GT: Raptors (7-5) @ Pacers (1-11) | Nov 15th 7:00 EST

[720]

This pacers level of tanking is what we should have done after Demar’s daughter beat Fred and Siakam in that play in game. Realistically much earlier, after Tampa tank.

We should have lost our best player to an Achilles injury?

Obviously not but should have traded Fred and Siakam. If the pacers were us they would have traded their 1st for some trash role player or a Center that doesn’t make sense in the modern nba.

[dagger]

I don't think the Pacers are embracing the tank just yet. I think the shame of losing is strong, and they will fight hard for a win. They don't see themselves in the same class as Brooklyn and Washington. That could change in the new year if the losing persists. I expect a tough game.

[Duffman100]

This pacers level of tanking is what we should have done after Demar’s daughter beat Fred and Siakam in that play in game. Realistically much earlier, after Tampa tank.

We should have lost our best player to an Achilles injury?

Obviously not but should have traded Fred and Siakam. If the pacers were us they would have traded their 1st for some trash role player or a Center that doesn’t make sense in the modern nba.

Except the situations are different.

They can tank and get their top 10 player the next season. We would have bottomed out our roster.

So we couldn't have tanked Pacers style.

[aminiaturebuddha]

The Pacers were very smart to get their pick back. The crazy thing is that New Orleans could be sitting here with the 2nd and 4th best lottery odds right now, but instead have neither pick. I know some people like to complain about Raps management sometimes, but there is much, much worse in the league.

[nikster]

The Pacers were very smart to get their pick back. The crazy thing is that New Orleans could be sitting here with the 2nd and 4th best lottery odds right now, but instead have neither pick. I know some people like to complain about Raps management sometimes, but there is much, much worse in the league.

It's funny tho because Pacers may be so bad the pick goes top 4 and becomes worthless. Imagine we held onto that pick and lose it due to protections, Pascal trade would not be looking good

[JShuttlesworth]

Scottie just 2 points away from 5000 as a Raptor, inching closer to Jose Calderon (5235) who currently sits 10th All-Time.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

[Duffman100]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

[Duffman100]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

Yeah we've successfully got rid of the a lot of the negative trolls on this board lately. You're set to be next.

[MiamiSPX]

I don't think the Pacers are embracing the tank just yet. I think the shame of losing is strong, and they will fight hard for a win. They don't see themselves in the same class as Brooklyn and Washington. That could change in the new year if the losing persists. I expect a tough game.

None of this is intentional tanking, yet. I've watched a couple of their games to see why they are so bad and those guys are not tanking. They've been chirping at the other team, at each other, and frustrations are boiling over. Now, will they eventually embrace the tank? Yes, they likely will, especially with their cheap ownership, it just makes sense.

[mtcan]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

There's A LOT of hindsight that no one could ever apply to a situation at the moment. For what BI when healthy brings a team...yes he is worth 40 million per. He is exactly what this team needs...and he is still NOT in 100% game shape according to him. Also...you need to give up something in order to get something. New Orleans was NEVER trading him for just Bruce Brown and Kelly O and don't even think that a bunch of second round picks would get it done either. The Indy pick was the price. And the way Indy was playing like at the time of the trade...there were ZERO teams that would have ever predicted that Haliburton would have a season ending injury several months later. Indy was seen as a top tier team in the Eastern Conference and the league up until mid-June and so the pick was basically a late first round pick at the time of the trade.

So stop with the hindsight as if anyone would have known better. No one in the world would ever think that a late first round pick would be better than a former all-star in his 20s still.

Just stop.

AND...remember type of market the Raptors play in. We aren't the Miami Heat. We aren't the LA Lakers. We aren't the Clippers and not the Warriors. Canada is still NOT a free agent destination. We are not a free agent destination so yes we do pay a little more to retain our guys and yes we trade for guys because we don't operate as a cap space team. Cost of doing business as the only Canadian team in the NBA where people in the US still think that Canadians live in igloos and live in the cold frigid weather (which is not untrue for NBA players because the regular season starts just before it gets really cold and players almost never stay in town long enough to experience a Toronto summer).

[MiamiSPX]

We could be 12-0 right now and some of you would still be complaining about the way we got to that record. Insufferable lol.

[mihaic]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

BI is not a massive overpay. He is also a big part of the turnaround.

[LoveMyRaps]

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

Yeah we've successfully got rid of the a lot of the negative trolls on this board lately. You're set to be next.

Damn so that’s what happened to Scase

[Tor_Raps]

Pacers are tanking. Should be an easy W.

They actually arent tanking. They've just hit a lot of injuries and then you remove Halliburton + Turner from the roster, this is what they look like it seems like.

Its funny because Indiana looked like a 13 deep roster last year but majority of these guys are playing like crap.

[DreamTeam09]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

and how exactly we were suppose to get that 25-30mill in capspace ?

[VanWest82]

Masai/Bobby playing four D chess giving away a top five pick this year. Right?

You wanted them to predict Halliburton was going to blow his Achilles out? Or did you want to factor in the Pacers get their pick back, motivating them to not sign Turner and tank?

Or do you want to just keep being a negative troll on this board?

How about predicting BI would be worth 25-30M and not massively overpaying. We could have kept the pick and got the player also.

How? Good players change teams via trade in modern NBA, and we gave up below market value for a borderline all star in historic terms. Pacers going from a Finals calibre team to tanking isn't something anyone could have seen coming.

Criticizing the contract is fair given how 2nd apron has affected things - Masai and Bobby missed the boat on that - but acting like we could've somehow got BI for even less than what we gave up is delusional.

[VanWest82]

Also, are people really that bent out of shape about how this is working out? And for those that are, do you guys not see that things like Scottie's resurgence is related to playing on a good team again?

We have a solid group of vets in their mid-late 20s that impact winning (Scottie, RJ, IQ, BI).
We have guys on their rookie contracts with upside (Gradey, CMB, JKW).
We have interesting diamond-in-the-rough depth pieces (Shead, Mamu).
We have all our FRPs.

This roster checks a lot of boxes. Just because we have some tough contracts to move and no superstar that doesn't mean it's all for naught.

[mihaic]

Ingram I expected in 35-40 range honestly. What I don't understand is why we pay Temple. It's not my money but if I were owner I would invent a player's coach title and not pay the tax and keep him in that role. Perhaps that's what they will do, who knows