PG: Raps outpace Indy

[YelloC]

I’m starting to come around on Trent due to his hustle. If he can get a little more consistent with his offensive game, that’s a nice package of skills that could be further developed.

[Mikistan]

Read on Twitter

The people who were clowning OG after the first couple games

[Masai4PM]

Defence is too good with all the length and speed, ability to switch and disrupt on every possession.

So refreshing to watch as opposed to the chuck fest and spamming of 3s that so many teams were doing recently.

[Indeed]

great game. Indiana looking like ****. Maybe that Sabonis/Turner trade will come sooner than expected.

I wouldn't under estimate the Pacers, as Brodgon was injured half way, and they started without LeVert.
Although I think we got better talent, but they were shooting the lights out from three. Perhaps we were over helping.

Anyway, a win is a win.

[simple_jack]

Had great seats tonight and got to see the team up close.

Masai and Bobby are geniuses. The NBA is **** for years to come. That defense is going to be something the NBA has never seen before in a few years

[TheRealDeal]

Imagine if the Giannis 2021 pipe dream actually happened. We’d have a death lineup of Banton-OG-Scottie-Pascal-Giannis

Good luck even completing a pass

Yeah no, if the Raptors had Giannis, Lowry probably resigns and there's no Scottie as they'd be in no draft position to get him.

Giannis alone does that.

Giannis was a free agent in the summer, after the draft positions were set

Lowry is still a Raptor in my fantasy..this is just the death lineup we use to overwhelm teams with length

[Parataxis]

Imagine if the Giannis 2021 pipe dream actually happened. We’d have a death lineup of Banton-OG-Scottie-Pascal-Giannis

Good luck even completing a pass

Yeah no, if the Raptors had Giannis, Lowry probably resigns and there's no Scottie as they'd be in no draft position to get him.

Giannis alone does that.

If GIannis hadn't signed his extension, he would have only become a FA this past offseason. The Raptors wouldn't have had him last year - they likely would have drafted in the same slot.

[Chandan]

barnes probably leads the league in scoring on his 2nd chance basket.
he just need momentum and throw the ball at the basket, most likely he would grab the offensive rebound over his defender and get an easier bucket.

[ImaBeatDatAzz]

i get strong ibaka vibes from precious

if he can be like an OKC Ibaka (DPOY candidate) combined with RAPS Ibaka (adding the 3 point shot)... HOOOOOO man
that plus his speed and athleticism...

[everdiso]

5gms in (w/o Siakam & 5th youngest team)

#20 Off Rtg
#6 Def Rtg
#11 Net Rtg

#23 Ppg For
#4 Ppg Against
#10 Pts Diff

[Madhouse]

Read on Twitter

Kawhi in his 5th season 21/7/3/2/1.

OG after a rough 2 game start up to 19/6/2/2/1.

In his last 3 games,

23/5/3/3/1


The haters in shamblesland.

[WeThe2019Champs]

Length.

[Basketball_Jones]

Yeah OG projecting to be a star this season. Not a go to scorer type of guy but someone that can support one, same with Siakam. Having a couple of guys in that tier led to multiple great seasons in the We The North Era.

[tdotrep2]

OG man... he can get a good look so easily. The more reps he gets the better he'll become it's all about experience in situations at this point. His handle is loose at times but when hes making his move to create opportunities it looks tight.

[alan_156]

If Delano keeps up the play, the small guard's days are numbered. That's lots of trade bait.

If he ever develops a consistent 3pt shot, watch out

[SunBoy]

I think we're seeing the template of how we're going to beat teams this year: Strong d and transition offence
Encouraging game on all fronts AND I'll start believing we're making the playoffs when we do it against some more upper echelon teams...

[bboyskinnylegs]

Zero two short PG minutes.
Nurse recognizing talent in a young player and rewarding it.
Chris Boucher protecting the rim.
OG and Scottie taking turns dominating the game.
Fred with great recognition when he is going to be blocked, and choosing to do something else.
Fred deferring to Delano, when Delano is on the floor. Keeps Fred fresh. Gives Delano a chance to do his thing.
Fred playing a great game.

Priceless.

Spoiler:

Watch on YouTube

I knew it was going to be a special night when an hour before the game I was directed to self-checkout booth #37.

[HiJiNX]

Scottie Barnes has franchise player potential. He has all the tools. All of them. Including and especially the intangibles. Once he understands that he has a tremendous physical advantage against everyone in the league not named Giannis that’s when he will ascend to superstardom and we will be back in the finals. This is not hyperbole. I truly believe this. It’s ridiculous how easy he makes everything look. It’s like he’s playing by himself out there. Between his athleticism, awareness and intelligence, it’s as if everyone else is moving in slow motion when he has the ball. He just finds space so well on offence and takes space away so efficiently on defence. And he’s a natural leader without fear. And a lot of swagger. And some killer instinct. He’s going to be so f***ing special.

[Raps in 4]

This team is going to be a top 6 seed. Book it.

If we make the playoffs, I want the Bucks in the first round. Introduce Barnes to some playoff venison.

[mdenny]

Is he purposely trying to tank his value and either demand a lesser return in a trade OR force the team to buy him out?

I don't think so, he's just a slow starter. Some guys don't stay in peak shape all year, he seems like the kind who play themselves into shape.

I bet he's been like this in Miami.

Not really. Dragic typically started off the season very well with Miami, but it's hard to judge him so far when his playing time/role is completely different. In Miami, Dragic was typically coming off the bench for 25-30 minutes while hoisting up 12-15 shots. Dragic has played 8 games for us so far (preseason and regular season) and is averaging about 7 FGA in 17 MPG. So he's playing slightly more than half as many minutes while he's also taking shots much less frequently. It's no surprise that his best scoring game (preseason against the Wizards) came without FVV+OG and Dragic playing 22 minutes.

Who knows if Dragic will ever be a key piece for us (personally, I think he will be leading the bench unit when Siakam returns, especially if/when we start to string together more wins), but the start to his Raptors career doesn't mean he's washed or anything like that.

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Noone who might want dragic cares about what he does for us this year. His value can't be tanked. He is what he is and everyone knows what he is.

We can simply sit him out and it won't have any impact on his trade value. He's proved his playoff worth over and over again.

We don't need to play him to maintain his trade value.

Ofc its possible we end up buying him out. Admittedly....i'm not clear why teams buy players out when they have an expiring contract. Can anyone hip me to that?

I suppose sometimes it's because they're a problem in the locker room. That doesn't apply to dragic though. Ofc sometimes it's just so team owners can pay a discount on salary (begging the question...why would a fan care?). I suppose sometimes there are under the table quid pro quo deals where a team does it for the sake of relationships with agents and other FO's. Suppose it vould also be a quid pro quo between a FO and ownership. Something like masai says to mlse: "we save u x millions of dollars thru buyout and u let us use x million dollars next year in salary cap exceptions/taxes.

I'm hoping our FO figures something out. Hell....you might be able to flip dragic and picks to a tanking team for a legit C.

The point is....there is no basketball reason to buy him out. All it would do is save some money for MLSE. We don't have to play him. It probably wouldn't bother him like it would most players in other situations. Whatever he might make next year is likely already set in stone.