Masai has finally admitted defeat

[2019nbachamps]

At long last, Masai has finally come to the realization this team is not good enough to be competitive in today's NBA. The ceiling is a low playoff spot and first round playoff loss. Today's trade further underscores there was no rhyme or reason to our transactions over the past year. We traded our 2024 FRP with light protections for Poeltl to be competitive now. The 2024 draft is said to be a weak one. We then missed the playoffs, fired Nurse, and tried to resign FVV but lost out on him. We immediately turned to Schroeder to fill the void. We tried to run it back but it became clear early on we could not compete, hence the OG trade. As it continued to remain clear after that trade we could not compete, we then traded Siakam for 3 FRPs, two of which are in the supposedly weak draft of 2024.

Essentially, we've traded:

Pascal Siakam, top 10 FRP in 2024, two 2RPs

For:

Poeltl, two lower FRPs in 2024, and a 2026 FRP

Are we better off now? The answer is clearly no, however Masai believes we need to stomach some tough medicine to ascend up the standings. The rest of this season will be ugly, but Masai will try to salvage things this summer with a busy draft plus significant cap flexibility.

There is also the possibility Masai doubles down on a tank this season to retain the FRP and convey it next season instead. However if the draft is as bad as stated, he may decide to just take the L. Its also going to be very hard to move down the standings given the awful state of the teams beneath us.

Despite what I've said, I'm happy we've finally picked a direction. The tough medicine is long overdue, but it'll hopefully soon pay dividends.

[Ado05]

He accepted reality a year too late. Shame.

It is what it is.

[Scase]

At long last, Masai has finally come to the realization this team is not good enough to be competitive in today's NBA. The ceiling is a low playoff spot and first round playoff loss. Today's trade further underscores there was no rhyme or reason to our transactions over the past year. We traded our 2024 FRP with light protections for Poeltl to be competitive now. The 2024 draft is said to be a weak one. We then missed the playoffs, fired Nurse, and tried to resign FVV but lost out on him. We immediately turned to Schroeder to fill the void. We tried to run it back but it became clear early on we could not compete, hence the OG trade. As it continued to remain clear after that trade we could not compete, we then traded Siakam for 3 FRPs, two of which are in the supposedly weak draft of 2024.

Essentially, we've traded:

Pascal Siakam, top 10 FRP in 2024, two 2RPs

For:

Poeltl, two lower FRPs in 2024, and a 2026 FRP

Are we better off now? The answer is clearly no, however Masai believes we need to stomach some tough medicine to ascend up the standings. The rest of this season will be ugly, but Masai will try to salvage things this summer with a busy draft plus significant cap flexibility.

There is also the possibility Masai doubles down on a tank this season to retain the FRP and convey it next season instead. However if the draft is as bad as stated, he may decide to just take the L. Its also going to be very hard to move down the standings given the awful state of the teams beneath us.

Despite what I've said, I'm happy we've finally picked a direction. The tough medicine is long overdue, but it'll hopefully soon pay dividends.

Meanwhile all the same people are defending the moves he makes over and over again.

He found someway to turn gold into lead, pretty impressive when you think about it.

[phanman]

Will he finally speak to us peasants?

[Dalek]

I just cannot believe we have zero African players. Precious/Pascal/Serge/OG - we have lost a bit of our identity towards more of an AAU type of team. I don't see how Dennis and Poeltl fit.

[T-d0t]

This is shame as Darko would say

[stanch sabonis]

I just cannot believe we have zero African players. Precious/Pascal/Serge/OG - we have lost a bit of our identity towards more of an AAU type of team. I don't see how Dennis and Poeltl fit.

Boucher is as African as OG was. I'm just saying. Neither born or affiliate much with Africa.

[seanbig]

when evaluating too long kicks you in the ass

I guess Kawhi was right. SPicy P is no Playoff Paul George lmao

[ash_k]

He accepted reality a year too late. Shame.

It is what it is.

As long as you were against trading for Kevin Durant and then Dames..then you message is consistent.

[Ari_Emanuel]

Masai earned loyalty by bringing a Canadian franchise a chip, but the goodwill bank is nearly fully drawn now.

Our FO bet on Siakam and OG, and in the end, neither made the jumps necessary to keep this core and our cohesion intact.

If OG showed he could become a dynamic scorer, Masai never hesitates to offer him a max. Same with Siakam.

Many here saw OG and Siakam for what they were (good players but not franchise carrying talents) and advocated for a rebuild 2 years ago. It is what it is.

[DelAbbot]

gonna be a fun day on Raps realgm when the 2024 lottery picks are determined and we find out an expiring Poeltl cost more than an expiring Siakam

[T-d0t]

I just cannot believe we have zero African players. Precious/Pascal/Serge/OG - we have lost a bit of our identity towards more of an AAU type of team. I don't see how Dennis and Poeltl fit.

This was a never a thing. The max amount of African players on the roster was like 3 or 4.

[srhcan]

This trade is a huge loss for Raptors. Pacers have lot of talented young players with upside and they did not send any of them to Raptors. The picks Pacers send are also late 1st round picks. I have not seen such a bad return ever for an All-NBA level player.

Should Masai or Bobby resign for screwing up on Siakam trade?

[Ado05]

He accepted reality a year too late. Shame.

It is what it is.

As long as you were against trading for Kevin Durant and then Dames..then you message is consistent.

I dont even know what this is supposed to mean.

[ImaBeatDatAzz]

Another Vince Carter blunder situation. Horrible horrible horrible.

I thought Masai was tough like pat riley when it comes to trades, he just accepted a poo poo plater. The kings offer was better!

[DreamTeam09]

I unno what y'all are really complaining about, now y'all care what y'all get back in trades? For the last year I've seen you guys arguing about DeAndre hunter and Kobe bufkin and y'all are madd now that we got picks for an expiring contract lol lol. This isn't defeat, or maybe it is depending on how you wanna look at it. We wanted to build around OG Scottie Pascal, we gave it a shot, it would've been too expensive to keep everyone inspite the lack of progress from OG and expiring contract in Pascal...
We are moving on like everyone around here wanted and yet y'all are still madd, lol this was never a Masai problem, this is internet fodder mad that things didn't go how or when they perceived it should happen and now wanna play the "I told you so" game to justify their thoughts n outcomes lol

I have a cookie for y'all

Atleast we don't have DeAndre hunter taking 20mill to run around

[Mattatron]

This comes 3 years too late. Masai dragged this franchise into the stone age with his selfish and arrogant behavior. The rebuild should've been done the day after we drafted Barnes.

[PhilBlackson]

He f*cked up & everyone seen it coming but him.

Unacceptable.

[Mattatron]

Another Vince Carter blunder situation. Horrible horrible horrible.

I thought Masai was tough like pat riley when it comes to trades, he just accepted a poo poo plater. The kings offer was better!

Harry B, Huerter, Davion and a piss poor frp is even worse.

[stanch sabonis]

Another Vince Carter blunder situation. Horrible horrible horrible.

I thought Masai was tough like pat riley when it comes to trades, he just accepted a poo poo plater. The kings offer was better!

How was the Kings offer better? Barnes + Mitchell and less picks? What?