NBA Toronto Raptors thread

[jcs0218]

There is little upside for Siakam,

What do you mean?

 

[Stylizer1]

What do you mean?

People have been pointing too how good he has been getting but I think he has plateaued. I don't think he will be a superstar in this league but because he'll be getting the touches in Toronto that it will inflate his worth. Toronto needs a scorer and he is not versatile enough.

 

[jcs0218]

People have been pointing too how good he has been getting but I think he has plateaued. I don't think he will be a superstar in this league but because he'll be getting the touches in Toronto that it will inflate his worth. Toronto needs a scorer and he is not versatile enough.

I agree with this. Even before last year's playoffs disappearance, I thought he was starting to get over-rated.

That is why I think he could be used as trade bait for Harden, if Toronto continues to lose games.

Siakam and some more pieces.

 

[Stylizer1]

I agree with this. Even before last year's playoffs disappearance, I thought he was starting to get over-rated.

That is why I think he could be used as trade bait for Harden, if Toronto continues to lose games.

Siakam and some more pieces.

I don't like Harden but I don't think any big time free agents would come to Toronto despite winning a championship. They still have to trade for them and if you can put the right team around Harden you might get lucky. It would have to include FVV because Harden would make him redundant and Lowry is still better and on a much shorter contract. I just worry that the team lacks shooters they can rely on. This team really misses Ibaka.

 

[Gecklund]

I don't like Harden but I don't think any big time free agents would come to Toronto despite winning a championship. They still have to trade for them and if you can put the right team around Harden you might get lucky. It would have to include FVV because Harden would make him redundant and Lowry is still better and on a much shorter contract. I just worry that the team lacks shooters they can rely on. This team really misses Ibaka.

I never realized how versatile Ibaka really is until this season. I actually disagree about FVV though having to go the other way. I know he’s expensive and it’s a cap thing but I actually think he’d be the perfect 3&D compliment for Harden.

 

[John Price]

How did the North get so bad so quick?

 

[Halladay]

How did the North get so bad so quick?

Look at who they have at center compared to the last two seasons. They lost Gasol and Ibaka and replaced them with Baynes and Len.

 

[bov]

If they're not making threes this team is in big trouble. They need a Vucevic type player to be a serious contender again imo. Raptors were very lucky to make it all the way to game 7 last season against Boston. Ibaka and Gasol are solid but even if they were kept, it doesn't get them deep this year imo.

Boucher has been a bright spot though, still plenty of players worth watching on this team and I definitely won't write them off yet. But something is missing.

 

[jcs0218]

I don't think the Raptors are very good, to be honest.

Lowry is a scrappy player, but he is getting older. Siakam has seemed to regress. VanVleet and Anunoby are very average starters.

They have absolutely nobody at centre.

Their depth is no longer the strength it once was, due to all of the players leaving the last 2 years, which has forced their former bench players to become starters.

Winning games in the NBA often relies on having the best 1-2 players in any given game on your team, or a superior bench to compensate for a lack of starpower.

The Raptors have neither.

It is hard to lose Leonard, Green, Ibaka, and Gasol, without replacing them with anyone, and still remain an elite team.

I know they had a good record last year without Leonard and Green. But they probably overachieved last year. They were well-coached and won every game they were supposed to win against poor opponents. They didn't have a good record against good teams.

This year, the loss of Ibaka and Gasol has complicated matters even more for them, and they are having the decline that should have probably started last year.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I don't think the Raptors are very good, to be honest.

Lowry is a scrappy player, but he is getting older. Siakam has seemed to regress. VanVleet and Anunoby are very average starters.

They have absolutely nobody at centre.

Their depth is no longer the strength it once was, due to all of the players leaving the last 2 years, which has forced their former bench players to become starters.

Winning games in the NBA often relies on having the best 1-2 players in any given game on your team, or a superior bench to compensate for a lack of starpower.

The Raptors have neither.

It is hard to lose Leonard, Green, Ibaka, and Gasol, without replacing them with anyone, and still remain an elite team.

I know they had a good record last year without Leonard and Green. But they probably overachieved last year. They were well-coached and won every game they were supposed to win against poor opponents. They didn't have a good record against good teams.

This year, the loss of Ibaka and Gasol has complicated matters even more for them, and they are having the decline that should have probably started last year.

This and some bad luck in some games.

They are not as bad as their record suggests. I still think they can be a playoff team.

They sure are not a contender anymore though.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

Siakam has looked better lately, which is huge if this team wants to be good in the future.

I actually am okay with a tank job this year, team is clearly not good enough to compete for a championship. Lowry is the GOAT Raptor and I'm okay if we want to keep him for the rest of his career, but if he wants to compete for another title I don't mind moving him for younger assets.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

How good has Chris Boucher been? 14.3 ppg 6.2 rebounds a game.

 

[LDN]

What if we trade Kyle ? What would we get for him? What would be the best place for him to go?

 

[Maestro84]

Maybe I'm overreacting here but this year would be a good year to rebuild the team. Most veterans from the 2019 team are all gone besides K-Low who will enter FA this summer and they wouldn't have to "tank" in front of the home crowd. If they make the playoffs, they're a first round exit, but I don't think this team is quite as bad to be bottom lottery team if everyone is healthy. With Giannis re-signing with the Bucks, the Raptors will probably have to build through the draft and farm system to produce another title contending team in the future.

If they can get Lowry onto a contender before the deadline, I'm curious to see who we'll get in return. Lowry is still a good PG but he's going on 35 with an expiring contract so his value definitely isn't high.

Siakam, FVV and OG are all high quality players who have age on their side but it's become quite clear that if they're the faces of your franchise, you're not going to make it very far.

 

[John Price]

After starting the season with one win in seven games, Toronto is almost back at .500 at 12-13.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

They lose a must-win vs the Timberwolves and now have to deal with:

Bucks x2
Sixers x2
Wolves
Heat

Feels like a 2-4 stretch is coming, which would lead to a 14-19 record. Yet, now the Raptors are reportedly interested in Drummond, a rental.

I think we should just do Kyle a favor and trade him. Powell is also expiring and should be flipped. Build around Fred, Siakam, OG and try to get a higher pick this year. The team needs to retool.

 

[John Price]

 

[John Price]

The North became bad really fast.


Right now getting blown out and are out of the playoff picture.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Just mind-boggling that Lowry was not traded for any kind of asset.

 

[Flukeshot]

Just mind-boggling that Lowry was not traded for any kind of asset.

I'm starting to think the Raptors may have known he might have failed a physical and a trade going through may have been harder.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Damn son

 

[KRovlle]

looks like they are finally coming back down to earth

 

[sparxx87]

looks like they are finally coming back down to earth

Down to earth? Almost everything that could go wrong has gone wrong this year. I'd say it fell off the rails but if you look at why, you're probably pretty confident they'll get it sorted out. Adding an at least playable NBA centre in Khem Birch has made a massive impact in a short time.

People seem to underestimate all that went in to moving an entire franchise a month before the season. Whether it was places to live, a gym to practice they built in a hotel, it's been a much tougher year on the Raptors than anyone else. Listen to Eric Spoelstra who commented on it early in the year; he really put it into perspective for those who don't notice a difference on tv from their couch. Not only the move, but they also had to adjust to not having a centre. They started slow but bounced back to 4th in the East before injuries and COVID protocol derailed them again (unlike the Celtics, the Raptors didn't have games rescheduled when their whole rotation was out)

 

[jcs0218]

I think the Raptors are screwed for this season. It will almost take a miracle for them to make the play-in tournament.

 

[razor ray]

NBA Lottery is next week. It would be interesting if Toronto lands in the top 3 because Suggs, Mobley, and Cunningham all look like future stars.