zeke
Well-known member
Ah c'mon having a bunch of colorways is standard.
Do you really think they'd be caught dead not having branded gear ready to go as soon as he decided?
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OT: The Official Toronto Raptors Thread
- Thread starter hockeylover
- Start date
Ah c'mon having a bunch of colorways is standard.
Do you really think they'd be caught dead not having branded gear ready to go as soon as he decided?
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
We’ve lost Kawhi and Green. Green wasn’t anything for us in the playoffs and is replaceable and maybe even irrelevant.
So can we replace Kawhi now and take another run at it with otherwise the same team? Obviously getting someone as good or better than Kawhi isn’t realistic, but there must be an elite player Masai can nab, or maybe two very good players to make up instead. It’s the NBA, after all, where ridiculous trades are the norm.
Either way, I wouldn’t want to see him rebuild right now. Try again with the championship core.
So can we replace Kawhi now and take another run at it with otherwise the same team? Obviously getting someone as good or better than Kawhi isn’t realistic, but there must be an elite player Masai can nab, or maybe two very good players to make up instead. It’s the NBA, after all, where ridiculous trades are the norm.
Either way, I wouldn’t want to see him rebuild right now. Try again with the championship core.
LeafGm
Well-known member
This is why I really don’t get the “we’re a destination now”, or the “we’ve made it as a franchise” talk from some people. Because at the moment, the evidence is very much to the contrary when it comes to the willingness of American superstar players to stay here.
That’s not to be all “woe is me” or claim that the team’s as bad off as they were in the Bosh, Vince or purple dino days. They’ve come a long way from there, but there’s still a lot of work to be done before we’re legitimately a “destination”, and not somewhat of an outpost in the NBA.
It seems to me that the franchise’s hope going forward largely has to rest with the increasing number of Canadian, African & European stars in the league. Those are the guys that they’ll hopefully have more luck convincing to come and stay here. But for the foreseeable future and maybe always, the American players will always prefer to be elsewhere if it’s within their power to make that choice.
It’s also going to be all the more important going forward that this organization stays consistently well-run and competitive. They can’t afford to go back to the days where the team’s a laughingstock for any lengthy period. Just keep pushing forward and building the organization’s credibility over the long haul.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
There's no one who would have even close to playoff Kawhi's impact, that wouldn't cost us Siakam. This core is done, it's time to move on. They did their job, they'll get their rings, and invites to Toronto for ceremonies on the regular. Toronto legends now, the lot of them. Move forward with Pascal, FVV, and OG.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
What about Paul George, leaving a year after rejecting LAL and calling OKC home.
“It’s more than just loyalty, it’s about doing what I think is right. I feel this is the best and perfect opportunity to cement myself and bring a championship where it hasn’t been brought. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I want them to feel that hype that I have toward what I think we can accomplish there. I want to be part of something that’s special and something that I’ve created. In Oklahoma, I think there is something I can create there.
“It’s more than just loyalty, it’s about doing what I think is right. I feel this is the best and perfect opportunity to cement myself and bring a championship where it hasn’t been brought. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I want them to feel that hype that I have toward what I think we can accomplish there. I want to be part of something that’s special and something that I’ve created. In Oklahoma, I think there is something I can create there.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
I can’t see Masai folding his tent with all of these players fresh off a championship.
I expect he has something up his sleeve.
I expect he has something up his sleeve.
LeafGm
Well-known member
Yep.
Though I do hope Masai gives Lowry a large amount of choice in choosing his path forward from here. Maybe an unemotional approach would be the best way for management, but this is a guy that most likely will be the first Raptor number raised to the rafters, and I’d like to see him treated right.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Yeah, I’m not buying the not a destination talk.
Derozan wanted it, Lowry, Gasol just reupped, Danny Green was willing to stay, George was willing to come.
I think we’re very much a destination. Kawhi just always has his sights set on LA.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
PG willing to come here obviously hinged on KL staying. Reports are not clear KL would agree to that.
It seems like it was SoCal or nothing.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
None of these guys have any loyalty. They go wherever the wind is blowing the strongest at the moment.
George got caught up in Kawhi mania like the rest of us and was willing to go wherever the master wanted him to. Kinda pathetic.
Why was Kawhi so gay for George anyway of all people?
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Getting younger and staying good is what's up his sleeve. We just lost 2/5ths of our starting lineup man. Danny Green's defence was immense in the playoffs (and all year really). I know that you're not an analytics guy, but his RPM (Espn's compilation stat for total impact when a player is on the floor) was the best among all SG's last season overall, and still strong in the playoffs despite his shot falling to shit. He's just really, really good defensively. His BPM (basketball reference's stat, similar to ESPN's) had him as a +1.4 (-1.6 offensive +3.0 defensive). Our 5th most important player overall in the playoffs.
We would have to replace Kawhi, and then Danny Green's impact. With what? Fire a bunch of 1sts out the door to get a guy like Beal who is shadow of playoff Kawhi?
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
George is a legit MVP candidate in his prime, and also a lock down defender like Kawhi is. Kawhi-PG is the best 2-way 2-3 combo in the league and I can't think of a close 2nd. Also another SoCal cat like Kawhi, so I'm assuming they have a pre existing relationship that they're drawing off of.
LeafGm
Well-known member
I guess my point is, this chest-thumping “we’re a destination” talk is all just here-say (like that Paul George rumour) until the rubber meets the road and one of these guys actually chooses to come here or stay here.
Rumours of Paul George being willing to come here if he was a package deal with the reigning finals MVP isn’t enough to convince me that there’s not still a lot of work ahead to really make the Raptors a destination, particularly for American players. But obviously I hope you’re the one that’s right here.