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Love what I'm seeing from Bayless, Demar, JJ, Ed, and Amir.

Is this the first time in team history we’ve had such a young, hungry, and talented group of guys on the roster?

Looks like these five guys are becoming our core right before our eyes, the new generation of Raptors so to speak. This may just be another reactive thread by another bipolar Raptors fan but the product we’ve seen over these past few games has been a complete breath of fresh air. I was creeping the Bulls board yesterday and they’ve taken notice, a bunch of posters commented on the fact that we have a very solid group of players heading forward.

I'm not saying that those five guys are all starter material, I think that Amir and JJ are bench players on competitive teams but I like what they're doing out there.

When taking into account we’re one of the top picks in this year’s draft, I’m excited.

I think it all comes down to a couple of things:

1. That the player we draft in the upcoming lottery pans out.
2. The further development of players like DeRozan and Davis
3. We're smart with our money and new CBA
4. Bring in players that are used to a winning a environment and help bring that to Toronto, so that our young guys adopt that same attitude.

I like that core. Its a good group of guys to build around. We have pieces. Lets just hope next years draft goes our way.

We have everything but the star

A star + Demar, Ed, Amir, Bayless, JJ would be awesome. We needed a group like this around Bosh 5 years ago instead of Charlie, Mike James, then Bargnani and veterans

One step in the right direction is shipping Bargs out of town

As I said on the other post, DeRozan and Davis are different players and play in different style.
DeRozan loves to play the running game, like to run on the open floor and score on the breaks for dunks.
Davis is a good post player with a very quick turn around, he can jump and turn with his length to score near the basket.

Neither of them play the same way,
DeRozan needs a stretch big or someone who doesn't play in the post.
Davis needs 3 point shooting quick release players for him to setup in the post.

Both can improve their shooting and change their style of their game, but I am not sure they have the patient though. I would have Barnes (play Artest role) with Davis, or Perry Jones (play Odom role) with DeRozan.

Irving, Demar, JJ, Ed, and Drummond

Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

A lot of it rests on the development of Ed and Demar. If Demar can play like a legit 2nd option and Davis starts looking like an automatic double double then we might be in pretty good shape for years to come.

Schadenfreude wrote:

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

I agree with you and I'm hoping DeMar can be the second banana. I almost get very excited about our core until I see Miami's and OKC's.

Schadenfreude wrote:

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

Personally beside those 2 players the only players I could live with as bench players would be: James Johnson, Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson(if we could afford him), and maybe Sonny.

Our starting roster needs a 2-3 player kick of players and our PG spot needs an upgrade pronto.

Most of all we need this draft pick to work out and not be an Evan Turner/Hasheem Thabeet. Derrick Williams would look pretty awesome on this squad imo.

If it comes down to it, I would lose Calderon for an expiring (or anything really. He hurts our d more than Bargs imo) and probably keep Bargnani for now- but the coaching staff have to play tough love with him- improve rebounding/effort or you don't play. I think if Ed Davis becomes what we think he can become, that'll be easier.

Sign an Earl Watson-like backup point (good IQ, defence, can play big minutes if/when Bayless goes haywire. Maybe Barbosa will do), sign a low salary 7-foot stiff who can take up space and foul (not named Ajinca) and then see what we've got & how the guys develop from there. Wait for the cap space to come.

But this draft pick is a big one.

Schadenfreude wrote:

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

Demar can't be a 2nd scorer? I'm betting on 20ppg next year

I like the optimism... we do have some solid young pieces...

But as long as Bargnani is shooting 18 to 19 shots a game... he is the 1st option. Raptors are going nowhere if he shoots that much. He shoots at average efficiency but is below average in getting to the line. (also means he hardly gets opposing big men in foul trouble). This is not a winning formula.

It is tolerable if Bargs shoots 7-12 shots a game max playing 20-25 minutes. But if he's playing 36 minutes shooting this much, this team's future will be fixed on the TREADMILL/lottery

Dr Mufasa wrote:

Schadenfreude wrote:

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

Demar can't be a 2nd scorer? I'm betting on 20ppg next year

I don't think anyone can argue that he can't become a second scorer but he needs to improve his defense or he'll just be a liability on the other side of the ball.

Schadenfreude wrote:

5DOM wrote:Just need a superstar (top 5 - 10 player).

We need a top-level player, and we need a second star. We have several players with the makings of good role players, but we have no one that can conceivably fit the role of lead scorer/second scorer, unless either DeRozan or Davis blow up (and neither is anywhere near doing so at present).

+1 ... these are good role players but expecting this team to go anywhere with this core is a joke.

Once we get a 1/2 punch establish, we can pick which role players fit and which don't.

Ed is the closest thing to untouchable on the roster but even he can he had for the right pieces (Rubio, Tyreke or Irving )

Strategist1 wrote:I like the optimism... we do have some solid young pieces...

But as long as Bargnani is shooting 18 to 19 shots a game... he is the 1st option. Raptors are going nowhere if he shoots that much. He shoots at average efficiency but is below average in getting to the line. (also means he hardly gets opposing big men in foul trouble). This is not a winning formula.

It is tolerable if Bargs shoots 7-12 shots a game max playing 20-25 minutes. But if he's playing 36 minutes shooting this much, this team's future will be fixed on the TREADMILL/lottery

I don't think Bargnani will shoot 18 to 19 shots a game. He doesn't know how to put the ball on the floor, so at most he will help on the offense, but not the same role like this year, and his playing time will depend on his defense next season. Hopefully we find a PG and a defensive lock down with shooting range.

timdunkit wrote:Ed is the closest thing to untouchable on the roster but even he can he had for the right pieces (Rubio, Tyreke or Irving )

If Ed is capable of packing on an extra 15 pounds or so for each of the next two off-seasons without it affecting his mobility, then I would need more proof of the continuing awesomeness of Rubio before I'd make that trade. Tyreke or Irving, sure (but no-one would make those trades on the other end).

The Raps have been a snakebit franchise over the years, no doubt. But the lockout next season may result in us getting another a high pick in the 2012 draft to go along with our 2011 pick, which would put us in a position to acquire the Batman and Robin that Schad wants.

I see some nice players but no blue chippers. Ed and James Johnson are good defenders but arent that good offensively. Demar and Bayless are gifted offensively but they arent good defensively (especially Demar).


Still need another year of the tank.