The OG is a really great defender (and player) thread

[TimeForChange]

with Randle out, OG will have to take on more of the #2 role.

this is something he has always wanted. let's see how he does.

[DelAbbot]

Allowing a best in slot player like OG slip through our fingers hurt.
We already let Norm who is also one of the best 6th man go as well. We really could have used them as part of the building blocks and we're going to spend the next decade trying to find guys similar to those guys.

Oh well, at least we got see how far a FVV and Pascal core would go right?

Yeah, our FO royally f***** up our handling of OG, pretty much from our first contract extension. We probably insulted him by leveraging his injury history and lack of offensive production to get him on a bargain deal

If we kept Norm and traded Siakam and FV right after the bubble, and made OG the focal point of our franchise aling with Barnes, we'd be wayyyyy better off.

Why did they give OG that player option (2024/2025)? To save a couple of million in AAV for a slim chance at Giannis

[JB7]

Hypothetically if the Knicks would have made the same trade for Pascal, and Raps had IQ, RJ with OG and Scottie, would the Raptors be a lot better off?

No idea if Knicks would have done that, just speculating

The Raps would have been a lot better off (if they had a better coach), but that would have never happened, because the rest of the league knew who was the most valuable trade asset between OG and Pascal.

[ForeverTFC]

Allowing a best in slot player like OG slip through our fingers hurt.
We already let Norm who is also one of the best 6th man go as well. We really could have used them as part of the building blocks and we're going to spend the next decade trying to find guys similar to those guys.

Oh well, at least we got see how far a FVV and Pascal core would go right?

Yeah, our FO royally f***** up our handling of OG, pretty much from our first contract extension. We probably insulted him by leveraging his injury history and lack of offensive production to get him on a bargain deal

If we kept Norm and traded Siakam and FV right after the bubble, and made OG the focal point of our franchise aling with Barnes, we'd be wayyyyy better off.

What are you going on about? The entire NBA outside Toronto and even people on this board said Masai overpaid OG. It only became a bargain because he grew into everything and past what we thought he could be outside the offensive creation.

[Tha Cynic]

Hypothetically if the Knicks would have made the same trade for Pascal, and Raps had IQ, RJ with OG and Scottie, would the Raptors be a lot better off?

No idea if Knicks would have done that, just speculating

Definitely. I'm pretty sure Masia would have kept OG if OG had wanted to stay. I think OG probably made it very clear he wasn't returning.

I also doubt the Knicks would have given up Quickley and RJ for Siakam. OG would have been great with the 3 current building blocks.

[RAPSinCAPS]

The reactions to OG is pretty funny. He was a top 3 defender in the league for years, was a great spot up shooter and always played within the flow of the offense. His impact on the team when he played was obvious.

Now you see people here surprised by what he's doing in NY. What have some of you been watching over the years while he was playing here? I never took our jumpshooting combo-guard loving fans very seriously because those people would never appreciate OG. But everyone else should have seen what OG was. That's why you got a 23 year 20ppg scorer and a 24 year old with the same upside for him. We got a pretty big return.

They are younger but 20ppg is not that impressive anymore these days. Especially if you need the ball to be effective. I also don't consider 2+ years that much younger. But if we had to lose og for nothing, I guess.

[right between the eyes]

I love OG but it is hilarious how we hear so much about him now but no one outside Raptors fans knew who he was for the last 5 years. We were saying he was DPOY for a long time and a couple weeks in NY and its no question!

This. As soon as he goes to New York he's all of a sudden the best defensive player in the NBA. Funny how that happens.
This type of thing doesn't help us when it comes to trying to get players to play here as even when we were a winning, our team and players were ignored by the US media. Sadly players definitely notice this kind of thing.

New York is winning again and the defence with OG has been really good. There has been absolutely no reason for anyone to pay attention to the Raptors the past 2 seasons. You're not winning DPOY on a mediocre defensive team unless your stats are absurd.

When we were good he was largely ignored by the US media.

[tecumseh18]

This. As soon as he goes to New York he's all of a sudden the best defensive player in the NBA. Funny how that happens.
This type of thing doesn't help us when it comes to trying to get players to play here as even when we were a winning, our team and players were ignored by the US media. Sadly players definitely notice this kind of thing.

New York is winning again and the defence with OG has been really good. There has been absolutely no reason for anyone to pay attention to the Raptors the past 2 seasons. You're not winning DPOY on a mediocre defensive team unless your stats are absurd.

When we were good he was largely ignored by the US media.

The only good thing about this is that when US guys try to denigrate our championship because Klay didn't play in the 4th quarter, we can point out that OG missed the entire playoff run, forcing us to overplay Kawhi, who was running on fumes in Game 5 of the Finals and not a factor in Game 6.

Of course, the OG of 2019 was not the OG today, but we don't have to tell them that.

[brownbobcat]

This. As soon as he goes to New York he's all of a sudden the best defensive player in the NBA. Funny how that happens.
This type of thing doesn't help us when it comes to trying to get players to play here as even when we were a winning, our team and players were ignored by the US media. Sadly players definitely notice this kind of thing.

New York is winning again and the defence with OG has been really good. There has been absolutely no reason for anyone to pay attention to the Raptors the past 2 seasons. You're not winning DPOY on a mediocre defensive team unless your stats are absurd.

When we were good he was largely ignored by the US media.

I won't deny that happens, but timing has also worked against him. He was still an up-and-coming player during the heyday of Lowry-era Raptors. During the 1 good season since, he only played 48 games and it wasn't an amazing defensive team.

[Tacoma]

Allowing a best in slot player like OG slip through our fingers hurt.
We already let Norm who is also one of the best 6th man go as well. We really could have used them as part of the building blocks and we're going to spend the next decade trying to find guys similar to those guys.

Oh well, at least we got see how far a FVV and Pascal core would go right?

Yeah, our FO royally f***** up our handling of OG, pretty much from our first contract extension. We probably insulted him by leveraging his injury history and lack of offensive production to get him on a bargain deal

If we kept Norm and traded Siakam and FV right after the bubble, and made OG the focal point of our franchise aling with Barnes, we'd be wayyyyy better off.

Why did they give OG that player option (2024/2025)? To save a couple of million in AAV for a slim chance at Giannis

And before anyone say the Giannis bet was a good one, lets remind Giannis' response on Ibaka's "How Hungry Are You" show when asked, true or false, did he ever consider playing for the Raptors? He said he is a man of his word and then responded FALSE.

Masai miscalculated. His failed attempt had no chance in the first place.