The team is on pace to finish with 22 wins. In '95-'96, their first season in the league, they finished with 21. This season would come in as the 3rd worst season in Raptors history. That's worse than the year Mighty Mouse left. That's worse than Grunwald's last season in Toronto, that's far worse than any season Babcock ran things into the ground. Past trends dealing with the team show it takes four full seasons for the team to be built up to a playoff team after the initial miss. That's not to say four seasons of progressive rebuilding but just four seasons of something ... That resembles a rebuild at varying levels of success. The Raptors have been out for three now seasons now and so if the trend continues then next season they would have to squeak in with the 8th seed. It certainly is a possibility if they draft a good player, have a solid free agency and are healthy next season. The Raptors now are entering a situation similar to the one Colangelo initially took over. He will have flexibility. This will be his "mulligan". Here's to hoping he doesn't splash wide right into the hazard again. His first time around given flexibility he won executive of the year and a division title. I don't expect that next season but I do expect to see a promising product besides on paper.
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The Present Stench and The Future Hope
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I have followed this team since they came into the league and, although this season may boast the third worst win/loss record, I don't think I have ever been as legitimately excited about the future of this franchise.
It's true that the Raptors may not have a franchise player like they have at times in the past with the likes of Mighty Mouse, Vinsanity and CB4 (all could be debated whether or not they were actually worthy of being called franchise players), but I don't remember this team ever having a core group of young players with as much skill and potential as we have right now (and will add to with the draft & offseason). It may take another season or two to get back to the playoffs, but the legit potential that players like Ed Davis, Demar DeRozan, Amir Johnson, Jeryd Bayless and Andrea Bargnani have, gives us suffering fans reason to have a positive outlook (whether they stay with this team or get used as a viable trade chip, their talent and potential is undeniable).
When you add to that core group of young players the fact that we should get a top-5 draft pick this season and are in a sound financial spot heading into a potentially completely new financial makeup of the league, I honestly believe the Raptors franchise is in a better position than many other NBA teams.
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Apollo wrote: View PostThe team is on pace to finish with 22 wins. In '95-'96, their first season in the league, they finished with 21. This season would come in as the 3rd worst season in Raptors history. That's worse than the year Mighty Mouse left. That's worse than Grunwald's last season in Toronto, that's far worse than any season Babcock ran things into the ground. Past trends dealing with the team show it takes four full seasons for the team to be built up to a playoff team after the initial miss. That's not to say four seasons of progressive rebuilding but just four seasons of something ... That resembles a rebuild at varying levels of success. The Raptors have been out for three now seasons now and so if the trend continues then next season they would have to squeak in with the 8th seed. It certainly is a possibility if they draft a good player, have a solid free agency and are healthy next season. The Raptors now are entering a situation similar to the one Colangelo initially took over. He will have flexibility. This will be his "mulligan". Here's to hoping he doesn't splash wide right into the hazard again. His first time around given flexibility he won executive of the year and a division title. I don't expect that next season but I do expect to see a promising product besides on paper.
My only points of concern are based on the drafting of a good player, free agency, and health next year. A top 3 pick would help but if they don't get that and fall outside of that number the prospect of getting a game-changer might get dim and would most likely be selecting a rotation player instead. A positive development but not worth a terrible amount in the win column.
For free agency I dont see Colangelo making a big splash. Who would he be targteing and isn't it hard to determine how the landscape will be with the impending lockout? Yes he might have more finanical flexibility but his recent history of FA signings outside the organization has not been good. Furthermore, he's gone on record saying they probably won't use the TPE due to the toxic contracts being offered in exchange for it.
Health would improve the teams fortunes but if the core nucleus as it is today of Bargnani, DeRozan, Davis, Johnson, and Calderon (and a rook) play all 82 next year how many more wins will that equate to in your opinion? I think this "rebuild" is year 1 of 3.
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Only a year ago, the Raptors were on the playoff bubble, and they would have made the playoffs if Bosh hadn't gotten injured. The team was built around Bosh. In one year, the team has been transformed via a huge rebuild. It's now full of young prospects.
Whatever else you can say about Colangelo, he doesn't waste any time.
Compare the Cleveland Cavaliers as a team that did not position themselves very well for a rebuild.
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Toronto has a young core because they stunk even with Bosh. They have used two lotto picks in the past few years and signed young guys to build from the ground because Bosh wasn't the kind of player who can carry a team on his own. The Cavs went to the finals not too long ago, they were built around a guy who could carry a team. They brought in lots of vets to try and help James win a title. It's easy to start a rebuild when you already have a bunch of young talent in house. The Cavs had a different starting point. It's not a fair comparison.
If you want to take your road then we can go down the avenue of "Colangelo should have traded Bosh before the deadline, look at what the Nuggets got for Melo".
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Apollo wrote: View PostToronto has a young core because they stunk even with Bosh. They have used two lotto picks in the past few years and signed young guys to build from the ground because Bosh wasn't the kind of player who can carry a team on his own. The Cavs went to the finals not too long ago, they were built around a guy who could carry a team. They brought in lots of vets to try and help James win a title. It's easy to start a rebuild when you already have a bunch of young talent in house. The Cavs had a different starting point. It's not a fair comparison.
If you want to take your road then we can go down the avenue of "Colangelo should have traded Bosh before the deadline, look at what the Nuggets got for Melo".
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CalgaryRapsFan wrote: View PostHaha that's a slippery slope discussion.... I remember when I first stumbled across RR two summers ago, prior to the start of Bosh's last season under contract. At that time I was one of very few posters supporting the Clippers rumor, which had them interested in Bosh and dangling their first round pick for him, which ended up becoming Blake Griffin! Always dangerous to play the 'what if' game, although I understand you were just replying to another comment. hmmm what if Blake Griffin was a Raptor... lol
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CalgaryRapsFan wrote: View PostHaha that's a slippery slope discussion.... I remember when I first stumbled across RR two summers ago, prior to the start of Bosh's last season under contract. At that time I was one of very few posters supporting the Clippers rumor, which had them interested in Bosh and dangling their first round pick for him, which ended up becoming Blake Griffin! Always dangerous to play the 'what if' game, although I understand you were just replying to another comment. hmmm what if Blake Griffin was a Raptor... lol
Blake Griffin Could Have Been A Raptor?
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