2018-19 Trade Rumours and Discussion - Deadline February 7th 2019

[A.I]

He didn't include Ibaka either.

The Raptors also have to sign a few more players.

[Mitchell Duong]

Depth dont matter in playoffs, the negative Nellie's arent allowed to flip the argument now.

He didn't include Ibaka either.

[Mitchell Duong]

Can Masai claim Ellington? I hope he does that.

[KeonClark]

Now compare the bench:

Brown
Rozier
Smart
Morris
Baynes

vs

OG
Powell
Vleet
McCaw

Depth dont matter in playoffs, the negative Nellie's arent allowed to flip the argument now.

[Raptor Jesus]

jonas valanciunas, terrence ross and demar derozan became marc gasol, serge ibaka, danny green and kawhi leonard. im good with that.

— William Lou (@william_lou) February 7, 2019

Lou with that science baby!

[The Great One]

Remember when celtics were "stacked"

Kawhi >>>> Irving
Tatum > siakam
Lowry >> Hayward
Gasol > Horford

Now compare the bench:

Brown
Rozier
Smart
Morris
Baynes

vs

OG
Powell
Vleet
McCaw

[JawsGT]

I think i'd take al over marc, and the celts are still a huge problem for this team. They are stacked, as is MIL. I gotta see how this gasol experiment works out before i crown the raps as favourites.

[Zainab]

lest we forget

THE RAPTORS CAME A LONG WAY FROM THIS BULLSHIT, God bless Masai for real pic.twitter.com/gSKDzWI0Jv

— the boy�� (@SlickisLife) February 7, 2019

[RandomGuy]

Good luck Moose on RR Facebook page? Did I miss something?

[Mitchell Duong]

Don't like that JV-Gasol trade. At Gasol's age, It's a sideways deal for this season and a bad one after that.

Here a list of reasons this trade isn't good in my eyes :

So you're saying Boston is going to the finals?

Also, Masai won't get fired if they don't win it all, and even if Kawhi re-signs there was going to be a mini-rebuild as Lowry and Ibaka are at the end of the line.

[KeonClark]

Bucks, Raptors, Celtics, Sixers is going to be an absolute battle to make it to the NBA Finals.

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 7, 2019

Remember when celtics were "stacked"

Kawhi >>>> Irving
Tatum > siakam
Lowry >> Hayward
Gasol > Horford

[JimiCliff]

And in the unthinkable event Masai did get fired, James Dolan would have a fleet of Brinks truck backing up in his garage. Assuming the UN or some important position with a higher purpose than basketball doesn't snap him up first.

I don't think he'll take another front office job after this one - whenever it ends. I don't think the emotional toll is worth it to him.

[Zainab]

Bucks, Raptors, Celtics, Sixers is going to be an absolute battle to make it to the NBA Finals.

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 7, 2019

[Puffer]

Don't like that JV-Gasol trade. At Gasol's age, It's a sideways deal for this season and a bad one after that.

Here a list of reasons this trade isn't good in my eyes :

1) Last time a team that acquired a meaningful rotation player at the trade deadline went on to win the championship was in 2005, when Spurs acquired Nazr Mohammed.
Over the last 30 years only 4 teams with deadline acquisitions have won a ring that same year. Biggest star of those 4 times was Clyde Drexler in 95 at age 32 when he, Olajuwon and the Rockets went on to win in the Finals against Orlando.
In general, mid-season trades are not productive when it comes to winning big.

2) Chemistry/familiarity issues and little time. Who starts? Ibaka? Marc? Is either one gonna be happy coming off the bench? We got very little time to figure those things out and the fit between the 2 isn't obvious. On top of that, I see more similarities in both than I see complementary skills. At this age, Gasol is the same pick&pop guy that Ibaka is. How do they occupy different spaces on offense OR defense? What does Gasol bring that Ibaka doesn't, apart from maybe passing? Is there too much redunduncy?

3) Health issues. Gasol was having a lot of injuries this season and last. While he's been mostly playing through those, his game is steadily declining on both ends. His efficiency this season is below average to that of an average guard and pretty bad for a big. If he were to go down for a 10 game stretch with that little time till playoffs, building some type of chemistry before playoffs would be impossible. Heavy risk there.

4) Really better option than JV? For all the reasons mentioned above, you really have to wonder wether Gasol is the better option for THIS SEASON. Production wise it is questionable and chemistry/familiarity wise it is doubtful. Add his declining health that comes with his age and this becomes more than a shaky move.

5) All that comes after this season. If Raptors win it all this year, then all of it, the Kawhi and now this Gasol move will have been great moves and after that the flood can come. But. If we don't win it all, we'll be left basically with Siakam. Kawhi bolts, nobody will be interested in Gasol at 35, the same for Lowry. we'll be stuck with them and we'll be stuck in mediocrity or be heavily rebuilding with no young building blocks and nothing to trade besides Siakam.

It's an All-in by Masai. Either he'll be the hero by July or he'll be fired by then. We'll see. As for me though, I don't like this trade. I don't see much upside and I see more problems than positives with it.

Gail recovers more quickly than anticipated, because the low quality of opponents coming up, and that all star break give him valuable rest time. He and Lowry click. Old teammates. Kawhi and he have chemistry, because of playing style and mutual respect. The team makes it to the finals and is defeated in 6.

Gasol says to Kawhi, how about one more year. Kawhi signs for the five year max, with the understanding from Masai that when he says "I want out" he gets traded. They have another successful season, with Gasol getting the superior rest and treatment the Raptors staff can provide. Once again they make it to the finals, with the young all star Siakim working effectively with Kawhi, Gasol playing with renewed energy, and a resurgent Powell all being beasts. Gail retires a Raptor, but in the off season A D approaches Masai. Impressed with how serious the Raptors have shown themselves to be, and eager to play with Kawhi and Siakim, Davis signs a max deal. Raptors defeat a depleted and tired Golden State team suffering from serious injuries to two of their players in five games.

[Zainab]

jonas valanciunas, terrence ross and demar derozan became marc gasol, serge ibaka, danny green and kawhi leonard. im good with that.

— William Lou (@william_lou) February 7, 2019

omg. beautyyyyyyy