Also, the Lakers and LeBron winnning yet another title is just so… Dull.
I know I’ve said it already, but I am really genuinely curious to see what moves the Raps make in the offseason. Do we go and rebuild or try and sign up another superstar? If we get Masai back at GM, he always seems to pull of some mammoth trades or tricks in underrated players that everyone else has passed on.
There’s no superstar available via free agency. AD isn’t leaving the Lakers. Ingram is restricted. The rest are run of the mill (including VanVleet). I don’t see many being on the trading block either. Wiz will run it back with Beal and Wall again just to see if it works. Joel and Ben have a new coach who will want to give it a try. Giannis, maybe, but I’d put the Heat and the Warriors ahead of the Raps in assets and situation.
jonattonyeah exciting NBA SUPERSTAR Al Horford may be available for the right price!
LOL yeah and Tobias Harris might be available…$40,000,000 for that dude in 2023-24. Brutal.
jonattonyeah unfortunately I think Doc is keen on Tobi. They had a successful past, so in the scheme of things I can deal, especially if Horford is shown the door.
He’s not a bad player. I just can’t fathom a world where you pay him a third of the cap. But maybe you can do what the Warriors are doing with Wiggins, where his big-ass contract is helpful to salary match in a trade for a disgruntled star. I think Harris is better than Wiggins, but still think some idiot new GM could be enticed by Wiggins pedigree as a number one overall pick with loads of hype and 20 ppg.
Horford looks washed. Maybe dump him ($28M) to the Clippers in a sign and trade for Lou Williams ($9M) and Harrell ($15M?) or something. At least you’d be out from Williams next year. Clippers could use an adult as well.
He’s not a bad player. I just can’t fathom a world where you pay him a third of the cap.
Elton Brand is the current Sixers GM, and so far he has sucked. 
jonattonyeah There’s no superstar available via free agency. AD isn’t leaving the Lakers. Ingram is restricted. The rest are run of the mill (including VanVleet). I don’t see many being on the trading block either. Wiz will run it back with Beal and Wall again just to see if it works. Joel and Ben have a new coach who will want to give it a try. Giannis, maybe, but I’d put the Heat and the Warriors ahead of the Raps in assets and situation.
That’s kind of my fear. I don’t know what the Raps are going to do because everyone that contributed to the championship win last year is up for contract renewals and there’s not much out there. I know they’re chasing Giannis, and frankly I think Toronto would be a better place for him overall (there’s tonnes of Greeks living in Toronto) culturally and winning-wise, but I also know he’s a very loyal player and he’s openly stated he doesn’t want to leave Milwaukee.
I think the Raps had all of the right pieces this year, but in the bubble they just looked tired and half there… Like they more or less had won their championship already and were missing their families. Lowry said as much when they lost to the Celtics. If the season had continued uninterrupted I believe it would have been a bit of a different story, but coulda, shoulda, woulda isn’t going to get you anywhere in life or sports.
Personally I’d like to see them perhaps look to Europe and find someone who’s underrated by scouts here, or go after a younger player that’s really starting to shine like Jamal Murray.
I honestly think Van Vleet will be an allstar point guard at some point in his career. His numbers are going up each year and he’s been pretty clutch at the right moments. I’m not sure it would be wise to deal him, but I’m not a GM. It’s hard to believe only a few years ago he was playing in the G League.
loopdokter there’s tonnes of Greeks living in Toronto
Sounds like Smallman might be your next big signing.
Greece is one heeeeeelluva country!
Yeah I think the Raps should just punt on this next year, wait for Lowry to expire (morbid phrasing, but you know what I mean), and go from there. I say that beyond the Raps situation. I’m betting a ton of one-year contracts this off season. Like, all FAs signing 1+1’s or just flat out one year deals. Players might be stuck putting upwards of 30% of their salary in escrow as per the collective bargaining agreement (revenue is a 50/50 split - if the revenue isn’t there, those $9M mid level contracts are really just paper). This year’s cap is going to be a disaster. Next year could be a significant bump (think: 2017 cap spike which allowed the Warriors to sign Durant). I wouldn’t be surprised if some guys even jumped to Europe for a year.
I’d also kick the tires on Oladipo. Indiana is well over the cap (in luxury territory, which I can’t imagine they want to pay in this environment) and he wants out. Could be a good fit next to Siakam
The Rockets are interested in Joel. Thank god the Sixers didn’t sign D’Antoni.
Who wouldn’t be. He could be the best player in the league. Rockets have fuck all picks, nobody young who’s any good, and a worse version of Simmons in Westbrook. Total non-starter. Sixers, if they’re looking to trade, should take Wiggins (for salary match), one of the Dubs young guys, the #2, and Minnesota’s first rounder next year. Or take a massive haul from the Heat. Or Beal. Rockets…please.
I hate Westbrook.
jonattonyeah I’d also kick the tires on Oladipo.
Isn’t he getting on a bit in years? The Raps already have their fair share of guys in their mid-thirties on their roster.
I think he’s 28/29. But the injury worries are legitimate. Hell of a two-way player when he’s healthy. Would be excellent next to Siakam.
jonattonyeah I think he’s 28/29. But the injury worries are legitimate. Hell of a two-way player when he’s healthy. Would be excellent next to Siakam.
I haven’t heard any news about them resigning Masai as GM, but if they do I can count on him to come up with some sort of mammoth deal that will make them competitive again. If not, I think next year is going back to building out the team again and starting largely over. I don’t foresee Lowry going anywhere and reckon he’ll retire in Toronto.
Apparently the Knicks have shown interest in Van Vleet, but I’m not sure what we’d get in return from them. I doubt they’ll want to deal RJ Barrett - which would be the kind of player Toronto would love to have and is a hometown product.
FVV is unrestricted. Knicks can sign him outright without a trade. No way they give up on RJ, even if his rookie season was a disappointment. I’d bet you sign Ibaka to a big one year deal and try to keep the books clear for a run at Giannis in 2021, as unlikely as that may be.
jonattonyeah FVV is unrestricted. Knicks can sign him outright without a trade. No way they give up on RJ, even if his rookie season was a disappointment. I’d bet you sign Ibaka to a big one year deal and try to keep the books clear for a run at Giannis in 2021, as unlikely as that may be.
I didn’t realize Fred’s contract was up.
Barrett is the kind of player I think we need… Young, potential superstar in the making and Canadian to get the crowd even more behind him. His dad is well known in the Canadian basketball community and played with Steve Nash on the 2002 Olympics team that did well by Canadian standards. There’s been a lot of hype around him and Jamal Murray. There initially was for Wiggins too but he’s seemingly plateaued.
Wiggins is fine. The issue with him is the salary. He’s paid as a max player but he’s really just Harrison Barnes with bigger hands. If he’s not traded, we’ll see what he’s like on a team that knows how to play basketball (the Wolves do not know how to play NBA-level basketball). He’s a good playmaker and has the size to be a plus wing defender. He’s just not worth $30+M.
