Masai Presser Live @ 11am

[mademan]

I absolutely expect them to come out of the draft with one of Maluach or Queen if the pick don't move up, they really don't have a lot of options to address that hole in free agency in a year they need to start winning games. Also the roster is completely overloaded on swings, a trade would be great but they can't bet on another team being willing to take one of the surplus of swings for a big.

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

[ciueli]

Masai is throwing out the biggest smokescreen I've ever seen right now.

Waxing poetic about NBA Academy of Africa as a prospect pool, hoping he'll get other execs thinking he's locked in on Maluach.

It actually wouldn't shock me if they really want Queen because he's supposedly a fantastic passer and they are prioritizing that skill at the C spot very much right now, it's why they think Jak is a foundational player to what they're trying to do. Still, I think Masai will compulsively draft Maluach over him, I don't think he can help himself when he sees one of his Africa guys on the board who is actually worth the pick. I like Maluach better anyway because he is younger with more room to grow his game and the most important aspect of the C position is still defence, an area this team desperately need improvement.

[mtcan]

Flagg will be solid backup 4 for us next season

He could win ROTY and 6MOTY in the same year. How many rookies can say that?

[TorontoBarneys]

wasting your lottery pick on a big man when you already have your front court solved with Barnes and Poeltl is peak idiocy

Who is the backup PF and backup C? There are no credible players at either spot and no money to fill either hole with a veteran.

pro tip: you don't need to waste your lottery pick on a bench player

[mtcan]

I absolutely expect them to come out of the draft with one of Maluach or Queen if the pick don't move up, they really don't have a lot of options to address that hole in free agency in a year they need to start winning games. Also the roster is completely overloaded on swings, a trade would be great but they can't bet on another team being willing to take one of the surplus of swings for a big.

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

Malachi is the backup center on day 0.

[Nature]

Not the most riveting Masai presser in recent memory, but always good to hear the big man speak.

[mademan]

:crazy:

I absolutely expect them to come out of the draft with one of Maluach or Queen if the pick don't move up, they really don't have a lot of options to address that hole in free agency in a year they need to start winning games. Also the roster is completely overloaded on swings, a trade would be great but they can't bet on another team being willing to take one of the surplus of swings for a big.

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

Malachi is the backup center on day 0.

If you think Malauch can play in the NBA tomorrow and not absolutely get destroyed, I have a bridge to sell you. He's a g-leaguer. If people believe in his potential (i dont), I can understand the pick long term. But he's absolutely a project

[Duffman100]

wasting your lottery pick on a big man when you already have your front court solved with Barnes and Poeltl is peak idiocy

Who is the backup PF and backup C? There are no credible players at either spot and no money to fill either hole with a veteran.

pro tip: you don't need to waste your lottery pick on a bench player

Pro tip. Unless you get Flagg or Harper, the player you draft is almost certainly coming off the bench next year.

[Kingsway_fan]

Who is the backup PF and backup C? There are no credible players at either spot and no money to fill either hole with a veteran.

pro tip: you don't need to waste your lottery pick on a bench player

Pro tip. Unless you get Flagg or Harper, the player you draft is almost certainly coming off the bench next year.

Lol QED.

[ciueli]

I absolutely expect them to come out of the draft with one of Maluach or Queen if the pick don't move up, they really don't have a lot of options to address that hole in free agency in a year they need to start winning games. Also the roster is completely overloaded on swings, a trade would be great but they can't bet on another team being willing to take one of the surplus of swings for a big.

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

Masai is the guy who drafted Christian Koloko with a second round pick and then made Nick Nurse start him for 19 games in the first half of 2022-2023 before Nurse complained and had him sent to the G-League. Drafting Maluach and playing him 10-15 minutes or so off the bench as a backup is not even 10% as ridiculous as that, if the alternative is playing someone like Mogbo, Castleton, or Chomche at backup C, I don't see how Maluach could be a much worse option.

[mtcan]

:crazy:

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

Malachi is the backup center on day 0.

If you think Malauch can play in the NBA tomorrow and not absolutely get destroyed, I have a bridge to sell you. He's a g-leaguer. If people believe in his potential (i dont), I can understand the pick long term. But he's absolutely a project

I think he can handle 10-15 minutes playing against opposing backups. Can't be worse than Castleton or ORob.

[OakleyDokely]

The last 3 Raptors 1st rounders were Barnes, Dick and JKW. Three very different players. It's impossible to know with certainty who they will go for.

[mademan]

:crazy:
Malachi is the backup center on day 0.

If you think Malauch can play in the NBA tomorrow and not absolutely get destroyed, I have a bridge to sell you. He's a g-leaguer. If people believe in his potential (i dont), I can understand the pick long term. But he's absolutely a project

I think he can handle 10-15 minutes playing against opposing backups. Can't be worse than Castleton or ORob.

Is he worse than other gleaguers? We'll see, but he is a gleaguer. Is he worse than a midlevel signing? Because we have midlevel to spend and no other glaring weakness. A guy like Steven Adams is worlds better and would cost less than the midlevel

[Yeezus_]

wasting your lottery pick on a big man when you already have your front court solved with Barnes and Poeltl is peak idiocy

Who is the backup PF and backup C? There are no credible players at either spot and no money to fill either hole with a veteran.

pro tip: you don't need to waste your lottery pick on a bench player

What are you arguing about? Masai said he’s drafting BPA. At the same time, so many lottery picks come off the bench their first season and then grow into stars.

[DreamTeam09]

:crazy:

The problem is Queen isnt a 2 way guy. I like Queen, and would take him with his faults, but im not sure if Masai would.

And Maluach isnt a rotation player in the NBA. The guy is raw and will be a foul machine who cant rebound or really play against the physicality (like Houston was physical with him). Unless we get Queen or someone like Broome in the 2nd round, we're not adding a rotation big in this draft next year.

Malachi is the backup center on day 0.

If you think Malauch can play in the NBA tomorrow and not absolutely get destroyed, I have a bridge to sell you. He's a g-leaguer. If people believe in his potential (i dont), I can understand the pick long term. But he's absolutely a project

1 yr ago he played against team USA & went 7 n 3 1blk at the age of 17 / Yeah he's a project in the sense he has so much room to go, his base floor is a back-up 5 for us next year. You act like we are going to be asking him to go 1 on 5 out the gate, all he has to do is set screens and dive, clean up the glass and catch everything for a finish

[mtcan]

If you think Malauch can play in the NBA tomorrow and not absolutely get destroyed, I have a bridge to sell you. He's a g-leaguer. If people believe in his potential (i dont), I can understand the pick long term. But he's absolutely a project

I think he can handle 10-15 minutes playing against opposing backups. Can't be worse than Castleton or ORob.

Is he worse than other gleaguers? We'll see, but he is a gleaguer. Is he worse than a midlevel signing? Because we have midlevel to spend and no other glaring weakness. A guy like Steven Adams is worlds better and would cost less than the midlevel

I don't think backup minutes will hurt the team.

No point spending money on a vet when a center of the future is on the roster.

He will be asked to defend, rebound, block shots, set screens and catch lobs. He has done all of this at Duke already.

This is a low bar and I think he can handle it for 10ish minutes a game.

Yes we are probably trying to win but we still have a very young roster so we are still prioritizing development and growth.

Will Maluach be active with the big club for all games? Maybe not but I suspect he will be there for a good chunk of them as a backup.

[nestea]

Not the most riveting Masai presser in recent memory, but always good to hear the big man speak.

At least he didn't cry

[HangTime]

Flagg will be solid backup 4 for us next season

He could win ROTY and 6MOTY in the same year. How many rookies can say that?

Ben Gordon was 2nd in ROY, and won 6th man his rookie year.

Arvydas Sanbonis was 2nd in both ROY and 6th man, in 1995-96, probably should have won both.

[Clutch0z24]

If they are truly going BPA at 7/8th and a big man....Its prolly Queen or CMB.....They are the 2 best in the top 10....Maluach would be 3rd just for potential sake.

[Godaddycurse]

The last 3 Raptors 1st rounders were Barnes, Dick and JKW. Three very different players. It's impossible to know with certainty who they will go for.

Barnes was really the one surprise. The other 2 were players mocked/ranked higher who fell to us