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**Mess** · Mon May 16, 2016, 04:37 PM

ebrian wrote: View Post

You've kind of made my point. You can pretty much take it to the bank that they won't simply cut bait after 4 years due to his "development", which I explained earlier couldn't have not happened. So he'll be a player that they stashed on their farm team for the cost of $7M. It's quite literally a stash, he has played a total of 66 minute in his career. He most certainly will not receive the same type of treatment as other drafted because of his project status. It won't be until year 4 or 5 before the team starts the fair evaluation process, meaning he won't be treated the same way the team treats Powell and Wright until then.

He could flame out like Bennett and I don't think Masai would keep him around just to save himself the criticism.

Think back to all the fringe NBA players the Raptors brought in the 2-3 seasons ago - Dwight Buycks, Stone, Daye etc. all 24-25 years old and given minutes because the Raps didn't have the talent, weren't very competitive and were trying to find some gems. Instead of rolling the dice each season they're trying to forge one themselves.

And now they have talent and can afford to be patient. And instead of paying players like Steisma, Hayes, Magloire, Anthony Carter etc. to sit at the end of the bench, the money and roster spots go towards developing a 20 yr old Bruno (and Bebe, Wright and Powell).

ebrian wrote: View Post

Let me just end with this -- I am by no means a Bruno hater. I would love to see him in the league some day doing well, and would love to see him prove all the doubters wrong (ie: get there before the 4 years are up). For me it is more about the idea of Bruno and other players like him, players who are so incredibly raw that you have to wait half a decade before you can even begin to find out what you've got. These are players who teams throw away time and money upon, hoping they'll be good some day and that the investment pays off. Reality is if it takes that long the investment cannot pay for itself. Let someone else put in the time and sign them when they're ready; that's the way to do it.

We'll see how the "sign them when they're ready" approach goes for teams who end up paying for Ezili, Biyombo, Whiteside, Bazemore and Barnes this summer. (Crazy high cap will help for a little while until everyone's contract is inflated). Players whose production outperform their contracts are a massive asset for any team to have. Even DeMar grew into his extension and it's one reason (Lowry's is a bargain too) we had the cap space to sign Carroll and make a deep run in the playoffs (however illegitimate some people may say it is).

Adding up the cumulative past salary of a player has no meaning. It's the season by season opportunity cost versus future returns that should be important.

(In the future if Masai signs Bruno to a cheap extension like Aminu's contract with Portland, will it be judged differently because of some mental baggage/stigma of Bruno not being the Brazilian KD after all? Anyway...)

Say Masai does sign him to a bargain extension and he busts out in season 5 or 6 (not in a KD way) with JV and CoJo (maybe even Ross?) in their primes (on value contracts) and with a productive starter from the Knicks pick still on his rookie deal, the Raps in theory would have loads of cap space to bring in even more talent. You increase the chance of striking lightning (like GS has with Curry on a bargain deal, Barnes and Klay on rookie deals) and keeping your competitive window open wider and longer by having talent on below market deals (like JV, Ross, Powell rookie deals and the current Biyombo, and early Scola).

That's wishful thinking I admit. It's going to be interesting though.

**DogeLover1234** · Mon May 16, 2016, 05:19 PM

Bandit wrote: View Post

I dont think the $/Game measurement means a thing. I also don't think you could put that Bruno money into a player that would even crack our rotation at this point.

I have no idea what you're trying to say. Bruno was a 20th pick on a young and up and coming team. He gets no playing time because we are good. In fact we are good enough to go to the ECF. Bruno's salary isn't enough to get us over Cleveland or GS/OKC. Either we will beat them this year or we won't, that pocket change won't make a difference

Adding on to this, nobody that is the 15th man in the rotation is going to play much. I don't see how it is worthwhile to get rid of Bruno now to get someone who will never play and has no potential to play in the future. At least with Bruno he has some potential. You can debate whether or not the actual pick was good or not, but I don't see any reason to debate having him fill a roster spot at this point. As for a new contract two years from now, I don't know why we would talk about that, considering we have no idea what the team will look like, much less Bruno.

Not talking about you, but I don't get this idea people have when they say that Bruno is awful and will never play in the NBA, then say Masai should trade him for something of value.

**Masai Uhearme** · Sat May 28, 2016, 09:56 PM

The Swan

Ok, I was on the NBA Draft thread and i realized that not only do we have two picks but we have Bruno. Next year is his 3rd season but stage two of the whole "2 years away from 2 years away". So is the upcoming season Bruno's unofficial official rookie season?

I doubt Bruno participates in this years summer league, hes shown interest in playing with Brazil's national team this summer. I guess his contributions with that team will show Masai and his team how far he is from become a new and improves (longer) version of a 3 & D a 6'10" Portland Wesley Mathews or something like that.

Going back to Bruno and next year being his unofficial official rookie season. What do we expect out of him? Stay on the floor and not look misplaced? like he actually belongs on the floor. Does he take Terrence Ross role (who should and probably will be traded this off season) or am i just jumping the gun, does Masai just stick him in the D-League and go from there.

I have so many questions about the very polarizing Bruno Caboclo, either you love him or hate him like the Raptors personal Kanye West. I do think you can teach a young man that has limited experience how to play basketball, and i hope he become a very good pro in this league. But for right now he's shown nothing more then some 20-30 point games in the D-League. i just hope he has a better career then Rodney Hood & Clint Capela.

I also hope the NBA does 1v1 or 2v2 during All-Star weekend. Headliner "The Brazilian KD versus the Real KD".

**Axel** · Sun May 29, 2016, 07:07 AM

Expectations for Bruno would be D-League to start the season and spot rotation minutes by the end of the season with some production. He should show better awareness on the court and should show his catch and shoot skills.

Expectations should still be fairly low but more in line with typical late first round rookie expectation.

**Puffer** · Sun May 29, 2016, 07:25 AM

Axel wrote: View Post

...Expectations should still be fairly low but more in line with typical late first round rookie expectation.

Bruno has had what amounts to almost two years of personal attention and coaching from the Raptors organization. With a full year in the 905 he has had a chance to learn the Raptors offensive and defensive rotations. I assume in the D League they scout other teams so the players are familiar with going over scouting reports and keying on their assignments. Over this summer I would expect Bruno to be putting in time on specific goals, as selected for him by the Raptors/905 staff and coaches. I would say that late first round expectations are the minimum that would be expected. If he can't contribute on the big team next year, I will be disappointed.

**Miekenstien** · Sun May 29, 2016, 07:29 AM

Axel wrote: View Post

Expectations for Bruno would be D-League to start the season and spot rotation minutes by the end of the season with some production. He should show better awareness on the court and should show his catch and shoot skills.

Expectations should still be fairly low but more in line with typical late first round rookie expectation.

Puffer wrote: View Post

Bruno has had what amounts to almost two years of personal attention and coaching from the Raptors organization. With a full year in the 905 he has had a chance to learn the Raptors offensive and defensive rotations. I assume in the D League they scout other teams so the players are familiar with going over scouting reports and keying on their assignments. Over this summer I would expect Bruno to be putting in time on specific goals, as selected for him by the Raptors/905 staff and coaches. I would say that late first round expectations are the minimum that would be expected. If he can't contribute on the big team next year, I will be disappointed.

i agree with axel and regarding the bold, what constitutes contributing? i think more than wright or bebe next year might be over expectations.

**Puffer** · Sun May 29, 2016, 07:53 AM

Miekenstien wrote: View Post

i agree with axel and regarding the bold, what constitutes contributing? i think more than wright or bebe next year might be over expectations.

I think "as much as Wright or Bebe" would be my minimum expectation. Less than that would be a disappointment.

**SkywalkerAC** · Sun May 29, 2016, 01:10 PM

Yeah, I think Bruno will get more classic rookie minutes next season. JJ will be gone and we could really use the shooting (which is hopefully good-to-go).

**Superjudge** · Sun May 29, 2016, 06:29 PM