Everything 2018 Off Season

[DanH]

At first read, that comparison does seem ridiculous. But aside from regular season accomplishments, what really is the difference between Raps, Wiz and Blazers?

You're throwing out 82 games, then?

Geez, even that aside, the Wizards missed the playoffs two years ago, got handled by the Raps this year in the playoffs, and both the Blazers and Wizards have won one playoff series in the last 3 years (compared to the Raps winning 4 in the last 3 years).

Like, are we really of the mindset that those are equal accomplishments, even if we accept that the regular season is an irrelevant measure of success (which I do not, by the way)?

[Shaolin Fantastic]

My comparison was not of those teams' accomplishments it was of their status as good teams with no realistic route to an NBA championship. They are all in a similar category and have similar cores of players that aren't good enough to reach the highest possible level in this league.

[Cody73]

I should clarify what I meant: I fear that we are stagnant & that because of limited roster turnover thanks to the contracts we've handed out, other teams in the East are going to pass us by & we will make the playoffs, but we won't contend for a championship. I feel like our window is closing & that by the time our big contracts come off the books, were going to be left in no-man's land: Not good enough for a playoff spot but not bad enough to tank. That's my fear here & I'm nervous that Masai's limited on what he can do to help us get close to the goal of winning a championship.

[MixxAOR]

I should clarify what I meant: I fear that we are stagnant & that because of limited roster turnover thanks to the contracts we've handed out, other teams in the East are going to pass us by & we will make the playoffs, but we won't contend for a championship. I feel like our window is closing & that by the time our big contracts come off the books, were going to be left in no-man's land: Not good enough for a playoff spot but not bad enough to tank. That's my fear here & I'm nervous that Masai's limited on what he can do to help us get close to the goal of winning a championship.

My fear is that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They like making money and they don't care about championships. Accelerated rebuild by BC wasn't because he wanted it. He did it because his job was on a line.

[KHD]

My fear is that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They like making money and they don't care about championships. Accelerated rebuild by BC wasn't because he wanted it. He did it because his job was on a line.

I don't think it's even a question that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They let the leafs do it was because they had a long term plan and people still watch them when they suck (and they sucked anyways without trying).

I think Masai has to consolidate some of the prospects and trade them for a star. Otherwise we're just going to lose important pieces by salary cap attrition (e.g. JV, our actual third best player) and be left with a weaker version of the same team.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

My fear is that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They like making money and they don't care about championships. Accelerated rebuild by BC wasn't because he wanted it. He did it because his job was on a line.

They don't. The setup right now makes more money. I'm not even sure they want to fire Casey either because he guarantees ~50 regular season wins with this team. Any change could potentially lower that number and lower playoff revenue (like if we drop to 5th seed and play LeBron in round 1 so they only get one round of revenue instead of 2).

The Raptors are really, really similar to Arsenal at the moment. Priority is making money first and winning a title a very distant 2nd.

[S.R.]

My fear is that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They like making money and they don't care about championships. Accelerated rebuild by BC wasn't because he wanted it. He did it because his job was on a line.

I don't think we have any indication MLSE is run under Bell/Rogers like it was under the OTPP - quite the opposite. There's a reason pretty well every team in the umbrella has turned a corner since ownership changed.

[planetmars]

We really need to take a page out of Morey's hand book. Morey did everything he could to figure out how to beat GSW. I don't know if they'll do it, but that was his goal and he planned for it. They have home court in the 3rd round. They had a better head to head match up in the regular season (2-1) and looked poised in the playoffs coming off a 4-1 victory in both round 1 and round 2.

This summer Masai needs to figure out a plan to beat a Lebron James team. That should be it. Nothing else should matter.

[S.R.]

They don't. The setup right now makes more money. I'm not even sure they want to fire Casey either because he guarantees ~50 regular season wins with this team. Any change could potentially lower that number and lower playoff revenue (like if we drop to 5th seed and play LeBron in round 1 so they only get one round of revenue instead of 2).

The Raptors are really, really similar to Arsenal at the moment. Priority is making money first and winning a title a very distant 2nd.

Except this same ownership group willingly traded the biggest contracts on a treadmill Leafs team and hit the lottery.

[MixxAOR]

They don't. The setup right now makes more money. I'm not even sure they want to fire Casey either because he guarantees ~50 regular season wins with this team. Any change could potentially lower that number and lower playoff revenue (like if we drop to 5th seed and play LeBron in round 1 so they only get one round of revenue instead of 2).

The Raptors are really, really similar to Arsenal at the moment. Priority is making money first and winning a title a very distant 2nd.

Nothing will change in that case. Because there's enough fans who watch Raptors like Maury Show.

[JimiCliff]

We really need to take a page out of Morey's hand book. Morey did everything he could to figure out how to beat GSW. I don't know if they'll do it, but that was his goal and he planned for it. They have home court in the 3rd round. They had a better head to head match up in the regular season (2-1) and looked poised in the playoffs coming off a 4-1 victory in both round 1 and round 2.

This summer Masai needs to figure out a plan to beat a Lebron James team. That should be it. Nothing else should matter.

We should revisit this after the series is over. My prediction is that it will...not be close.

[white men can't jump]

I don't think it's even a question that MLSE doesn't want to tank. They let the leafs do it was because they had a long term plan and people still watch them when they suck (and they sucked anyways without trying).

I think Masai has to consolidate some of the prospects and trade them for a star. Otherwise we're just going to lose important pieces by salary cap attrition (e.g. JV, our actual third best player) and be left with a weaker version of the same team.

See I feel kind of the opposite about moves. I would rather keep the youth we have and try to add to it by trading our expensive vets. Use Demar to get some young pieces/prospects. Maybe shop him to the Lakers for Kuzma, Randle and a 1sr rounder. Shop Ibaka for a role player or two, ideally younger, and maybe a 2nd rounder. Shop Lowry for something similar, but a 1st instead of a 2nd rounder.

Load up while getting younger but still trying to compete. Gives us more pieces to trade and still maintain youth/depth. I could see us still competing for playoffs and then being able to make a better play on someone like Giannis if/when he wants out of Milly.

Right now the only star that might be available is Kawhi, and frankly no one has any clue what the actual fuck is going on there. And the Spurs won't trade him unless they're ok with blowing up the team, in which case we probably don't have the pieces to get a deal done, and if we do we likely no longer have mich of any depth or youth.

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[Maury]

Nothing will change in that case. Because there's enough fans who watch Raptors like Maury Show.

[KHD]

See I feel kind of the opposite about moves. I would rather keep the youth we have and try to add to it by trading our expensive vets. Use Demar to get some young pieces/prospects. Maybe shop him to the Lakers for Kuzma, Randle and a 1sr rounder. Shop Ibaka for a role player or two, ideally younger, and maybe a 2nd rounder. Shop Lowry for something similar, but a 1st instead of a 2nd rounder.

Load up while getting younger but still trying to compete. Gives us more pieces to trade and still maintain youth/depth. I could see us still competing for playoffs and then being able to make a better play on someone like Giannis if/when he wants out of Milly.

Right now the only star that might be available is Kawhi, and frankly no one has any clue what the actual fuck is going on there. And the Spurs won't trade him unless they're ok with blowing up the team, in which case we probably don't have the pieces to get a deal done, and if we do we likely no longer have mich of any depth or youth.

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I am on your side in terms of what I would prefer to see. my point is that if you're going to keep the same core (which I suspect MLSE wants to do) then you have to consolidate.

[white men can't jump]

I am on your side in terms of what I would prefer to see. my point is that if you're going to keep the same core (which I suspect MLSE wants to do) then you have to consolidate.

I just think this core/coach have shown their true colours enough. Lack of IQ and leadership and can't expect playoff success. Unless you add LeBron, I don't see that changing, so no point in shedding your other assets. If they are keeping this core and coach, they may as well make no moves and spin their wheels for another year.

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