Shams: Raps one of teams to pursue Anthony Davis

[Spida888]

Here's my take on trading RJ vs. IQ:

I think the Raptors struggle a lot more without RJ.

RJ's replacement player (Walter/ Dick) leaves us in a much worse position than Shead taking over for IQ. In fact, I don't think we see all that big of a drop off overall if Shead takes over for IQ. I think long term the team would actually be better with Shead getting those development minutes.

At the end of the day, it seems RJ's impact on winning > IQ's impact on winning.

You could be right. In theory IQ brings more shooting but when he has a bad shooting night, he isn't bringing much else to the table. RJ brings driving and cutting that's really lacking from the rest of the team. If IQ's salary was closer to 25M, I'd lean keep IQ, but right now I'd lean keep RJ.

IQ + Yak + 2026 or 2027 protected FRP will be my offer. DAL probably rejects because they want multiple picks, but Raps shouldn't offer more than one FRP. If IQ/Yak can net picks from a third team, that may work better for DAL.

[SFour]

It's tough for me to even consider this because i have ZERO idea why the mavs would want Poetl and RJ or IQ. I suppose it could be a 3 team deal.

The only angle i could see is taking Poetl's contract in return for futures. Which would mean multiple picks.

Mavs want more reliable/durable players....otherwise they wouldn't be trading AD.

[bartron_44]

I think they likely just want to get younger and build around Flagg and their new young core.

[Johnny Bball]

AD is turning 33. The history of athletic bigs who’ve been oft injured getting into their mid-30s is almost universally awful. No thanks!

Also, contrary to popular belief, AD has always functioned best as a PF (same as Scottie) next to a true big, and then you can go small with him at C to finish games against certain opponents. So IOW we’d still need a big and ideally one who can shoot given Davis is inconsistent to say the least.

It’s just a terrible idea all around, especially given we’d surely have to give up some draft compensation which is super risky because the timeline for the current group might be as short as two years.

AD's best position is Centre in the playoffs or closing.

Right but you have to get him to the playoffs or even just closing mins. In order to do that, he needs to spend significant time, especially starting halves, next to a big. Even then it's a crapshoot, but playing AD as your full time big is not going to work. He can't stay on the floor like that.

Either CMB or Barnes or rotate all three through. I'm finding as many minutes as I can for CMB to play and to foul out every game.

End if anyone disagrees that CMB can play centre, that's their own problem.

There's three months to the deadline.

[TimeForChange]

If the Mavs are making a deal and Toronto is involved I want Ryan Nembhard.

Still can’t believe he didn’t end up in Toronto.

[Tha Cynic]

Here's my take on trading RJ vs. IQ:

I think the Raptors struggle a lot more without RJ.

RJ's replacement player (Walter/ Dick) leaves us in a much worse position than Shead taking over for IQ. In fact, I don't think we see all that big of a drop off overall if Shead takes over for IQ. I think long term the team would actually be better with Shead getting those development minutes.

At the end of the day, it seems RJ's impact on winning > IQ's impact on winning.

This sounds more like we just need competent backup wings and our young players haven’t lived up to expectations this season. This is kind of the same issue we had with FVV as starter for his last few seasons with no competent backup and RJ isn’t anywhere close in terms of analytics. RJ is going to need a raise and he isn’t going to be worth it.

At this stage this team needs to make a big deal and if you think that you can keep AD relatively healthy, that’s a no-brainer of a move. Poeltl and RJ are easily expendable for AD. Without IQ this team would have basically no 3 point shooting.

AD doesn’t have to do much guarding in the east and should denominate his counterparts easily. This isn’t the West. I would take the gamble and hope he shapes up. Again, a lot of this will depend on how much you understand the player on a personality level and how many red flags he has.

[Tor_Raps]

If the Mavs are making a deal and Toronto is involved I want Ryan Nembhard.

Still can’t believe he didn’t end up in Toronto.

You think rebuilding teams (which is what fhe Mavs would be if trading AD) would trade guys like Nembhard? From the proposals im seeing, we're giving them our trash mostly lol.

[dballislife]

can you imagine a 35 year old davis making 60 million sitting on our bench and playing 30 games a season...man i cannot wait lol

[Tha Cynic]

It’s ironic seeing the thread that Dick and Walter were bad picks and then continued complaints about CMB. Meanwhile we also don’t want to give up draft capital

[tsherkin]

It’s ironic seeing the thread that Dick and Walter were bad picks and then continued complaints about CMB. Meanwhile we also don’t want to give up draft capital

And all of the years of "we need to give X more time" threads, too.

CMB has played about 18 mpg in like 21 games. There's not even close to enough time to evaluate him at this point. He's shown some positives. He's hit some roadblocks. We also knew that he wasn't going to instantly come in and light everyone up like a superstar. So we need to give him some time, and probably some more exposure on the floor too, before we have anything relevant to say about him.

Like, All-Star break ish, we should have a better bead on his rookie campaign, but we've got to give him a couple SEASONS, not like less than 2 dozen games, before we pass judgement on him.

[mdenny]

It’s ironic seeing the thread that Dick and Walter were bad picks and then continued complaints about CMB. Meanwhile we also don’t want to give up draft capital

Yep. That's the mystery box game. Picks picks picks! And then call them busts if they don't become Kobe.

[tsherkin]

It’s ironic seeing the thread that Dick and Walter were bad picks and then continued complaints about CMB. Meanwhile we also don’t want to give up draft capital

Yep. That's the mystery box game. Picks picks picks! And then call them busts if they don't become Kobe.

Yeah. Evaluating a pick based on whether it becomes one of the 15 or 20 best players in league history seems a little short-sighted, especially when the pick isn't even in the top-10.

You miss a lot more than you hit in the draft, for sure, but sometimes you have to take the wins with decent players. Most especially in the OAD era, where the knowledge you gain ahead of actually making your selection is so much more limited than when you might get 3 or 4 years of scouting data on a guy (coupled to that physical, skill and mental development) before having to make that selection.

[LoveMyRaps]

RJ + Poeltl + Ochai/Dick/Walter for AD

Trae Young + Risacher for AD

Hawks can definitely beat our offers.

NAW
Daniels
Johnson
AD
Porzingis

That's a fun team

[tsherkin]

RJ + Poeltl + Ochai/Dick/Walter for AD

Trae Young + Risacher for AD

Hawks can definitely beat our offers.

NAW
Daniels
Johnson
AD
Porzingis

That's a fun team

I don't know that they want to give up on Rissacher so early. He was really looking interesting in the later parts of last season. And when his 3 comes back this year, he should again. They've got something really interesting with JJ, Daniels, Okongwu and Rissacher.

Moving Trae makes a good deal of sense, but moving Rissacher makes a lot less so, especially because he's so price-controlled on his rookie deal right now. They aren't winning a title with AD in the next two seasons, so it doesn't seem worth it.

[TGM]

Don’t really see the Hawks bidders for AD. If anything I think they try to dump Trae and Porz and focus on adding to their core with younger guys and letting them grow. If I’m hawks I probably try to send back that NO pick to get Herb or Murphy.

Raps and Pistons probably main bidders for AD.

Would be crazy if we somehow landed both AD and Trae.

I personally wouldn’t mind a

IQ, Gradey and Ochai and a first for Trae

Follow-up with a RJ, Mogbo and Jakob, a first for Sabonis Ellis and Carter.

Trae - Shead - Hepburn
Ellis - Walter - Carter
Ingram - Battle - Temple
Barnes - CMB
Sabonis - Mamu

Strong outside shooting and ball distribution. Great rebounding on the inside. You have two strong defensive anchors in Barnes and Ellis. When needed can bring in CMB, Shead to up the defense further.

[OhCanada]

If the Mavs are making a deal and Toronto is involved I want Ryan Nembhard.

Still can’t believe he didn’t end up in Toronto.

Toronto passed up Queen and Nembhard because of defensive concerns. Meanwhile our defense cant even guard a pick and roll when Poeltl isnt 100%.

[TGM]

If the Mavs are making a deal and Toronto is involved I want Ryan Nembhard.

Still can’t believe he didn’t end up in Toronto.

Toronto passed up Queen and Nembhard because of defensive concerns. Meanwhile our defense cant even guard a pick and roll when Poeltl isnt 100%.

Masai and Bobby historical have not gone for the most talented players. They put character traits before talent.

I think short term always looks like we got the wrong guy, but we draft a lot of two way players at the end once they develop 3-4 years later. OG, Norm, Jakob, Fred, Shead, Pascal, Scottie. I think in 2-3 years we will see Walter, CMB also become those type of two way players. So not necessarily a bad thing, but in year one our rookies won’t be making all rookie team most likely.

[M3tro]

Keep running on that treadmill

[SFour]

RJ + Poeltl + Ochai/Dick/Walter for AD

Trae Young + Risacher for AD

Hawks can definitely beat our offers.

NAW
Daniels
Johnson
AD
Porzingis

That's a fun team

Porzingis AND AD .....fun and on the verge of disaster

[Jerry Lucas]

Here's my take on trading RJ vs. IQ:

I think the Raptors struggle a lot more without RJ.

RJ's replacement player (Walter/ Dick) leaves us in a much worse position than Shead taking over for IQ. In fact, I don't think we see all that big of a drop off overall if Shead takes over for IQ. I think long term the team would actually be better with Shead getting those development minutes.

At the end of the day, it seems RJ's impact on winning > IQ's impact on winning.

This sounds more like we just need competent backup wings and our young players haven’t lived up to expectations this season. This is kind of the same issue we had with FVV as starter for his last few seasons with no competent backup and RJ isn’t anywhere close in terms of analytics. RJ is going to need a raise and he isn’t going to be worth it.

At this stage this team needs to make a big deal and if you think that you can keep AD relatively healthy, that’s a no-brainer of a move. Poeltl and RJ are easily expendable for AD. Without IQ this team would have basically no 3 point shooting.

AD doesn’t have to do much guarding in the east and should denominate his counterparts easily. This isn’t the West. I would take the gamble and hope he shapes up. Again, a lot of this will depend on how much you understand the player on a personality level and how many red flags he has.

Not even basically on the bolded, it's literal.

IQ is quite literally the only Raptors rotation player who shoots the 3 both efficiently, and at a high volume. And he's the starting PG. A lot of Raptors fans don't realize how much less sense it would make to subtract IQ from this team's build than RJ.