Everything 2017 Off-Season

[DanH]

We've had slow starts for years. Not just last year. Also I dont think it got that much better when Ibaka got here either.

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That's funny. I could have sworn the starting lineups in 2013-14 and 2014-15 had positive net ratings, while the starting lineups in 2015-16 and 2016-17 when they were moronically starting the wrong PF suddenly had significantly negative net ratings. I'm sure that's all a big coincidence and the team just lucked into those positive starting lineups in spite of definitely just being cursed with slow starts by a witch they met in a swamp one time.

[rocwell]

The worst team in 2017 was Toronto. DeMar DeRozan doesn’t do much for the Raptors’ shot selection or ball movement.

Ball movement is good, but it’s often the specific action of stringing two swift passes together that generates great opportunities.

Ouch.

How progressive is your NBA team’s offense? https://t.co/sdVUHBqdom pic.twitter.com/VsAQ8YSqsR

— Steve Shea (@SteveShea33) July 17, 2017

[DanH]

So what now, can't we acquire another wing FA

We could, for scraps. Nobody that will definitely be better than what we already have, in all likelihood.

[DanH]

Oh, and the starting lineup with Ibaka that played out most of the final stretch of the season, without Lowry, they started slow but by the end of the season they had progressed to a slight positive net rating - meaning they were more than 10 PPP better than the disaster the Raptors ran out there with Siakam for most of the season.

[Mess]

Ouch.

How progressive is your NBA team’s offense? https://t.co/sdVUHBqdom pic.twitter.com/VsAQ8YSqsR

— Steve Shea (@SteveShea33) July 17, 2017

lol yeah the results are not pretty, but expected. Ultimately meaningless though. Talent matters more than progressiveness.

[rocwell]

It's time for Casey, Kyle and DD admit that this team needs improvement on O side, too. What happened early in the season was fun, but also FAKE. Let's face it, same shit happens every year. And I'm tired of Kyle + DD telling everyone that we can score with ease. Gay is gone. You can't score with ease anymore haha.

[rocwell]

Hahaha. I bet he wants to create another Miami Heat team.

Let those LeBron James alarm bells ring. Our @JeffZillgitt reporting on the Cavs star's discontent (cc: Dan Gilbert) https://t.co/TW86wrfEmF

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 17, 2017

[Demographic Shift]

So what now, can't we acquire another wing FA

We could, for scraps. Nobody that will definitely be better than what we already have, in all likelihood.

With Mbah a Moute gone to Houston think that it's safe to say the Raps offseason is probably over.

Perhaps there is one move left if the Carmelo trade to Houston or anywhere else gets legs again and its a multi team deal....Ujiri could use one of the TPE's to take on a player if he thought it would be worth going back over the tax line. He has to be able to get to the party as well. Not seeing this one..but you never know.

If not there just isn't any one of consequence left in FA right now. Others may see diamonds but I am seeing coal with about 2.5M$ left to spend. Mirotic is available but would command a lot more than that and he is a RFA. Chicago will just match the first offer sheet that he gets.

So this offseason is in the books, for me anyway, with Los Raptors going about 8 or 9 deep depending on your confidence levels once you get past 7ish. Kyle, Demar, Ibalka, Powell, Miles, JV, Wright, (Jacob, Siakam, Freddy V V). The guys in brackets could make a big jump this year and the Raps again have a deep team. That seems to be the mindset with Ujiri and Webster right now as they have sat out FA after the Miles deal.

There is some promise for Anunoby to come in at Christmas and just defend and rebound like Winslow did in Miami in his first year. He has the same NBA ready body and a bigger motor than Winslow. They share the same unreliable jump shot. More likely he gets a half year with Stackhouse to learn the NBA ropes and work on that jumper. He likely sees some spot duty with the big team in the new year. He is a decent prospect.

That leaves the 12 through 14 grab bag of maybes in Bebe, Bruno, McKinnie to round it out. Again some have more faith in this group to varying degrees.

Raps will be a notable player in the run for the ECF...and with a break or two ...maybe even win it. Things have to go right but it's not like it's a given you have to insert the box in the flowchart that say" then a miracle occurs".

[rocwell]

Rockets are far sale, Rockets president Tad Brown announces.

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 17, 2017

[S.R.]

Rockets are far sale, Rockets president Tad Brown announces.

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 17, 2017

lmao

Step 1: spend lots of money
Step 2: sell the team

[Mess]

Rockets are far sale, Rockets president Tad Brown announces.

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 17, 2017

"Buy low, sell high, that's my motto. I may quit my job at the power plant and become a full-time stock market guy." pic.twitter.com/RzA5C1fVjU

— SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) March 20, 2014

Also, what % of guy's named Tad are wealthy? I'm going to go with...92%.

[rocwell]

lmao

Step 1: spend lots of money
Step 2: sell the team

He didn't really spend any money on Rockets. They have been profitable every year. And now owner is going to get paid! $1,600,000,000 cold hard (post-tax) cash (assuming bidding war pushes valuation to $2B). He paid just $85m for the Rockets. Good stuff.

[golden]

Problem with JV/Ibaka is that their bad passers. Ibaka will just get the pass and shot. JV incapable of making plays out the short role. That's why I would rather one Poeltl/Siakam out there. They seem to have a better feel for the game than both of those guys. It's hard to have a ball movement offence when bigs are poor passers/playmakers.

We saw this against the Buck when they were aggressively trapping. Raptors only started getting good shots when they went small.

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I like Yak a lot, but do you realize that his AST% was 2.7% to go with a 17.2% TOV%. Yeeesh. Those numbers make JV look like Arvydas Sabonis. And Siakam wasn't that much better. Yes, I know "eye test" and all that.... but Yak & Siak's passing stats are just plain bad and at some point you have to show results. Hopefully with the new ball movement culture reset that Masai is forcing on Casey, we'll see an overall improvement from everybody.

[3inthekeon]

That's one big reason I wonder about this new "ball movement offence."

The last guy Masai brought in who was even average as a passer for his position was JJ. Miles is another one known for not passing. People can blame Casey's system, but MU hasn't really given him much to work with.

[Chr1s1anL]

That's one big reason I wonder about this new "ball movement offence."

The last guy Masai brought in who was even average as a passer for his position was JJ. Miles is another one known for not passing. People can blame Casey's system, but MU hasn't really given him much to work with.

That's why I always say your players will always dictate the style of play. Coaches job is to maximize thier skillset. Who would you say is the best passer on the team Delon Wright?

They've tried in recent years to sign good passing bigs(Sully/Scola)on the cheap but, hasn't worked out. If Ibaka/JV are eating up the majority of the frontcourt minutes and Lowry/DD majority of the backcourt minutes. I don't see much change in the style of play. These players are who they are. All 4 of those guys think shot first and pass second.

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