Doug Smith: Raptors close to signing FA with MLE

[gerrit4]

I don't really trust Dough though, there might be no FA at all.

Still not sure if this is just BC trying to gain some leverage in S&T talks with Bosh.

I think we need to make sure it is a versatile player we pick up. Kleiza and Childress can play two positions, three in a pinch.

[basketball royalty]

It's mind-boggling how people here want Matt Barnes for the full MLE. This guy is old, nothing special and not a guy you want to be committed to when you're one of the least talented teams in the league.

Not to mention the fact that he'd probably commit murder/suicide upon seeing how soft we are.

Well it would get us out of Hedo's albatross contract because we all know he would be the target.

[duppyy]

IF we got brewer or foye..my faith in BC will be fully renewed.

SO far BC has had a good offseason, hope it continues with one of the two i mentioned.

[gill612]

why doesn't BC wait until we sign and trade bosh. then we will know all of the assets we have and what who we then need to sign. i dont want to sign any of those players mentioned for the mle.

[HEDOBALL]

if we go after a MLE calibre small forward, what does that say for Hedo?

This city was in an uproar with krapono coming off the bench for MLE, do you really think it will happen again?

[dacrusha]

IF we got brewer or foye..my faith in BC will be fully renewed.

SO far BC has had a good offseason, hope it continues with one of the two i mentioned.

I like Brewer, but Foye is nothing but a low-grade chucker who doesn't play defense.

[heemer]

does coangelo *want* to destroy your franchise?

shouldn't you be trying to CUT salary? not add yet ANOTHER long-term commitment?

Thats what I think. Theres no way this team will be competitive next year or any time in the short-medium term without somehow pulling in a star. And unless you're the Lakers making a trade with Memphis, you can't grab those guys for nothing via trade or MLE.

[gerrit4]

IF we got brewer or foye..my faith in BC will be fully renewed.

SO far BC has had a good offseason, hope it continues with one of the two i mentioned.

I like Brewer, but Foye is nothing but a low-grade chucker who doesn't play defense.

I think Foye's okay but I agree that he's really not a good fit for this team. Because there is so much uncertainty with how good Derozan, Weems and Bellinelli will be next year (and if Hedo is returning) I think we need a versatile wing player. Childress, Outlaw, and Kleiza can probably play the 2 or 3 and maybe even the 4 in a running offence. Brewer is a good 2 or 3 but I wonder if we're going to have trouble with another player who can't shoot. Gomes would probably fit well as a 3/4 but I don't want to pay him the full MLE...

[dagger]

does coangelo *want* to destroy your franchise?

shouldn't you be trying to CUT salary? not add yet ANOTHER long-term commitment?

Thats what I think. Theres no way this team will be competitive next year or any time in the short-medium term without somehow pulling in a star. And unless you're the Lakers making a trade with Memphis, you can't grab those guys for nothing via trade or MLE.

The correlation between cutting salaries and rebuilding is predicated on three things.

1) Making it more financially palatable for your owners to lose.

2) Finding minutes for younger players ahead of veterans

3) Hoarding cap space for future free agent acquisitions or to leave room for big extensions for young players.

in our case, I don't think MLSE cares, we will still win fewer games next year, we have an affirmative action program to give young players quality minutes, bad teams don't need cap space except to broker trades and we have no players in line for an extension now - the contracts of Jose and Jack expire before any extension for DD or Ed Davis would kick in.

So long as we are not signing older players, whose new contracts would extend beyond their prime, I'm not concerned.

[kwamebargnani]

OMG BC, at least tell us what position he plays

[hkr]

I like Brewer, but Foye is nothing but a low-grade chucker who doesn't play defense.

I think Foye's okay but I agree that he's really not a good fit for this team. ...

This stats comparison might be of interest:

Foye vs Player B career per 36 min

True Shooting %: 52.2% vs 52.2%
Assists: 4.6 vs 4.7
Rebounds: 3.4 vs 3.4
Points: 15.7 vs 13.3
Turnover: 1.8 vs 2.8
Steals + Blocks: 1.3 vs 2.1

Foye is a much better ballhandler (1 turnover per game is a lot) and shoots more whereas Player B seems to be a bit better defender both by numbers and by eye, but they look eerily similar don't they? Player B as you might've guessed, is Marcus Banks. I do think Foye is the better of the two and Banks really does have serious problems playing the point due to his turnovers, but if we're stuck with Banks, it's probably not a good idea to go after Foye.

[Dalek]

Foye is a good fit because he was always known for his defense in college. He played for some aweful teams in the NBA, so I wouldn't say he is a write-off. He is a good scorer and a big guard.

I'd also like to target center if possible. Kwame Brown is a good defensive player or a younger guy like Fesenko from Utah or Petro from Denver would be a good pick-up. Out of all those players I like Fesenko best.

I'd stay away from wings because it isn't a dire position of need.

[shmoosicle]

I like Brewer, but Foye is nothing but a low-grade chucker who doesn't play defense.

I think Foye's okay but I agree that he's really not a good fit for this team. ...

This stats comparison might be of interest:

Foye vs Player B career per 36 min

True Shooting %: 52.2% vs 52.2%
Assists: 4.6 vs 4.7
Rebounds: 3.4 vs 3.4
Points: 15.7 vs 13.3
Turnover: 1.8 vs 2.8
Steals + Blocks: 1.3 vs 2.1

Foye is a much better ballhandler (1 turnover per game is a lot) and shoots more whereas Player B seems to be a bit better defender both by numbers and by eye, but they look eerily similar don't they? Player B as you might've guessed, is Marcus Banks. I do think Foye is the better of the two and Banks really does have serious problems playing the point due to his turnovers, but if we're stuck with Banks, it's probably not a good idea to go after Foye.

Oh thank god, for a second I thought you were arguing that we should go for Foye. Banks played pretty well off the bench last year, if we ended up trading Calderon we could rely on him for 15 minutes a game.

[PopAGat]

Ronnie Brewer, Nate Robinson(preferably).

But knowing BC, we're probably getting Korver because he can shoot 3's.

[miruss2001]

I think he'll go for a PF. He seems to be laboring under the impression we're short there.

[City Wok Guy]

Ronnie Brewer would be a nice replacement for Antoine Wright.

[blizzah]

Banks works if you have a wing who can handle the ball. Like Hedo or Beli.

If you have Banks on the court with say Demar and Weems. You are in trouble

[hkr]

Oh thank god, for a second I thought you were arguing that we should go for Foye. Banks played pretty well off the bench last year, if we ended up trading Calderon we could rely on him for 15 minutes a game.

Nah, like most other posters here I'd prefer someone like Childress, Barnes, Brewer, etc.

[Jmatt12]

Ronnie Brewer would be a nice replacement for Antoine Wright.

Yes we need a young defensive player at the wing that can play solid D. I really hope its not korver.

[rashiv05]

I would love it if it was ronnie brewer ... however, i can see the raptors getting foye so that they can give em a PG position, leaving jose out. Having Jack or Foye at PG, leaves hedo the primary playmaker which is a role he wants and a role he did well in orlando. hopefully this boosts hedo's stock enough to warrant a pretty decent deal during the season.