Yahoo: Raps sign Linas Kleiza to 4 year 18.8M offer sheet

[ash_k]

This would be a great addition, a proven scorer in the NBA(when given the opportunity) at 5 per.!
Where do I sign!
BC must have a deal for Hedo in place.

P.S. hopefully Denver dont match!

[appel]

I don't understand this move.

Can someone explain why spending $20M now on a redundant player is a good move?

Anyone?

Redundant???
How many wings we have ?
Let me see D,Beli,Turk and Sonny ( idon't think Reggie is a wing )

FOUR !! For 2 spots
Redundant?

Turk plays 30 minutes, Sonny 18
DD plays 24 minutes, Beli/Kleiza play 24

Sounds like a good use of $20M to me.

Me too
Because actually he's a better basketball player than DD and Weems
They are more athletic maybe (but Linas isn'0t unatheltic)
But basketball is not only jump and run
He will be a good fit

[UnRealGM]

And your name explains nothing...whats your point. Explain to me how this signing makes any sense when we're trying to rebuild. If BC is going to sign anyone it needs to be a pg and try to get rid of Jose.

dont think the market works quite as simple as you make it out to be. maybe theres not much room to move jose right now without getting peanuts in return. and perhaps mlse doesnt want a complete rebuild (still need to put fans in the stands) so why not try to salvage what has been a pretty awful (PR-wise) off-season?

[TheVoiceOfSanity]

Here is the link
http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/70749/180


Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy: Linas Kleiza, Olympiacos
A native son who returned to Europe in the prime of his career has earned the first post-season award of the 2009-10 Euroleague. Linas Kleiza of Olympiacos Piraeus is the winner of the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy, awarded annually to the Euroleague player who averages the most points over a minimum number of games prior to the Final Four. It is the only post-season award that does not rely on voting by fans, media or coaches. Kleiza, a Euroleague newcomer this season, is the first Lithuanian player to win the Ford Trophy. He averaged 17.25 points over a total of 20 games this season while leading the Reds to their second consecutive Final Four, although it's his first. Kleiza scored in double figures in every Euroleague game except one so far this season. He was the Regular Season top scorer with 17.6 points on average and ranked second in the Quarterfinal Playoffs with 18.75 points over four games. At age 25, Kleiza becomes the second-youngest player to win the Ford Trophy. Drew Nicholas was 24 when he won it with Benetton Treviso after the 2005-06 season

[ontnut]

People just hate everything right now. 90% of the forum has no idea what they want from this team.

They want to rebuild, but they also don't want to suck. They want good players but they want to tank. Most have no clue.

I want to rebuild and tank this year because attempting to win anything would be futile. That's pretty simple, no?

Rebuilding can be done without tanking, tanking doesn't guarantee a top pick and with this team, we already know the young guys are going to be getting more minutes anyways so what more do you want? What if Turk and Jose are moved and we get some young assets?

I don't understand the tanking bandwagon, it doesn't even guarantee the first or a top pick and doesnt' guarantee you get a good player either.

I agree with serious in that rebuilding can be done without tanking in the hopes of getting a first overall pick (check recent drafts, NJ, Mia both getting screwed in the lottery). I also disagree with Randle. Why does this board have to be so polar and tunnel vision at the same time. Are the only options for the Raptors tanking or trying to make the playoffs? Have we all forgot about "trying to build a winning culture?" Wasn't this one of the main issues with the Bosh led Raptors (or Raptors in general) in that we have a losing culture, a soft team and little to no desire to stand up for ourselves? By getting Linas, he will bring to us a winning culture, a no-nonsense attitude, hard work and not nearly enough wins to have us go from "rebuilders" to "winners" in one season. WTF is so wrong with building the type of culture we need to attract other FA's down the road. BC f'd up by going the soft route with his first moves being for softy players (Bargs, TJ, Calderon etc.) - now he's seemingly trying to flip the board around and go for grittier, blue collar players and we still complain. I guess you wanted LBJ for the MLE huh Randle.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

Yeah he's European, so what? Kleiza can play and that's all that matters. If Denver doesn't match that's pretty good value for a starting SF or a sixth man.

thats whats people said about Calderon, Hedo, belinelli do you see where am going with this a lot of you must not get it if this euro thing worked more people would be doing it. BC just doesn't no how to sprinkle euro on this team. what i mean by that is just had a few who can play hard but he just want to keep pouring on something thats not bin working for him from DAY 1

Other teams are doing it. The day BC starts bringing in only euro's come talk to me. But c'mon, you act like we're the only team with Europeans on it.

[Jay_Rapleaf]

Now all we need are some PFs and we're set!

[ZKS_STAL]

RAMPANT SPECULATIONZ!!!

the guy isn't even a raptor yet - and already everyone either LOVES or HATES the signing... granted some folks stayed level headed.

the money sounds right. now let's wait to see if denver matches, and if not - then let's see how he plays in triano's system.

[Graham's Cracker]

I remember watching Kleiza play once against the raptors when he was with Denver. He actually lit us up, but then again, who hasn't lit up the Raptors.

He also lit it up with Jay Triano on the sidelines. Maybe he'll choke out JT and PJ will have a flashback.

[SDM]

Me too
Because actually he's a better basketball player than DD and Weems
They are more athletic maybe (but Linas isn'0t unatheltic)
But basketball is not only jump and run
He will be a good fit

I'm still reeling a bit from the last couple days, so I'll let cooler heads prevail and say perhaps. I just don't see the need of spending money for the sake of it. I doubt BC/MLSE was thinking, "we need a tweener to diversify our offense when we're ready to compete in several years" and was thinking, "who could we get for the MLE that we liked in the past?". It's a totally wrong way to build a club, especially after the loss of its best player, and I'm one of BC's biggest supporters here.

[Graham's Cracker]

Does anyone think Beasley could be heading to Denver in exchange for Kleiza in a double S&T?

They should make about the same based on the offer.

[Courtside]

Looking at Denver's roster and salaries, I can't help but think Turk & Beasley to Denver for KMart's expiring?

[RINSE]

Does anyone think Beasley could be heading to Denver in exchange for Kleiza in a double S&T?

They should make about the same based on the offer.

That would still put Denver in the tax.

[Macho]

Hopefully Denver matches.

[rashiv05]

when i heard on the fan590 we signed a player from denver ... i was hoping for ty lawson ... and worst case scenario, i actually thought of kleiza ... i dont' know what to make of this. good signing if hedo gets traded. but if not ... i don't know.

could it be possible that riley is targeting hedo if lebron doesn't sign with the heat?

[REM]

This board is IGNORANT.

First, he doesn't even count as Euro. He played his college ball at Mizzou.

Second, if you watch his game, you know he is a rugged dude. A Garbo type but a better athlete who can put the ball on the floor.

Sick of seeing people pigeon hole a player because of the color or name...

[Jay_Rapleaf]

Prediction - Denver matches. Signs and trades him to TO + another contract for Turk.

You heard it from here first!

[Mars Blackmon]

Bosh traded for Beasley + TPE + Pick(s)

Sign Kleiza

Trade Turkoglu for Pietrus + Gortat



-

[wajr]

Hopefully Denver doesn't match.

Fixed....

[ontnut]

yayyyy more euros! I understand if a lot of players don't want to come here but right now it doesn't matter. We need draft picks then start winning instead of forcing the issue and signing anyone who wouldnt mind playing in Toronto

Your name explains a lot.

And your name explains nothing...whats your point. Explain to me how this signing makes any sense when we're trying to rebuild. If BC is going to sign anyone it needs to be a pg and try to get rid of Jose.

We're trying to change the team culture. Linas = tough gritty winner. Raps = soft passive losers. What's wrong? Do you fully expect us to tank, suck the big one and somehow attract FA's down the line especially after what has happened with Bosh? What FA would want to come to a now even softer Raptors team that has purposely chosen to lose 70 games? Think about if you were a high school football player going to College. Would you want to sign with the University of Toronto, or with Queens? By losing purposely, we will only attract the players who want to be star players on mediocre teams - by trying to win, not at all costs, but in a way that shows the rest of the league that we will never lay down and die, we will attract other hard working players who want to be part of an up and coming team that plays the right way (like OKC - and don't tell me OKC were tankers...they did what they could given their ownership situation)