So was plan B better than plan A?

[Craiger]

Next years draft is weaker. We already have an abundance of youth already. This is a better team then we have had in a while and the chances of us losing a top 5 pick is slim (and our team will probably be even better if BC does another couple moves).

I actually think it was smart of BC to give up next years pick rather then our 8th pick on the night of the draft. Wasn't that the trade idea? Our 8th pick and a player for Lowry and one of their picks? We got a far better deal then that IMO.

I think this trade strongly favours the Raptors (Raptor and Rocket fans agree that the Rockets got fleeced) and the pick is not something to lose sleep about.

Colangelo didn't necessarily give up next years pick. He gave up the Raps next lottery pick within 5 years (bottom end protection is decreasing).

Raptors trading picks is always a dangerous game. We've seen time and time again that the best way to obtain talent in the NBA is through the draft. I absolutely hate picks being included in any of the Raptors deals. This team has a tough enough time getting talent as it is, now a 7-9 year value contract was just moved.

And if the 8th for Lowry + one of Houston's picks was available (and by all accounts it wasn't, but to your statement) that was a much better price as Ross was very likely to be available much lower. Having Lowry + Ross (on a cheaper rookie contract) + future lottery pick > Lowry + Ross - future lottery pick

[Red and White]

Colangelo didn't necessarily give up next years pick. He gave up the Raps next lottery pick within 5 years (bottom end protection is decreasing).

Raptors trading picks is always a dangerous game. We've seen time and time again that the best way to obtain talent in the NBA is through the draft. I absolutely hate picks being included in any of the Raptors deals. This team has a tough enough time getting talent as it is, now a 7-9 year value contract was just moved.

And if the 8th for Lowry + one of Houston's picks was available (and by all accounts it wasn't, but to your statement) that was a much better price as Ross was very likely to be available much lower. Having Lowry + Ross (on a cheaper rookie contract) + future lottery pick > Lowry + Ross - future lottery pick

My mistake on the year of the pick.

I understand what you are saying and I think you make a great argument, but I disagree with some of the things you are saying.

I think the best way to build a team is with balance. How is a team supposed to become successful if you only make moves to secure the future, and never for the present (and to clarify, that one pick does not ruin the future-not to mention BC could acquire another one if necessary)? Holding on to a draft pick (a pick that is really only valuable when your team loses) at the cost of an established, young, budding player is silly. Worrying about this pick is silly to me. This Raptors team is stacked with youth and has a core where none of the players have won/played a playoff series. You need to eventually make a push to have a good team now, rather then banking on draft picks to develop in a losing culture. While this is a risk, I have no problem taking it. I have absolutely no problem trading this pick because it sets us up for this team to start improving (slowly) in the win column. It, in my opinion, puts us in a better position for the future. I think it is wrong to say that this team should "build by the draft" in the next 5 years when we have drafted a large core of this years team(Demar, Ed, Jose, TR, Bargs, JV). It is time to start changing the culture from losing to winning, and that is something that is extremely valuable with a young core. That future pick does not change the culture for us.

Sure there is always a risk in trading a pick, but in this case, it is a risk well worth taking.

Oh and just to touch on your last point, the general agreement is that Terrence Ross was not going to be available at 12. There was tons of talk about Houston doing a deal like that with the Raptors, and as I said, I think it was smart for BC not to pursue that as a trade on Draft Night, because it secured that we would get Ross (which is the player Casey and BC wanted) and we ended up getting Lowry which sets up our immediate team nicely. Keeping that future pick and not getting the player we want at the draft with our current pick is something that I am not down for.

[Craiger]

the deal with this pick they traded is the Raps lose it when they will likely need it the most.

It is basically lottery protected for Houston. So if the Raps make the playoffs the team keeps the pick. If they don't, Houston gets it. If it didn't have that top protection, I'd be less bothered by it (still not happy but more comfortable). But the way its structured the Raps lose their safety net. Plus its incentive for a GM (whether thats still Colangelo or another GM) to keep pushing for 'just making the playoffs' and getting stuck in that not bad but not great range.

I won't say much more about Ross, but I don't believe that there was agreement Ross would be gone by 12. He was slotted anywhere from 14th to 29th in mocks. That doesn't mean he wouldn't have been gone by 12 or earlier, but Drummond, Lamb, Rivers, Marshall, Henson, Leonard and many more still on the board. I easily see him still available outside the lottery. I also don't believe BC necessarily wanted Ross. I think he wanted a wing, and they felt Ross was the best wing left on the board, but not necessarily what they wanted or even necessarily the best player available (ok more than I wanted to say about Ross)

I like Lowry as a player but I would have prefered to see anyone on this team traded (not Jonas) for him instead of a lottery pick. And if a pick had to go I'd much rather it not be top protected. On top of that, Colangelo seems to be making the assumption that this is a playoff team. Last 3 times he did that the Raps ended up with 33 wins, 40 wins and 22 wins, and no playoffs.

As for culture, its just a buzzword. Every losing team says that. A future pick can easily change the culture, depending on who that player is. And if thats really the worry, a guy like Lowry who was charged for assaulting a woman (and a ref at that) and forced his way off a team, I don't see as a positive change.

[Mapko]

My mistake on the year of the pick.

I understand what you are saying and I think you make a great argument, but I disagree with some of the things you are saying.

I think the best way to build a team is with balance. How is a team supposed to become successful if you only make moves to secure the future, and never for the present (and to clarify, that one pick does not ruin the future-not to mention BC could acquire another one if necessary)? Holding on to a draft pick (a pick that is really only valuable when your team loses) at the cost of an established, young, budding player is silly. Worrying about this pick is silly to me. This Raptors team is stacked with youth and has a core where none of the players have won/played a playoff series. You need to eventually make a push to have a good team now, rather then banking on draft picks to develop in a losing culture. While this is a risk, I have no problem taking it. I have absolutely no problem trading this pick because it sets us up for this team to start improving (slowly) in the win column. It, in my opinion, puts us in a better position for the future. I think it is wrong to say that this team should "build by the draft" in the next 5 years when we have drafted a large core of this years team(Demar, Ed, Jose, TR, Bargs, JV). It is time to start changing the culture from losing to winning, and that is something that is extremely valuable with a young core. That future pick does not change the culture for us.

Sure there is always a risk in trading a pick, but in this case, it is a risk well worth taking.

Oh and just to touch on your last point, the general agreement is that Terrence Ross was not going to be available at 12. There was tons of talk about Houston doing a deal like that with the Raptors, and as I said, I think it was smart for BC not to pursue that as a trade on Draft Night, because it secured that we would get Ross (which is the player Casey and BC wanted) and we ended up getting Lowry which sets up our immediate team nicely. Keeping that future pick and not getting the player we want at the draft with our current pick is something that I am not down for.

I concur 100% with all points you made.
Very few teams have made it to upper echelons of NBA with draft alone (Only OKC comes to mind, but lets face it -a lot of luck was involved, as well as excellent scouting).
Personally, trade for Lowry makes a lot of sense. I went on a Houston site -and by a huge majority their fans feel "screwed". IMO Lowry seems "ready" to lead a team.
If we look at the way team improved (even in a very shortened pre-season), new players (JV, Ross, Lowry..), one has to feel "optimistic as a Raptor fan".

[theycallmeZZ]

Very few teams have made it to upper echelons of NBA with draft alone (Only OKC comes to mind, but lets face it -a lot of luck was involved, as well as excellent scouting).

The Spurs came to mind first for me

[Pill]

The Spurs came to mind first for me

The spurs are in a different league as far as talent evaluations are concerned. What they have been able to pull out of late rounds and second rounds is second to none in the history of this league. OKC just grabbed 3 guys within the top 5 picks a couple years in a row and they didn't turn out to be busts or injury prone. It was probably more dumb luck that everyone was putting Greg Oden in the hall of fame that year.

But yeah, that is 2 teams in since the bulls did it. It happens 1x every 7 years or so. There are probably a lot of examples of also ran teams that were good but not great as well.

[Mapko]

The Spurs came to mind first for me

You are absolutely correct -Even more so as they did it mostly with late 1st rounders & 2nd rounders (which makes it even more impressive).

[Mapko]

Agree completely. I just worry that after letting Mayo walk, Memphis has lost any interest they may have had in trading him. There's actually an entire thread dedicated to Rudy Gay.... take a peek for more detailed discussion about him and the Raptors.

IDEALLY Memphis would like to trade Randolph for Pau Gasol (not a lot of interest from LA), or Randolph period.
Letting Mayo walk DOES NOT solve their cap issues. That (cap) might have been OK if the new owner came on board (I don't know what the status of that is now), but as it stands -they need to shed more in order to re-sign RFAs (at least some), backup PG.
Back to Gay. Did you see what Hawks got for a solid all star (JJ)? Why? Clearly his contract. Now Rudy's deal is only SLIGHTLY better, but (IMHO) unless Jose & Amir are included with 1 more MINOR piece -no go, otherwise that contract (for a lesser player than Joe J) will come back to bite us.
Simply put Rudy Gay is NOT good enough to justify 3 years & almost $54 mil.