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

[Tor_Raps]

Trading BI now would ensure that no "name player" ever agrees to Toronto again. I know that 95% already feel that way, but that would be a good way to get it close to 100.

Agree.

This franchise has always had a marketing problem to prospective players and trading a guy who wants to come here and hasn't even played a single game...that is bad ju ju.

ingram didnt come here because its Toronto, he came here cause we were willing to extend him.

He chose us over Atlanta and someone else I believe as they were also willing to extend him. Pelicans themselves were willing to extend him at 4/160 but he turned them down.

[WuTang_OG]

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[LoveMyRaps]

Ya we're definitely missing out on both KD and Giannis...

I'm like 85% sure we go into next season with the same lineup... + our rookies

[Tor_Raps]

Ya we're definitely missing out on both KD and Giannis...

I'm like 85% sure we go into next season with the same lineup... + our rookies

I think we'll go after a tier 2/3 player who will cost a lot less. Someone in the Trae, Lamelo, Markkennen range.

[douggood]

Agree.

This franchise has always had a marketing problem to prospective players and trading a guy who wants to come here and hasn't even played a single game...that is bad ju ju.

ingram didnt come here because its Toronto, he came here cause we were willing to extend him.

He chose us over Atlanta and someone else I believe as they were also willing to extend him. Pelicans themselves were willing to extend him at 4/160 but he turned them down.

hawks pelicans couldnt agree on trade, otherwise if pelicans got a better return from hawks, he would have been traded there and signed extension.

4/160 is something new to me, is that something they offered during the season or is it offseason when he was looking for the max.

[ImaBeatDatAzz]

Ya we're definitely missing out on both KD and Giannis...

I'm like 85% sure we go into next season with the same lineup... + our rookies

KD for sure, it was writing on the wall for spurs to get him. That should be a done deal soon.

But Giannis? How can we miss out on him? we are frontrunners. It’s only if he wants to be traded out or not.. which realistically he should cuz that bucks team will get nowhere

[WuTang_OG]

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[Tripod]

Quite OK going into next year with who we have +our picks....as long as we ALSO add a legit backup C.

Castleton +Lawson=4.4 million in disposable cap space. Let's add someone we can rely on when Jak misses games...that's isn't a rookie or Chomche.

[tsherkin]

I think if they make a sure term move for KD, that means they want to win this year, so I'd be shocked if there weren't follow up moves.

I struggle to think of what a title team looks like with KD on our roster, though. He isn't That Guy any more, you know? He'll give you an efficient 26 and all that, but he isn't hot on D and he isn't a great playmaker, so we'd still need another higher-end perimeter guy to drive it all, and then still figure out how to tie together a good enough D.

He's not at the peak of his powers, but he's still an elite scorer who I think can be the go to guy in many in-game situations with the right supporting cast around him. If you're asking him to be one of the best defenders who takes all the shots, that's a recipe for disaster.

He's a good finisher, sure. But he's hella expensive and adds basically only scoring, that's the concern. Like, he'd help, but is he worth $50 mil a year plus the assets we have to give up, and then have to somehow make this a real contender?

[mtcan]

Trading BI now would ensure that no "name player" ever agrees to Toronto again. I know that 95% already feel that way, but that would be a good way to get it close to 100.

Agree.

This franchise has always had a marketing problem to prospective players and trading a guy who wants to come here and hasn't even played a single game...that is bad ju ju.

ingram didnt come here because its Toronto, he came here cause we were willing to extend him.

Pelicans offered 4 years 160 million and BI turned it down...according to Marc Stein.

So no...he didn't come to Toronto just for the money.

[Clutch0z24]

Looks like we have to wait till July to see what the word on Giannis is....KD is going to the Spurs/Timberwolves....I think he will have a say where he ends up again...And it won't be Toronto...

As for the 2nd tier stars like Trae/LaMelo/Morant/Lauri....They could be at play if the price is right....For me LaMelo makes alot of sense to go after...

[WuTang_OG]

Looks like we have to wait till July to see what the word on Giannis is....KD is going to the Spurs/Timberwolves....I think he will have a say where he ends up again...And it won't be Toronto...

As for the 2nd tier stars like Trae/LaMelo/Morant/Lauri....They could be at play if the price is right....For me LaMelo makes alot of sense to go after...

Betting odds also say Toronto not even close on KD

[OakleyDokely]

I struggle to think of what a title team looks like with KD on our roster, though. He isn't That Guy any more, you know? He'll give you an efficient 26 and all that, but he isn't hot on D and he isn't a great playmaker, so we'd still need another higher-end perimeter guy to drive it all, and then still figure out how to tie together a good enough D.

He's not at the peak of his powers, but he's still an elite scorer who I think can be the go to guy in many in-game situations with the right supporting cast around him. If you're asking him to be one of the best defenders who takes all the shots, that's a recipe for disaster.

He's a good finisher, sure. But he's hella expensive and adds basically only scoring, that's the concern. Like, he'd help, but is he worth $50 mil a year plus the assets we have to give up, and then have to somehow make this a real contender?

Elite play finishing is one of the toughest skills to find so I'd say he'd be worth it from that standpoint, but it all depends on the cost.

[OakleyDokely]

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despite the Celts homerism, Bill is usually pretty reliable as he doesn't just report ever random rumour he hears.

[bballsparkin]

C - FA/Draft/Trade
F Barnes - Mogbo
F Durant - Ochai
F Ingram - Dick - Battle
G IQ - Walter - Shead

It looks good but really it looks like.

C ?????????????????????
F Barnes - Mogbo
F Durant - Ochai
F Ingram - Dick - Battle
G IQ - Walter - Shead

[ConSarnit]

Agree.

This franchise has always had a marketing problem to prospective players and trading a guy who wants to come here and hasn't even played a single game...that is bad ju ju.

ingram didnt come here because its Toronto, he came here cause we were willing to extend him.

Pelicans offered 4 years 160 million and BI turned it down...according to Marc Stein.

So no...he didn't come to Toronto just for the money.

Pels do seem like a poorly run organization so you could see why he wouldn’t want to stay. That said, if they were offering 4/160 you can see why he’d prefer the deal the Raptors gave him. He got a player option after 2 years with us. That means he gets back on the market 2 years earlier compared to a straight 4 year deal. That could be worth an extra $15-20m for Ingram. The Pels were likely trying to lock him in at what would have been a discount if it were 4 years with no options (considering how much the cap is projected to go up).

[OakleyDokely]

C - FA/Draft/Trade
F Barnes - Mogbo
F Durant - Ochai
F Ingram - Dick - Battle
G IQ - Walter - Shead

It looks good but really it looks like.

C ?????????????????????
F Barnes - Mogbo
F Durant - Ochai
F Ingram - Dick - Battle
G IQ - Walter - Shead

I wonder what Rasho is up to

[bballsparkin]

Trading BI now would ensure that no "name player" ever agrees to Toronto again. I know that 95% already feel that way, but that would be a good way to get it close to 100.

Yeah I was wondering about that. Trading BI before he ever plays a game seems kinda sleezy (for lack of a better word).

[canz55]

"If Giannis is available you pay whatever to get him"

- Real GM Raptors board

This is the sentiment of bored, dopamine seeking, endless phone scrolling fans who likely live in their parents basements and don't have the time for anything. They don't care about basketball development or the intricacies of club management when it comes to long term decision making. It's really just low level IQ fandom from people who cant hold a conversation in a normal setting because they probably have some undiagnosed ADD.

My dude, you're projecting. Your insecurities are showing.

Maybe I am projecting, but how else would you describe a cohort of the fan base that doesn't stop to think about anything who only know how to live for today?

The greatest strength that Giannis offers to any team that trades for him, above everything else, is twitch athleticism which is a very difficult thing to maintain past age 29. Once that's gone, you're still going to be forced to renew him on another deal (because you traded your future away) that will age as poorly as any other similar deal ever given in the same situation. Think of Dwight Howard when he signed for the Rockets after leaving the magic or more recently Russel Westbrook, again with the Rockets in 2019.

[Quattro]

Looks like we have to wait till July to see what the word on Giannis is....KD is going to the Spurs/Timberwolves....I think he will have a say where he ends up again...And it won't be Toronto...

As for the 2nd tier stars like Trae/LaMelo/Morant/Lauri....They could be at play if the price is right....For me LaMelo makes alot of sense to go after...

Betting odds also say Toronto not even close on KD

Can anyone see Durant joining a 30 win team? Nor should we want him at this stage od his career. This runour never made any sense.