Everything 2018 Off Season

[Other Scott]

I would think other teams might not look at our players as being individually responsible for playoff failures. They would look at how Lowry, Derozan et al would fit into their own situation. Lowry could be the veteran and still solid point guard to help a young team to the playoffs....or be a very capable backup for a championship calibre team. Derozan could be the secondary scorer beside a superstar. I'm sure JV would be very useful for a lot of teams. Only Ibaka and Miles seem thoroughly unattractive.

Derozan's latest dark comments are quite disturbing. I've talked about this a few times this year but I think people underestimate the effect Demar's depression issues might have had on his season. I thought he was looking very, very good early on (even better defence) but there was a real decline after his family break-up, parent's illnesses and his open discussion of his mood problem. If his situation isn't better (and it could be real psychiatric illness) next year his value to us or another team will be in question.

That's the problematic part of calling the Raptors core "mentally weak". Derozan was dealing with a lot mentally in that Cleveland series: depression, a very sick father, a missed tip in Game 1, the pressure of everyone looking at him as being never good enough to beat a team like Cleveland. He absolutely collapsed mentally in that series.

"You gotta toughen up, man" is not the way to deal with this - it's not the correct response. I hope that Derozan gets good psychological help this offseason. It may be when he doesn't have the pressure of a sick father and when he doesn't have the pressure of the way that Lebron has purposely forced the Raptors into a mental shell that he'll be the All-Pro offensive player through every series of the playoffs and we can see the regular season Raptors. But it's all guesswork from me at this point, every year he's come back stronger, hopefully he hasn't just pushed that little bit too hard at this point and snapped himself.

[rocwell]

[S.R.]

Just gonna put this in the Offseason thread:

Every NBA Finals since 1999 has had either Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, LeBron

— Ry (@JustRyCole) May 28, 2018

[MixxAOR]

Just gonna put this in the Offseason thread:

Every NBA Finals since 1999 has had either Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, LeBron

— Ry (@JustRyCole) May 28, 2018

hmmm 3 of those were number 1 picks. Just saying

[LJ2]

hmmm 3 of those were number 1 picks. Just saying

So what you're saying is there's a chance we don't have to tank, LOL.

[golden]

hmmm 3 of those were number 1 picks. Just saying

Every NBA Finals since 1999 has not had either Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Andre Bargnani, Anthony Bennett. Just sayin'

[MixxAOR]

Every NBA Finals since 1999 has not had either Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Andre Bargnani, Anthony Bennett. Just sayin'

This is article from 2015 but since 1980 77% of Number 1 picks become at the very least All-Stars.

https://www.nba.com/magic/gallery/co...all-stars-1980

[planetmars]

This is article from 2015 but since 1980 77% of Number 1 picks become at the very least All-Stars.

https://www.nba.com/magic/gallery/co...all-stars-1980

All-stars can be drafted all through the draft. Heck we had two on our roster and still got swept.

The better chance of success is to have a potential GOAT on your team. Those are much harder to find. Most likely you'll get them at the #1 spot in the draft.. but it will take years to find someone like that.

The next time a "Lebron" or a "Shaq" s coming out of high school or college.. we'll know about it a few years before they are actually available to be drafted. Guys like them are really easy to spot a mile away. That's when you plan a tankathon.

[MixxAOR]

All-stars can be drafted all through the draft. Heck we had two on our roster and still got swept.

The better chance of success is to have a potential GOAT on your team. Those are much harder to find. Most likely you'll get them at the #1 spot in the draft.. but it will take years to find someone like that.

The next time a "Lebron" or a "Shaq" s coming out of high school or college.. we'll know about it a few years before they are actually available to be drafted. Guys like them are really easy to spot a mile away. That's when you plan a tankathon.

That's true. It's hard to land one of the great. So I guess Raps will just keep doing whatever this is.

[LJ2]

Is there a site where I can find out the defensive ratings for specific players?

[DanH]

Is there a site where I can find out the defensive ratings for specific players?

Depends what you mean by defensive rating. On-court DRTG (team points allowed rate while player is on the floor) can be found at NBA.com. Individual defensive efficiency (effectively a combination of on-court DRTG and "stop rate" in individual matchups) is at basketball reference. They also have DBPM, an adjusted plus minus metric split into offensive and defensive portions. ESPN has DRPM (same idea, different execution).

[LJ2]

Depends what you mean by defensive rating. On-court DRTG (team points allowed rate while player is on the floor) can be found at NBA.com. Individual defensive efficiency (effectively a combination of on-court DRTG and "stop rate" in individual matchups) is at basketball reference. They also have DBPM, an adjusted plus minus metric split into offensive and defensive portions. ESPN has DRPM (same idea, different execution).

Thanks, I will check them out.

[golden]

This is article from 2015 but since 1980 77% of Number 1 picks become at the very least All-Stars.

https://www.nba.com/magic/gallery/co...all-stars-1980

Sure, not arguing that at all. But even with your previous example: (1) Kobe wasn't 1st overall and he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. (2) Shaq was drafted by the Orlando Magic. (3) Lebron was acquired by the Heat via free agency, and then returned to Cleveland the same way. Only Duncan won a chip with the team that drafted him 1st overall - and even then, it was a fluke because Robinson got injured the year before.

Seem like a better option to acquire the future superstar is to find a way to dupe another GM via trade. If you're implying we should tank, then there are multiple ways to get that superstar. If we want to trade our way into the draft, that might be a better option, but if we're blowing our best trade chip (DeMar), then you've got to be 100% sure you're getting the future superstar.

[LJ2]

The more I think about what Masai may do to improve this team for next season, the more I think DeMar will get traded. Masai tends to draft, trade for or sign defensive minded players or players with a defensive edge to them. DeMar is the one player on the roster that contradicts that mould.

At first was thinking maybe a sign and trade with Denver for Will Barton, their first round pick and another player, but looks like Barton isn't particularly a good defender either. S&T with Clips for Avery Bradley maybe?

[Shaolin Fantastic]

Sure, not arguing that at all. But even with your previous example: (1) Kobe wasn't 1st overall and he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. (2) Shaq was drafted by the Orlando Magic. (3) Lebron was acquired by the Heat via free agency, and then returned to Cleveland the same way. Only Duncan won a chip with the team that drafted him 1st overall - and even then, it was a fluke because Robinson got injured the year before.

Seem like a better option to acquire the future superstar is to find a way to dupe another GM via trade. If you're implying we should tank, then there are multiple ways to get that superstar. If we want to trade our way into the draft, that might be a better option, but if we're blowing our best trade chip (DeMar), then you've got to be 100% sure you're getting the future superstar.

No it's not. It would be great to pull this off but the draft is more reliable.

Almost all of the past champions have had a superstar who they drafted.

Warriors - Curry
Spurs - Duncan, Kawhi
Heat - Wade
Boston - Pierce
Mavericks - Dirk
Lakers - Kobe
Bulls - Jordan
Rockets - Hakeem
Pistons - Isaiah Thomas
Lakers - Magic, Worthy
Celtics - Bird, McHale

The only exceptions since 1980 are the 2004 Pistons and I suppose the Cavs since they technically signed LeBron back after having drafted him previously. Although they had Kyrie (who they did draft but I wouldn't call a superstar really).