Tank World Order

[mademan]

If this team sneaks into the playoffs somehow, it will be swept out in the first round. I am surprised how some Raptors fans do not believe in "tanking" especially for this year. This organization will never get a star player through free agency. History since 1995 shows it. They had to overpay for players like Jason Kapono and Hedo Turkoglu the years they had a lot of cap pace. You have a deep draft coming up, especially the top 5 this year. You have holes on your team, and there is no point being a 8th or 10th seed this year in Tampa.

If I am a Masai, I am burning up the phone lines and seeking value for Lowry and Powell; and no other player should be off-limits. If Boucher can get a good return, I would dangle him as well. After witnessing a championship, I would be fine with a mini-rebuild for this year and even next. Both have deep drafts, and this team has to look at the draft to acquire the star talent it lacks. It will never get an all-star player in free agency. I am surprised how many fans hate the idea of a mini rebuild, and are content being a "treadmill".

People believe the method is to built assets like last time and wait for another Kawhi to become available without realizing the context of how the value of a Kawhi trade this time would be 5 fold and is the value of the trade going to leave us good enough to win?

They also disregard that getting the value for Kawhi was built through the draft. Raps traded 2 guys who were mid lotto picks

[SFour]

If this team sneaks into the playoffs somehow, it will be swept out in the first round. I am surprised how some Raptors fans do not believe in "tanking" especially for this year. This organization will never get a star player through free agency. History since 1995 shows it. They had to overpay for players like Jason Kapono and Hedo Turkoglu the years they had a lot of cap pace. You have a deep draft coming up, especially the top 5 this year. You have holes on your team, and there is no point being a 8th or 10th seed this year in Tampa.

If I am a Masai, I am burning up the phone lines and seeking value for Lowry and Powell; and no other player should be off-limits. If Boucher can get a good return, I would dangle him as well. After witnessing a championship, I would be fine with a mini-rebuild for this year and even next. Both have deep drafts, and this team has to look at the draft to acquire the star talent it lacks. It will never get an all-star player in free agency. I am surprised how many fans hate the idea of a mini rebuild, and are content being a "treadmill".

People believe the method is to built assets like last time and wait for another Kawhi to become available without realizing the context of how the value of a Kawhi trade this time would be 5 fold and is the value of the trade going to leave us good enough to win?

They also disregard that getting the value for Kawhi was built through the draft. Raps traded 2 guys who were mid lotto picks

The Gasol trade also required a lottery player in JV....basically the whole Kawhi and Raptors championship thing was made possible thanks to 3 lottery pick players in Demar, Poeltl, JV

[Skeezo]

People believe the method is to built assets like last time and wait for another Kawhi to become available without realizing the context of how the value of a Kawhi trade this time would be 5 fold and is the value of the trade going to leave us good enough to win?

They also disregard that getting the value for Kawhi was built through the draft. Raps traded 2 guys who were mid lotto picks

The Gasol trade also required a lottery player in JV....basically the whole Kawhi and Raptors championship thing was made possible thanks to 3 lottery pick players in Demar, Poeltl, JV

Add Lowry to the mix... Morey's demand was that it was reverse protected and that the pick landed in the lotto.

[hsb]

They also disregard that getting the value for Kawhi was built through the draft. Raps traded 2 guys who were mid lotto picks

The Gasol trade also required a lottery player in JV....basically the whole Kawhi and Raptors championship thing was made possible thanks to 3 lottery pick players in Demar, Poeltl, JV

Add Lowry to the mix... Morey's demand was that it was reverse protected and that the pick landed in the lotto.

Ibaka was traded for Ross (8th pick) and a late first as well.

[Steelo Green]

Ask yourself a simple question - are we better than the current Pacers?

Are the current Pacers a title contender?

Do the current Pacers have more talent and assets than us to say trade to get that superstar

The answers for me are: no, no and yes.

Why would a team take our mediocre assets to say what the Pacers have.

The Pacers aren’t even contenders but still have the talent to pull the trigger if a superstar did become available. We simply don’t.

The only way we can get a lot of elite talent is via the draft for 1-2 seasons. Heck we could be lucky and land a superstar in one draft and it changes our franchise for a decade.

Masai was willing to blow it up and tank before Kyle/Demar started winning - but now that our run culminated by a very rare trade, why can’t we go back to getting the great assets with the great management in terms of eye for talent?

Being middle of the pack is much worse than being a bottom 5 record if you have great talent evaluators.

With Kyle aging: OG, Siakam and Fred is worse than the Demar/Kyle years, and getting a pick say in the late teens/early twenties will just churn out more of those good but not great players barring some luck and hoping a Kawhi/Giannis come versus knowing elite talent is there at the top of the draft that is a lot more likely a sure fire thing.

If Masai blows it up - the same people saying tanking is bad better not say now because Masai did it it’s a great idea...

[Pooh_Jeter]

Tank commander Baynes is doing incredible work. He deserves a the highest honour for his service when this is all done. Hopefully Boucher doesn't go too crazy.

[T-d0t]

I wonder what the conversation in the locker room is when Baynes only plays in the 1st and then never again during a game.

[KL78192020]

well...enjoy the 14th pick anti-tankers!

[T-d0t]

Out-tanked tonight. Stanley Johnson killed the tank. Boucher/Lowry the usual suspects also

[Basketball_Jones]

Nurse was damn fast to recognize Baynes was a loser lol. Wish he gave Gasol that quick of a hook in the playoffs

[Inevitable]

Alright who can we pick with the 11th pick

[Syd-TK3]

Mavs got Porzingis back and Pacers playing great but heat missing half their guys and dropping games

[C-R-E-A-M-]

12 seed now. Bout to be 11th seed soon.

[ark26]

Lowry and Boucher has to be traded. Masai is not gonna re-signing either of them imo.

[HKBOY]

Nurse is gunning for the 8th seed. Guess what will happen? We will end up being the 9th seed and get the 15-18th pick. A truly nightmare season.

[T-d0t]

Pistons might win here

[Bruin]

Once Cade and a bunch of the top prospects are balling in the league and showing themselves to be future superstars every anti tanker will cry and ask why we don’t get free agents cause our stars aren’t good enough

[HKBOY]

Sell high on Boucher right now and start the tank. This team needs to stay bottom 4 and get as many Ls as possible in case the season gets cancelled midway.

[basketball royalty]

At least the Pistons are winning tonight as well.

This win was better than yesterday’s. At least we saw some life from Powell and OG.

[Randle McMurphy]

I still am concerned this team may be slightly too good (think 8-10 pick instead of top 5), though especially now that they’ve benched Baynes and Len essentially. Boucher is legitimately looking like a good NBA player in all those minutes.

A Lowry trade is necessary if we truly want to get where we need to go.

My Boucher concerns get more real with every game. TWO is in danger without Baynes.

Make the Lowry trade soon or this is a lost year.

Baynes -10 today in 4 minutes of action. Boucher was +15.

The schedule gets tougher now, but I don't know what we're going to do if Nurse doesn't play this guy.