Kevin O'Connor: "There's people in that front office that want full rebuild"

[ruckus]

At this point, I'm happy with whatever direction the front office goes in as long as they pick a direction. Fence-straddling just frustrates fans for the most part.

My concern is that Masai is losing his grip/ influence within MLSE. If theres a faction within the head office that wants to rebuild and a faction that wants to stay the course, that won't end well for everyone involved.

If Masai is to continue on as the leader of this franchise, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the people you have in leadership positions and evaluate whether or not they still belong there.

Say what you will about Nick's minute distributions, the 905 has been more a pipeline for other teams rather than the Raptors. They're stumbling on the development front and it reflected in the oncourt performance.

Feels like there's numerous issues within the front office that need addressing sooner rather than later.

[islandboy53]

Or maybe keep evaluating and pick a direction next deadline

Okey dokey. Come back in a month or so, and we’ll chat more about this alleged lack of direction

And every day in between, from now till then.

If you wish.

[ItsDanger]

Being competitive might be a MLSE strategic option. I think more fans are on board with building a legit exciting championship contending roster. I have zero interest in just being competitive. That's a .500 mid tier team.

[islandboy53]

At this point, I'm happy with whatever direction the front office goes in as long as they pick a direction. Fence-straddling just frustrates fans for the most part.

My concern is that Masai is losing his grip/ influence within MLSE. If theres a faction within the head office that wants to rebuild and a faction that wants to stay the course, that won't end well for everyone involved.

If Masai is to continue on as the leader of this franchise, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the people you have in leadership positions and evaluate whether or not they still belong there.

Say what you will about Nick's minute distributions, the 905 has been more a pipeline for other teams rather than the Raptors. They're stumbling on the development front and it reflected in the oncourt performance.

Feels like there's numerous issues within the front office that need addressing sooner rather than later.

That’s quite a take based on speculative chatter based on nothing. Do you think it is uncommon that there are a variety of differing viewpoints in a professional sports front office?

[Clutch0z24]

You’d be surprised, I guess, how many fans actually prefer seeing a winning team versus a Raptor version of the process.

We are not a winning team though we just got bounced by a mid Bulls team and struggled to make the play in game....We are just a mid team ....Not a WINNING team...Idk where people get this idea we are a "Winning" team when we havn't won a playoff series since we had Lowry in the bubble and we beat a bad Nets team to do so....We are not a "Winning" team anymore...

And Siakam/FVV at the helm will not ever be a winning team

Last year was frustrating for sure, but tearing it down is not the answer. Moving the right piece, or 2, from that squad, could make us competitive right out of the gate, while giving us room for future improvement and much needed payroll flexibility. The only real question is who moves.

For me i do not judge the reg season vs the playoffs the same....Its literally 2 different games being played....The reg season has many variables into what could make a decent or even good team.....The elite teams are the teams consistently beating any team they face while the mid teams like ours tend to win during they have an easy schedule, beat teams with injured stars/resting, Or just beat bad tanking teams. And just end up with a decent record for these reasons and once the playoffs come they get exposed bad (Just like our team)...

Lets just take a look at our playoff record since we lost Lowry .... 2019-2020 That is what i base a "Winning" team off of cause that is really all that matters at the end of the day....We won 1 playoff series in the bubble vs a bad Nets team with DLo as their best player, Had a pretty good series vs the Celtics where we ended up losing in 7....

2020-2021 We go full tank mode the following season cause the team couldn't buy wins in the reg season and we moved Lowry at the deadline and went full tank mode ...End up drafting Barnes. 27-45 Record. No Playoffs

2021-2022- We have a decent season with Barnes having a surprising rookie campaign and wins ROY....We get to the 5th seed matchup vs the 76ers....We get exposed in the playoffs...FVV can't do nothing vs the 76ers...We got blown out in that series more than we had competitive games with them....

Game 1 we got demolished 131-111 was never really a close game, Game 2 another blowout 112-97 game was never close, game 3 was a little closer but we still lose 104-101....Series is over by that time since it was 3-0 ....So we all knew that...But we win 2 games ....But end up not being in a competitive series....

Then this year happened and we all know what happened this year....So ever since the Siakam/FVV duo started post title run we managed to get this label as a "Winning" team under these guys for what exactly? We havn't won NOTHING with these guys....

[ArthurVandelay]

The things giving me hope for real changes (by that I mean Fred gone and one of Pascal/OG) is:

1) the crowd was dead this year. FVV blamed crowd for lack of energy but the product was hot garbage,

2) if the crowd can’t be bothered to cheer, how many are going to be changing the channel at home? And

3) Masai himself said he did not enjoy watching games.

My biggest fear is Masai thinks a coaching change is enough.

Time will tell. Tomorrow is June!!

[InfraRedshaw]

I think us here in the board, are more dedicated knowledgeable fans (well some of us!) who probably acknowledge that the team needs to tear it down to build it back up, but I think it is also likely we make up a minority of the fan base

More casual fans, would probably still go to games, and pack the arena (even if its quiet as hell now) buy merh etc as long as we don't bottom out, and it's likely that represents a larger portion of the fan base

[Tha Cynic]

With a lightly protected pick next year, going full rebuild or aiming for the playoffs are the only two options.

You can always trade older players for young players making the draft pick moot in what is considered a bad draft. You can always ask for first round picks in an OG or Siakam trade and you can also trade for players who can contribute today but are younger. You still have all options available.

[Tha Cynic]

There is nothing wrong with the approach the Raptors have currently taken in how to build a winner. It makes sense to always build up value and then use that increased value to plug needs. The Raptors have no chance at signing other teams' free agents so this is really the only way to go.

Where this team has made mistakes is more recently not tanking when it was clear the season was lost ( tanking at the 2/3 mark of the season). They made the right choice in the COVID season and got Barnes out of it.

The other issue is being too attached to some of their players and giving them more chances than they probably should to figure out a way.

Up till this season I think the Raptors have probably overachieved since the championship season and correctly tanked in the other. This season showed a very clear disconnect from "Raptors culture" and that's where the fix is needed. IMO their best veteran players are probably not the correct players to carry forward this culture.

[Rapsalot]

Maybe this is a full rebuild but I think they should get best coaching development team and then trade PS draft night hopefully for the third pick A Simons and fill and then S&Trade FVV for best possible move for him and us. Use pick 13 to help bench depth.

Not sure it is a rebuild since I think that team is still about 9-10 in East next year to move 2024 pick as planned then hope internal development can get you top. 5 in East.

[manjusaka]

My biggest fear is Masai thinks a coaching change is enough.

Time will tell. Tomorrow is June!!

This is the vibe that I am getting too. This team peaked; But somehow I feel the management thinks they underachieved this year.

I don’t really care which coach they are going to name. Because this team simply doesn’t have enough talent to be a consistent playoff team. A new coach won’t change that. I do agree that Nurse needed to go for not giving the younger guys or bench players to develop during the season thou.

They don’t have much pieces with positive trade value. Siakam, OG and maybe FVV S&T and that’s it assuming Barnes is off the table. Siakam is the best player here and should have the most return in a trade. OG is the youngest of the three so we should keep him with Barnes.

[manjusaka]

There is nothing wrong with the approach the Raptors have currently taken in how to build a winner. It makes sense to always build up value and then use that increased value to plug needs. The Raptors have no chance at signing other teams' free agents so this is really the only way to go.

Where this team has mistakes is more recently not tanking when it was clear the season was lost ( tanking at the 2/3 mark of the season). They made the right choice in the COVID season and got Barnes out of it.

The other issue is being too attached to some of their players and giving them more chances than they probably should to figure out a way.

Up till this season I think the Raptors have probably overachieved since the championship season and correctly tanked in the other. This season showed a very clear disconnect from "Raptors culture" and that's where the fix is needed. IMO their best veteran players are probably not the correct players to carry forward this culture.

I couldn’t have said it better than myself.

[ruckus]

At this point, I'm happy with whatever direction the front office goes in as long as they pick a direction. Fence-straddling just frustrates fans for the most part.

My concern is that Masai is losing his grip/ influence within MLSE. If theres a faction within the head office that wants to rebuild and a faction that wants to stay the course, that won't end well for everyone involved.

If Masai is to continue on as the leader of this franchise, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the people you have in leadership positions and evaluate whether or not they still belong there.

Say what you will about Nick's minute distributions, the 905 has been more a pipeline for other teams rather than the Raptors. They're stumbling on the development front and it reflected in the oncourt performance.

Feels like there's numerous issues within the front office that need addressing sooner rather than later.

That’s quite a take based on speculative chatter based on nothing. Do you think it is uncommon that there are a variety of differing viewpoints in a professional sports front office?

This season has been different. If it was a one-off thing, I wouldn't pay it any mind but this is an accumulation of odd happenings with the Raps within the past 12 months that make me think that things have gone off the rails a bit in the front office. Which is not unusual within any organization but the Raps have run a pretty tight ship since 2013 or so. So when these things come up - Scottie's maturity questioned, Nick's kinda public resignation, Fred talking about maturity on the team, etc, etc. - one can't help but take notice.

Differing viewpoints are fine. That it got out to Kevin O'No Contacts within the Raps speaks to a possible issue of growing discontentment within the org.

[ArthurVandelay]

My biggest fear is Masai thinks a coaching change is enough.

Time will tell. Tomorrow is June!!

This is the vibe that I am getting too. This team peaked; But somehow I feel the management thinks they underachieved this year.

I don’t really care which coach they are going to name. Because this team simply doesn’t have enough talent to be a consistent playoff team. A new coach won’t change that. I do agree that Nurse needed to go for not giving the younger guys or bench players to develop during the season thou.

They don’t have much pieces with positive trade value. Siakam, OG and maybe FVV S&T and that’s it assuming Barnes is off the table. Siakam is the best player here and should have the most return in a trade. OG is the youngest of the three so we should keep him with Barnes.

They need depth.

Masai’s past success has been trading pieces and getting 2-3 or more positive contributing assets in return.

Hopefullly he can recapture past magic.

[TorontoBarneys]

Is the 2024 really THAT bad? I tend to not believe that. I'm sure there will be at least 1-2 serious prospects.

I say if we do go trading the Siakam/OG+ for picks route, then re-sign Poeltl and see what quality you have with your new young core. If we're looking like a nice up-and-coming team, keep pushing. If we are looking predictably bad (because rookie prospects generally can't carry teams to playoff success) then I say go full tank job and completely void that top 6 protection risk by making the worst possible draft spot you could land be #5.

Either way, Poeltl re-signed on a market value deal can be a deadline asset either way you slice it. No reason to trade him now.

[Ackshun]

At this point, I'm happy with whatever direction the front office goes in as long as they pick a direction. Fence-straddling just frustrates fans for the most part.

My concern is that Masai is losing his grip/ influence within MLSE. If theres a faction within the head office that wants to rebuild and a faction that wants to stay the course, that won't end well for everyone involved.

If Masai is to continue on as the leader of this franchise, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the people you have in leadership positions and evaluate whether or not they still belong there.

Say what you will about Nick's minute distributions, the 905 has been more a pipeline for other teams rather than the Raptors. They're stumbling on the development front and it reflected in the oncourt performance.

Feels like there's numerous issues within the front office that need addressing sooner rather than later.

Interesting take.

We were known for our internal development for a while but failed to restock the cupboards since we went all in.

We have some fractures at MlSE, as gossip like this would never, ever find it’s way out of the organization. I guess this means Masai wants to stay the course, and the coup has begun.

[JB7]

and people were getting on windhorst for saying the same thing. some in here just can't accept the truth staring them in the face.

sports fans in this city will get behind a rebuild if they sell a credible vision/plan for the future. but sports in this city is resembling the worst of the MLSE pension plan days once again. it's primarily about filling seats and making money (yes, that's always the goal) and building actual contending teams is a secondary concern.

It's worse now with Rogers & Bell as owners, because now it is not just about selling seats in a stadium, but also trying to sell viewership through their media products.

[Basketball_Jones]

I think they’re going to continue to try and stay competitive while developing. No issues with this at all, but you need to restock the talent. It blew up in our faces when Precious, Scottie, Gary, Banton, etc. were pretty much worse than last year. Fine, bring in some other guys and try again. Only way to do that is trade some damn players. Stop holding onto Fred/OG/Siakam like they are untouchable.

[MiamiSPX]

Moving on from FVV and Siakam is the way to go. Not because I want a tear down, or because they cannot lead the Raps to glory (which is an accepted fact by now). But rather because they, through no fault of their own, are the top 2 options on this team and are about to be paid as such if they stay (again, through no fault of their own).

You just cannot have 75-80M tied up on those two. Look at the Wizards with Beal. That is exactly where I see the Raps with Siakam in 4 years.

Siakam's value will likely never be higher than it is now. I am not even advocating that it HAS to be youth and draft picks coming back. It can be a similar level player, as long as he is in a contract situation that is more favourable to the Raps at the current moment. Let someone else max out Siakam.

[Dude-niagara]

let's hope Masai is one of those people. Though I guess the fact this is being mentioned this way likely means he isn't.

Or it could be that he's listening to all sides and he'll come to a decision at some point this off season.

I think the fact that there are people in that building who don't believe this core group can get it done says a lot in itself, those guys are not just regular fans, those guys are in the business to make basketball decisions. To be the decision should be easy, its been 4 years since Fred and Siakam took over the team. To have multiple FO personal not believing says its time, I think they all expected t make the playoffs after getting Yak and seeing the weak schedule.