Everything Pascal Siakam

[DanH]

Pacers already had the highest team ORTG in NBA history. Not sure how much higher they can go with Pascal… there’s only 1 ball. They might’ve just needed a low USG 3&D.

I think the concern was more about the playoffs than upping their regular season offence. When the game slows down, actions with him and Hali should yield real rim pressure and good looks for their shooters, looks that might not be there for very much of a 7 game series otherwise.

[Jclaw]

The new plan worked!

[planetmars]

Was it Blake or Shams that said Raptors could have gotten a prospect in the summer, but there wouldn't be 3 picks, maybe 1 or 2. Brown also wouldn't be in the deal since he hasn't signed there yet.

We'll never truly know. They definitely could have traded him earlier, but I'm okay with the return they got back considering he was an expiring contract.

It was Blake after the press conference. He was mentioning he had a source saying we could have netted a Pacer young prospect if we made the trade in the summer. But yes, likely 1 less pick, and no Brown as they did not have him. Likely would have absorbed most of Pascal's contact into cap space (they used about $20M to just sign Brown). That would have created a pretty large TPE.

But yeah I mean I think I would have preferred one of those prospects over a pick. Ultimately depends on that prospect. But a Wallace or Mathurin or even Nembhard would IMO be better than another pick.

The question then would be if we would have kept OG or traded him too.. and were IQ/RJ available then or not? The uncertainty of the picks is still there for me. We could hit a couple of home runs or ground out into a double plays.

The Lowry trade was fairly exciting at first.. but now with Koloko's tragic situation, and Precious being a bust.. we really got nothing out of that deal in hindsight.

[planetmars]

Just caught the first quarter and PVR'd the rest. Pascal was spinning around and getting buckets early. Hit a corner 3. He looked pretty good. Had a couple of early fouls and had to sit. He did look like he had more room to operate as defenders were glued to 3pt shooters. But I guess their defense still needs work, and Pascal wasn't a great defender for us the past couple of seasons. I don't know if that continues in Indiana. I guess we'll have to see.

Box score shows that Grant had a hell of a game, but Pascal was a +17. So likely not the reason that happened.

[saints91]

The question then would be if we would have kept OG or traded him too.. and were IQ/RJ available then or not? The uncertainty of the picks is still there for me. We could hit a couple of home runs or ground out into a double plays.

As we’re all aware the picks are more than just a potential player coming in, they can also be moved for an established player. Or paired with a player on your roster for an upgrade. So when we are looking at draft picks it’s not just “well it’s a crap shoot you never know if that guy is going to pan out”, we have a ton of options with those 3 picks and possibly 4 (with a Brown trade) and an almost first (31 or 32nd pick). Masai already mentioned they won’t be using all of those to draft.

[planetmars]

As we’re all aware the picks are more than just a potential player coming in, they can also be moved for an established player. Or paired with a player on your roster for an upgrade. So when we are looking at draft picks it’s not just “well it’s a crap shoot you never know if that guy is going to pan out”, we have a ton of options with those 3 picks and possibly 4 (with a Brown trade) and an almost first (31 or 32nd pick). Masai already mentioned they won’t be using all of those to draft.

Yeah I know.. I just want to know what that next transaction will be so we can properly evaluate the trade. If we get a couple of more role players that don't pan out, even if they are prospects.. it will frankly suck.

Like I said above the Lowry trade netted us a large expiring contract in Goran and an interesting prospect in Precious. That went nowhere ultimately.

[golden]

Yeah I know.. I just want to know what that next transaction will be so we can properly evaluate the trade. If we get a couple of more role players that don't pan out, even if they are prospects.. it will frankly suck.

Like I said above the Lowry trade netted us a large expiring contract in Goran and an interesting prospect in Precious. That went nowhere ultimately.

Precious got us IQ. Flynn & OG got us Barrett.

[saints91]

Like I said above the Lowry trade netted us a large expiring contract in Goran and an interesting prospect in Precious. That went nowhere ultimately.

Ya that ended up being a mess, all for helping Lowry to get where he wanted. I think Masai worst trades have been with the two best franchises, Miami and the Spurs have owned us. The Dragic for Thad trade was brutal, especially with Koloko’s health issues (*fingers crossed* he get’s past all this)… but that can’t be foreseen. But that trade was not all that great in the first place.

[planetmars]

Ya that ended up being a mess, all for helping Lowry to get where he wanted. I think Masai worst trades have been with the two best franchises, Miami and the Spurs have owned us. The Dragic for Thad trade was brutal, especially with Koloko’s health issues (*fingers crossed* he get’s past all this)… but that can’t be foreseen. But that trade was not all that great in the first place.

Actually the trade was fine. The aftermath was bad. We didn't develop Precious or should have moved quicker off of him. But the Thad trade was garbage, and that had nothing to do with the original Lowry trade.

I mean we had a chance to flip Goran for Porzingis. That deal was there and we rejected it for tax purposes. We would have been better of just letting Goran expire so we have something to work with in free agency (like, you know get a center or another shooter/guard to backup Fred properly). But again we wanted to make that Thad trade to save money.

That Thad trade lead to the downfall of the #WeTheNorth era.

[saints91]

Swings and misses are made, they don’t all work out. We’re not in a bad place… we have a franchise player and two young high end starters, a few good role players, and a ton of flexibility. Maybe we held on to guys too long, but ultimately we are in a better position than a lot of franchises out there.

[saints91]

Let’s not overlook the fact the IQ noticed the family culture of the Raptors… that speaks volumes… the narrative around the one lone Canadian franchise is changing. I don’t think we’ll ever compete with the L.A.‘a, or Miami’s, but I don’t think we’re where we were 10 years ago. Masai has incrementally changed to the perception of Toronto.

[golden]

Actually the trade was fine. The aftermath was bad. We didn't develop Precious or should have moved quicker off of him. But the Thad trade was garbage, and that had nothing to do with the original Lowry trade.

I mean we had a chance to flip Goran for Porzingis. That deal was there and we rejected it for tax purposes. We would have been better of just letting Goran expire so we have something to work with in free agency (like, you know get a center or another shooter/guard to backup Fred properly). But again we wanted to make that Thad trade to save money.

That Thad trade lead to the downfall of the #WeTheNorth era.

And we did the Thad trade because Nurse was playing our starters 40+ MPG to grind out fools gold wins and Masai felt he needed to “reward them” by giving them bench help. Ok sure… but washed Thad is your answer?

No, it was more about the tax and finding a willing partner to eat Dragic’ salary for the rest of the season instead of waiving him. Greedy MLSE ownership.

[planetmars]

And we did the Thad trade because Nurse was playing our starters 40+ MPG to grind out fools gold wins and Masai felt he needed to “reward them” by giving them bench help. Ok sure… but washed Thad is your answer?

No, it was more about the tax and finding a willing partner to eat Dragic’ salary for the rest of the season instead of waiving him. Greedy MLSE ownership.

Yup, 100%. That Thad trade allowed us to get under the tax that season. That was their #1 goal. Thad the player made no sense. Veteran leadership for the bench? Really? That premise was a joke. They wanted a contract that was basically expiring but cheaper than Goran's. They didn't really give the team help. They just wanted to save money. And worked with a team that had cap space, and an expiring contract they could send out as well.

[saints91]

Yup, 100%. That Thad trade allowed us to get under the tax that season. That was their #1 goal. Thad the player made no sense. Veteran leadership for the bench? Really? That premise was a joke. They wanted a contract that was basically expiring but cheaper than Goran's. They didn't really give the team help. They just wanted to save money. And worked with a team that had cap space, and an expiring contract they could send out as well.

All to help Lowry get to Miami.

[G____Deane]

Let’s not overlook the fact the IQ noticed the family culture of the Raptors… that speaks volumes… the narrative around the one lone Canadian franchise is changing. I don’t think we’ll ever compete with the L.A.‘a, or Miami’s, but I don’t think we’re where we were 10 years ago. Masai has incrementally changed to the perception of Toronto.

I honesty don't see any evidence that it's delivered a material benefit today any more than the rep we had in the Lowry/DD era. The incremental change has done what exactly?

Raptors are known as a nice franchise in a clean city with well mannered fans and management who will help get you to a preferred destination if/when you want out and tear up while doing it.

Great .....