Imagine if Precious/Banton had been a top 10 pick...

[Randle McMurphy]

Have never understood the Banton hype. Unless he learns to shoot, how is he going to be a good rotation player in this league? Every team just plays way off him and his presence on court destroys a team's spacing.

[Wannabe MEP]

This thread not looking good tonight

This thread looking good tonight.

Precious looks like he should be starting. +16 in 34 minutes, 18 points on 9 shots, and 11 rebounds. Play him with mostly starters and he looks like the best defender on the court and a solid complementary piece on offense.

Your hot take was garbage.

[DelAbbot]

This thread not looking good tonight

This thread looking good tonight.

Precious looks like he should be starting. +16 in 34 minutes, 18 points on 9 shots, and 11 rebounds. Play him with mostly starters and he looks like the best defender on the court and a solid complementary piece on offense.

Your hot take was garbage.

I did say "tonight". How about Banton tonight?

[Wannabe MEP]

How about Banton tonight?

He played 6 minutes tonight. He's played 28 minutes this season. I think what we saw in 696 minutes last season says more than what we've seen in 28.

I see him as a good, disruptive defender (relative to his experience) and a creative distributor who needs decent offensive talent on the court with him to play his game. He showed that last season. That's part of why I'm arguing for Precious to move into the starting lineup: swap some offensive talent to the bench for the success of the bench (and Banton in particular).

The point of this thread is not that Precious and Banton will automatically thrive no matter what situation we throw them into. The point of this thread is exactly the opposite: I believe they are talented, but the Raptors need to be strategic about putting them in the right situations to develop and thrive.

[DelAbbot]

,

[Wannabe MEP]

I can see Precious becoming a top 10 of his draft class - he is very physically gifted and fluid and already has a 3pt shot (inconsistent rn). But Banton is a longshot.

Fair.

[Wannabe MEP]

Raptors three most used lineups this year:

[Ell Curry]

Raptors three most used lineups this year:

Does look like Trent or OG will have to move to the bench, as last year's lineup data suggested. Not sure how that will go with them about to hit free agency. Won't be surprised if we deal one for a replacement and a protected 1st. You'd figure it's easier to find a shooter like Trent than a big wing who can shoot and D up like OG.

[Wannabe MEP]

Precious + at least three starters last year, minimum 40 minutes:

• FVV-Trent-OG-Barnes-Precious . . . . . . .109.0/100.6/+8.4 (158 minutes)
• FVV-Trent-Barnes-Siakam-Precious . . . . 114.7/101.3/+13.4 (152 minutes)
• Trent-Barnes-Siakam-Boucher-Precious . 114.0/93.6/+20.4 (51 minutes)
• FVV-OG-Siakam-Boucher-Precious . . . . . 110.8/109.1/+1.7 (48 minutes)
• FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious . . . . . . . 109.5/98.2/+11.4 (48 minutes)
• FVV-OG-Barnes-Siakam-Precious . . . . . . 96.7/92.0/+4.7 (45 minutes)
• FVV-Trent-Siakam-Boucher-Precious . . . . 117.4/94.7/+22.7 (44 minutes)

[Ado05]

This is a classic RealGM thread lol

[Wannabe MEP]

Precious + at least three starters this year, minimum 5 minutes (what can ya do? it's been three games):

• FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious . . . . 140.9/59.1/+81.8 (11 minutes)
• FVV-Trent-Barnes-Siakam-Precious . . 142.1/82.4/+59.1 (9 minutes)
• FVV-Trent-OG-Precious-Koloko . . . . . 92.3/83.3/+9.0 (6 minutes)

So basically both this year and last year, the evidence is overwhelming that anytime you pair Achiuwa with at least three of our current starters, the unit will always be successful. More successful than the current starters.

1) So if you move Achiuwa to the starting lineup, the starting lineup is basically guaranteed to get better. Pretty much regardless of who he replaces.

2) The bench is basically guaranteed to get better at the same time, because the bench's problem is offense. Our five best offensive players are starting right now. Move one to the bench, and the bench's offense improves.

[Wannabe MEP]

This is a classic RealGM thread lol

Precious + four starters outscored the Heat 27-12 in 10 minutes in the fourth quarter while Precious was racking up 22 rebounds.

Almost as if the stats I've been pointing to...mean something.

[Wannabe MEP]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

[WaltFrazier]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

[Los_29]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

Are you jumping on the small ball center bandwagon Walt?

[WaltFrazier]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

Are you jumping on the small ball center bandwagon Walt?

Only in the absence of a big C. Kolo isn't ready yet, needs lots of 905 reps. Precious is the best we have. So yes I'm on the small center bandwagon because it's better then the no-center SL.

[TheBoi10]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

I'd rather have Gary content in his role in that lineup as a release valve launching 3s than OG hijacking it cosplaying as a go-to scorer

[WaltFrazier]

In 21 minutes the FVV-Trent-OG-Siakam-Precious lineup has outscored opponents by 33 points.

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

I'd rather have Gary content in his role in that lineup as a release valve launching 3s than OG hijacking it cosplaying as a go-to scorer

Despite his super clutch 3 late tonight, otherwise Gary's poor shooting was a big reason we were behind in the first place.

[TheBoi10]

Tonight showed how we need to start a center. Precious playing this great, undersized as he is, made for a balanced team especially in the 4th. Obviously we need Scottie back with lots of minutes, but something needs to change with the starting lineup. I'd say Precious for Gary.

I'd rather have Gary content in his role in that lineup as a release valve launching 3s than OG hijacking it cosplaying as a go-to scorer

Despite his super clutch 3 late tonight, otherwise Gary's poor shooting was a big reason we were behind in the first place.

I'd put most of the blame on Koloko he was terrible in every facet.

GTJ is a high variance player as a pure jump shooter but there's nothing more disruptive than OG commanding the ball just to lead to a turnover or an out of control shot (basically a turnover leading to transition for the other team).

[WaltFrazier]

I'd rather have Gary content in his role in that lineup as a release valve launching 3s than OG hijacking it cosplaying as a go-to scorer

Despite his super clutch 3 late tonight, otherwise Gary's poor shooting was a big reason we were behind in the first place.

I'd put most of the blame on Koloko he was terrible in every facet.

GTJ is a high variance player as a pure jump shooter but there's nothing more disruptive than OG commanding the ball just to lead to a turnover or an out of control shot (basically a turnover leading to transition for the other team).

This stuff about OG "hijacking" the offence, or "commanding the ball" is erroneous. It's not like he's taking shots away from guys. He doesn't go get the ball and wave players away to clear out. He catches the ball on the 3 line, shoots it if open. If a closeout comes, he drives. Some of those don't work out. The only problem is our offense is so loose and roles so ill-defined. It's not like he's a chucker with no conscience. Like say Gary.

Against Boston last preseason game, when Pascal sat, OG put together a whole offensive game, scored 32 or whatever. And that was against Tatum, Brown, Horford, Smart, G Williams. Boston played that game at near regular season minutes for more than 3 quarters.