Vancouver/Memphis

[nbainsight]

With the Grizzlies making the conference finals for the first time in franchise history, what does this say about us? Our "sister" team has officially had a better tenure in the nba than the Raptors. Ultimately, how does this make the Raps look as a franchise?

[DG88]

It makes us look a like a joke. I made a similar post in the Mem/OKC game thread. It's sad really we the closest we've gotten is Game 7 in the East Semi's and that was over a decade ago.

[IvanIV]

The Raptors have looked bad and Memphis has looked better for a long time. Memphis making the conference finals only confirms what we have already known for a while.

[Inevitable]

[UnderdogRaptors]

Thanks Babcock and Bc!

[Mister Ze]

This franchise has failed to advance from a first round exit team since VC was traded. Couldn't even put another all-star beside Chris Bosh. Can you really blame him for leaving when this sad-excuse of an NBA team signed Hedo frickn' Turkoglu to a 53 million dollar contract?

[22haytham22]

Started from the Bottorm we still here

[720]

Memphis just got really lucky in the Pau trade imo. no one expected Mark to be this good. Also over paying Conley just to see him earn his money now. Randolph all of a sudden not being a head case. Everything just went well for them.

Wish we had luck like that.

[Sherlock]

Memphis just got really lucky in the Pau trade imo. no one expected Mark to be this good. Also over paying Conley just to see him earn his money now. Randolph all of a sudden not being a head case. Everything just went well for them.

Wish we had luck like that.

It's not fair to undermine their accomplishment as being just luck. That is a very talented team and a pretty damn well franchise, especially when you consider their small market stature and cheap-ass owner. They made their own luck. Those same players in different environments could have turned into much less valuable pieces.

Lots of respect to the players, coaches and management out in Memphis.

[Vinsane15]

It's the only thing we had going for us ! that "at least we have fared better than our sister team" ; the team that came into the NBA during the same time as us. However, if I had to chose between the journeys of the Raps or Grizz the past 18 years, I would still chose the Raps. Yea we've had more heartbreaks, but that's more exciting than the first 10 years of the Grizz which they were at the bottom and were boring. VC years>>>>>Conf finals birth.

Congrats to the Grizz though, I'm cheering for them to win the West. Pacers vs Grizz finals needs to f'n happen!!!

[G.A. Clone]

While I'm a VANCOUVER Grizzlies fan at heart still, I'm happy for them (especially Lionel Hollins, who has been with the franchise since forever), but this just makes me sad to know they're enjoying success in another city.

Screw you Heisley for moving the team!

[RNsteve]

Memphis just got really lucky in the Pau trade imo. no one expected Mark to be this good. Also over paying Conley just to see him earn his money now. Randolph all of a sudden not being a head case. Everything just went well for them.

Wish we had luck like that.

I had that exact same thought when watching the game last night- but just as quickly you have to see that they simply made a ton of great moves. Z-bo was a gamble and he paid off huge(with Ed Davis now waiting in the wings as his future replacement)) and what they got was the best front court in the NBA.

Its just a solid, talented bench with some players just playing the best ball they have ever played. Going future I assume they have some flexaibilty going forward after the gay trade but honestly i'm not 100% sure the situation..

[Mr. Perfect]

Memphis just got really lucky in the Pau trade imo. no one expected Mark to be this good. Also over paying Conley just to see him earn his money now. Randolph all of a sudden not being a head case. Everything just went well for them.

Wish we had luck like that.

Agreed they've been lucky. Marc Gasol has surpassed even his biggest fans' expectations with how he's panned out in the league. Randolph was a gamble, a salary cap dump by the Clippers and he just turnt it up in Memphis. Let's not forget completely botching the 2nd overall pick on Hasheem Thabeet in 2009 (Harden, Tyreke, Rubio, Steph Curry, DD and B. Jennings were drafted top 10) another wasted asset in OJ Mayo (traded Kevin Love for him on draft day) and minimal return in the Rudy Gay trade.

They've been lucky to still be this good, they could be better than Miami right now if they didn't mismanage a few of those huge assets they had. None the less though I like their squad and I hope they come out of the West.

[Rap4Life_J]

I think we should blame babcock for trading away VC for pieces of garbage. Alozo Morning is not even playing for us, and we have to give him the money away to Miami to win the Championship. That's really piss me off.

If we have VC & developed Bosh during 2005 to 2010, we would be contending for few year and enter the playoff from 2005 to 2010. I am not sure for 2011 to 2013, since VC is getting old. But what I am saying, we would've been in the playoff every year, and we might have few trip to the NBA finals if VC & Bosh played together. Also, we might be out of playoff next season as our players are declining and might have luck to get first overall pick in 2014 for Wiggins.

What a perfect timing to get another talent without many of losing seasons.

[Double Helix]

When a team moves it's no longer the same. The Avalanche won a Cup shortly after leaving Quebec. OKC made it to the Finals after leaving Seattle. Phoenix, I believe, made it about as far as the Winnipeg Jets ever did in the playoffs with a former Winnipeg draft pick (Doan) still on the team. When these teams moved they still retained several star player connections while achieving success. This Grizzlies team is far removed from what left Vancouver. Each of these teams enjoys some new advantages and disadvantages in the new markets they're in after relocation. As strange a place as Memphis is... it's still America. That gives it an advantage in retaining talent over what Vancouver faced. They're completely different teams. Half of any sports franchise is the first name of the city and Memphis isn't our expansion cousin any longer. Would you still consider the Miami Heat to be the expansion cousin to the New Orleans Hornets? Excuse me, Pelicans? Different cities. Different teams. As Shakespeare once wrote, "What's in a name?" A team featuring Marc Gasol in his prime by any other name would smell as sweat-- err, I mean "as sweet."

Only the name remains from the original Grizzlies team. Applaud them for the foundation that West built and for what the Gasol brothers have done for them but don't just assume that everything would have remained exactly the same if they had stayed as the "other" team in Canada. Would West have taken over? Would Zach have stayed or welcome the opportunity? Would Hollinger be there? Relocation changes everything. Look how much more desirable the Nets seem to stars in Brooklyn over New Jersey.

[Darkseid]

Memphis did get lucky on some key things.

-No one predicted 2nd round pick Marc Gasol turning into an all star.
-Zbo completely changed and became an all-star when he started playing for Memphis.
-MIKE CONLEY has drastically improved since signing his huge contract. This is key because everyone thought it was a bad deal yet he is a perfect fit for their team.

Keep in mind they FAILED HARD with the Thabeet/Mayo picks. Imagine if they drafted James Harden over Thabeet? lol

[raptorfan416]

how is the grizzlies our sister team ? that team has nothing to do with Vancouver or canada anymore. the grizzlies re-branded once they left Vancouver.. how many of the players on that team even played in Vancouver ? (((crickets))) a lot of the free agents they signed probably would not have even signed with the grizzlies if they were in Vancouver.

[lucky777s]

They came into the league at the exact same time as TOR and will forever be linked by that. Call them sisters, cousins, whatever. We should definitely look at TOR record versus other expansion teams over the same period.

As for second round luck, isn't Gasol exactly the type of pick we were supposed to be getting with Whereareyoudini and his European 'respect'. The BC/MG/AB triumvirate has destroyed this franchise.

Not like Gasol was the only such 2nd round stud. We missed on Deandre Jordan, Omer Asik, and others. MG brought zero value to the Raps. Negative value if he was a big reason we drafted Bargs.

And I'm still amazed at all the VC fanboys we have here. He had 3 good years here, got famous, got paid, and got lazy. He was damaged goods when we sold him, and we got a very good return on him with the cap space and the picks that had good talent in those spots.

[Spacing]

I don't think 1 single player from the Vancouver team is actually still on the team (maybe the league?)

This is a completely different roster and one that was criticized a lot especially since they traded their entire bench to Cleveland. They are a tough team to beat, no doubt, but assuming the Spurs finish off the Warriors they are more of a favourite out west simply because their bench is FAR superior and they have MUCH better perimeter players.

[T-dot Raps]

This is nothing. Imagine how bad the the people of Minneapolis must feel over the Lakers' championships.