Masai: We have a Young Team and there will be Growing Pains

[720]

You don’t take Barnes over Suggs for a lot of reasons but obviously they did for some reason. To me it indicates they’re taking a big picture approach and aren’t necessarily focused on immediate success. Long term growth and potential is their focus.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

I don't know if I agree. We still need a top scoring talent and we have two options,

Trade Siakam or Van Vleet + assets for a top guy
Draft someone to be that guy

Adding another lottery value player is not a bad idea at this point for either case. Either you include that pick or player in a deal to get an elite player or he becomes an elite player.

You don't take Barnes 4th if you don't think he's that with time.

I don't think anyone sees Barnes as a potential #1 option...

You don't intentionally pick role players at that position. Team USA isn't picking role players either, those guys are all fairly elite cant miss prospects.

[Parataxis]

I've said it before we're going to be rebuilding this year. Will be a 32-39 win team and back in the lottery and get another good young player to build with.

It's probably more of retool but he's setting expectations lower. We've been spoiled with year after year success, I think he's saying we will play our young players but try to be competitive.

Yup. He's letting people know that it's okay to be in the middle if you're on your way up. WAY too many people mis-interpreted his 'don't want to be stuck in no-man's land' comments for saying that we should never be there (they glossed over the word 'stuck' I think).

[Danny1616]

Damn remember the days when Treadmill nation said we would NEVER tank and that we had to preserve winning culture? Ah good times.

Let’s just hope if Masai does intend to tank he does a better job than last season (albeit we did okay by getting lucky and jumping 3 spots so no complaints here just saying let’s make that push for bottom 6).

Not what most of us said at all.

For the eight millionth time, many of us were saying that you don't openly enter a season with the goal of tanking, but if it's obvious after a large sample size of games that the team doesn't have it, it's fine to tank.

Many, including myself, have been consistent with that viewpoint.

It's you who constantly change the goal posts as you see fit.

You don’t even post enough to represent treadmill nation I don’t even think of you when I mention them. But aren’t you the guy that said a top 5 pick has never won a championship for the team that they were drafted in? Just stop bro I’m ignoring you.

You love to mischaracterize everything I say, eh?

The thread was only two teams (Cavs and Spurs) have won with their own top 3 pick since the 1990 draft. That was a fact. You may not like that fact, but it remains a fact.

But that's typical of you to mischaracterize what I said and then proceed to "ignore" me.

[Duffman100]

You don't take Barnes 4th if you don't think he's that with time.

I don't think anyone sees Barnes as a potential #1 option...

You don't intentionally pick role players at that position. Team USA isn't picking role players either, those guys are all fairly elite cant miss prospects.

There is a large gap between #1 option and role players.

[goinrogue]

Controversial opinion I suppose but I don’t understand the love this team has for Fred. He’s a streaky shooter, his passing skills and court vision are OK to below average, and he gets blocked at the rim due to being so small. He’s more of an under sized shooting guard. I know he’s a good guy and has leadership skills but I think he’s super replaceable personally. Anyway

[VanWest82]

You don’t take Barnes over Suggs for a lot of reasons but obviously they did for some reason. To me it indicates they’re taking a big picture approach and aren’t necessarily focused on immediate success. Long term growth and potential is their focus.

Agree they're looking long-term with Scottie but this team also desperately needed size. I don't think Precious was an accident either in that respect even though we clearly liked both guys independent of need.

[Los_29]

Honest question, if we're a lottery team again...like last year. What's the motivation for people to watch all year?

Do people think this fan base is going to actually stick around, like the Leaf's apathetic fan base?

We've been spoiled as fans so I think this FO has a long leash and fans will buy into a mini rebuild. We just won the championship two years ago and had the 2nd best record in the league in 2019-20. And last year we played in Tampa so it's not like fans have been suffering.

With that said, we will be in that 6-11 range this year in the Eastern Conference and given the youth of our team and the fact we will be playing at home it's highly unlikely the FO pulls the plug on the season like they did last year.

And the motivation to watch is because our team is young. We'll have guys like Flynn, Barnes, Precious, OG, GTJ plus young veterans like FVV and Siakam who will assume more of a leadership role with Kyle gone. I don't see us winning a lot of games but I think we'll compete every night.

[VanWest82]

Controversial opinion I suppose but I don’t understand the love this team has for Fred. He’s a streaky shooter, his passing skills and court vision are OK to below average, and he gets blocked at the rim due to being so small. He’s more of an under sized shooting guard. I know he’s a good guy and has leadership skills but I think he’s super replaceable personally. Anyway

He also hits big shots but you're only paying attention to one side of the floor. Fred is a terrific defender, especially in Nurse's system.

[WuTang_CMB]

I've said it before we're going to be rebuilding this year. Will be a 32-39 win team and back in the lottery and get another good young player to build with.

Agreed 100%. And honestly, I'm not too upset.

Win a title
Game 7 of the 2nd round
4th pick overall

Would it have been nice to repeat? Sure. But the next generation of this team has started and we're in a decent place considering we won a title 2 years ago.

Yup. The repeat dream was likely over once Kawhi left. Even us playing well during 19/20, I dont think we would have won it all.

[WuTang_CMB]

You don’t take Barnes over Suggs for a lot of reasons but obviously they did for some reason. To me it indicates they’re taking a big picture approach and aren’t necessarily focused on immediate success. Long term growth and potential is their focus.

Whiich should be the approach 9/10 in the draft, especially when picking top 5, and especially with our proven developmental results.

Masai won again picking Barnes over Suggs.

[HumbleRen]

I think people are not operating in reality when it comes to the fourth pick.

The last 4th pick to get more than 2 all star appearances was Russell Westbrook, more than a decade ago.

It’s why passing on Suggs was such a shock because he would be a top 3 pick in most drafts.

Do I think they picked Scottie to be a future first option player ? Maybe, do I think they would be more than happy if he was a career 15/7/5 guy with DPOY caliber of defence ? Absolutely.

The #1 option of the future isn’t on this team yet, we’ll make trades to get that player. Right now, the main focus is developing our young players who aren’t Siakam and FVV so that when we do pull a trade a #1 option, the young boys will be ready to help him win a chip.

[ruckus]

Revisionist history is awesome. The team didn't even tank until the last couple months of the season when they got decimated by COVID. And even then they only fell to the middle of the lottery. It was pure luck (or a handout from Silver) that they got the 4th pick.

Since the schedule came out, I've contended that this will be a tough season for the Raps to make the playoffs. They have a bunch of difficult back to backs and the 2nd half of the season is road heavy. The key to the season is developing chemistry at home in the 1st half of the season and hope it continues through to carry them through the 2nd half. Otherwise, they'll be back in the lottery.

The last over/under I saw was at 36.5. It's likely that the Raps finish very close to that record.

[Duffman100]

I've said it before we're going to be rebuilding this year. Will be a 32-39 win team and back in the lottery and get another good young player to build with.

Agreed 100%. And honestly, I'm not too upset.

Win a title
Game 7 of the 2nd round
4th pick overall

Would it have been nice to repeat? Sure. But the next generation of this team has started and we're in a decent place considering we won a title 2 years ago.

Yup. The repeat dream was likely over once Kawhi left. Even us playing well during 19/20, I dont think we would have won it all.

If Siakam didn't **** the bed, we would have got past Boston.
Heat were playing out of their mind... that would have been a battle.
Lakers would have beat us.

We were a deep and good team again though.

[720]

Controversial opinion I suppose but I don’t understand the love this team has for Fred. He’s a streaky shooter, his passing skills and court vision are OK to below average, and he gets blocked at the rim due to being so small. He’s more of an under sized shooting guard. I know he’s a good guy and has leadership skills but I think he’s super replaceable personally. Anyway

He also hits big shots but you're only paying attention to one side of the floor. Fred is a terrific defender, especially in Nurse's system.

That's fine, if he didn't have such a big load on offense. I still remember him trying to go iso for the game winning shot in game 6 of the bubble playoffs after Kyle got fouled out and getting blocked by Grant Williams (believe it was Grant Williams could have been Tatum).

I've been saying it for a couple years. He NEEDS to add a floater to his game or at least become somewhat consistent at finishing near the rim. If that part of his game doesn't evolve then his ceiling is set (unless he starts taking like 11-12+ threes a game).

[Duffman100]

Revisionist history is awesome. The team didn't even tank until the last couple months of the season when they got decimated by COVID. And even then they only fell to the middle of the lottery. It was pure luck (or a handout from Silver) that they got the 4th pick.

Since the schedule came out, I've contended that this will be a tough season for the Raps to make the playoffs. They have a bunch of difficult back to backs and the 2nd half of the season is road heavy. The key to the season is developing chemistry at home in the 1st half of the season and hope it continues through to carry them through the 2nd half. Otherwise, they'll be back in the lottery.

The last over/under I saw was at 36.5. It's likely that the Raps finish very close to that record.

Take into account we'll be in a LOT of close games (due to our defense) and we lack the scoring punch to win those close games.

I could see us having tough record in games decided in less than 5 points.

[720]

I think people are not operating in reality when it comes to the fourth pick.

The last 4th pick to get more than 2 all star appearances was Russell Westbrook, more than a decade ago.

It’s why passing on Suggs was such a shock because he would be a top 3 pick in most drafts.

Do I think they picked Scottie to be a future first option player ? Maybe, do I think they would be more than happy if he was a career 15/7/5 guy with DPOY caliber of defence ? Absolutely.

The #1 option of the future isn’t on this team yet, we’ll make trades to get that player. Right now, the main focus is developing our young players who aren’t Siakam and FVV so that when we do pull a trade a #1 option, the young boys will be ready to help him win a chip.

Why is this expected? Because we got Kyle through a trade and Kawhi through a once in a life time trade?

The market has changed for a superstar since that once in a generation Kawhi trade. You need to trade at a minimum multiple future first round picks. The draft is what we should be focused on. Not some hope and a prayer miracle trade.

[Mikistan]

I don't know if I agree. We still need a top scoring talent and we have two options,

Trade Siakam or Van Vleet + assets for a top guy
Draft someone to be that guy

Adding another lottery value player is not a bad idea at this point for either case. Either you include that pick or player in a deal to get an elite player or he becomes an elite player.

You don't take Barnes 4th if you don't think he's that with time.

I don't think anyone sees Barnes as a potential #1 option...

I saw him dominate a quarter of a summer league game by scoring over and over so....

[HumbleRen]

I think people are not operating in reality when it comes to the fourth pick.

The last 4th pick to get more than 2 all star appearances was Russell Westbrook, more than a decade ago.

It’s why passing on Suggs was such a shock because he would be a top 3 pick in most drafts.

Do I think they picked Scottie to be a future first option player ? Maybe, do I think they would be more than happy if he was a career 15/7/5 guy with DPOY caliber of defence ? Absolutely.

The #1 option of the future isn’t on this team yet, we’ll make trades to get that player. Right now, the main focus is developing our young players who aren’t Siakam and FVV so that when we do pull a trade a #1 option, the young boys will be ready to help him win a chip.

Why is this expected? Because we got Kyle through a trade and Kawhi through a once in a life time trade?

The market has changed for a superstar since that once in a generation Kawhi trade. You need to trade at a minimum multiple future first round picks. The draft is what we should be focused on. Not some hope and a prayer miracle trade.

Because that’s how Masai operate. He’s not going to sit on his ass and hope Siakam becomes a clear #1 on a contender.

He develops players while being extremely flexible to any sudden potential trades. It’s how his teams always operated, from the Denver Nuggets days.

[ash_k]

The only hope for rebuilders and tankers is that Siakam injury, while hoping that GTjr and OG do not seize the opportunity to both explode into 20-point scorers (highly likely looking at their trajectories).

But y'all need to face reality :
Again, a team that got to 4th seed playing nothing but road games (before COVID, without a center and despite a 2-8 start)is NOT going to win just 30 games with Nick Nurse.

Just accept that reality.