need your assets + external opportunity to line up at the same time. If both those things don't ...... then you just wait and don't just blow your wad for no good reason. MU is just beginning to stock the shelves with assets and waiting for that opportunity. Oh, and in the meantime, we're winning.

So, if you use Daryl Morey as the benchmark, then MU has at least 2 more years before we can judge how successful he is/has been.

[Lark Benson]

I think the article's argument is dead on and the fact that it's touched a nerve just demonstrates the hyper-sensitivity of the fan base.

All the article does is point out the obvious: that Ujiri hasn't shaken things up since the Gay trade. The team's success since the trade has been found money that Ujiri didn't want to fuck with, the team overachieved last year, and it's possible that they're in for a sustained period of good-but-not-great play if there's neither a jump in development or an upgrade to the core.

The problem is that Raptors fans probably skipped right over the bit where Chisholm states that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the approach as long as it eventually yields positive improvement instead of tinkering with the fringe around a flawed core. He even states:

"I’m not sure if it’s meaningfully better than the one he fielded last year, and if I’m right I wonder if we’re on the verge of seeing the first cracks in Ujiri’s longstanding tradition of maintaining the status quo."

He's not even definitively stating that Ujiri has made a mistake or done a bad job, just wondering if Ujiri is one DD extension away from being trapped. It's a valid question, and anyone who dismisses it outright is just burying their head in the sand.

[raptors999]

MU has played everything safe, especially not changing coaches. He is essentially making sure he can't get blamed for at least another season since the scapegoat hasn't been scaped yet

[DanH]

So, if you use Daryl Morey as the benchmark, then MU has at least 2 more years before we can judge how successful he is/has been.

Very conveniently the two years in which the Raptors are set up to have max cap space BOTH summers (with a little massaging) and during which Kevin Durant is a free agent.

[raptors999]

Very conveniently the two years in which the Raptors are set up to have max cap space BOTH summers (with a little massaging) and during which Kevin Durant is a free agent.

But MU did ensure that the Raptors cap situation allows at least a feasible try at KD or Horford without hurting the team. Think the MU Love is out of hand. The NYK/Den pick was just sheer luck

[Uncle_Si]

"Ujiri Resting Heavily On Maintaining The Status Quo"

The status quo for the franchise was, before Ujiri, losing. Since he's been here, it's been winning. He hasn't maintained the status quo.

Not to mention, there's been a pretty significant turnover of the roster...

[Uncle_Si]

But MU did ensure that the Raptors cap situation allows at least a feasible try at KD or Horford without hurting the team. Think the MU Love is out of hand. The NYK/Den pick was just sheer luck

Luck because they're bad and it looks like a lotto. But he still got a first round pick for Bargnani. Who here would have been mad if it was in the 20-30 range? Who'd say, "man, Masai got hosed!"

[mcHAPPY]

I think the article's argument is dead on and the fact that it's touched a nerve just demonstrates the hyper-sensitivity of the fan base.

All the article does is point out the obvious: that Ujiri hasn't shaken things up since the Gay trade. The team's success since the trade has been found money that Ujiri didn't want to fuck with, the team overachieved last year, and it's possible that they're in for a sustained period of good-but-not-great play if there's neither a jump in development or an upgrade to the core.

The problem is that Raptors fans probably skipped right over the bit where Chisholm states that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the approach as long as it eventually yields positive improvement instead of tinkering with the fringe around a flawed core. He even states:

"I’m not sure if it’s meaningfully better than the one he fielded last year, and if I’m right I wonder if we’re on the verge of seeing the first cracks in Ujiri’s longstanding tradition of maintaining the status quo."

He's not even definitively stating that Ujiri has made a mistake or done a bad job, just wondering if Ujiri is one DD extension away from being trapped. It's a valid question, and anyone who dismisses it outright is just burying their head in the sand.

I disagree the argument is bang on for a number of reasons:

1) Ujiri tried to blow this team up - he was a 2018 Knicks pick and/or a overrule from Dolan away from trading Lowry.

2) He has admitted publicly that the success post Gay trade was luck.

3) He has played the hand he was given thus far. You can't blow up 2013-14 team after 48 win season and losing game 7 on last second play in first round given Raptors franchise history. He brought back all the pieces and added to it.

4) 2014-15 was a let down - no question. Casey should have been fired but who replaces him? What if the guy you want is not available until 2016? What if you can't see a possible coach replacement there for the long term? But I don't think Ujiri has sat on his hands. He recognized Vasquez was no longer a fit and found exceptional value. He let Amir, Lou, and Hansbrough walk. He made a play for Aldridge, struck out and moved on. He signed a player who has shown everything that has been desired from Ross - who happened to be a highly sought after free agent. He signed a legit backup C to replace Hansbrough. He signed a back up PG - who happens to hold a Canadian passport. As I posted in this thread, the roster has certainly changed under Ujiri's guidance.

5) The DLeague team was founded.

6) There is no dead weight on this roster unlike when it was taken over.


His closing paragraph strikes me as the main source of contention, for me:

There is nothing wrong with this summer’s transactions, just like there was little wrong with Ujiri’s transactions in Denver. It’s just that now that we have five years of data on how he likes to run things a broader pattern has begun to emerge. He likes to massage the fringes of his rosters. He’s never hired or fired a head coach. He likes to maintain rather than discontinue. Year three was his most successful in Denver, but it still resulted in a first round exit and we never got to see how he would have handled that disappointment. For an executive that has never liked to overcommit he’s one DeMar DeRozan extension from doing that with this particular Toronto Raptors roster. I’m not sure if it’s meaningfully better than the one he fielded last year, and if I’m right I wonder if we’re on the verge of seeing the first cracks in Ujiri’s longstanding tradition of maintaining the status quo.

He glosses over the 5 years of data is 2 different teams - that matters.
He likes to massage the fringes of his rosters ignores Bargnani and Gay - both major parts of the roster - and also ignores his trades of Nene and acquisition of AI/trading Afflalo.
He ignores that a huge part of that 57 win team went out with a blown knee.
"He likes to maintain" ignores Lowry was nearly a Knick.


So, in my opinion, clearly the basis of his argument is flat out wrong. I believe he is suffering from any or all of the following: short shortsightedness, a lack of patience, and/or a desire to put something out there that is different regardless if factually correct. 2 years is not a long time and A LOT has been done in these 2 short years.

With the roster set up for a max free agent signing, I'd be shocked if status quo is on Ujiri's mind. This article is 10-11 months early in my estimation. IF the Raptors regress or are first round fodder again, IF Casey is resigned to a new contract, and IF DeRozan is signed to an extension then, yeah, there are valid criticisms and many of his points would be accurate.


The team has 4 draft picks over the next 2 years with the ability to sign a max contract in each of the next 2 years. The back end of the roster is filled with promising young talent who most carry with them a giant "?". I think the table has been set and we're about to sit down and enjoy the appetizer. The main course should be served post 2015-16 season.

[McRealistic]

You could have written the similar type of article about Daryl Morey after his first 2 seasons. Morey was hired in 2006 (and became GM in 2007), and didn't land James Harden until 2012. But Morey wasn't sitting on his hands: he was accumulating assets, picks and developing young players in the D-League and waiting in the weeds for a potential all-NBA player to become available. (side note: I guess the Raps getting that D-League franchise was also status quo?)
.

I think the situation might be slightly different. He had McGrady ( Although injured) and his giant contract (2004-2010). He also had Yao Ming ( although injured again) till 2011 !!! So it is kind different.

Award that Houston got for 2007-2008:

Yao Ming, All-NBA Third Team
Tracy McGrady, All-NBA Third Team
Shane Battier, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Luis Scola, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
Carl Landry, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

Awkward that Houston got for 2008-2009:
Dikembe Mutombo, J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
Yao Ming, All-NBA Second Team
Shane Battier, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Ron Artest, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

And then in 2009-2010 season, he decided to blow things up due to all the injuries.

2007-2008 : won 50 game, eliminated in the first round, Yao injured.
2008-2009: made it past the first round.
2009-2010: Did not make the play off and rebuild began.

[McRealistic]

I think this is going to be a great thread to look back after the play offs in 2016

[mcHAPPY]

I think this is going to be a great thread to look back after the play offs in 2016

I disagree.

I think it is going to be a great thread to look at in the 2nd week of July 2016.

Sadly I think 2016 playoffs is likely to be a 3-peat barring significant trade prior to trade deadline.

[JWash]

I disagree.

I think it is going to be a great thread to look at in the 2nd week of July 2016.

Sadly I think 2016 playoffs is likely to be a 3-peat barring significant trade prior to trade deadline.

The 2nd week of July 2016 is after the playoffs.

[raptors999]

Luck because they're bad and it looks like a lotto. But he still got a first round pick for Bargnani. Who here would have been mad if it was in the 20-30 range? Who'd say, "man, Masai got hosed!"

Luck because both are looking like bottom 5 teams. Nobody thought both would be this bad

A pick in the 20-30 range isn't that great. Still think Bargs value was destroyed in Toronto. He had stretches where he looked good. If a team is constantly trading or dumping players that fans hate, Anderson, Salmons, Bargs, Gay, GV, Lou and possibly Demar or Lowry maybe the problem isn't the players

[mcHAPPY]

Luck because both are looking like bottom 5 teams. Nobody thought both would be this bad

A pick in the 20-30 range isn't that great. Still think Bargs value was destroyed in Toronto. He had stretches where he looked good. If a team is constantly trading or dumping players that fans hate, Anderson, Salmons, Bargs, Gay, GV, Lou and possibly Demar or Lowry maybe the problem isn't the players

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

[raptors999]

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Tbh Knicks might have thrown in the first just to dump contracts. Raptors took Richardson, Novak and Camby and only Novak even played and his deal went one year longer than AB