If Lowry walk (which he won't) which of these best available PG packages who you choose?

[OptimalOptimist]

If Lowry walks he'll be the ACC's new #1 enemy

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Discussing about that eventuality scares me.

Time to live up to my username.

Why even discussing that when we know Lowry will be back?

[stooley]

Without Lowry, and with Vasquez and De Colo at point, this team will still make the playoffs next year and still retain the cap flexibility needed to really go after a game changing talent. And no, I do not think that the absense of Lowry would deter a good free agent from coming to TO.

The absence of Lowry probably wouldn't, but the absence of success would.

No superstars are going to come to the 8th seed in the East. If Lowry leaves and we just continue as if nothing happened we'll become the definition of a treadmill team.

[Scraptor]

You could try Rondo but his lack of outside shooting would be a major problem. Think about how often we saw Demar start a drive, stop, leave his feet and pass it to Lowry for a three. That would be over. And teams would pack the paint. Unless we decide to also trade Demar, but at that point you might as well tank.

Lin might work, and I think he's become underrated, so I wouldn't mind giving him a one-year tryout. But really the first option would be to tear down and start over imo.

[JawsGT]

The absence of Lowry probably wouldn't, but the absence of success would.

No superstars are going to come to the 8th seed in the East. If Lowry leaves and we just continue as if nothing happened we'll become the definition of a treadmill team.

lol. treadmill if we don't retain Lowry...I don't think so. The real decisions that will enable us to avoid the treadmill aren't happening this offseason anyways. With or without Lowry, do you think we are gonna be the third seed next season? Seems unlikely to me, so where does that put us? Back to tanking because we took a step back? Not resigning Lowry doesn't mean we are continuing as if nothing happened. Seriously, are you suggesting we over-pay Lowry if necessary, just to keep him here because if he walks then we are stuck on the treadmill? Crazy talk. MU is a builder. You don't repour the foundation just cause one of the walls blew over.

[JawsGT]

The absence of Lowry probably wouldn't, but the absence of success would.

No superstars are going to come to the 8th seed in the East. If Lowry leaves and we just continue as if nothing happened we'll become the definition of a treadmill team.

Well I guess the Knicks are fucked. How good was Miami before LBJ and Bosh arrived? What the hell are the non-playoff teams gonna do? Might as well fold if they have no hope of landing free agents if they are outside the playoffs. Fingers crossed for the lottery!

[magoon]

If Lowry goes, our insurance policy should be one of Jeremy Lin, Tyler Ennis or Shabazz Napier. Any of those three paired with Vasquez will make a fine PG platoon.

[stooley]

lol. treadmill if we don't retain Lowry...I don't think so. The real decisions that will enable us to avoid the treadmill aren't happening this offseason anyways. With or without Lowry, do you think we are gonna be the third seed next season? Seems unlikely to me, so where does that put us? Back to tanking because we took a step back? Not resigning Lowry doesn't mean we are continuing as if nothing happened. Seriously, are you suggesting we over-pay Lowry if necessary, just to keep him here because if he walks then we are stuck on the treadmill? Crazy talk. MU is a builder. You don't repour the foundation just cause one of the walls blew over.

well actually if one of the walls blew over, you've probably got some problems with the foundations, but whatever,

Next year there's a four team race for the third seed between Washington, Toronto, Chicago and Brooklyn. Of those teams I see Toronto the most likely to improve unilaterally across the board. So yes, I think the Raptors have a pretty good shot at 3rd.

I'm not saying that overpaying Lowry is a necessity, but I AM saying that if another team offers him more than we're capable of, and he walks, this team takes a BIG step backwards, and all of those free agent plans that people are throwing around become significantly less likely.

Toronto has never been a free agent destination. There are numerous factors at play, not least of which is a bias against playing outside of your home country. BUT any winning team naturally attracts free agents. And since that is the only thing that we can really change about our franchise at this point in time, we better start winning if we want to get those FAs.

Losing Lowry is just one more black mark on this franchise.

Well I guess the Knicks are fucked. How good was Miami before LBJ and Bosh arrived? What the hell are the non-playoff teams gonna do? Might as well fold if they have no hope of landing free agents if they are outside the playoffs. Fingers crossed for the lottery!

Well, for the majority of those teams, tanking would be the best course. Miami was a one in a million occurrence which three super stars/friends had planned long in advance. Plus, Florida has great weather and low income tax, a legend at the helm in Pat Riley, had won a championship a few years earlier and had Wade already on their team.

I wouldn't try and use the Miami strategy on the Raptors.

The Knicks are also an entirely different story, given their location and historic significance (ie, the Mecca of basketball) to the game.

If you actually look at all those teams outside of the playoffs, you'll notice that all of them are in one of three situations:
1. Building around a core of players that they drafted.
2. Looking to improve by adding some lottery picks in the next couple of years.
3. Using high lottery picks as trade bait to swing a trade for quality talent.

The problem with number 3 is you either need to have a huge amount of talent on your team to be able to succeed as soon as that star arrives, or you have to be an attractive destination that the star would agree to sign on to anyways, to give the team a couple of years to put together a contender.

So yes, the sad reality of the NBA right now is bad teams have their fingers crossed for the lottery. We've already done the hard part (#9 DD, #5 JV, #8 TR) but if we don't capitalize on this window that is approaching in the next few years and build on that core, we have to reset. Lowry is a brick at the bottom of the wall, if he comes loose, we can't just keep building over that hole.

I'd add: losing KL pushes our development plan back by a couple years. I think the wise move is to continue to add young, controllable talent, while waiting until JV/TR are at DD's current point in his career, and make your moves then. If you lose KL, all of a sudden your odds of beuilding this core into a contender without high draft picks is significantly lower. Lower to the point that I think tanking is a more viable strategy. Unless, of course, you can find a suitable replacement, which I don't think you can.

edit: finally, a step backwards in the standings doesn't really matter if we keep the basketball product moving forwards. the nba, like the game of basketball, is a game of momentum. if you don't strike while the iron's hot, you aren't gonna win a championship.

[Mindlessness]

well actually if one of the walls blew over, you've probably got some problems with the foundations, but whatever,

Next year there's a four team race for the third seed between Washington, Toronto, Chicago and Brooklyn....

It's a five team race, don't forget Atlanta. With Horford back, they're gonna be way better. Especially if they upgrade their Small Forward position too.

[stooley]

It's a five team race, don't forget Atlanta. With Horford back, they're gonna be way better. Especially if they upgrade their Small Forward position too.

Damn, that's true.

I'd say them and Washington are the two most likely threats to us.

Brooklyn is very, very meh and they can't really add anyone to the team without some VERY creative cap management (Brook Lopez doesn't scare me either). I'm not sold on D Rose until I see him play again.

[jacobdr4]

I want none of those things. I want to ship DD out for the best return we can get and get ready for 2015 tankapalooza.

I hear there are some awesome prospects around next year. We want to get those 2015 draft picks before they're all sold out.

edit: would CLE trade their 2015 first for DD and then fail miserably to make a Waiters, Kyrie, DD backcourt work?

I want every part of thon maker. Seems like a freak athlete.

[Mindlessness]

Damn, that's true.

I'd say them and Washington are the two most likely threats to us.

Brooklyn is very, very meh and they can't really add anyone to the team without some VERY creative cap management (Brook Lopez doesn't scare me either). I'm not sold on D Rose until I see him play again.

I think I'm way more scared of Atlanta than Washington.

Washington has horrible management, they really screwed up those lottery picks after Wall, and their coaching isn't the best either.

On the other hand, Atlanta has some excellent management, headed by Ferry, and of course their coach is Budenholzer, and he, I have to say, did a lot with his Franchise Player out in Horford. Even more scary is that Parsons is being shopped currently and who knows, Atlanta may be able to put together an offer, or even sign him outright with all that capspace. If that happens, I would be a very, very scared Raps fan.

[MACK11]

Threats to us for the #3 seed next year

1. Atlanta
2. Chicago
3. Wizards
4. Brooklyn

[yabadabayolo]

Threats to us for the #3 seed next year

1. Atlanta
2. Chicago
3. Wizards
4. Brooklyn

Wow the east is getting better now. I don't think I've seen an eastern conference with so many good teams before!

[BobLoblaw]

maybe its cause I've been a raps fan since 98 that Im jaded enough to start thinking about plan B if Lowry walks already...I know he won't but "Murphy's Law" and all...so out of these teams that is very public known are looking for move there "star" PG which would you guys think provides the least regress or most value?

Option 1: HOU- Jeremy Lin & Chandler Parsons
we all know that Lin, Asik & Parsons are all being shopped right now..Parsons cause Hou will not be able to afford him & they want value back for him.

Option 2: Orl- Jameer Nelson & Arron Affalo
Magic are in full rebuild & were trying hard to move Nelson & Affalo at the deadline..

Option 3: Bos- Rondo & Wallace
Obviously if the Celtics land KLove, Rondo is going nowhere but if not...he's likely getting shipped out along with Wallace.

Personally although Rondo is clearly the best player involved and true superstar...Lin/Parson is the better overall combo I would go after...feel free to throw out other combos as long as its players actually known to be on the market & based around or involve a starter quality PG

How would the Raptors get one of these packages? Trade away multiple picks? I wouldn't want to do that. Losing Lowry, picks and cap space just to add Rondo or Afflalo doesn't get the Raptors anywhere. It's a step back and it would get the team stuck in mediocrity with limited picks and cap space. And then Rondo might leave in 2015 anyway.

If Lowry leaves, maybe try to sign Isaiah Thomas or of course Bledsoe. Thomas is more realistic because the Kings have tax issues. If no free agent is available this year, stay patient and preferably move some pieces and tank. It's far better than giving up a bunch of assets for one of these options.

As for Houston not being able to afford Parsons, that sounds like something from Bleacher Report. Why wouldn't they be able to afford Parsons? I heard speculation that Parsons might be offered in deal for Kevin Love, but that's very different.

[Marz]

If Lowry walks, I'm afraid you trade away your other assets for future talent. Without him we're not back in the playoffs, unless you land a top-tier point guard (you won't) who can defend. So you build around Ross and JV and whoever else you can get through trade. No sense in riding the treadmill.