Raptors Discussion: v94 | Raptors land 4th pick in NBA draft lottery. Draft set for July 29

[Phion Keneuf]

I saw this on realgm. There too intense for me so ill ask here. What is an NFT?

Digital art

You own the piece - before someone says “I’ll just screenshot it”

Same as owning the original Mona Lisa vs owning a print of the Mona Lisa. (Example)

 

[xtra]

Guesses as to what this is about?

Imma guess giving Masai the key to the city/franchise

 

[TheGreatOne11]

I saw this on realgm. There too intense for me so ill ask here. What is an NFT?

A waste of money.

 

[trellaine201]

Digital art

You own the piece - before someone says “I’ll just screenshot it”

Same as owning the original Mona Lisa vs owning a print of the Mona Lisa. (Example)

Thanks

 

[Nylanderthal]

Digital art

You own the piece - before someone says “I’ll just screenshot it”

Same as owning the original Mona Lisa vs owning a print of the Mona Lisa. (Example)

You can’t hang an NFT on the wall, so no it’s very different

 

[Phion Keneuf]

You can’t hang an NFT on the wall, so no it’s very different

They have NFT picture frames, and I’m sure they’ll be more widespread soon.

Essentially you connect your NFT wallet to a picture frame and it’ll display whichever art you want from your collection.

 

[Nylanderthal]

They have NFT picture frames, and I’m sure they’ll be more widespread soon.

Essentially you connect your NFT wallet to a picture frame and it’ll display whichever art you want from your collection.

So like my Amazon echos? Yeah, no it’s still not the same thing as physical tangible art.

 

[MR4]

So like my Amazon echos? Yeah, no it’s still not the same thing as physical tangible art.

And Call of Duty isn’t the same thing as games like chess.

Thing is, as the technology grows, people will adopt this to a certain extent. Definitely will not erase the value of having physical art as well though

 

[hockeywiz542]

‘He’s something different’: NBA execs watch as ‘special’ Aussie nails final audition | FOX SPORTS

Josh Giddey won’t be in Tokyo. But he did put on a show in Las Vegas.

Australian basketball greats Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal believe Josh Giddey showed the Boomers exactly what they’re going to miss in Tokyo as the 18-year-old put on a show in front of NBA decision makers on Wednesday.

Giddey had 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists against Nigeria in a game Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian chose to rest his stars and instead provide a peek at what the Australian set-up may look like moving forward.

It was a performance that came at the perfect time for the NBL Rookie of the Year, who is a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft that will take place while his Boomers teammates are in Tokyo.

Bob Myers (Golden State Warriors), David Griffin (New Orleans Pelicans) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors) were just three top-end NBA front office executives, among many, in attendance, sources told foxsports.com.au.

Giddey, a 6’8 point guard, controlled the game, showed off his playmaking and basketball IQ, and more importantly, eased doubts over his three-point shot and defence.

“I think he showed what we all thought was possible,” Andrew Gaze told foxsports.com.au. “He’s something different.”

 

[hockeywiz542]

2021 NBA Draft: Team Needs – Atlantic Division - NBADraft.net

Toronto Raptors

Needs: Running mate for VanVleet, rebounding

Picks: 4, 46, 47

It pains me to say it, but it’s time for the Raptors to blow it all up and start over. They have a young core upon which to build (plus a high draft pick this year) and could likely return to playoff contention rather swiftly. While it may hurt to see Kyle Lowry leave to chase another ring elsewhere knowing the Raptors won it all in 2019, a lot has changed since then, and it’s time for the Raptors to start thinking about the future. With Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, Chris Boucher, and OG Anunoby making up a young core, the Raptors are only a few pieces away from fast forwarding through the rebuilding phase. Because they own the 4th pick, Toronto will come away with one of the following players on draft night: Jalen Green, USC’s Evan Mobley, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, G-League Ignite’s Jonathan Kuminga or Florida State’s Scottie Barnes.. Regardless of who they select from that group, it makes them considerably better. The two most likely selections would be Suggs and Mobley. If they go with Suggs, they have an immediate plug and play replacement for Kyle Lowry who has the competitiveness and all-around game to be an all-star in the league. If they go with Mobley, they may not get the immediate impact, but they’ll come away with a player that ultimately has the higher ceiling, and still fills a position of need. Mobley would be able to play alongside both Siakam and Boucher (although not both at the same time) and could bolster a really sore spot in the Raptor lineup. The Raptors could also look to add a second or third tier free agent to the roster as well. If they select Mobley, they could target Indiana’s TJ McConnell to pair in the backcourt with VanVleet. And drafting Mobley (or Barnes) would also open up a possible trade of Siakam, who may need to be moved if his relationship with coach Nick Nurse has soured beyond repair. If Suggs is the pick I would look for them to attempt to sign a rebounding big like Enes Kanter or even go after the oft-injured Zach Collins in hopes that he can outperform the cheap contract they could likely get him for.

 

[djdev]

if this is legit its is good news for us for a lowry sign and trade imo, AND a golden state trade for siakam IF they arent the ones that land dame. i suspect he goes to lakers or knicks.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard says trade request rumours are 'not true' - Sportsnet.ca

Damian Lillard said Friday he has not requested a trade but wants the Portland Trail Blazers to be more urgent in their pursuit of a championship.

The All-Star guard added that he expects to be with the Blazers next season, but made clear that he feels it needs to be with more talent around him.

Lillard praised Portland as a great city with great fans and said there is pride that the organization is a perennial playoff team.

"It's a lot of positive," Lillard said. "But I just think we've reached that point where it's like, OK, but it's not enough. Do we actually want to win it all? Is that what we're shooting for and we've got to do things to show that. We've got to put action behind that desire to win at that level."

Lillard is in Las Vegas with the U.S. Olympic team. He awoke to a report Friday from Truehoop.com, citing a person close to him, that he planned to request a trade in the coming days.

"No. 1, it's not true," Billups said, "and secondly I'd also say that I haven't made any firm decision on what my future will be."

Lillard maintained that he wanted to win a championship in Portland, where he has spent his entire career, but his belief in that possibility seems to be waning.

"I want to win it all in a Trail Blazers uniform but we all have to be making strides toward that," Lillard said.

 

[djdev]

Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard says trade request rumours are 'not true' - Sportsnet.ca

Damian Lillard said Friday he has not requested a trade but wants the Portland Trail Blazers to be more urgent in their pursuit of a championship.

The All-Star guard added that he expects to be with the Blazers next season, but made clear that he feels it needs to be with more talent around him.

Lillard praised Portland as a great city with great fans and said there is pride that the organization is a perennial playoff team.

"It's a lot of positive," Lillard said. "But I just think we've reached that point where it's like, OK, but it's not enough. Do we actually want to win it all? Is that what we're shooting for and we've got to do things to show that. We've got to put action behind that desire to win at that level."

Lillard is in Las Vegas with the U.S. Olympic team. He awoke to a report Friday from Truehoop.com, citing a person close to him, that he planned to request a trade in the coming days.

"No. 1, it's not true," Billups said, "and secondly I'd also say that I haven't made any firm decision on what my future will be."

Lillard maintained that he wanted to win a championship in Portland, where he has spent his entire career, but his belief in that possibility seems to be waning.

"I want to win it all in a Trail Blazers uniform but we all have to be making strides toward that," Lillard said.

i assumed the tweet i linked was from today since i saw it posted somewhere else for the 1st time today, my bad. ye my link is old news lol.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

Moore: NBA Free Agency and Draft Rumors Intel

Bull Market

The Bulls are expected to be big spenders in the free-agency market, particularly at guard.

They have $24 million in non-guaranteed salary between Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky, a $3 million team option on Ryan Arcidiacono, and much of the roster are restricted free agents.

Four names are tied to Chicago: Kyle Lowry, Dennis Schröder, Lonzo Ball, and Spencer Dinwiddie. Chicago wants a playmaking point guard next to Zach LaVine. The Bulls had extensive talks with New Orleans about a Ball trade at the deadline but weren’t able to reach a deal.

Lowry will be the toughest get. Philadelphia, Miami and New Orleans are among the expected suitors for Lowry. The Pelicans would have to find a taker for Eric Bledsoe to make such a deal happen.

.......................

The Pistons are not trading out of the No. 1 spot. Even if they don’t want to take Cunningham No. 1 (and they are going to take Cunningham No. 1), they can take their guy at the 1-spot because the only reason they would call the Rockets or any other team for a trade is because they don’t want to take Cunningham No. 1, which compromises their leverage.

There’s no plausible return for the No. 1 pick that would be worth it. Credit to the Celtics for trading the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft because they liked Jayson Tatum better. Who’s to say what happens if Fultz’ arm doesn’t fall into the Sixers’ void of bizarre injuries, but still, great call. It’s still such an uncommon event that you can wind up galaxy-braining yourself.

As a longtime league insider said this week, “The Celtics were also coming off a conference finals appearance. They were playing with house money and could afford to make moves like that. The Pistons need a sure thing, and Cade’s the surest thing on the board.”

Other draft intel:

• I asked five sources for a team in the first round most likely to move up, and they all said the Knicks. The Knicks have picks No. 19 and 21, along with two second-rounders and an extra top-ten protected pick in 2023 (from Dallas). Multiple sources said there’s a player in the low teens that they have targeted, but no one’s sure who it is.

• Florida State forward Scottie Barnes seems like a lock to go top 10 at this point. He’s been tied to the Raptors at 4, and not just because the Raptors’ tied-in reporters have discussed him at length. He’s also been mentioned with Orlando as one of their two, first-round spots, and Sacramento.

• Moses Moody out of Arkansas is likely being underrated in the market. His over/under is 12.5. He’s much higher on the draft boards of consultants with experience working for teams.

• Jalen Green is the odds-on favorite to go No. 2 to Houston. The options seem to be down to Green and Mobley, and there’s been a decent amount of noise that the Cavaliers are expecting Houston to take Green, which is why they’re starting to zero in on Mobley.

• A word of caution here: If one of the teams decides to make a reach in the next two weeks, it’s unlikely to leak. There’s been a fair amount of noise that the Rockets, Cavaliers, Raptors and Magic could look to trade out of their pick, but I’m not buying it. They’re looking for some sort of dynamite deal that I think is unlikely to generate.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[stickty111]

If the Raptors are tied to Barnes/other players, they might not be sold on Suggs. However Raptors don't usually leak stuff like that out, so I wonder if this the Raptors leak or something else is going on.

 

[djdev]

If the Raptors are tied to Barnes/other players, they might not be sold on Suggs. However Raptors don't usually leak stuff like that out, so I wonder if this the Raptors leak or something else is going on.

raps FO is too smart to put anything out there unless its on purpose imo. its just as likely they are trying to feel out if cleveland has serious interest in barnes/kuminga. i think mobley is who the raps are really after. he fills our biggest need and is the type of player masai loves.

 

[The Nemesis]

I don't expect it to happen, but even if Barnes is our worst case scenario pick it's still a decent one. He has to tighten up his shot, but the upside is a Draymond Green/poor man's Kawhi type player with a high motor and tremendous defensive versatility.

If the Raptors no longer have the pieces to go out and crush teams offensively, then they'll just have to smother them to death at the other end of the court.

I agree that it seems more likely that this is either guessing, smokescreens, or purposeful misleading for info-gathering.

 

[djdev]

I don't expect it to happen, but even if Barnes is our worst case scenario pick it's still a decent one. He has to tighten up his shot, but the upside is a Draymond Green/poor man's Kawhi type player with a high motor and tremendous defensive versatility.

If the Raptors no longer have the pieces to go out and crush teams offensively, then they'll just have to smother them to death at the other end of the court.

I agree that it seems more likely that this is either guessing, smokescreens, or purposeful misleading for info-gathering.

dunno man, to me he needs alot of work shot wise. hes not somebody i would want at 4 because a draymond green type ceiling isnt appealing to me with this high of a pick.
we were never the type of team that would crush anyone offensively but if we wanna contend we need a true half court scorer and a #1 threat who can score in iso. as we are right now even adding the 4th pick like suggs who can contribute right away i dont think makes us true contenders in a league that is so star driven, systems and defense can only get you so far. even with kawhi, we had to go full 2004 pistons defensively to win our chip. gimme mobley all day and start a bit of a mini 2 year retool, thats what i would love to see, cuz with siakam as our best scoring option we wont get far in the playoffs and making another trade like the kawhi one is gonna be near impossible.

 

[djdev]

just an aside...
man the raps/jays threads are amazing compared to the leafs stuff on this board. so much rational sane discussion that is near impossible with hockey lol.

 

[Nylanderthal]

just an aside...
man the raps/jays threads are amazing compared to the leafs stuff on this board. so much rational sane discussion that is near impossible with hockey lol.

I imagine the more mouth breathing types you’re referring to don’t follow basketball cuz it’s soft or baseball cuz it’s slow.

 

[djdev]

I imagine the more mouth breathing types you’re referring to don’t follow basketball cuz it’s soft or baseball cuz it’s slow.

funny thing is, the toughest guys i know almost all prefer basketball to hockey. but they grew up watching 80s and 90s ball. where you had to pull a gun on somebody to get called for a foul lol.

 

[djdev]

barnes jumper looks pretty broken to me. he does alot of things well, but his shot might require alot of work with no guarantee of a fix.

 

[hamzarocks]

Giannis solidified his legacy

He's top 20 all time for sure and just if he continues to play at this level in regular season for another 2-3 years will be borderline top 10 even with no further rings

If he can win another 2-3 MVPs and gets another 3 rings with all FMVPs he's in 1/2/3 with Mj and Lbj