Los_29 wrote:Raps in 4 wrote:Los_29 wrote:No disrespect but this is just an incredibly illogical take here. It's nonsensical.
We have three players in the top 20 in minutes. Two of whom are #1 and #2. GTJ is in the top 35 now in minutes played. Siakam would be there had he not been eased back.
Banton is playing like 12 minutes a game and Flynn has been DNP'd 6 times this year and when he does play he's playing 6 minutes a game.
Come on man, this is not the hill you want to be dying on here. Do you truly believe Nick Nurse and the Raptors aren't trying to win games even though they are playing their starters more minutes than any team in the league?
It doesn't matter what Nick Nurse is trying to do. He works with the tools he has. Masai Ujiri is not trying to win games. We are clearly a rebuilding team. We are playing Barnes, GTJ, Precious, and Banton heavy minutes. A team trying to win wouldn't do that. A team trying to win now would sign or trade for veterans.
This is a nonsensical, completely illogical take. I think deep down you know this.
That's a little strong. There's no question that Masai has in his mind what a true contender is. That's what he wants, and that's not what the Raptors are yet.
I wonder how much of Masai's approach was conditioned by the Rudy Gay for a bench trade? He learned there that sometimes, you just have let the team find it's own special chemistry. If not, then trade the vets and ostenatiously tank. But right now, the Raps are learning what we have. We're learning how Scottie, Pascal and OG will play together. We're developing Precious. That's not "tanking", but it sure isn't a guaranteed formula for instant success either.
Of course Nurse is coaching to win every game. But he hasn't implemented a simple defensive system that would make it easier to do that. He's trying to teach a bunch of kids how to play championship-winning defence. And he needs to play Fred, Pascal and OG maximum minutes to help them help the kids.
These aren't dumb people. They know what they're doing. They're playing the long game.