Tank World Order (2.0)

[Fairview4Life]

It’s not a joke. That team without Kawhi wasn’t a contender, and that’s been proven. Feel free to pull receipts if you think I switched lanes. I think after 20+ years of watching this team/league I can tell the difference between a contender and a pretender. We had no hope of contending the second Kawhi left, and not realizing that and being real with yourself about that is a joke.

I think we're getting kind of silly if the argument is that last year's team had no shot. It really isn't that hard to see a path to the finals for that team.

Huge difference between a path to the finals and a legit shot at beating LeBron and AD. I think you know that though.

Even with Kawhi, the Raptors probably didn't really have a legit shot at beating KD, Curry, Klay and Green...until they did. Stuff happens.

[Skeezo]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is: when the Raps invariably get shafted by the NBA and pick outside of the top 5, what are you guys going to say then?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

We are going to trust Masai/Bobby with a lottery pick and a greater selection of talent still available in the draft as would the no plan let's hope for the best, Team Mediocre with a late 1st Rd pick... We will then trust our development team to grow and highlight that player in the best way possible into either a core piece or to be used via trade (ie DeRozan/JV).

[mademan]

I think we're getting kind of silly if the argument is that last year's team had no shot. It really isn't that hard to see a path to the finals for that team.

Huge difference between a path to the finals and a legit shot at beating LeBron and AD. I think you know that though.

Even with Kawhi, the Raptors probably didn't really have a legit shot at beating KD, Curry, Klay and Green...until they did. Stuff happens.

Sure, Raps were contenders if the Lakers fell apart to injuries. And so were like 4 other Eastern conference teams and 3 or 4 Western Conference squads...so like a quarter of the league

[LBJKB24MJ23]

Huge difference between a path to the finals and a legit shot at beating LeBron and AD. I think you know that though.

Even with Kawhi, the Raptors probably didn't really have a legit shot at beating KD, Curry, Klay and Green...until they did. Stuff happens.

Sure, Raps were contenders if the Lakers fell apart to injuries. And so were like 4 other Eastern conference teams and 3 or 4 Western Conference squads...so like a quarter of the league

ya **** ridiculous to even think that. some people continue to live in denial and fantasy world like fairview4life.

[Morse Code]

Huge difference between a path to the finals and a legit shot at beating LeBron and AD. I think you know that though.

Even with Kawhi, the Raptors probably didn't really have a legit shot at beating KD, Curry, Klay and Green...until they did. Stuff happens.

Sure, Raps were contenders if the Lakers fell apart to injuries. And so were like 4 other Eastern conference teams and 3 or 4 Western Conference squads...so like a quarter of the league

Yeah I’m not so sure that “stuff happens” is a good assumption when judging whether your team has a chance to win it all lol. Not to mention, we did have Kawhi, and still got lucky. So if we don’t have Kawhi, we would need an absolute miracle, to the point that it wouldn’t be looked at as the same level of accomplishment. Nobody is going to remember Miami’s run to the finals last year, in the years to come. A finals run means nothing if you know you’re going to get smacked. I’d personally prefer to be in a situation like Denver for example, who although they didn’t win the chip, have legit stars and a reason to believe they could get even better and win a championship that way. The uncertainty of knowing how high your star prospects can elevate their game is much more appealing to me as a fan, than a playoff run that you absolutely know for a fact will come up short year after year. We’ve been down that road before.

[Inevitable]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is:
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

Is this necessary? All season you guys have been launching personal attacks then going into victim mode. Lets be better than that.

[LBJKB24MJ23]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is: when the Raps invariably get shafted by the NBA and pick outside of the top 5, what are you guys going to say then?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

We are going to trust Masai/Bobby with a lottery pick and a greater selection of talent still available in the draft as would the no plan let's hope for the best, Team Mediocre with a late 1st Rd pick... We will then trust our development team to grow and highlight that player in the best way possible into either a core piece or to be used via trade (ie DeRozan/JV).

lol pretty much this. at the end of the day, we have no direct effect on how the season plays out and what moves they make.

anti tankers will love the lottery pick and see how they can integrate him into the team
tankers will love the pick in the low lottery/late teens and see how they can integrate him into the team

its always been the same every year. we move past every season

[Fairview4Life]

Even with Kawhi, the Raptors probably didn't really have a legit shot at beating KD, Curry, Klay and Green...until they did. Stuff happens.

Sure, Raps were contenders if the Lakers fell apart to injuries. And so were like 4 other Eastern conference teams and 3 or 4 Western Conference squads...so like a quarter of the league

ya **** ridiculous to even think that. some people continue to live in denial and fantasy world like fairview4life.

Lol, ok. The Raptors winning the finals last year wasn't a ridiculous fantasy. They were one of the best teams in the NBA and unfortunately picked the worst time of the year to have a couple important guys play as poorly as they ever have. You don't need to rewrite history just because this years team **** the bed.

[bballsparkin]

I think last years team had a chance and I was happy to watch them defend the title. Lakers would have been tough to beat but the Raptors played them well so who knows. I was happy to watch the team but I also was glad that the FO didn't invest heavily in an aging core.

I agree with the poster who said it's hard to cheer against the team as long as Norm and Lowry are on the team. Clearly this team needs an injection of some youth and especially star power. It's crunch time now. Both Lowry and Norm could be nice players to help teams win in the playoffs so fingers crossed for some decent offers.

[40 Guzzle]

I'm all against tanking a full season, but tanking the back trimester is perfectly reasonable when the team goes full dumpster fire

[T-d0t]

The term "Tank" has as much stigma as the word "socialism" LOL

[KL78192020]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is: when the Raps invariably get shafted by the NBA and pick outside of the top 5, what are you guys going to say then?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

Based on your logic if the NBA's goal is to shaft the Raptors, then why even have a team in Toronto? The NBA will never let them win again, why bother playing at all? Your statement makes no sense. Apparently the refereeing is also fixed so the Raptors can never win.

[Pooh_Jeter]

"It's weird and pathetic that you guys root for ping pong balls."

"There is a global conspiracy against the Toronto Raptors that includes the media, individual referees and the league as a whole. I have cancelled my cable and internet and will never watch the NBA again."

[basketball royalty]

The term "Tank" has as much stigma as the word "socialism" LOL

I’ve been calling it a mini-tank all season. This season was the perfect storm in that you have Covid, playing out of Tampa and a deep draft with some premium talent. One year throwaway season to get a potential stud to add to your good core and off you go.

I’m personally hoping for a Spurs style retool when they ‘tanked’ a season due to David Robinson getting injured and ended up with Tim Duncan.

Dream BIG!

[TribeZulu]

I’ve been a Raptor fan since the very beginning, so I’ve sat through more than my fair of tanking seasons.

I’ve come to realize that life is too short to do it again. When the Raps suck, I’ll find something else to watch, and it won’t be the NBA cause Raps are the only team I care about.

I’ll be back when they don’t suck anymore.

[dchoye]

After the loss to Rockets who are the worse team right now, I’m for the tank
The team is broken. Trade the assets and build for next year. Even with a healthy team. The Raps are not contenders against the Nets

[Psubs]

I’ve been a Raptor fan since the very beginning, so I’ve sat through more than my fair of tanking seasons.

I’ve come to realize that life is too short to do it again. When the Raps suck, I’ll find something else to watch, and it won’t be the NBA cause Raps are the only team I care about.

I’ll be back when they don’t suck anymore.

I will enjoy them losing because it's part of the process that lead to a championship.

I'm just glad as a season ticketholder for 20 years I don't have to unload my tickets during this suckage.

[Psubs]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is: when the Raps invariably get shafted by the NBA and pick outside of the top 5, what are you guys going to say then?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

Based on your logic if the NBA's goal is to shaft the Raptors, then why even have a team in Toronto? The NBA will never let them win again, why bother playing at all? Your statement makes no sense. Apparently the refereeing is also fixed so the Raptors can never win.

Raptors only got shafted the 1st 2 drafts in existence. Should've been drafting 4/5 for expansion and taken Kevin Garnett and then the following year actually won the #1 pick but they had a stipulation that they couldn't so drafted Camby instead of Iverson. The Raptors should've been a contender by year 4. As they still would've been able to draft McGrady in the teens the following year. This was IT's vision. He was on that teen talent gamble. Iverson, TWac and KG plus whoever!!! Could've won a championship by year 6.

Raptors won the draft and selected Andrea Barganani (should've taken Aldridge, who didn't take Portland anywhere), it's just fate that they didn't win during the Durant draft (avoid picking Oden).

[Steelo Green]

So my question to the hapless/shameless TwO group is: when the Raps invariably get shafted by the NBA and pick outside of the top 5, what are you guys going to say then?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using RealGM mobile app

Based on your logic if the NBA's goal is to shaft the Raptors, then why even have a team in Toronto? The NBA will never let them win again, why bother playing at all? Your statement makes no sense. Apparently the refereeing is also fixed so the Raptors can never win.

Raptors only got shafted the 1st 2 drafts in existence. Should've been drafting 4/5 for expansion and taken Kevin Garnett and then the following year actually won the #1 pick but they had a stipulation that they couldn't so drafted Camby instead of Iverson. The Raptors should've been a contender by year 4. As they still would've been able to draft McGrady in the teens the following year. This was IT's vision. He was on that teen talent gamble. Iverson, TWac and KG plus whoever!!! Could've won a championship by year 6.

Raptors won the draft and selected Andrea Barganani (should've taken Aldridge, who didn't take Portland anywhere), it's just fate that they didn't win during the Durant draft (avoid picking Oden).

It literally makes no sense and the grasping of straws has reached umpteenth levels.

If the NBA was so hell bent on our failure, we wouldn't have won a title.

Last year we were the second best record in the NBA without a superstar, so what, we were just that good that the reffing couldn't beat us?

The Wolves have had how many first overall picks? The NBA is rigging it for them but not the Knicks?

Conspiracy theories have gone to another level.

[mdenny]

I’ve been a Raptor fan since the very beginning, so I’ve sat through more than my fair of tanking seasons.

I’ve come to realize that life is too short to do it again. When the Raps suck, I’ll find something else to watch, and it won’t be the NBA cause Raps are the only team I care about.

I’ll be back when they don’t suck anymore.

I will enjoy them losing because it's part of the process that lead to a championship.

I'm just glad as a season ticketholder for 20 years I don't have to unload my tickets during this suckage.

This has been a big part of the logic since the beginning of the season. The raptors arent like other franchises that play in empty arenas when they're not good. It's almost always a sellout. So sitting Fred after the deadline would get into an ethical territory for season ticket holders like yourself and ppl bringing their kids to the game. In any other season that's a valid anti-tanking point that I'm sympathetic to.

But this season is an exception. That ethical factor doesn't apply bc we're in Tampa. Trade kyle/norm, sit fred, let OG try to work on his drive game, and lose.