RealGM

This poll is actually 3 polls in one. Please choose one of each pair of answers.

When people talk about CMB and fit, we are often referring to his fit with Scottie or whoever we think are the starters on this team. It comes from an idealized roster of surrounding Scottie with 3 and D players and at least one self creator to mitigate his weaknesses on offense.

I think most would agree though that in a vacuum, in terms of team building philosophy and type of player traits the team is looking for, CMB is an excellent fit. High BBIQ, defensive switchability, vision/passing, team oriented/unselfish, ball handling, inside touch/foootwork, self creation, work ethic, team leader.

So the question is, does he fit with Scottie and the starters. My response is yes but you need to think “outside the square” as we say down under.

In terms of fit with the starters, I don’t think any of the starters including Scottie are good enough to be considered immovable fixtures. But even if nothing changes, one of the valuable things about CMB’s profile is that I can see functional lineups with him replacing any of our 5 starters as soon as this season as he is already a quality defender capable of guarding the interior and the perimeter. 3pt shooting and spacing are going to be issues but one of CMB’s strengths was his ability to navigate and score or make plays for teammates in a crowded paint against defenses that were focused on stopping him. CMB and Scottie only need to be respectable enough 3 point shooters that their defender can’t cheat on them and things open back up again. The year before Scottie was 34% from 3 so it is a possibility. We will see about CMB’s shot but Masai/Bobby must have seen the potential.

With regard to the level of overlap between Scottie and CMB, that is a big advantage because if Scottie is hurt or traded, the system rolls on without a hitch. As for them potentially playing together: on offense, at their peak, I see it as having two oversized Kyle Lowry impact players who can screen for each other in the P&R and create for the other shooters in the corners or moving above the break. On defense, I am salivating at the possibilities.

How do you see CMB fitting, or not fitting?

The Raptors roster is weird in that people say they really need defense or they really need offense. Both those statemnets are true and un true based on how Darko uses his rotation. The Raptors actually have 4 players capable of averaging 20 points per game with starter minutes with Ingram, Barrett, Barnes and Quickly. They also have Dick and Walter who are probably capable of 15 plus either this season or next. Not many teams can say they have that much offensive talent and adding Ingram pushes everyone down a slot. That should make everyone more effecient and allow them to attack matchups. They lack shooting but they also have Dick, Agbaji, Battle and Walter coming off bench who can all shoot 3's. On the defensive side off the bench they have CMB, Agbaji, Walter, Shead, Mogbo who are all good defenders. CMB probably won't play with with Barnes, Poeltl and Barness at same time much but I think you can play 2 or 3 of them at the same time as long as the other 2 players are good shooters. I think CMB fits in that when the Raptors need defense they have a guy to turn to off the bench who can also punish team inside offensively. After they traded Anunoby and Siakam it felt like the Raptors were really missing another big forward when Barnes went to bench, Mogbo provided some of what they needed defensively but is a pretty terrible finsher. CMB will fill that role next season.

I also think the Raptors will have a better small ball lineup this year Probably featuring Barnes and CMB. As long as they get another bigger center who can eat some minutes when Poeltl is sitting. I truely belive this is the most depth the Raptors have had since the bench mob days. I think they can go legitimately 11 deep this year and still have someone like Mogbo as the 12 man. That is good depth, Darko has a tool for almost every situation now with the addition of CMB he just has to use them properly

Its so hard for me to come up with how CMB fits in the current NBA overall as a non shooter and as an undersized big man. That's what makes this pick very intriguing the scouts and the Raptors see something in this guy that will make it work.

If BIs ankles are still effed up I could see a lineup of

Poeltl
CMB
Barnes
Barret
Quickley

The shooting is thin up front, Barrett will need to show some growth and Quickley will need to stay healthy for long term spacing and three point shooting in that lineup

If you exchange Barnes with a guy like Donovan Mitchell type of player CMB fits perfect....With Barnes i can't see them ever co existing unless one of them become a true iso scorer/3pt shooter....They both play the same style of game and both Can't Shoot the best....Both operate in the same spots on the court....

Answer is CMB fits with the team and what the team is trying to do....But doesn't fit with the team makeup and a few players we are surrounding him with....

Replace CMB with RJ and it everything is fine. Our defense is improved, and our offense isnt worse, as BI and Scottie together with IQ will be our three options. Add Poeltls finishing skills around the rim, and we are golden.

It's very hard to project these players in NBA. I'd be more optimistic if we didn't have Barnes who brings similar strengths and weaknesses. Let's see if he can play small ball 5 effectively at next level.

The more I think about it the more I love the pick. I feel like he can help us right now and also has good upside potential. This is such a Masai pick and I feel Bobby thinks the same way. I just hope Bobby doesn't fall in love with using their Watson AI and only using analytics to pick guys or trade for guys. I feel like Masai was good at using eye test along with advanced stats which Bobby might just be purely a stats and numbers guy.

Great bench fit. When his shot develops you can play him with anyone

YES and I think it's important to SHIFT PERSPECTIVE from does he fit with Scottie? To does he fit in with the team?!?

Why?!


Because let's pretend for a second that we tune out the previous team marketing of Scottie being the supposed "face of the franchise"/player we're building around and rather that of one of the most important pieces on the team and also most importantly keep in mind the FO is still looking to trade for an UPGRADE.

Right now imo we are very similarly structured to LAST year's Houston Rockets (although I'd argue BI is a more talented scorer than anyone they had). But the team has loaded up with a TON of great defenders and true pack of DOGS in CMB, Scottie, Ochai, JaKobe, Shead, Poeltl, Mogbo, Martin etc etc. They've basically laid the foundation that if we are able to plug in another player comparable to BI that I'd say we are truly and surprisingly ready to contend. Think about that.

Idk who's the other talented scorer that we can trade for with RJ and/or IQ plus picks to get but if we were to get another one, we are suddenly primed to be one of the toughest teams in the league for the foreseeable future. Initially I was pretty frustrated that we passed on Khaman BUT I always liked CMB but questioned his fit as you are here. But when you shift your perspective from making this about "Scottie" and more about the team as a whole, suddenly this can make incredible sense and why I'm extremely hopeful we can actually find an upgrade for RJ right now during a frenzied market.