Raps @ Knicks

[Zainab]

[DogeLover1234]

Its amazing to me how the NBA media and fans over react to the short term so often. There is a difference between not playing well and not being good anymore.

In regards to the trade, I think Gasol still has plenty left. Sure hes past his peak, but in a lesser role with significantly better surrounding players he will look good. To me its a good buy low for short term help. Yes JV played really well this year and will be missed, but the ceiling is higher now and when you want a championship thats what you need.

[Zainab]

Three of the greatest Raptors ever ... and some other guys. pic.twitter.com/7mPHezvF9q

— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 8, 2019

[BadDinosaur]

Yeah, but if we win or at least give a good fight to the Warriors in the Finals, everybody will agree that it was the right choice to go and try. Maybe we would lose our roster, but our franchise would get to keep its credibility. If we fail in the 2nd round... we'll be laughed at for the next decade...

[Hotshot]

If Gasol doesn't work out and it also messes up Ibaka off the bench and we get kicked in the 2nd round... man, Paul Pierce and all those other guys will AGAIN say "told you so"... Il'be so pissed and there would be no other choice than quit beeing a fan of this team until the rebuild is done within 3, 5 or 10 years... after so many told you so's from the likes of Pierce, I couldn't handle watching this team going through a rebuild, tanking and shit... we'd be back to the laughing stock that we've always been.

This season, there is so much on the line. Basically, all of our credibility we've been working on over the last 5 or 7 years would be destroyed overnight if we lose in the 2nd round.

Let that prospect sink in...

The rebuild is already happening, losing in the 2nd round will just accelerate it to this summer rather than the next.

[BadDinosaur]

If Gasol doesn't work out and it also messes up Ibaka off the bench and we get kicked in the 2nd round... man, Paul Pierce and all those other guys will AGAIN say "told you so"... Il'be so pissed and there would be no other choice than quit beeing a fan of this team until the rebuild is done within 3, 5 or 10 years... after so many told you so's from the likes of Pierce, I couldn't handle watching this team going through a rebuild, tanking and shit... we'd be back to the laughing stock that we've always been.

This season, there is so much on the line. Basically, all of our credibility we've been working on over the last 5 or 7 years would be destroyed overnight if we lose in the 2nd round.

Let that prospect sink in...

[Hotshot]

Lol the shameless plug for his and his buddies pod at the end of it is hilaaaaaarious

Reminds me of Colin Cowdung guy, always shits on the Raptors on his podcast.

[JimiCliff]

Raptors are the 4th best team out East to me after the deadline.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Lowry is done there. You can tell he is over it. I don’t think Marc Gasol moves the needle at playoff time given how teams will play. May help against Philly, but not against Boston or Milwaukee with their versatility.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Also, this all is just relative to the rest of the top of the East. Raptors would be the sure fire 2nd best team out West if they played out there.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Raps fans: if you think I’ve got some ulterior motive or am a hater, just listen to @BenGolliver and @andrewsharp’s latest pod after the deadline. It’s all sound reasoning. If they prove us wrong, great! Just my opinion

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Lol the shameless plug for his and his buddies pod at the end of it is hilaaaaaarious

[Yuri Gagarin]

Stats and especially advanced stats cloud things up. We’ve all seen Gasol, JV and Serge enough to know what they got.

[consmap]

Me too but this was a necessary move.

JV took everything in strive & owned up to his mistakes. You can't ask for a better person to be a part of your organization.

Lol i was actually trying to emulate Kawhi's deadpan-ness but I guess it didn't carry over very well through the internet

[Hotshot]

Everybody has opinions and the opinions don't mean much till you can compare them to results. Raptors have 27 games (or so) to make a case one way or another.

Exactly. No need to bury them early on without seeing results. Most reputable analysts thought it was a good deal.

[Puffer]

Who the fock is that guy?!

Another knee jerk reactionist & sensationalist.

Everybody has opinions and the opinions don't mean much till you can compare them to results. Raptors have 27 games (or so) to make a case one way or another.

[A.I]

Raptors are the 4th best team out East to me after the deadline.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Lowry is done there. You can tell he is over it. I don’t think Marc Gasol moves the needle at playoff time given how teams will play. May help against Philly, but not against Boston or Milwaukee with their versatility.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Also, this all is just relative to the rest of the top of the East. Raptors would be the sure fire 2nd best team out West if they played out there.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Raps fans: if you think I’ve got some ulterior motive or am a hater, just listen to @BenGolliver and @andrewsharp’s latest pod after the deadline. It’s all sound reasoning. If they prove us wrong, great! Just my opinion

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

[Hotshot]

Raptors are the 4th best team out East to me after the deadline.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Lowry is done there. You can tell he is over it. I don’t think Marc Gasol moves the needle at playoff time given how teams will play. May help against Philly, but not against Boston or Milwaukee with their versatility.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Also, this all is just relative to the rest of the top of the East. Raptors would be the sure fire 2nd best team out West if they played out there.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Raps fans: if you think I’ve got some ulterior motive or am a hater, just listen to @BenGolliver and @andrewsharp’s latest pod after the deadline. It’s all sound reasoning. If they prove us wrong, great! Just my opinion

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 9, 2019

Who the fock is that guy?!

Another knee jerk reactionist & sensationalist.

[inthepaint]

The only reason I brought any of this up is because of a trade piece from Lowe that suggested that the starting unit with Ibaka has been so good (not Ibaka, the lineup with Ibaka) that he questioned what they would do with Gasol.

Well, I don't think anyone here is really questioning that Gasol should start. What's happening is, it looks like Zach Lowe did, and in an effort to counter that point here on this board, you went as far as saying Ibaka hasn't improved significantly from last season, and that the starters haven't been very effective with him anyway (for reasons beyond/more significant than injuries). I think that's where you're seeing the disagreement from several posters.

Gasol should start at C because he is the better C, regardless of how much Ibaka has improved and how well the team has done with or without Serge. I don't think anyone here is questioning that. But that doesn't negate the fact the Ibaka is having an excellent season as C (compared to last year), and that the starters have done well (albeit not perfect) with him there, the main problem being injuries (especially to Lowry, that Serge benefits so much from when he's on the floor and doing well)