Former Raptor discussion thread 2.0

[kalel123]

I don't mean this as a slight towards DeMar DeRozan.

But this must be eating at him right now. The guy he was traded for is the reason his former team gets over the hump. Hope his depression doesn't kick in.

On the other hand, I hope Casey feels as miserable as possible at the man he kept throwing dirt at going to the Finals while he's sitting at home after being swept by the very team Raptor beat.

[JN]

A simcere thank you to Demar Derozan.

Thanks to your hard work and all your development, you rose beyond what we could expect for a ninth overall pick.

All that development allowed us to obtain possibly the best player in the NBA right now.

[GQStylin]

I don't mean this as a slight towards DeMar DeRozan.

But this must be eating at him right now. The guy he was traded for is the reason his former team gets over the hump. Hope his depression doesn't kick in.

I always said that the Raps couldn't ever get anywhere with Demar and Casey on the team and here we are in the finals without them. I said that about Lowry as well, but that was because I always hated when he played hero ball and thought he could do everything himself. If Lowry had been playing like this in past playoffs perhaps we could've made it further in spite of Demar.

Like I said before Kawhi is what Raps fans have always wished what Demar would become but was never able to and yet the media and many fans defended him and pumped his tires that he was a superstar anyways even though he isn't and probably never will be.

If Demar was still on this team, we probably don't beat Philly or the Bucks and it would be another wasted season because our 'best player' probably puts in another mediocre playoffs performance. The difference between him and Kawhi is night and day and the Bucks series is a great example of that. Kawhi wasn't scoring nearly as much or as efficiently as he was during the other series', but he still led the team by hitting some clutch shots when needed, by playing great defense, by grabbing important rebounds, by finding his teammates to score when he was covered and by showing heart and tenacity and never giving up.

All Demar ever had was his scoring and he wasn't even great at that. So I don't miss him on this team AT ALL and am forever glad that he's gone from here even though he seems to be a good guy off the court.

[Jambo]

we shouldn't have made the JV trade but i was thrilled the second we dumped DD and not just because the return was KL

anyone can chuck and be a black hole on D and i'm still shocked he had such a large following here

[Green Backpack]

we shouldn't have made the JV trade but i was thrilled the second we dumped DD and not just because the return was KL

anyone can chuck and be a black hole on D and i'm still shocked he had such a large following here

We may not have beaten the 76ers without Gasol. He was also huge against Vuc in Rd 1. I would do that JV trade 10 out of 10 times.

[hsb]

we shouldn't have made the JV trade but i was thrilled the second we dumped DD and not just because the return was KL

anyone can chuck and be a black hole on D and i'm still shocked he had such a large following here

We may not have beaten the 76ers without Gasol. He was also huge against Vuc in Rd 1. I would do that JV trade 10 out of 10 times.

The Raptors would have an easier time against the 76ers with JV/Delon than Gasol and it isn't even close. Magic series I don't think any type of team surrounding Kawhi would sweat.

I'm also surprised Ilyasova and Lopez outplayed Ibaka and Gasol in the ECF. Yesterday's game was especially blasphemous. That being said, I would rather see Gasol than JV for the finals but Gasol has to score man. If he cant score just like 4/6 games against the Bucks, it'll be that much harder on everyone. I cant see him get Tony Allen-ed on offense anymore. Here's hoping for the best.

[RaptorsLife]

**** JV

**** DEROZAN.


DUMBASS CLOWNS HELD US BACK


We’re in the finals

[disoblige]

These former raps played their ass off. Insults are uncalled for.

[BigLeagueChew]

Can vaguely remember Stoudamire playing at the skydome and games against the Grizzlies and big country Reeves.

[Kabookalu]

**** JV

**** DEROZAN.


DUMBASS CLOWNS HELD US BACK


We’re in the finals

You forgot the biggest culprit of them all



Stupid ass Casey would have found a way to lose against the Sixers with this roster.

[kalel123]

I don't mean this as a slight towards DeMar DeRozan.

But this must be eating at him right now. The guy he was traded for is the reason his former team gets over the hump. Hope his depression doesn't kick in.

I always said that the Raps couldn't ever get anywhere with Demar and Casey on the team and here we are in the finals without them. I said that about Lowry as well, but that was because I always hated when he played hero ball and thought he could do everything himself. If Lowry had been playing like this in past playoffs perhaps we could've made it further in spite of Demar.

Like I said before Kawhi is what Raps fans have always wished what Demar would become but was never able to and yet the media and many fans defended him and pumped his tires that he was a superstar anyways even though he isn't and probably never will be.

If Demar was still on this team, we probably don't beat Philly or the Bucks and it would be another wasted season because our 'best player' probably puts in another mediocre playoffs performance. The difference between him and Kawhi is night and day and the Bucks series is a great example of that. Kawhi wasn't scoring nearly as much or as efficiently as he was during the other series', but he still led the team by hitting some clutch shots when needed, by playing great defense, by grabbing important rebounds, by finding his teammates to score when he was covered and by showing heart and tenacity and never giving up.

All Demar ever had was his scoring and he wasn't even great at that. So I don't miss him on this team AT ALL and am forever glad that he's gone from here even though he seems to be a good guy off the court.

While my post was recognition that Kawhi was the difference maker that DeRozan never was, I don't think any Raptors fans should be putting him down either. He led this team to the best of his abilities to heights that his predecessors, namely Carter and Bosh, with much better talent never could. He worked tirelessly on his craft and probably met, if not exceeded, his potential. The fact that he was never that guy.... it is what it is. Not his fault. If you think he could've done more given his natural talent level and the team he had, that's really on you. Not him. He did what he could with what he was given and never complained about being in another country, taxes, weather, and all that BS like many of others, who had much less to give, did before him. You gotta at least respect that. Respect and move on.

Now Casey who pretended to have all kinds of class while here then showed his true colours throwing shades at everybody he could at every chance he got deserves no respect from anybody here. And I pray that our Finals run is eating at him as we speak.

[GooniesNeverDie]

JV fans are so much worse than Demar fans.. our defense is NOT this good without Gasol.

[Raptorfan2012]

Sorry why are we still talking about Demar. This team wouldn’t be on this situation with him and no Kawhi. Same goes with Gasol. We already thanked Demar for his service; he is the Spurs concern now

[VanWest82]

What do we expect to see in the Finals from one time great (905) Raptor Alfonzo McKinnie? He's playing actual minutes for the Warriors with KD out.

[RaptorsLife]

**** JV

**** DEROZAN.


DUMBASS CLOWNS HELD US BACK


We’re in the finals

You forgot the biggest culprit of them all



Stupid ass Casey would have found a way to lose against the Sixers with this roster.

Raptors in 6 with Casey

[TrustFundBaby]

lol out of the big 3 who left, I find it funny only JV would get a ring

I can finally say he's a championship caliber C

[Boogie!]

I don't mean this as a slight towards DeMar DeRozan.

But this must be eating at him right now. The guy he was traded for is the reason his former team gets over the hump. Hope his depression doesn't kick in.

I always said that the Raps couldn't ever get anywhere with Demar and Casey on the team and here we are in the finals without them. I said that about Lowry as well, but that was because I always hated when he played hero ball and thought he could do everything himself. If Lowry had been playing like this in past playoffs perhaps we could've made it further in spite of Demar.

Like I said before Kawhi is what Raps fans have always wished what Demar would become but was never able to and yet the media and many fans defended him and pumped his tires that he was a superstar anyways even though he isn't and probably never will be.

If Demar was still on this team, we probably don't beat Philly or the Bucks and it would be another wasted season because our 'best player' probably puts in another mediocre playoffs performance. The difference between him and Kawhi is night and day and the Bucks series is a great example of that. Kawhi wasn't scoring nearly as much or as efficiently as he was during the other series', but he still led the team by hitting some clutch shots when needed, by playing great defense, by grabbing important rebounds, by finding his teammates to score when he was covered and by showing heart and tenacity and never giving up.

All Demar ever had was his scoring and he wasn't even great at that. So I don't miss him on this team AT ALL and am forever glad that he's gone from here even though he seems to be a good guy off the court.

The part about Lowry sounds like hindsight. Lowry was never a hero ball player but he was in a position that as the teams best player he was relied in more to score. It just so happens that he wasn't able to succeed in that role. Look at the Philly series when no one else could score and Kawhi was basically the entire offense. That was who Lowry had to be in the past and he wasn't able to succeed at it. But Lowry taking more offensive load was necessity and role more than anything else. That being said, even in that role he was always more willing to get others involved than demar ever was.

[GQStylin]

While my post was recognition that Kawhi was the difference maker that DeRozan never was, I don't think any Raptors fans should be putting him down either. He led this team to the best of his abilities to heights that his predecessors, namely Carter and Bosh, with much better talent never could. He worked tirelessly on his craft and probably met, if not exceeded, his potential. The fact that he was never that guy.... it is what it is. Not his fault.

I'd say it is his fault for not recognizing his limitations and not trying to do everything himself thinking he can be like Lebron or Durant when clearly he isn't capable of it. And I'd say its also the fault of the media and especially Casey for almost neverendingly pumping his tires and making him believe he was a superstar player and giving him unlimited chances to fail even at the cost of the team losing playoff games when it would've made more sense to put in different players and try different things rather than 'ride or die' with Demar because he's 'our star'.

And if he worked tirelessly on his game, it sure didn't show all these years with his horrid defense and hot and cold offense. As I said even as Kawhi's offense cooled off in the Bucks series, he was still making a major impact on the floor with his defense, rebounding etc. while Demar was just a pylon that got burned again and again by opposing players.

I think this team would've had more success in previous years if we didn't try and push Demar to become something he clearly isn't capable of.

If you think he could've done more given his natural talent level and the team he had, that's really on you. Not him. He did what he could with what he was given and never complained about being in another country, taxes, weather, and all that BS like many of others, who had much less to give, did before him. You gotta at least respect that. Respect and move on.

I do respect him as being a good person and wanting to stay with the Raps, but that's unrelated to his on court play which sucked alot of the time and forcing him to be our number one option and 'star' player when he clearly wasn't hurt this franchaise alot and held us back from greater success. Demar and Lowry ball hogging and taking boatload of shots that they kept missing hurt this team so damn much in so many playoff games. So yeah Demar seems to be a good person and its great that he loved the Raps and Canada, but that doesn't mean I still didn't dislike the way he played on the team and am super glad that he's gone.

[GQStylin]

The part about Lowry sounds like hindsight. Lowry was never a hero ball player but he was in a position that as the teams best player he was relied in more to score.

It just so happens that he wasn't able to succeed in that role. Look at the Philly series when no one else could score and Kawhi was basically the entire offense. That was who Lowry had to be in the past and he wasn't able to succeed at it. But Lowry taking more offensive load was necessity and role more than anything else. That being said, even in that role he was always more willing to get others involved than demar ever was.

Except he didn't have to do that all the time and especially when he was chucking up brick after brick, game after game. I mean if he was a consistent efficient scorer then sure go for it, but him and Demar were usually inconsistent hot and cold scorers and where when they weren't feeling it that game they should've used their teammates more rather than ball hogging in the 4th quarter taking all the shots and killing the team's chances to win.

If Casey and the Raps were smart they should've made JV the 2nd scoring option or 3rd at worst considering he's always been an efficient scorer and then we wouldn't have had to suffer through watching Demar and Lowry bricking shots with the game on the line all the time. Even with the Grizz and taking nearly double the number of shots than he's ever taken with the Raps in all his years here, he's still scoring as nearly as efficiently as he did with the Raps. Namely giving him more touches with the ball and taking a few away from Demar and Lowry would've helped this team greatly all those years.

The bottom line is that Lowry didn't have to carry the offensive load when JV was always there and available to share that workload, but he and the rest of the Raps and Casey and then Nurse never gave him that chance.

[Double Helix]

The work of the previous playoff teams, including DeMar, helped the supporting cast improve and be better prepared to get here and the flaws those teams had helped Masai realize the coaching and personal changes that would increase our chances further.

We laugh a lot about the 76ers usage of the #theprocess but team-building often is that. Rare is the team that doesn’t taste stinging defeat prior to a Finals appearance.

I’ll always have some respect for Casey & DeRozan and JV & Delon and even *gulp* (dare I admit it?) Colangelo for being the one to actually get us the GOAT long-term Raptor in Kyle Lowry. Even though it was Masai who helped Lowry mature.

It really is a journey. One without convenient narratives. One where one of the most hated personalities (BC) really did play some small part in what is here today and one where a divisive player (DeRozan) helped us get the least flawed player we’ve ever had for this run. The journey was long with many highs and lows but they all lead to now.