Windhorst: Raptors making noise around the league looking for a “big fish” // Giannis & Toronto "Mutual Interest"/KD too

[PushDaRock]

I still think Sabonis may be available, Jak + Barrett for him would work. He is a better fit with Scottie IMO because he's been hitting the 3 a bit the last 3 seasons, shot nearly 42% from 3 this season on 2.2 attempts per game. Not sure if Masai does it because he is a huge fan of Jak but I would consider it an upgrade at C even if Sabonis is a little worse defensively, he fits in perfectly with Darko's passing at C scheme.

sabonis as our starting C and only playable C would be a nightmare. Dude can't protect the rim at all, we would just be the kings east. The pressure on Scottie to protect the rim would be immense. I think we would be a better team rolling out the current starting lineup.

I think you're overrating Jak a little and underrating Saboins, he isn't that bad a defender, he has just had no help on that Sacramento team the entire time he's been there. With Scottie + some other solid defenders on our roster I think it would be fine, I'd rather have a player who can do what Sabonis does on offence (better passing, shooting, rebounding) along with playing around 35 MPG and mostly full season schedules vs. 30 MPG from Jak who misses significant games each season.

He's at a career 0.5 BPG playing over 30 MPG, that's incredibly difficult to do when you're playing C. You're blocking shots just by accident when you're that tall and near the rim so often.

[720]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

[Tor_Raps]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

That crap is so overrated, everyone is their own person. Did having Kawhi help Siakam/OG/Fred when they were on their own on the raptors? Did it help Barnes having Siakam/OG/Fred?

You get players for what they'll produce on the first and foremost, the rest is secondary by far.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

That crap is so overrated, everyone is their own person. Did having Kawhi help Siakam/OG/Fred when they were on their own on the raptors? Did it help Barnes having Siakam/OG/Fred?

You get players for what they'll produce on the first and foremost, the rest is secondary by far.

Um Pascal has literally quotes Kawhi a couple of times this playoff run (not to high, not to low), and his now famous pre season speech to the team had Kawhi all over it.

Fred is well know for his leadership skills and winning ways, and along with Ime turned that team around.

Are you being serious, or did you forget to green font?

[LoveMyRaps]

Turning RJ + Poeltl + Dick + Future Pick into KD makes me excited..


Quickley
Ingram
Durant
Barnes
Maluach

w/ solid depth

oh babyyyyyyyyyyy

[Duffman100]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

That crap is so overrated.

I actually don't think any of us know if it is or not unless we've been on a professional team.

[ciueli]

sabonis as our starting C and only playable C would be a nightmare. Dude can't protect the rim at all, we would just be the kings east. The pressure on Scottie to protect the rim would be immense. I think we would be a better team rolling out the current starting lineup.

I think you're overrating Jak a little and underrating Saboins, he isn't that bad a defender, he has just had no help on that Sacramento team the entire time he's been there. With Scottie + some other solid defenders on our roster I think it would be fine, I'd rather have a player who can do what Sabonis does on offence (better passing, shooting, rebounding) along with playing around 35 MPG and mostly full season schedules vs. 30 MPG from Jak who misses significant games each season.

He's at a career 0.5 BPG playing over 30 MPG, that's incredibly difficult to do when you're playing C. You're blocking shots just by accident when you're that tall and near the rim so often.

Is there a massive difference between him averaging 0.5 BPG and Jokic averaging 0.6 BPG? Or Towns averaging 0.7 BPG? There are very few centers in the NBA who are legitimately good at shot blocking, I've said this before, shot blocking is a dying art in the NBA, there's only 8 players who averaged 1.5 BPG last season and the only guy I've heard might be for trade for out of that list is Walker Kessler.

[Son Goku 25]

Some might not agree but why are we giving so much for KD? Isn't it a widely believed he isn't staying with the suns past this off season? Why would the suns have any leverage then. I guess there's a higher demand for him but hopefully we don't give too much if that's the case let other teams give away their assets. I'd focus on other stars if both Giannis and KD are out without having to give up this year's pick and while keeping Yak.

[bboyskinnylegs]

is Garland worth pursuing over IQ? One less year on the deal, but he's making
$36,725,670 $39,446,090 $42,166,510 $44,886,930
vs IQ's flat 32.5M through the 28-29 season.

[sidsid]

One of the fortuitous events happening during this offseason is the sudden availability of spacing Cs. One issue is that teams looking to trade them are mostly looking for salary relief, but 3 team trades can possibly unlock that.

Both the Bulls and Celtics are looking to move on from their expiring spacers (Bulls potentially also moving Smith). Porzingis, Vuc. We have options to balance out the rotations depending on what gets moved in a Durant trade.

And Horford is a FA if he has any interest, too, along with Lopez. Yeah, some of these guys are old and brittle, but a retooling team making a Durant trade is already pot commited to a certain level of risk

[Tor_Raps]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

That crap is so overrated, everyone is their own person. Did having Kawhi help Siakam/OG/Fred when they were on their own on the raptors? Did it help Barnes having Siakam/OG/Fred?

You get players for what they'll produce on the first and foremost, the rest is secondary by far.

Um Pascal has literally quotes Kawhi a couple of times this playoff run (not to high, not to low), and his now famous pre season speech to the team had Kawhi all over it.

Fred is well know for his leadership skills and winning ways, and along with Ime turned that team around.

Are you being serious, or did you forget to green font?

I'm speaking about on court production and the results spoke for themselves. They all went onto completely other teams where they were better slotted in the pecking order to help. "Kawhi's leadership" did crap all for the Raptors is my point.

[grant101]

We can’t have a rookie starting is Poeltl is out and have any chance of winning. If we do this, I’d be looking into how poaching Gafford (for Ochai, maybe?) or at signing Brook Lopez.

Also, if Poeltl is out, it’s Grady or a pick, not both. In fact, I’d try to see if they bite at Mogbo instead (still really high on Grady).

[Tor_Raps]

Another thing people overlook is KD being on our team would be great for our young guys. They get to learn how one of the most skilled forwards of all time trains and prepares everyday. Scottie, Gradey, Jakobe (whoever is left after the trade) will benefit greatly.

That crap is so overrated.

I actually don't think any of us know if it is or not unless we've been on a professional team.

I mainly care about on court results and my point was that it did nothing for the Raptors after Kawhi had left. Think we had a long enough sample size on that.

If we got KD, I want him only for his on court production. We can go try to sign Lowry for the minimum if we want to prioritize what Temple has been providing this team the past few years, not gut the team for it.

[Tor_Raps]

is Garland worth pursuing over IQ? One less year on the deal, but he's making
$36,725,670 $39,446,090 $42,166,510 $44,886,930
vs IQ's flat 32.5M through the 28-29 season.

Ya Garland is on a whole different level than IQ. He'd be a difference maker if we could get the Cavs to bite on IQ + Dick + filler.

[Clutch0z24]

Read on Twitter

definitely the first guy i am calling if I am Giannis or the Bucks

I would wait till a more legit source comes out with the news....Things don't heat up till July so i doubt anyone really knows what Giannis will do including Giannis himself...I think all these reports are speculation.

[PushDaRock]

I think you're overrating Jak a little and underrating Saboins, he isn't that bad a defender, he has just had no help on that Sacramento team the entire time he's been there. With Scottie + some other solid defenders on our roster I think it would be fine, I'd rather have a player who can do what Sabonis does on offence (better passing, shooting, rebounding) along with playing around 35 MPG and mostly full season schedules vs. 30 MPG from Jak who misses significant games each season.

He's at a career 0.5 BPG playing over 30 MPG, that's incredibly difficult to do when you're playing C. You're blocking shots just by accident when you're that tall and near the rim so often.

Is there a massive difference between him averaging 0.5 BPG and Jokic averaging 0.6 BPG? Or Towns averaging 0.7 BPG? There are very few centers in the NBA who are legitimately good at shot blocking, I've said this before, shot blocking is a dying art in the NBA, there's only 8 players who averaged 1.5 BPG last season and the only guy I've heard might be for trade for out of that list is Walker Kessler.

Ok, if you think blocks aren't important. We can also add steals into the equation too.

Jokic and Towns both average 2 Stocks per game in their career. Jokic was at 2.4 last season and Towns at 1.7. Jokic was really bad defending the rim last year and just generally avoids fouling in general because of how important he is to the team. Towns is a below average defender at this point, not sure anyone would argue otherwise.

Sabonis in comparison is at 1.3 stocks per game over his career and was at 1.1 stocks last season.

[TheRaptor!]

We can’t have a rookie starting is Poeltl is out and have any chance of winning. If we do this, I’d be looking into how poaching Gafford (for Ochai, maybe?) or at signing Brook Lopez.

Also, if Poeltl is out, it’s Grady or a pick, not both. In fact, I’d try to see if they bite at Mogbo instead (still really high on Grady).

Good idea

Do they really need AD Gafford Lively and PJ washington?

[KillaSham23]

Id happily take sabonis if it was for quick/RJ and yak + 2026 draft pick. I think the offense and rebounding sabonis would add outweighs yaks defense

[PushDaRock]

is Garland worth pursuing over IQ? One less year on the deal, but he's making
$36,725,670 $39,446,090 $42,166,510 $44,886,930
vs IQ's flat 32.5M through the 28-29 season.

Ya Garland is on a whole different level than IQ. He'd be a difference maker if we could get the Cavs to bite on IQ + Dick + filler.

Is he really on that much different of a level?

Career PER 36 numbers

Garland 20.4 ppg 7.3 apg 2.9 rpg 1.3 spg on 56.8 TS%
IQ 19.7 ppg 5.2 apg 4.6 rpg 1.0 spg on 56.6 TS%

The difference is Garland has had a lot more opportunity as a day one starter. IQ only became a full time starter last season after coming here and we obviously know about the injuries this season that derailed his season.

[Tor_Raps]

is Garland worth pursuing over IQ? One less year on the deal, but he's making
$36,725,670 $39,446,090 $42,166,510 $44,886,930
vs IQ's flat 32.5M through the 28-29 season.

Ya Garland is on a whole different level than IQ. He'd be a difference maker if we could get the Cavs to bite on IQ + Dick + filler.

Is he really on that much different of a level?

Career PER 36 numbers

Garland 20.4 ppg 7.3 apg 2.9 rpg 1.3 spg on 56.8 TS%
IQ 19.7 ppg 5.2 apg 4.6 rpg 1.0 spg on 56.6 TS%

The difference is Garland has had a lot more opportunity as a day one starter. IQ only became a full time starter last season after coming here and we obviously know about the injuries this season that derailed his season.

Injuries are part of IQs problems and should be held against him so youre making him look better by using the PER36 metric here.

Garland has been an allstar in the lead guard role before. Just having watched them enough shows Garland >> IQ and the funny thing is that Garland is a year younger than IQ too lol.