Which Bigs to keep?

[Multipaul]

I'm not so sure about that. I see Amir as a bench player. Yes they can both start on this team now but the team is 18-48. I'm sure Oakley would start if he came back. Moving forward, Ed definitely has more upside in my opinion. However, a team is more than just a starting lineup. Amir coming off the bench is going to be great in the future. He is going to get his minutes and he is going to be better than most teams reserve big men. His contract, while questionable at first, has paid off. Look around the league at the salaries of big men. There are quite a few getting around the same or more who produce much less. Outside of bigs on rookie deals, I don't think there are many producing what Amir does. The old saying you can't teach height is alive and well in the NBA and has been for years. Personally, Amir seems like a good person/teammate and if Ed is legitimately better than him in time and the Raptors enjoy success in the standings, I don't see him causing a problem coming off the bench for 25 minutes per game or starting 25 minutes per game - either way he is going to play an important role and be well compensated for it.

I'm all for that, if we start Ed and have Amir off the bench. sounds good.

[Brasky]

Ofcourse he's well rounded. He's the best defensive player on the team, rebounds at a good enough clip and does a few things extremely well offensively.

No doubt Ed will be better, and has allstar potential.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

I'm with you on this one. My opinion we are set at the 4 with these two guys.

Keep: ED, Amir, Dorsey, Ajinca. Maybe on Alabi, but if we are taking a contract with the TPE need to send something...
On the fence: Evans and Bargnani. The former is great but brings us nothing in the total build. He is great as a Rodman type for a team that has a couple of stars, we aren't there yet and won't be in the life remaining in his career. As for the latter, I am back and forth all the damn time. His BYC is up (no way BC would have traded him before anyway because of that), so he now can bring back some value, and he has value. At the end of the day he is probably the only piece that can get us a good 1st round pick and a player...at least that we would trade.

The longer i go on this post, the more Evans value decreases.
I know he's a monster rebounder but he's a one dimensional player. Even if he gets 50 rebs in the game, if he cant do putbacks i think he is still a liability. Id take Amir over him.

[mcHAPPY]

I agree. I think the Raps put themselves in a really big dilemma when they drafted Ed. I dont think they foresaw how Amir was going to improve, and now theyre stuck with 2 PFs who pretty much is a mirror image of the other. I think they were thinking Amir was going to start and Ed will back him up but Ed just made huge strides with his play and now, IMO, merits a starting PF spot in a team like the Raptors. Id have Ed start and Amir back him up but its just hard to envision Bargs and Davis or Bargs and Amir side by side. But if you trade Bargs, is Ed capable of scoring 20 pts every night? Yikes. My head is about to explode.

I'm not so sure about that. I see Amir as a bench player. Yes they can both start on this team now but the team is 18-48. I'm sure Oakley would start if he came back. Moving forward, Ed definitely has more upside in my opinion. However, a team is more than just a starting lineup. Amir coming off the bench is going to be great in the future. He is going to get his minutes and he is going to be better than most teams reserve big men. His contract, while questionable at first, has paid off. Look around the league at the salaries of big men. There are quite a few getting around the same or more who produce much less. Outside of bigs on rookie deals, I don't think there are many producing what Amir does. The old saying you can't teach height is alive and well in the NBA and has been for years. Personally, Amir seems like a good person/teammate and if Ed is legitimately better than him in time and the Raptors enjoy success in the standings, I don't see him causing a problem coming off the bench for 25 minutes per game or starting 25 minutes per game - either way he is going to play an important role and be well compensated for it.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

There is no real argument here. The Raps are getting big ban for little buck on their rook. Ed is already surpassing Amir, especially since he is smarter on D and doesnt get in foul trouble. His rebounding, shot blocking, etc are excellent and he is young young young.

Amir has suddenly become a big time trade chip. Too bad he's hurt, he can't be showcased. Based on that I got a hunch he will stick around. Too bad if he supplants Ed, i think big Ed should start. Hell, Demar started since his rookie campaign, and Ed is showing the same flashes of brilliance.

Good point. As of now, the minimum Davis can become anyways is an Amir-type player.
It would be exciting to watch both on the floor, but i dont know how theyll be able to handle Dwight, Duncan, Gasol and Bynum. Yikes.

[Multipaul]

I agree. I think the Raps put themselves in a really big dilemma when they drafted Ed. I dont think they foresaw how Amir was going to improve, and now theyre stuck with 2 PFs who pretty much is a mirror image of the other. I think they were thinking Amir was going to start and Ed will back him up but Ed just made huge strides with his play and now, IMO, merits a starting PF spot in a team like the Raptors. Id have Ed start and Amir back him up but its just hard to envision Bargs and Davis or Bargs and Amir side by side. But if you trade Bargs, is Ed capable of scoring 20 pts every night? Yikes. My head is about to explode.

There is no real argument here. The Raps are getting big ban for little buck on their rook. Ed is already surpassing Amir, especially since he is smarter on D and doesnt get in foul trouble. His rebounding, shot blocking, etc are excellent and he is young young young.

Amir has suddenly become a big time trade chip. Too bad he's hurt, he can't be showcased. Based on that I got a hunch he will stick around. Too bad if he supplants Ed, i think big Ed should start. Hell, Demar started since his rookie campaign, and Ed is showing the same flashes of brilliance.

[Maleko]

Davis can play 30+ minutes, Amir can play high 20s, and whoever eventually replaces Bargs at Centre can take the bulk of the difference. Ideally we'd have 4 throw back bigs in the mold of Davis/Amir and get our scoring from the wings.

I'm with you on this one. My opinion we are set at the 4 with these two guys.

Keep: ED, Amir, Dorsey, Ajinca. Maybe on Alabi, but if we are taking a contract with the TPE need to send something...
On the fence: Evans and Bargnani. The former is great but brings us nothing in the total build. He is great as a Rodman type for a team that has a couple of stars, we aren't there yet and won't be in the life remaining in his career. As for the latter, I am back and forth all the damn time. His BYC is up (no way BC would have traded him before anyway because of that), so he now can bring back some value, and he has value. At the end of the day he is probably the only piece that can get us a good 1st round pick and a player...at least that we would trade.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Anything less than a mid lottery pick or a young rising SF (like a Jeff Green or Paul George) wouldn't be worth trading Amir, considering Amir himself is finally making real improvements and is arguably our best and most well rounded player at the age of 23. His value likely hasn't recovered yet after the ridicule his contract received in the offseason, so we'd be selling low.

I agree. I think the Raps put themselves in a really big dilemma when they drafted Ed. I dont think they foresaw how Amir was going to improve, and now theyre stuck with 2 PFs who pretty much is a mirror image of the other. I think they were thinking Amir was going to start and Ed will back him up but Ed just made huge strides with his play and now, IMO, merits a starting PF spot in a team like the Raptors. Id have Ed start and Amir back him up but its just hard to envision Bargs and Davis or Bargs and Amir side by side. But if you trade Bargs, is Ed capable of scoring 20 pts every night? Yikes. My head is about to explode.

[Multipaul]

Anything less than a mid lottery pick or a young rising SF (like a Jeff Green or Paul George) wouldn't be worth trading Amir, considering Amir himself is finally making real improvements and is arguably our best and most well rounded player at the age of 23. His value likely hasn't recovered yet after the ridicule his contract received in the offseason, so we'd be selling low.

He is good, but well rounded, he is not. Foul prone, inconsistent defense, IQ lapses, no outside game, doesn't take it hard enough to the rim, etc etc etc. These are all things that big ed, in his rookie year, is showing better skill levels at.

[Brasky]

Anything less than a mid lottery pick or a young rising SF (like a Jeff Green or Paul George) wouldn't be worth trading Amir, considering Amir himself is finally making real improvements and is arguably our best and most well rounded player at the age of 23. His value likely hasn't recovered yet after the ridicule his contract received in the offseason, so we'd be selling low.

[Multipaul]

I think we could shop Amir and then maybe pay Reg a little something extra. I got a hunch he would rather be back in the south near his fam though. He's a vet, gettin older, wants to win, and be close to home. We would have to offer alot to keep him. I'm sure Miami could offer him the same they are paying big z right now and get him (z is retiring).

[Brasky]

It depends entirely. If Bargs is still here, id keep Evans.

If Bargs is still here we're screwed either way.

[Apollo]

Ed and Amir. We also should be shopping Bayless and Bargs @ the draft.

Why Bayless? He has a small contract, he's young and talented.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

That's too much for a guy who should be playing 10 - 15 minutes.

It depends entirely. If Bargs is still here, id keep Evans.

[Brasky]

You will be paying almost 4 million more if you keep Amir next season for the same job. Mark my Word, Davis is going to come back and will have monster game and will own that starting position.

Davis can play 30+ minutes, Amir can play high 20s, and whoever eventually replaces Bargs at Centre can take the bulk of the difference. Ideally we'd have 4 throw back bigs in the mold of Davis/Amir and get our scoring from the wings.