Building Toronto Raptors into Team Canada

[NashyMing]

Current Raptors:
- 11 players under contract with > 70mil of contracts guaranteed (without picking up JL3 option)

The salary cap would be around 58~60 mil and the luxury tax cap would be around 70 mil, so the Toronto Raptors is already over the luxury tax, hence, there is not much room for improvement via free agency. MLSE can spend MLE to add a role player but what's the point to spend 75 mil + luxury tax for a team fighting for 6th to 8th seed. There is not much incentive for the MLSE to spend more on the Raptors. There is almost zero chance of contending in the next 2 years with the current roster.

A lot of people think the Raptors should use the amnesty on someone (e.g. Bargnani). However, amnesty would still keep 50% cap on salary cap calculation, so even if the Raptors would use it on Rudy Gay, the Raptors would be at 61 mil and still over the salary cap. Hence, there is still no chance for signing anyone over MLE and that's why amnesty is a useless move for the Raptors.

Roster Breakdown
Keepers
DeRozan - solid young SG that still has upside at 9.5 mil x 4 - at age 24, he still has 3 years before prime
Amir - solid young big man at 6.5 mil x 2 - solid contract and love Toronto
Valanciunas - center to build with at rookie scale at 3.5 mil with 3 years left - building block
Ross - solid SG prospect at 2.7 mil with 3 years left - potential building block

Should be on the Block
Gay - all-star level player with big contract of ~18 mil x 2 - contract is too big for a non-contending team, not much chance for Raptors to improve with his 18 mil contract on the roster
Bargnani - solid scoring big man but nothing else with ~10 mil x 2 - BC kept him for far too long, wasted his talent and turned into poor man Okur
Fields - extremely overpaid role playing SG at 6.25 cap hit x 2 (salary @ 5.3 mil but cap hit @ 6.25 mil) - a 3 mil a year role player making 2x his worth

Should be shopped during the Season
Lowry - solid PG at 6.2 mil x 1 - if the Raptors would start a rebuild, Lowry would be too old by the time the team is good enough for contention. Also, Lowry has yet to prove himself to be a star-level PG. The Raptors should keep him to start the season then let him increase his trade value over the season. Lowry should get into best shape of his career for potentially the biggest contract next year, so he should increase his value significantly enough for the Raptors to fetch something good in return before trade deadline (or even consider keeping him if he has proven himself).

No value and can be used for throw-in for bigger deal
Kleiza - backup SF/PF that was injured-prone at 4.6 mil x 1
Gray - role playing backup big man at 2.7 mil x 1
Acy - career backup at 0.8 with 2 option years
These guys have no value at all.

There are two options for the Raptors:
A) keeping the team and try to find diamond in the rough with the MLE and fight for a playoff spot
B) Start a true rebuild and tank for Wiggins

I would prefer B and here are my ideas:
1) Trade Rudy Gay + Landry Fields to Washington Wizards for Okafor, Ariza, and #3.
Why for Raptors - get value out of Gay, get rid of Fields, and tank
Why for Wizards - the Wiz is a star SF away from being a top 4 team in the east, the owner is a willing spender while the Wiz also has not enough cap space to improve by signing. Gay is and will likely be better than anyone at #3 for the next 3 years. Wall-Beal-Gay-Seraphin-Nene would give them a playoff team lineup.

2) Trade Okafor to Brooklyn Nets for Kris Humphries and #22
Why for Raptors - Valanciunas is the center of now and future, no need to have Okafor around to steal his minutes. Landing a smaller expiring contract and add another pick in the process
Why for Nets - Humphries was useless last year and turning him into Okafor would strengthen Nets front court. Owner is also a willing spender and #22 would not worth much to the team anyway. Williams-Johnson-Wallace-Okafor-Lopez would provide an improved starting lineup.

3) Trade Bargnani + Gray + Acy to OKC Thunder for Perkins + Perry Jones III + Thabeet + #32
Why for Raptors - Bargnani's time with Raptors should be over long ago. Getting a young player in PJ3 in return while lower the salary hit. Thabeet is just a thrown in. #32 will come in handy.
Why for Thunder - Perkins was almost useless for the Thunder this year. Although they keep saying they won't amnesty him, Perkins do not worth much in the market with 9mil x 2. Perry Jones III will be buried in the bench for years with Durant and Ibaka in front of him. Bargnani would provide scoring in the front court, 3ptr, and the occasional blocks. Gray provides a traditional center.

After the trades, the Raptors salary cap cut to 64 mil with #3, #22, #32 in the draft. Since Perkins is useless for a rebuilding team, has no value in the market and may not even be happy in Toronto, we can use amnesty on him to save another 4.5 mil in cap space.

For the draft:
#3 - Anthony Bennett
#22 - Giannis Adetokunbo / Lucas Nogueira / Glen Rice Jr / Tim Hardaway Jr / Shane Larkin
#32 - Myck Kabongo

2013/2014 - Toronto Raptors
Lowry / Kabongo
DeRozan / Ross
Ariza / Bennett / Kleiza
Johnson / Humphries / PJ3
Valanciunas / Thabeet

Note: if picking Adetokunbo with #22, he should stay in Europe for a year or two to develop in ACB.

The roster would have 12 players under contract at ~64 mil. Can still use the MLE before reaching luxary tax or sign a few minimum contract players to fill the roster.

Two Canadians on the Raptors and a shot at Wiggins. This team would have almost 30 mil of cap space in 2014.

[dTox]

Regardless of who is on the team, I'm sure 90% of the TORONTO Raptors fan would like to keep it as the Toronto Raptors, as a fan, I'm supporting a corporate business who happens to be in Toronto, if I"m feeling patriotic I'll support Team canada during the olympics.

Also: http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1236737

[StMikes31]

I don't think going 'all out canadian players' is the right way to go. We need to get the best players no matter what. The changing of the brand and image of this team is what is most important in order to make it Canada's team as TL was saying.

Getting Wiggins is a different thing altogether because he has elite talent and potential.

[fredericklove]

Disagree with Demar being the keeper, if one can trade him for another piece, you do it. Btw, shouldn't this belong to the trade thread?

[NashyMing]

I don't think going 'all out canadian players' is the right way to go. We need to get the best players no matter what. The changing of the brand and image of this team is what is most important in order to make it Canada's team as TL was saying.

Getting Wiggins is a different thing altogether because he has elite talent and potential.

I also believe in picking the best talent available. For my ideas, picking Bennett at #3 can be considered picking BPA and it just happens that he's Canadian and a local kid. I also think Kabongo is one of the better player at #32 and the Raptors should certainly consider buying a pick to draft him. I see a poor-man Rondo in Kabongo and he has the talent to develop into a good NBA player.

[NashyMing]

Disagree with Demar being the keeper, if one can trade him for another piece, you do it. Btw, shouldn't this belong to the trade thread?

I don't see many teams that would offer good value for Demar. I think he will show more improvement next year and increase his trade value. If he's already 27, he should be shipped, but he's just 24, still 3 years to improve before reaching his prime. Obviously, if there's a good return, I wouldn't mind trading him or Amir Johnson.

[Totem]

Does anyone think TL wants to tank next year to pick up the canadian Andrew wiggins. He did say he doesn't believe this team is one piece away.

[Patman]

I don't think going 'all out canadian players' is the right way to go. We need to get the best players no matter what. The changing of the brand and image of this team is what is most important in order to make it Canada's team as TL was saying.

Getting Wiggins is a different thing altogether because he has elite talent and potential.

I also believe in picking the best talent available. For my ideas, picking Bennett at #3 can be considered picking BPA and it just happens that he's Canadian and a local kid. I also think Kabongo is one of the better player at #32 and the Raptors should certainly consider buying a pick to draft him. I see a poor-man Rondo in Kabongo and he has the talent to develop into a good NBA player.

That's either not a compliment or not a good description. Rondo is an elite passer, but if you make him even just a good passer, he's a liability on offense. Basically, saying someone is something like "similar to Rondo, but not a good a passer", is saying someone will not be a successful PG. Or of you're saying "not a good a passer as Rondo, but a better shooter", you're describing 90% of the point guards in the league.

[youngRAPZ]

How has anyone not said that bargnani trade will never happen coupled with the fact we cant amnesty Perkins?