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

[Condi Rice]

Geez, always the confidence/bad habits argument against tanking... ONLY APPLIES WHEN YOU HAVE A CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBRE CORE.

[roundhead0]

Like Jack, this is a fairly big commitment to a player who hasn't really proved himself worth keeping long term. Jack seems to have worked out ok. We'll see about Kleiza.

He's a 3/4, but probably more suited to a backup role. This may mean that Turk is staying, and instead this is a replacement for Wright.

[Brinbe]

come on man, another european?

You're going to have to get used to the fact that it is an uphill battle to have amercan born players sign with Toronto as free agents. On the other hand Toronto has much appeal to non-US players who may have misgivings about living the US. So in most scenarios Toronto ise going to have a better choice of talent wanting to play in Toronto from Europe than the US.

hahahaha, I hate this attitude so much, because it's not necessarily true. We have an uphill battle to sign players because we're seen as a losing franchise, period. To concede this believe that we're unable to sign American FAs is just putting into practice this self-defeating false prophecy, basically really putting something that's just a self-perception into reality now.

[lilstash]

isn't he more of 4 than a 3? The nuggets played him more minutes at the 4

[SDM]

And all you yahoos whining about flexibility... Look at Outlaw's contract. Kleiza, if Denver doesn't match, is a cheaper and more flexible piece than Outlaw who just signed in NJ for the same money as Amir, whose deal half this board thinks is too long.

Let's tank for a few years and have that capspace because Toronto is a prime destination for free agents. Just like NJ is doing, they're on the path now. Travis Outlaw...FTW

Favors may turn out to be a great player but they are no better off than us at this point.

Their top end talent is much better (Lopez/Harris vs. Bargs/?), their young PF is a better prospect, they have no crippling long-term deals, they have much better cap flexibility, they have an owner that's put the league on notice, and they have probably another lotto pick on the way. If anything, this team has potential to shake up the league, a lot like Dallas did when Cuban took over.

[Relentless88]

like it, good value, he is only 25.

why does everyone on this board think 25 is a young age in the NBA?

You guys have all been brainwashed by Colangelo into discounting the very early years of a players career, the ones where they provide the best value for their contract.

25 is not young in the NBA.

25 is young...

You realize Wesley Johnson, the #4 pick in the 2010 draft, is 23 years old.

[DreamTeam09]

WOWWW..The offseason is just getting started!!!!!!!!!!

[TimoCruz]

I don't like this signing at all. It might be a decent contract but we don't need a player like him. We should be looking for center or a way to get rid of Calderon and Turkey.

[TerryTate]

First I must say that I have been a BC fan and supporter for quite some time. His stock dropped with me when he signed Hedo. However, this offseason has been a complete and utter cluster**** so far.

For the long time BC haters, I suppose this is the ultimate BC signing:
A) A tweener 3/4 which he seems to love getting
B) Another euro off the scrap heap
C) A player that has been rumoured for a couple of years as being of interest to BC, regardless of how he may fit into the existing team and plan

For crying out loud, bring back Antoine Wright before spending on Kleiza. We know he's no more than a backup. Typically you look for athleticism off the bench. Someone who can put up 8 or 10 and once in a while explode for 20+ and/or play extremely solid D. Kleiza does neither.

For the full MLE we probably could have picked up Al Harrington. Not really any D but at least the guy can score. Or Travis Outlaw.

Wanna go cheap? How about a few million on Dorrell Wright or Ronnie Brewer. At least there would be some athleticism and potential upside.

Kleiza has exploded for 40 points before =P

[FirstInkTDot]

Some of you don't get it... This is Jarret Jack Money People... We Offered the same offer sheet to Indiana for Jack remember? and Jack is now a great PG at a bargain price.. Kleiza is a SF, He can really shoot the 3 and would be great in replacing Hedo Turkoglu at Starter

[Brinbe]

First I must say that I have been a BC fan and supporter for quite some time. His stock dropped with me when he signed Hedo. However, this offseason has been a complete and utter cluster**** so far.

For the long time BC haters, I suppose this is the ultimate BC signing:
A) A tweener 3/4 which he seems to love getting
B) Another euro off the scrap heap
C) A player that has been rumoured for a couple of years as being of interest to BC, regardless of how he may fit into the existing team and plan

For crying out loud, bring back Antoine Wright before spending on Kleiza. We know he's no more than a backup. Typically you look for athleticism off the bench. Someone who can put up 8 or 10 and once in a while explode for 20+ and/or play extremely solid D. Kleiza does neither.

For the full MLE we probably could have picked up Al Harrington. Not really any D but at least the guy can score. Or Travis Outlaw.

Wanna go cheap? How about a few million on Dorrell Wright or Ronnie Brewer. At least there would be some athleticism and potential upside.

Kleiza has exploded for 40 points before =P

Just like Acie Earl!

[Rapsobsessed7]

this is so dumb. Fire this piece of ****.

[brownbobcat]

Are you expecting a top pick with a 31 win team? Is 35 wins going to change that lotter pick you want? Is tanking going to guarantee that star player?
...
...
Kwame Brown and Darko were selected in the top 3 of the draft, top 3 picks don't guarantee anything either. Kleiza doesn't change this team much. The Nets tanked and still didn't get their top pick and target and still haven't signed anyone.

Getting as many lottery balls doesn't guarantee a top pick. You can pick anywhere in the draft and get good young players, it's about scouting. You may be looking for a franchise but by tanking you could lose guys on your current team sick of losing too and it's not like people are lining up to sign in Toronto.

31 wins isn't getting you a top pick, but it's still going to be better than the one you get from 35 wins. Nothing that happens this season can fix the team completely.

Your logic needs some serious work. Do you honestly think that there's no difference between picking top 3 vs. mid-round? For every Darko you bring up, I can name 10 really good players drafted top-3. For every Ginobili that was drafted late, there are 10 guys who barely sniffed the NBA. This team is going to lose anyway, wouldn't it make sense to get something out of that losing? Winning 35 games (optimistically) is not going to have any affect on potential free agents nor is going to make our guys feel any better. Tanking won't guarantee a star, but explain how signing Kleiza accomplishes that feat any better.

Your theory of tanking has no more guaranteed level of success. At the end of the day, we are still in rebuild mode and Kleiza signing makes no difference to that. In fact it could help because he's an expiring around the same time we are hoping these young guys are ready to make a move and thus can be traded with some other expirings we have that come up around the same time. And you haven't even seen if we're moving Turk and Jose yet.

There is absolutely nothing that guarantees success, but a high pick is just about the only way you're getting a young star player on a cheap rookie contract. Building a playoff team in the Detroit manner is very rare. If Kleiza was not signed at all, the cap space saved would function exactly like an expiring - even better, since it saves the other team from paying salary. Turk and Jose have nothing to do with it. Even if they were dealt, I still wouldn't want Kleiza signed.

DIdn't we draft a star player and tried getting bench players after? How'd that work out with Bosh? Again, we are a young team and our young players will be playing heavy minutes, this signing hasn't changed that.

Please outline this strategy where signing Kleiza helps to land a star in any way. This signing impacts our cap as well as the 2011 draft slot.

[FirstInkTDot]

like it, good value, he is only 25.

why does everyone on this board think 25 is a young age in the NBA?

You guys have all been brainwashed by Colangelo into discounting the very early years of a players career, the ones where they provide the best value for their contract.

25 is not young in the NBA.

25 is young...

You realize Wesley Johnson, the #4 pick in the 2010 draft, is 23 years old.

This is the problem with some of our fans.. They bash on a guy who they don't know his skills, age and etc...

[D-Wins-RingsIMO]

How are we upset about this? This board has gone completely insane. Everyone talks about how soft this team is. BC goes out and tries to add a guy that can shoot the 3, which we lacked last year, and play some D at positions of weakness for us. 20 mill over 4 years is a great deal. I think this heat is getting to people.

he's a 33% 3pt shooter brah. And he can't play any D at the 2/3/4. He does have a pair of balls though.

[Los Manos]

Kleiza is already in Toronto?

stackmack

At the end of practice for the Vegas summer league team, Linas Kleiza walked into the ACC practice court and greeted coach Jay Triano.

Excellent news. Sounds like his agent has already got an agreement from Denver not to match.

[jrsmith]

come on man, another european?

You're going to have to get used to the fact that it is an uphill battle to have american born players sign with Toronto as free agents. On the other hand Toronto has much appeal to non-US players who may have misgivings about living in the US. So in most scenarios Toronto is going to have a better choice of talent wanting to play in Toronto from Europe than the US.

Europeans do not love toronto anymore then most US cities. Its the fact that Toronto overpays, is infatuated with scrubs and players whom most teams arent interested in that makes these type of moves happen yearly for us.

[FirstInkTDot]

Being competitive is character building while getting whipped time and again is confidence-destroying for young players.

I'll care when we have a franchise player. There's not one player left that I'm even remotely concerned about.

We're already the laughing stock of the league... ask Bosh

Have you seen the L.A Clippers?

[HEATindaHouse]

Raptors have lost last bit of leverage in Bosh S&T

http://heathoops.net/2010/07/raptors-ha ... mment-1206

[D-Wins-RingsIMO]

like it, good value, he is only 25.

why does everyone on this board think 25 is a young age in the NBA?

You guys have all been brainwashed by Colangelo into discounting the very early years of a players career, the ones where they provide the best value for their contract.

25 is not young in the NBA.

25 is young...

You realize Wesley Johnson, the #4 pick in the 2010 draft, is 23 years old.

Kahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhn

Drafting a 24 year old at #4 over guys who are 19 and have much higher ceilings is a lesson in how not to build a team through the draft.