Masai/Leiweke Press Conference (Recap P31, Video P40)

[WigginsNation]

Hes definitely not gonna say we're tanking, even if we are. It wouldnt be wise for a variety of reasons. But the moves he makes will make it clear what direction he's steering the raps

[Inevitable]

If they bring up the strength of the draft next year that would be a good sign.

[[SJJ]]

I would have one meeting tomorrow and it's at 11am. I hope Rhett is all over this.

[Rapsfan07]

I can't imagine any scenario where he doesn't talk about big changes coming but unless he gets into specifically discussing whether he sees Rudy, Kyle, Amir, etc as pieices worth adding to, or outright states that this team needs to get much worse before it gets better... I'm sure everybody will interpret what he says differently than the next.

We're talking about a guy who refused to take years off and rebuild via the lottery when faced with trading a franchise talent in Carmelo Anthony. He obviously believes in his trading ability. I'll be very surprised if he gives any strong indication that he intends to tear the team down and rebuild via the draft at this press conference.

The Melo trade was pretty linear in which Melo only wanted to go to one team and get extended with that same team. He wasn't going to get any picks from the Knicks, only solid players.

Right. Except for the fact that there's no one on this roster remotely close to Carmelo Anthony value-wise. Make no mistake about it - if TL is serious about building a real team here, we have to go back to the lottery.

If that wasn't his intention, then why fire BC? BC's notion was that we're one piece away and with Millsap expiring, I can't see why Jazz would say no to a Ross + Kleiza for Millsap swap. That's right around the best the could hope for in terms of return since I don't see much of a market for Millsap and not many teams will be willing to part ways with their 2014 pick. That move would have pretty much guaranteed us a spot somewhere between 6-8. So if just playoffs was the goal, why not just stayed that course?

But no. He fires BC, hires Ujiri who then starts cleaning the house...why? Then he puts an emphasis on draft picks...why?

I think this team might actually get the full blown rebuild it deserves.

[[SJJ]]

This board is going to go bananas after this tomorrow. We're notorious for analyzing interviews more than they should ever be analyzed.

[StMikes31]

I can't imagine any scenario where he doesn't talk about big changes coming but unless he gets into specifically discussing whether he sees Rudy, Kyle, Amir, etc as pieices worth adding to, or outright states that this team needs to get much worse before it gets better... I'm sure everybody will interpret what he says differently than the next.

We're talking about a guy who refused to take years off and rebuild via the lottery when faced with trading a franchise talent in Carmelo Anthony. He obviously believes in his trading ability. I'll be very surprised if he gives any strong indication that he intends to tear the team down and rebuild via the draft at this press conference.

The Melo trade was pretty linear in which Melo only wanted to go to one team and get extended with that same team. He wasn't going to get any picks from the Knicks, only solid players.

Right. Except for the fact that there's no one on this roster remotely close to Carmelo Anthony value-wise. Make no mistake about it - if TL is serious about building a real team here, we have to go back to the lottery.

If that wasn't his intention, then why fire BC? BC's notion was that we're one piece away and with Millsap expiring, I can't see why Jazz would say no to a Ross + Kleiza for Millsap swap. That's right around the best the could hope for in terms of return since I don't see much of a market for Millsap and not many teams will be willing to part ways with their 2014 pick. That move would have pretty much guaranteed us a spot somewhere between 6-8. So if just playoffs was the goal, why not just stayed that course?

But no. He fires BC, hires Ujiri who then starts cleaning the house...why? Then he puts an emphasis on draft picks...why?

I think this team might actually get the full blown rebuild it deserves.

[C3SIUM]

I just am remembering how excited I was after the Casey presser and interviews....

[Rapsfan07]

Really hope the media clearly asks them are we tanking or going for playoffs. Tanking would require more work getting rid of Gay, Lowry, etc but the payoff in the long run would theoretically be higher. But with Ujiri's smarts he could also choose to pull off some trades to make the Raptors a 5-6 seed and who knows what happens from there.

?

Why would he say we're tanking next season? He would be basically telling the fans to not come to the games and skip next season altogether.

Even if he was planning on tanking, he's gonna say we're reconstructing the team while putting a good product on the floor - just like he did in Denver.

Fans would be more connected to the team when there is a clear direction. Colangelo sold each year as if the stars would align. The season might start well with the hype under BC, but after about a week, even fans would realize it's just smoke.

If there is a clear effort to build a foundation with Jonas, and that serious efforts will be made to purge personnel that won't be coming for the ride, I don't think fans will be impartial to another rebuild. It's the treadmilling with no purpose that drives fans away.

Agreed. It's the lack of direction in the BC management that has hurt this franchise more than anything. Fans can and will get behind a tank IF we're drafting the Drummond's, Curry's and George's of the world...but those results only comes from a dedicated tank. Sucking the whole season and then going on to win 10 games at the end of the season benefits no one. The rookies don't get PT, the playoffs are already out of reach and we're damaging our chances at a high pick.

We've lost so much time and chances at great prospects because of this. The fanbase doesn't want half assed efforts and confusion anymore. If we're gonna tank, let's tank properly. If we're gonna compete, let's compete properly and therein lies the frustration so many people have with this team and one of the many reasons they had to fire BC and heads are rolling in front office.

[YoungD23]

This guy hasn't been even introduced through a presser yet and he has already axed few people..

BOSS!

[StMikes31]

This guy hasn't been even introduced through a presser yet and he has already axed few people..

BOSS!

I think some of that drive was from Leiweke. He doesn't look to be messing around.

[Dr Octagon]

Come on boys. Talk TANK TANK TANK TANK.

[[SJJ]]

This guy hasn't been even introduced through a presser yet and he has already axed few people..

BOSS!

I think some of that drive was from Leiweke. He doesn't look to be messing around.

Absolutely coming from Leiweke in some sense. TL is a stone cold boss - no other way to say it. Very exciting to be a Raptors fan right now.

[CoachJReturns]

If Ujiri guts this roster like he gutted the front office and actually drafts a star next year, I want him to be introduced at the beginning of our first home game in 2014. His entrance music should be "Monster" from Kanye. I can just hear Nicki Minaj sayin "I'm a muthafukin monsta"! lol.

[thunderforce]

I see there is going to be a lot of pissed off people around here when they realize we are not going to rebuild . I would love for them to trade everyone but JV and Ross and Acy for picks fill in with D league players and start over but I don't think they have the guts to do something like that .

[aligator]

I think u mean that they are not stupid enough to do something like that.......

[Wo1verine]

I think they're going to tank or rebuild (whichever you want to call it) based on all the quotes we have read over the past couple weeks from TL.

He would pretty much be lying if he did otherwise.

[ash_k]

I think Ujiri is smart enough to realize Lowry, Gay and Val /new core must be given a chance to grow together next season . It makes no sense to blow it up, zero sense.

TL was talking all that time while acknowledging he had no idea about the make-up of the current roster.

[YoungD23]

I'll be in attendance for this conference..

[StMikes31]

I'll be in attendance for this conference..

Great, see if you can actually ask a real question.

Our reporters blow.

[Dr Octagon]

I'll be in attendance for this conference..

Tell them to tank for Wiggins.