Ja Morant

[tsherkin]

He's the better pg, so not a problem.

No, that's very much not how that works. He causes a cascading series of problems with how our guys are thriving right now. His style of play isn't well-suited to our personnel. And that's when he's even on the floor.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

He's the better pg, so not a problem.

No, that's very much not how that works. He causes a cascading series of problems with how our guys are thriving right now. His style of play isn't well-suited to our personnel. And that's when he's even on the floor.

I know IQ's not working. We're paying for a 50 win team, might as well get one.

[arbsn]

I think with Ja we really need to believe in our Team culture. Players seem to lock in here - many examples.

Kawhi wasn’t playing in SA and won us a title
Kyle got traded for attitude multiple times (almost by us too) and became our best player

Outside of maybe Damon, Vince and Hedo I can’t really think of guys who didn’t become more mature in TO

Who knows maybe we can turn him around? With him playing up to his potential, RJ, BI, Scottie you could actually compete in the east this year

If we can get him for Quickley +Dick/Ochai you gotta do it

[tsherkin]

I know IQ's not working.

No, you don't.

He's working just fine, especially these past 5 games. It's important not to conflate scoring volume with value. We have a lot of people shooting right now, and only one ball with which to do it.

[Spates]

I think with Ja we really need to believe in our Team culture. Players seem to lock in here - many examples.

Kawhi wasn’t playing in SA and won us a title
Kyle got traded for attitude multiple times (almost by us too) and became our best player

Outside of maybe Damon, Vince and Hedo I can’t really think of guys who didn’t become more mature in TO

Who knows maybe we can turn him around? With him playing up to his potential, RJ, BI, Scottie you could actually compete in the east this year

If we can get him for Quickley +Dick/Ochai you gotta do it

Putting Ja in the same category as Lowry and Kawhi minimizes Ja's stupidity. Their malcontent has nothing on what Morant has got up to. He's quite the double edged sword.

I think Charlotte should swap him for Lamelo Ball

[Clutch0z24]

Ja is obviously very very talented as a player, Sometimes it takes a change of scenary and a fresh start for things to change around....Maybe its toxic on both sides in Memphis for Ja and hes lashing out....We seen it with many players in the past who cause up lots of issues with their current teams for reasons we may not know and when they get to their new team they go back to being what they were in the past.

Obviously Ja has issues off the court but if you take him out of that lifestyle and bad connections he has built in Memphis who knows how it plays out.

If you do not have to give up 1st round picks for a talent upgrade you do it....If it takes IQ/Dick and a few 2nd rounders or even a 1st in the future with heavy protection on it im good with that as well....For a team like ours and the situation we are in (Trying to compete when we are still a mid type of team) A talent upgrade should always be welcomed no matter what the situation is...

Same people that cried when we got Lowry in a trade that said he will be a head case, Same people that cried about trading DeMar for a "Injured Kawhi" will be the same people that eventually cheer for Ja if he turns things around here.

[YogurtProducer]

Same people that cried when we got Lowry in a trade that said he will be a head case, Same people that cried about trading DeMar for a "Injured Kawhi" will be the same people that eventually cheer for Ja if he turns things around here.

The "if" is the big part of this comment.

[Merit]

So it's about patience, and not pulling the trigger (heh) on someone who will be barely available, lofting inefficient volume and not helping our O THAT much compared to what we can already manage as-is (and that's without Quick at his usual self, no less. Leaving aside this wholly-unnecessary conversation about his small sample of postseason 3pt shooting, we know who he is as a player. It's unlikely that he's going to do much of anything beyond get worse as his athleticism fades and his body gives out.

Hey can't blame guys with small samples. We have just as many people losing their mind over IQ right now due to his poor shooting on a whopping 43 attempts this year

I am hoping for a return to form for IQ - if only for my fantasy team. For me it’s more about being impatient with him given the amount of flack Darko and the FO have been taking after the three losses in a row. It’s like: come on IQ - hit that damn 3 that was created for you.

[Merit]

While Ja is the better player in a vacuum, IQ is the better fit on our team. If say we had another shooter, or we could confirm that the shooting improvements of Scottie and RJ are permanent, I would feel more confident in a trade for Ja.

I feel if IQ has a few more breakout games and the raps start to ride a winning streak, we will hear less about Ja.
Therefore, I am willing to remain patient with the process of IQ figuring things out - especially since he’d been injured for so long.

That said, IQ + Ochai feels like fair value for Ja.

[Merit]

Same people that cried when we got Lowry in a trade that said he will be a head case, Same people that cried about trading DeMar for a "Injured Kawhi" will be the same people that eventually cheer for Ja if he turns things around here.

The "if" is the big part of this comment.

Oh if we ever got Ja I guarantee the fan base would be stoked from the get go.

The risk is in Ja providing a Lowry or Kawhi type value before he implodes.

I’d like to think our locker room is strong enough to handle him, but I’m not entirely sure.

[OhCanada]

Do it Bobby.

IQ, Dick, and Temple work in the trade machine. May have to sweeten that.

They have to make this trade if possible. Its a championship level return if it works. They would probably have to trade this years lottery protected 1st. You get off Quickley's contract which is 4 yrs 32 mil per and you get a guy who's averaged 25 points and 7 assists over the past 4 years despite injuries.

Toronto doesn't have options. They aren't a free agent destination. Its through the draft or trading for injury prone or disgruntled stars like they did with Kawhi. If it doesn't work we still have a handful of young players that should be able to take on a larger role.

[Reeko]

Ja is obviously very very talented as a player, Sometimes it takes a change of scenary and a fresh start for things to change around....Maybe its toxic on both sides in Memphis for Ja and hes lashing out....We seen it with many players in the past who cause up lots of issues with their current teams for reasons we may not know and when they get to their new team they go back to being what they were in the past.

Obviously Ja has issues off the court but if you take him out of that lifestyle and bad connections he has built in Memphis who knows how it plays out.

If you do not have to give up 1st round picks for a talent upgrade you do it....If it takes IQ/Dick and a few 2nd rounders or even a 1st in the future with heavy protection on it im good with that as well....For a team like ours and the situation we are in (Trying to compete when we are still a mid type of team) A talent upgrade should always be welcomed no matter what the situation is...

Same people that cried when we got Lowry in a trade that said he will be a head case, Same people that cried about trading DeMar for a "Injured Kawhi" will be the same people that eventually cheer for Ja if he turns things around here.

Big difference between a guy like Lowry who is headstrong, had trust issues and was a smart ass and a guy like Ja who has been filmed playing with guns and whose entourage may or may not have put a red beam attached to a gun on the security personnel of an opposing team. Oh and he beat up a 17 year old.

I agree with the team needing a talent upgrade but we have to ask ourselves does Ja upgrade the team in the two areas it desperately needs ie shooting and defense? Does this team really need a modern day Stephon Marbury?

[CPT]

A Stephon Marbury who can dunk!

I get the arguments that he’s a risk off the court and not an ideal fit on it. They’re convincing and probably correct.

If I felt better about the upward trajectory of this team, I’d probably agree.

But what exactly would we be risking by trading IQ and Dick for Morant?

[JB7]

that said, raps could always use another half-court offensive creator, perhaps one with better complimentary support skills like spacing (shooting) and passing

Agreed. I would rather the team go after Markkanen, than Morant. Jazz are going to probably trade him soon. That can't accumulate too many wins, since they are chasing a top lottery pick for this years draft.

Well, we need a pg - we don't really need a PF. But that aside, the whole point of going after JA is that he's a depressed asset at the moment and we can take a gamble on him for cheap.

With Lauri, Ainge is probably asking for 5 1sts.

Raps have enough ball handlers. They need more shooting, to open up the floor more.

And as usual, Ainge has waited to long to make a deal and screwed himself. Everyone knows he wants to tank for a high pick in this draft (they want AJ). So he'll be forced to sell low, so that Markkanen doesn't inflate their win totals.

This summer he traded a draft pick along with Sexton to the Hornets for nothing, just to move Sexton.

Raps will also need to include BI in the deal, for salary matching. So Utah would be getting talent back that it could move for other assets. I could see a three way deal where BI ends up with the Cavs, Garland goes to Utah (along with some other assets from the Raps - Ochai (expiring), Gradey?, Mogbo?) & Raps get Markkanen.

With Garland's injury history, Utah would have no problem shutting him down for the year to aid the tank.

[Raptorfan2012]

So long as no valuable pick is given, you do it; Ja will be a top 1A/1B on this team immediately. I ask myself 'is Ja better than IQ'? I am pretty sure the answer is YES.

[JB7]

We've covered that Morant is a dumbass right?

Simple, and yet the strongest reason to not make a deal for him.

[TheAlchemist23]

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[Spida888]

A Stephon Marbury who can dunk!

I get the arguments that he’s a risk off the court and not an ideal fit on it. They’re convincing and probably correct.

If I felt better about the upward trajectory of this team, I’d probably agree.

But what exactly would we be risking by trading IQ and Dick for Morant?

Pretty much my thoughts as well. The risk with Ja is obviously there, and I get that IQ is the better fit at least on paper. If we were a top team in the east already as is, then I'd be more hesitant to bring in someone that can disrupt the team culture.

IQ is a negative contract at the moment, and I'm not confident Gradey develops a consistent shot. If those were the pieces we're giving up with no picks, I'd be down with it.

[JB7]

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Herro + salary filler (Fontecchio) for Morant makes sense. Heat are always star chasing. Don't know that this one is ideal, especially with their culture, but hey, he's a star

[Raptorfan2012]

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Herro + salary filler (Fontecchio) for Morant makes sense. Heat are always star chasing. Don't know that this one is ideal, especially with their culture, but hey, he's a star

I think I rather have Herro than Ja if I were the Heat. Also, they just got rid of Jimmy Butler; do the Heat want a shorter version of him and deal with all the drama again?