Raptors Discussion: v43|We The North redux: this is what it feels like to have a team with actual depth
- Thread starter The Nemesis
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That's what everyone says about every free agent ever.
Sorry don't mean to be rude or anything. But who the **** cares if it's a pipe dream? We're allowed to imagine, and hope. That's a big reason why people even come on forums like these, they love to speculate. What's the fun in saying there's no chance? Why do we even bother about
We have a wizard for a GM. The Raptors are about the ~6 or ~7th biggest market in the NBA and they'll probably be bigger by 2016. KD's favourite team was the Raptors growing, Greivis Vasquez is KD's best friend. The Raps are one of the youngest, top up and coming teams in the league. And the biggest hip hop superstar in North America for the past few years has been openly recruiting him. Sure it's a pipe dream OKC and Washington have better chances, but it's just asinine to say we'd have no shot at him.
It's fun to be a homer sometimes, well, not even a homer, just someone who hopes for the best for their team.
why would Oklahoma have a better chance than Toronto? Cause he was drafted by Seattle and had to relocate there and fulfill his contract?
Because during his time in OKC, he could have a house, friends, and overall a good situation in OKC.
I still kinda think we have a shot at him, with Drake and TL by our side, but I'd still be shocked if he signed here.
DD03
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Went to OVO fest. Met T-Ross and KD on the floor. Pretty nice guys. They were both down for photos but the publicist didn't let them.. Drake told the fans to show KD what would happen if he came to Toronto. That's not really tampering, it's just letting the crowd show him how we appreciate him.. He was walking around on the floor with the people and a lot of people didn't notice him, but it's hard for me to mistake T-Ross and MVP 
mcleex
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DD03
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Hyperglide
Registered User
He's more of an ambassador then an employee. He doesn't get any pay and is not technically employed by them. More like a shill. He doesn't get a stipend or anything.
Do you have a link for this? Because this line from him would suggest otherwise:
Drake - 0 to 100 said:
DD03
3D
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He's just saying that. He doesn't really do any work for them except represent the team. He gets season tickets from them though.
Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
Did I say it was proof? I was just saying that it suggests that he is getting paid. I'm simply looking for a link or some source that says he isn't getting paid. It isn't even that important, it just has me curious now how everyone is so sure that he isn't getting paid by the raptors.
DD03
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Did I say it was proof? I was just saying that it suggests that he is getting paid. I'm simply looking for a link or some source that says he isn't getting paid. It isn't even that important, it just has me curious now how everyone is so sure that he isn't getting paid by the raptors.
TL doesn't even mention payroll basically. They don't even talk money.
McDrailers
Registered User
I got a feeling that Drake could be paying the Raptors these days. Not the other way around
You're making it seem as if he's doing it for free. No chance.. he gets to market & promote his brand, he provides marketing & promo services which his company probably gets paid for as a freelancer, he gets the allstar game duties & the can design/associate with the club MLSE plans to put in place of the old practice facility in the ACC & probably a bunch of other benefits. Tim Leiweke is just smart.. he used methods to involve Drake with the Raptors without making him an employee so he can tamper his ass off.
Quares27
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- Apr 3, 2013
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All the talk about going home or going to his favourite team isn't even that important IMO. If KD decides he wants to leave OKC in 2 years, assuming he hasn't won a ring by 2016, which is very possible considering all the great teams in the West, then he'll likely be looking for a place to win a ring. And who says we can't be that perfect fit for him? We'd have a group of players who are all pretty young and/or around their prime. Lowry will be 30, Amir 29, 2Pat 27, Derozan 27, JV 24, T-Ross 25, Vasquez 29. Nogueira and Caboclo could potentially be very solid players by then as well. Not that they'll all be there in 2016, but i'm sure most of them will.
As it stands now we're already one of the better teams in a much easier conference than the West, with a young team that will be even better and more experienced in the playoffs 2 years from now. We're in a big city that KD apparently likes, we have a great fanbase, we have the funds (and Leiweke has made it very clear he wants us to be seen as a big NBA market, and is willing to spend big) and in 2016 we'll have a ton of cap space where we could easily offer him a massive contract. Who is to say we cant go hard at KD? a lot of the time it seems to hold us back that we're in Canada and most players would rather avoid us, but if thats not the case with KD (and it doesnt appear to be) then who's to say we cant land him? Im not saying we have an amazing chance at him but it's dumb to say it's a pipedream or that we can't talk about it.
As it stands now we're already one of the better teams in a much easier conference than the West, with a young team that will be even better and more experienced in the playoffs 2 years from now. We're in a big city that KD apparently likes, we have a great fanbase, we have the funds (and Leiweke has made it very clear he wants us to be seen as a big NBA market, and is willing to spend big) and in 2016 we'll have a ton of cap space where we could easily offer him a massive contract. Who is to say we cant go hard at KD? a lot of the time it seems to hold us back that we're in Canada and most players would rather avoid us, but if thats not the case with KD (and it doesnt appear to be) then who's to say we cant land him? Im not saying we have an amazing chance at him but it's dumb to say it's a pipedream or that we can't talk about it.
Joey24
Registered User
Any one else able to see how D-Rose has been playing so far? He looks lightning quick out there maybe a little too quick.
Everything he's doing seems 2 gears above everyone else. It looks like he needs to slow it down a bit imo, he said he's not worried about his knees now, and it shows it, but he just looks way too quick with everything. Anyone noticing this also?
Everything he's doing seems 2 gears above everyone else. It looks like he needs to slow it down a bit imo, he said he's not worried about his knees now, and it shows it, but he just looks way too quick with everything. Anyone noticing this also?
Joey24
Registered User
There is a different feel with this Raptors team. We have a great GM, have a good core that is still young enough to play at a high level for years. Have great fan support and a top flight ambassador in Drake that pimps the raps every chance he gets to the NBA elite.
This is all something new to Toronto and for the first time in the teams history they may at least be in consideration for one of the leagues bigger names even if it isn't KD to sign here in the future. Toronto is moving in the right direction, they need to show last season wasn't a fluke and build off it to be considered legit imo.
DD03
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Yeah the whole thing was about tampering. And TL found a way to get Drake involved without tampering. What they both gain in the meantime comes out in the wash if the Drake can help make the Raptors better.
It's how TL got Masai here. He let him get a lot of time and funding for his charity and to work with kids over in Africa which Masai LOVES to do. And that alone helped convince Masai to come here. TL has some really good negotiating tactics, and he's pretty good at finding some loopholes.
Ya he looks back to 100%. He was this explosive 2 years ago, so let's hope for the good of the NBA that he can play a full healthy season again.
Look like the Love deal is completed, or at least agreed upon. It can't be "official" until 30 days after Wiggns' deal was signed.
SportsCenter @SportsCenter 34m
BREAKING: Cavs & T-wolves agree to deal for Kevin Love. @YahooSports reports Love will re-sign w/ CLE on 5-year deal.
SportsCenter @SportsCenter 26m
UPDATE: Kevin Love deal involves Andrew Wiggins, 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett & protected 2015 1st-rd pick. (via @YahooSports)
SportsCenter @SportsCenter 34m
BREAKING: Cavs & T-wolves agree to deal for Kevin Love. @YahooSports reports Love will re-sign w/ CLE on 5-year deal.
SportsCenter @SportsCenter 26m
UPDATE: Kevin Love deal involves Andrew Wiggins, 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett & protected 2015 1st-rd pick. (via @YahooSports)
Myke
Registered User
What a terrible trade... Why not keep Wiggins and Bennett and just wait ONE year until Love hits FA???
Greek_physique
Caron - Legit SNIPER
I guess there would be no guarantee that he'd sign there.
Also, they want to win now....anything can happen next year.
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