The 2016 Offseason thread

[c-troop]

Nevermind the serious hole in the logic that suggests that one game against one opponent should tell you anything about where a team is heading.

I bet if the Raptors lose the first game of the season people will use that one game to try and determine the path of the whole damn season. At least I said Cleveland, which will also be an awesome game for so many other reasons other than a benchmark.
Biyombo vs. LeBron happened, there is video evidence. It will be interesting to see if his lack of presence makes any significant difference in my opinion.

[MixxAOR]

Haha. I know the boys will show up and do their thing, c'mon we got Lowry and DeRozan
The only reason I said "Biyombo" specifically, is because his absence is the only major difference between what we had and what we currently have. And if it is hard to tell that he is missing that will be a good sign for the rest of the year. But if it's obvious that something is significantly different, you'll know where to look.

4 games we lost we got blown fuck out. I dont see the point. Healthy Carroll? Healthy JV? Shit! healthy Lowry elbow? Then i see it.

[Triplethreat89]

In what way do you see Cojo filling Lowry's absence, exactly? Did you watch any games last year?!

I am not arguing that Cojo is better player than Lowry by any means, but here are examples of how high Cojo's basketball IQ appears to me at least. Lowry definitely is a better scorer than Cojo, but I assume that Cojo is better defender than Lowry.
Cojo also has higher FG% than Lowry though, although this doesn't relaly say much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXjUPOfe7M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKkoA1fQcwM

[DanH]

I bet if the Raptors lose the first game of the season people will use that one game to try and determine the path of the whole damn season. At least I said Cleveland, which will also be an awesome game for so many other reasons other than a benchmark.
Biyombo vs. LeBron happened, there is video evidence. It will be interesting to see if his lack of presence makes any significant difference in my opinion.

Biyombo was there for all the blowout losses in the playoffs and the blowout 22 point loss in the regular season, as well as the wins. What is one more game going to tell you? If we get blown out by 22 is it because of Biyombo not being there or for the reasons we got blown out when Biyombo was here? If we win, will it be because Biyombo isn't there or for the reasons we won this season?

[DanH]

I am not arguing that Cojo is better player than Lowry by any means, but here are examples of how high Cojo's basketball IQ appears to me at least. Lowry definitely is a better scorer than Cojo, but I assume that Cojo is better defender than Lowry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXjUPOfe7M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKkoA1fQcwM

By almost any measure, Lowry is superior to CoJo. Scoring, playmaking, defending. Cory is a great defender, but keep in mind Lowry, although less effective in one-on-one defence, is a big driver of team defence.

[c-troop]

4 games we lost we got blown fuck out. I dont see the point. Healthy Carroll? Healthy JV? Shit! healthy Lowry elbow? Then i see it.

No disputing that a healthy club will equal more wins. But I still believe the first game against Cleveland will be a great benchmark and an exciting game.
Correct me if I'm spewing garbage nonsense.

[Barolt]

I bet if the Raptors lose the first game of the season people will use that one game to try and determine the path of the whole damn season. At least I said Cleveland, which will also be an awesome game for so many other reasons other than a benchmark.
Biyombo vs. LeBron happened, there is video evidence. It will be interesting to see if his lack of presence makes any significant difference in my opinion.

Why are people acting like that Cleveland series was a barometer? We got our asses kicked.

Biyombo guarded LeBron? LeBron had a +34 net rating and a 66.5% true shooting in that series.

[c-troop]

Biyombo was there for all the blowout losses in the playoffs and the blowout 22 point loss in the regular season, as well as the wins. What is one more game going to tell you? If we get blown out by 22 is it because of Biyombo not being there or for the reasons we got blown out when Biyombo was here? If we win, will it be because Biyombo isn't there or for the reasons we won this season?

That's a great point. I'm happy to see that you hate losing as much as I do. I already said I think we need another star player. If we get blown out again I'll say we need another star player.

[Mess]

Why are people acting like that Cleveland series was a barometer? We got our asses kicked.

Biyombo guarded LeBron? LeBron had a +34 net rating and a 66.5% true shooting in that series.

All it takes is 4-5 memorable plays in high pressure playoff basketball and you don't need to back up any claims with stats cause you've got feelings. Hey, they're valid too. But the emotional response to some memories tend to strong arm any critical reasoning.

[c-troop]

Why are people acting like that Cleveland series was a barometer? We got our asses kicked.

Biyombo guarded LeBron? LeBron had a +34 net rating and a 66.5% true shooting in that series.

Haha, I've been saying trade Lowry for another star and then sign a star PG for a minute now. As soon as I talk about using our current team against some competition everyone starts bringing up last years roster getting blown out of the water against what should be our only barometer in terms of a successful season.

Got some pretty indecisive opinions around here. People are already getting too comfortable just "making the playoffs".
I guess thats cool too.

[Miekenstien]

Why are people acting like that Cleveland series was a barometer? We got our asses kicked.

Biyombo guarded LeBron? LeBron had a +34 net rating and a 66.5% true shooting in that series.

All it takes is 4-5 memorable plays in high pressure playoff basketball and you don't need to back up any claims with stats cause you've got feelings. Hey, they're valid too. But the emotional response to some memories tend to strong arm any critical reasoning.

we should measure ourselves against the teams we beat already? why wouldn't the barometer be the team that stopped us? who else? the 6ers? warriors? if we do okc, i would say we are ahead of them now, so there is only two other teams ahead of us.

[Barolt]

Haha, I've been saying trade Lowry for another star and then sign a star PG for a minute now. As soon as I talk about using our current team against some competition everyone starts bringing up last years roster getting blown out of the water against what should be our only barometer in terms of a successful season.

Got some pretty indecisive opinions around here. People are already getting too comfortable just "making the playoffs".
I guess thats cool too.

I'm not 'comfortable with just making the playoffs', I just don't see the immediate path to championship contention. In the meantime, we have a young roster with a lot of solid talent. We can keep our window open long-term if we just don't make panic moves, keep the young guys, and keep our window open. Develop JV, he might be able to take the mantle as centerpiece of the organization as Lowry ages.

It's not a perfect plan, but it might be the best one we have.

[c-troop]

All it takes is 4-5 memorable plays in high pressure playoff basketball and you don't need to back up any claims with stats cause you've got feelings. Hey, they're valid too. But the emotional response to some memories tend to strong arm any critical reasoning.

I want whatever your smoking dude. I'm saying we aren't good enough. I never said Biyombo was the end all and be all of basketball and last years team. You wanna pick my argument apart so badly. But you and nobody else here wants to see our team face Cleveland again with our current roster and nobody wants to trade anybody important for a chance to grow long term... The fence is not a bench. Don't sit on it.

[MixxAOR]

I want whatever your smoking dude. I'm saying we aren't good enough. I never said Biyombo was the end all and be all of basketball and last years team. You wanna pick my argument apart so badly. But you and nobody else here wants to see our team face Cleveland again with our current roster and nobody wants to trade anybody important for a chance to grow long term... The fence is not a bench. Don't sit on it.

Yeah thats not what you said at all. What was all that stuff about biyombo vs lebron? And how you want to see raps play cavs without biyombo and use that as measuring tool?

[Barolt]

I keep seeing people thinking we lost this summer. I think they're wrong.

We locked up Terrence Ross for 1/3 of the cost of Harrison Barnes.
JV is getting Mozgov money.

We won this offseason, we just signed the contracts early.