I'm done with Masai

[Roco14]

Lets be real, there was no timeline in which Wemby would be a raptor. The league was barely able to stomach Kawhi being in Canada for 1 year

Yeah, especially with a major destination like San Antonio in the running...

There is no comparison to be had between Canada and ANY US city in terms of what is good for the league. 90%+ of revenue generated by the NBA comes from American consumers, and Americans root for American teams. Wemby is potentially going to be a top 5 player of all time in 2 decades, it's pretty simple.

The league would rather have Wemby play for the Wizards G-league team than have him in Toronto.

[Blacksheep25]

Masai has had a great season - team is in the thick of the Flagg race yet has lots of young talent.

Who is this young talent? Like are any ever going to be a top 10 player? Not close. I really think the Raptors have some of the worst young players in the league, and most aren’t even that young anymore.

I recall when Cleveland and Toronto were bad and drafted Mobley and Barnes. I thought to myself Toronto is sitting on multiple guys who would fetch like 2 or 3 firsts. I wish we had that type of arsenal as a Cavs fan. Instead you started trading picks for scrubs and held onto guys way too long. It’s amazing how the Raptors parlayed having a good rookie and bunch of guys with serious value into absolute trash and very few assets. You don’t have a player I’d want outside Barnes, and even he I wouldn’t go crazy to get. He’s a piece if surrounded by better players. Instead he’s the best player on a bad team and that’s amazing mismanagement.

[Los_29]

I've defended him up until this season because of what he did for his first 9 years in Toronto but not tanking to try and get into the Wemby sweepstakes is almost unforgivable and between the moves he made last year combined with this trade deadline, I think he needs to go and Toronto needs a new GM at the helmet.

You need to learn to be objective. Masai has been cooking the past year. Every single draft pick last year has outperformed their draft slot and there is a path for all of them to carve out NBA careers.

The Ingram trade was an incredible value play and won’t impact our current draft position. Last night they sat out Barrett and Poeltl, have IQ on a minutes restriction and are playing 4 rookies, 1 2nd year player and a G-Leaguer.

We basically traded Pascal for Ingram, Ochai and Walter.

And you’re upset that a team that was 4 games below .500 in February didn’t tank for Wemby? You know who else didn’t tank for him? OKC, Jazz, Magic and Pacers. And every single team in the league aside from like two teams actually wanted to compete going into that year, even the Pistons.

[Los_29]

Honestly it's looking more likely that he got lucky that one time. Have never been impressed, he's seemed overly egotistical and lacking bball IQ in interviews.


He's more suited to a commercial role with NBA-Africa to be honest. Help build that thing up.

Raptors just won't rip the band-aid. They need one more Barnes and a bigger Dick literally and figuratively.

lol, you don’t just luck into a championship. Masai did a great job in Denver then built a championship contender in Toronto through trades, the draft and free agency. Raptors were among the most winningest teams from 2013-2023. Delon, OG, Pascal, Poeltl, Fred, Norm in the draft then trades to acquire Gasol, Kawhi and Ibaka was just brilliant GM’ing. To think he lacks basketball IQ is absolutely absurd. lol.

Any team in the league could’ve had Kawhi. Masai was the only one willing to give up the assets to get him.

Celtics trading KG and Pierce for what turned out to be Tatum and Brown is far luckier than the Kawhi trade. And the luckiest trade of them all is the SGA deal. If Kawhi doesn’t choose the Clippers, SGA never gets traded to OKC. Have you seen OKC without SGA? They stink. lol.

[cgf]

Lets be real, there was no timeline in which Wemby would be a raptor. The league was barely able to stomach Kawhi being in Canada for 1 year

Yeah, especially with a major destination like San Antonio in the running...

There is no comparison to be had between Canada and ANY US city in terms of what is good for the league. 90%+ of revenue generated by the NBA comes from American consumers, and Americans root for American teams. Wemby is potentially going to be a top 5 player of all time in 2 decades, it's pretty simple.

The league would rather have Wemby play for the Wizards G-league team than have him in Toronto.

I know that some Toronto fans have decided that this was true. But are there any #s that support San Antonio being a more profitable destination for the league than Toronto, or is it just something that gets repeated by people looking for something to be aggrieved by?

Players don't like having to deal with the winters, which is a thing you can feel victimized about, but I'm not sure this profit-motive actually exists. At least I've never seen anyone provide real evidence for it.

[FarBeyondDriven]

he's always been a fraud. He inherited a loaded and ascending Raptors team that already had Lowry, DeRozan, Gay and Valanciunas in a very weak Eastern Conference. All those years the Raptors got out of the 2nd round just once until they were gifted MVP candidate Kawhi and they were able to beat an injured Warriors team. Since then, they've gone back to being pretenders if not altogether irrelevant for the foreseeable future unless he's gifted Flagg.

[cgf]

Masai has had a great season - team is in the thick of the Flagg race yet has lots of young talent.

Who is this young talent? Like are any ever going to be a top 10 player? Not close. I really think the Raptors have some of the worst young players in the league, and most aren’t even that young anymore.

I recall when Cleveland and Toronto were bad and drafted Mobley and Barnes. I thought to myself Toronto is sitting on multiple guys who would fetch like 2 or 3 firsts. I wish we had that type of arsenal as a Cavs fan. Instead you started trading picks for scrubs and held onto guys way too long. It’s amazing how the Raptors parlayed having a good rookie and bunch of guys with serious value into absolute trash and very few assets. You don’t have a player I’d want outside Barnes, and even he I wouldn’t go crazy to get. He’s a piece if surrounded by better players. Instead he’s the best player on a bad team and that’s amazing mismanagement.

Probably not top 10, but I do like Barnes, Quickley, and Barrett as 2nd/3rd options if they do get that superstar to run the offense through. Which is what I think Masai is thinking with getting BI...he's not a superstar, but he can be the #1 option that the kids play off to help them develop better in case they get the chance to fully turn Ingram into DeRozan 2.0 by trading him + their future picks for a title caliber #1 option...or the lotto gods hook them up.

[Roco14]

Yeah, especially with a major destination like San Antonio in the running...

There is no comparison to be had between Canada and ANY US city in terms of what is good for the league. 90%+ of revenue generated by the NBA comes from American consumers, and Americans root for American teams. Wemby is potentially going to be a top 5 player of all time in 2 decades, it's pretty simple.

The league would rather have Wemby play for the Wizards G-league team than have him in Toronto.

I know that some Toronto fans have decided that this was true. But are there any #s that support San Antonio being a more profitable destination for the league than Toronto, or is it just something that gets repeated by people looking for something to be aggrieved by?

Players don't like having to deal with the winters, which is a thing you can feel victimized about, but I'm not sure this profit-motive actually exists. At least I've never seen anyone provide real evidence for it.

It's not even about victimization, I'm simply pointing out a fact that it is disadvantageous for a private American company to have one of their "marquee products" play in a country where the vast majority of their paying customers DON'T live or care for.

There probably aren't any studies that compares the profitability of San Antonio directly to Toronto but here's an AI answer that explains why it's far better for the NBA for superstars to be in the US versus Canada:


Why Is It More Profitable for the NBA for Superstars to Play in a U.S. City Instead of Toronto?

Bigger Domestic TV Market – The NBA's most lucrative revenue stream is its U.S. TV deals with ESPN, ABC, and TNT, worth billions. U.S. teams drive higher ratings because American viewers prefer watching their local teams. Toronto, as a Canadian market, doesn’t contribute as directly to U.S. ratings, making it less valuable for domestic TV deals.

Sponsorship & Endorsements – Major U.S. cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago attract more corporate sponsorships and endorsements due to larger domestic exposure. Superstars in U.S. cities boost local team sponsorships, which trickles up to the NBA through revenue-sharing mechanisms.

Currency Exchange & Taxes – The Canadian dollar is usually weaker than the U.S. dollar, meaning revenues from tickets, merchandise, and local sponsorships in Toronto are worth less when converted. Additionally, higher taxes in Canada can make it less attractive for superstars, indirectly impacting the league’s ability to keep top talent in a key revenue-driving market.

Merchandise & Branding – The NBA makes money through merchandise sales, and while Toronto has a strong fan base, U.S. teams generally generate more sales domestically. A superstar in a major U.S. city (e.g., LeBron in LA) helps drive global jersey sales more than if they were in Toronto.

NBA Narrative & Media Coverage – The NBA thrives on storylines, rivalries, and media buzz. The league benefits more when stars are in marquee U.S. cities with large media markets, as it fuels engagement, ticket sales, and social media interactions, all of which contribute to league-wide revenue.

[TravisScott55]

This seems like a "let me do a desperate attempt to save my job" trade

[Pointgod]

Yeah, especially with a major destination like San Antonio in the running...

There is no comparison to be had between Canada and ANY US city in terms of what is good for the league. 90%+ of revenue generated by the NBA comes from American consumers, and Americans root for American teams. Wemby is potentially going to be a top 5 player of all time in 2 decades, it's pretty simple.

The league would rather have Wemby play for the Wizards G-league team than have him in Toronto.

I know that some Toronto fans have decided that this was true. But are there any #s that support San Antonio being a more profitable destination for the league than Toronto, or is it just something that gets repeated by people looking for something to be aggrieved by?

Players don't like having to deal with the winters, which is a thing you can feel victimized about, but I'm not sure this profit-motive actually exists. At least I've never seen anyone provide real evidence for it.

Bro it’s just cope from Toronto fans that will defend everything the front office does. Wemby does not have a say where he’s drafted and he doesn’t strike me as the type to threaten to sit out. The whole conspiracy stuff is nonsense. Wemby would be in Toronto, extend for a max contract and then who knows. But if any front office couldn’t build a championship team around him after 5-6 years then they’d deserve to lose him.

[Pointgod]

why not wait until the draft lottery to see where we end up in the 2025 draft?

if we get lucky at the draft lottery and get a top 3 pick, everyone will be calling Masai a genius

if we don't and fall to 8th or later, then you can call for Masai to be fired if next season is filled with injuries to Quickley and Ingram

So we’re depending on luck to determine if management is competent? Imagine telling your boss the success of your decision depends on randomness. Don’t think you’d have a job very long.

[Jon1798]

I think everyone is going to love Ingram.

That being said, what happens if they do get Flagg? Now they have Barnes and BI manning the forward spots. The most shocking thing to me is making this trade not knowing where the lottery falls.

[Duffman100]

he's always been a fraud. He inherited a loaded and ascending Raptors team that already had Lowry, DeRozan, Gay and Valanciunas in a very weak Eastern Conference. All those years the Raptors got out of the 2nd round just once until they were gifted MVP candidate Kawhi and they were able to beat an injured Warriors team. Since then, they've gone back to being pretenders if not altogether irrelevant for the foreseeable future unless he's gifted Flagg.

lol.loaded and ascending

What are people smoking.

[nikster]

he's always been a fraud. He inherited a loaded and ascending Raptors team that already had Lowry, DeRozan, Gay and Valanciunas in a very weak Eastern Conference. All those years the Raptors got out of the 2nd round just once until they were gifted MVP candidate Kawhi and they were able to beat an injured Warriors team. Since then, they've gone back to being pretenders if not altogether irrelevant for the foreseeable future unless he's gifted Flagg.

I'm curious which successful GMs you think have less luck.

You think Lowry, Derozan and JV is a particularly lucky collection of talent for a GM to fall into? Is that an easy trio to build almost a decade of 50 win teams, especially when your not in a free agent destination? They also continued winning at a high rate the year after Kawhi left with only Lowry left.

The Kawhi trade was lucky, but there were at least half a dozen teams thay could have pulled the trigger on that trade but didn't. He also built a deep supporting cast around him, one that outside of Lowry was entirely acquired by Masai.

[ItsDanger]

There is no comparison to be had between Canada and ANY US city in terms of what is good for the league. 90%+ of revenue generated by the NBA comes from American consumers, and Americans root for American teams. Wemby is potentially going to be a top 5 player of all time in 2 decades, it's pretty simple.

The league would rather have Wemby play for the Wizards G-league team than have him in Toronto.

I know that some Toronto fans have decided that this was true. But are there any #s that support San Antonio being a more profitable destination for the league than Toronto, or is it just something that gets repeated by people looking for something to be aggrieved by?

Players don't like having to deal with the winters, which is a thing you can feel victimized about, but I'm not sure this profit-motive actually exists. At least I've never seen anyone provide real evidence for it.

It's not even about victimization, I'm simply pointing out a fact that it is disadvantageous for a private American company to have one of their "marquee products" play in a country where the vast majority of their paying customers DON'T live or care for.

There probably aren't any studies that compares the profitability of San Antonio directly to Toronto but here's an AI answer that explains why it's far better for the NBA for superstars to be in the US versus Canada:


Why Is It More Profitable for the NBA for Superstars to Play in a U.S. City Instead of Toronto?

Bigger Domestic TV Market – The NBA's most lucrative revenue stream is its U.S. TV deals with ESPN, ABC, and TNT, worth billions. U.S. teams drive higher ratings because American viewers prefer watching their local teams. Toronto, as a Canadian market, doesn’t contribute as directly to U.S. ratings, making it less valuable for domestic TV deals.

Sponsorship & Endorsements – Major U.S. cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago attract more corporate sponsorships and endorsements due to larger domestic exposure. Superstars in U.S. cities boost local team sponsorships, which trickles up to the NBA through revenue-sharing mechanisms.

Currency Exchange & Taxes – The Canadian dollar is usually weaker than the U.S. dollar, meaning revenues from tickets, merchandise, and local sponsorships in Toronto are worth less when converted. Additionally, higher taxes in Canada can make it less attractive for superstars, indirectly impacting the league’s ability to keep top talent in a key revenue-driving market.

Merchandise & Branding – The NBA makes money through merchandise sales, and while Toronto has a strong fan base, U.S. teams generally generate more sales domestically. A superstar in a major U.S. city (e.g., LeBron in LA) helps drive global jersey sales more than if they were in Toronto.

NBA Narrative & Media Coverage – The NBA thrives on storylines, rivalries, and media buzz. The league benefits more when stars are in marquee U.S. cities with large media markets, as it fuels engagement, ticket sales, and social media interactions, all of which contribute to league-wide revenue.

And now Luka is in LA. Watch what happens when Flagg is chosen by less than ideal market.

[kenwood3333]

An overrated and overpaid executive, who is very average at his job.

[wegotthabeet]

He’s made some questionable moves in the past few years, but I think he might be the best drafting NBA exec. Certainly top three.

Not sure why his team building philosophy doesn’t revolve around accumulating as many picks as possible. It’s like being one of the world’s best guitarist but you want to play drums in the band. Just stick to what you’re best at. Makes zero sense.

[mcfly1204]

I do think he got quite lucky with DeMar for Kawhi trade.

He did. But every championship requires luck to a degree

He had built a 50 win team for 7 straight years prior to that. That isn't really luck.

I thought Toronto only had a total of 5 seasons of 50 or more wins? Beyond that, while I agree 50 win teams don't grow on trees, there's also the argument that outside of lucking into the Kawhi trade, he successfully built a treadmill team.

[DelAbbot]

why not wait until the draft lottery to see where we end up in the 2025 draft?

if we get lucky at the draft lottery and get a top 3 pick, everyone will be calling Masai a genius

if we don't and fall to 8th or later, then you can call for Masai to be fired if next season is filled with injuries to Quickley and Ingram

So we’re depending on luck to determine if management is competent? Imagine telling your boss the success of your decision depends on randomness. Don’t think you’d have a job very long.

Masai's rebuild process has been rushed so it hasn't been ideal. But the truth is if he gets lucky at the draft lottery most people will forgive him

[Duffman100]

[tweet][/tweet]

I do think he got quite lucky with DeMar for Kawhi trade.

He did. But every championship requires luck to a degree

He had built a 50 win team for 7 straight years prior to that. That isn't really luck.

I thought Toronto only had a total of 5 seasons of 50 or more wins? Beyond that, while I agree 50 win teams don't grow on trees, there's also the argument that outside of lucking into the Kawhi trade, he successfully built a treadmill team.

Yeah 48 and 49 before the 5 year 50 win streak so I just said 7 for brevity.