Yahoo: Raps sign Linas Kleiza to 4 year 18.8M offer sheet

[garbagnani]

i am starting to hate this board. the negativity is raging out of control.

kleiza is 25, he is an asset, a young asset. stop being such effing haters and jsut wait and see what happens.

[Randle McMurphy]

I'm not really sure what this move represents -- an opportunity to add a relatively young player with some upside to a rebuilding team that can use more assets, or the first of a series of moves made with the hopes of maybe eking into the 8th seed.

But since I don't know, I'm left with the move itself, which is fine IMO. Kleiza does some things well and he's 25. Might have overpaid just slightly, but I'm hopeful that the deal is front-loaded so any potential overpayment won't have long-term ramifications really.

eking out an eighth seed is better than we did last year with bosh

First of all, I absolutely do not think we'd be able to eke out an eighth seed. I just believe Colangelo might try, and would forsake the future to do so. (I hope this doesn't happen).

Secondly, it isn't better. There's no good reason to try to take a run at anything this year. Even Colangelo should see that it would be futile.

Agreed on both counts. But I don't think Colangelo (or maybe more importantly, MLSE) will see it that way.

[Childs]

I don't like or hate this deal. Just meh. I would have prefer getting outlaw or brewer instead though.

[Coach Smiley]

first of all I wholeheartedly believe we will be a better team w/o Bosh

Secondly, Kleiza is a tough SOB and is a much needed enforcer on this team. I like this move.

[douggood]

Love it!!

The dude can shoot!

He's only 25.

To build a winner, you need a young group of influential players that Triano can teach his system to and grow together.

Kleiza is a nice SF, and this means Hedo's gone for sure.

I expect us to clean house, go young and keep a few vets like Jack around.

jack isnt old, just an old soul, he is only 27 years old.
oldest players on the raptors, evans 30, hedo 31, calderon 28

[Cool-Hand-Luke]

haha sorry mods I think I'm blind from reading all the news

[MrBojangelz71]

I know a lot of people hate Turk right now, but Linas Kleiza does not have better skills than Hedo Turkoglu. It's not even close.

Do you understand the difference in salary and their games.

It's like comparing apples to oranges. What Kleiza brings are measurable that don't show up on the stat sheet. He is the toughness and grit that everyone on here cried for last season. Now we have it and everyone is bitching that it's not like Hedo????

WTF?

[bill russell]

I'm not really sure what this move represents -- an opportunity to add a relatively young player with some upside to a rebuilding team that can use more assets, or the first of a series of moves made with the hopes of maybe eking into the 8th seed.

But since I don't know, I'm left with the move itself, which is fine IMO. Kleiza does some things well and he's 25. Might have overpaid just slightly, but I'm hopeful that the deal is front-loaded so any potential overpayment won't have long-term ramifications really.

eking out an eighth seed is better than we did last year with bosh

First of all, I absolutely do not think we'd be able to eke out an eighth seed. I just believe Colangelo might try, and would forsake the future to do so. (I hope this doesn't happen).

Secondly, it isn't better. There's no good reason to try to take a run at anything this year. Even Colangelo should see that it would be futile.

i'm not arguing that anything is going to happen this year but i think we're going to have one of the younger teams in the NBA and a lot of guys who will improve quickly because of playing time. i also think there are more moves to come. Not a total rebuild but substantial change

[pspot]

Raps needed a back up SF, and a big tough one at that, this is that move, him or Gomes are similar but I'd rather Kleiza who is a bit more fluid.

There is a 'team' still in TO

I like it

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

You know what throw's a rebuild off, another Turk. If we bring in any older players with long term deals, they better be instant game changers, I agree with that. But isn't acquiring young good assets a fundamental part of rebuilding. You realize it takes too long to do threw the draft at one player a year. You can even draft a 4 players, before the first one's contract is up.

[OakleyDokely]

I like this.

*It's a deal below the MLE
*He's in his mid's 20's
*He fills a need at the 3
*He's tough

[Graham's Cracker]

so either this means there is a deal for Turk OR no Beasley in the S&T.... this is getting weird.

For those who are looking for a Center as a FA, there aren't much this year outside of Haywood, and we can't afford him. We will get our C in a trade or using the TPE. The crop of PGs is also weak.

Could Beasley be shipped off to Denver in a double sign and trade? Don't know how that works but the money should be about the same as Kleiza's offer.

[bill russell]

We are in rebuild mode, imo. Anytime you lose your franchise guy you're in rebuild mode. But tanking is not going to happen and it takes a long time and offers no guarantee. We'll be a much different team next year. And we'll be a young team. If we can be a different team, a young team, and a team that can grow together and be competitive, and sniff the post season, what's the problem.

Losing is toxic. Let's build with what we have. If Hedo and Jose have to go, so be it. If one of them stay, fine. I think one, of those two should go. Other than that, we've got three lottery picks, and toughness and youth already. We may end up with a lottery pick next year anyway.

But I'm hoping the days of raps being pushed around are over. No more turn the other cheek, timid leadership. I want players a that will talk crap and walk on people. Players who care more about making winning plays than buckets. We build in that direction, I'm happy.

amen

[kedineking]

HES NOT A 3 FOR DENVER HE PLAYED THE 4. HES ****

[5DOM]

If DeRozan improves, I feel like next year's team is going to be more entertaining to watch than this year's (although we'll lose many more games).

[SDM]

I don't understand this move.

Can someone explain why spending $20M now on a redundant player is a good move?

Anyone?

[LittleOzzy]

WHY this is not what we need right now

What do we need right now?

For God sake, he's not Ryan Gomes. He's a SF - bye bye Turk? - whose young, TOUGH, ornery, AND BADLY WANTS TO BE IN TORONTO!

He's a good three point shooter, with some decent athleticism. He's not a superstar, but for 4/20 he's decent value and likely to be the kind of bargain signing we got in Jarrett Jack.

Exactly, not sure what everyone one here is yapping about. He is 25 years old, tough, rugged, solid rebounder, can get to the rim and has a solid shot.

Great signing at a solid price, love this deal. Kleiza will be a fan favorite.

Solid Deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People just hate everything right now. 90% of the forum has no idea what they want from this team.

They want to rebuild, but they also don't want to suck. They want good players but they want to tank. Most have no clue.

[Tha Professa]

.

But I'm hoping the days of raps being pushed around are over. No more turn the other cheek, timid leadership. I want players a that will talk crap and walk on people. Players who care more about making winning plays than buckets.

YES YES YES !!!!
that has been the problem ever since we lost oak willis and davis !
Soft core of players will win you nothing!

[Spragga]

Hopefully Orl takes back Hedo with the TPE they got for him last year. I hate Hedo and would take Linas over him 10 times outta 10.

[Buzzer Beat]

Denver will match because Kenyon Martin is injured. With Kleiza, he can replace 15ppg of Bosh 20ppg. Not bad ?

It also would make Hedo expendable.