Raptors Discussion: v97 Raptor's 2024-2025 - NBA Team

[stats1]

I think the problem with the direction from some fans is “scorched earth” Masai never said we were going to tear it down completely. Also we never get a fully healthy line-up. I think once we add in a lottery pick to a healthy roster next year and fingers crossed the guys stay healthy this team could be very good. RJ, Barnes, Quickley, Gradey, Ingram, Poeltl, 2025 lottery pick is decent, and who knows how Walker and Mogbo develop

 

[al secord]

I think the problem with the direction from some fans is “scorched earth” Masai never said we were going to tear it down completely. Also we never get a fully healthy line-up. I think once we add in a lottery pick to a healthy roster next year and fingers crossed the guys stay healthy this team could be very good. RJ, Barnes, Quickley, Gradey, Ingram, Poeltl, 2025 lottery pick is decent, and who knows how Walker and Mogbo develop

We're on our way to mediocrity!

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[StrictlyCommercial]

Did people want the Raptors to suck next year as well? We've got a star in Scottie and have a shot to add a top pick this year. With Barrett, Ingram, Poetl, IQ and Dick, we have a very strong starting group and sixth man. Unless the injury rodeo continues next year, the team should be substantially better and competing in the top half of the East.

 

[thewave]

Lewenberg is an idiot. We could do well in the lottery. We have probably a playoff team. We have some guys being rehabbed with high upside. We have our picks. We have the ability to make a blockbuster trade in 3 or so years asset wise.

Nobody just comes here. Cap means nothing in free agency.

I think Masai did well. You know Barnes and the boys want to compete

 

[Woodman19]

Yeah many fans think you shamelessly tank ala 76ers for 5 years and then think you have a starting 5 of Hall of Famers when the reality is that you might get one in that 5 year run and then are desperately trying to shake the loser culture getting back to relevance.

We just added another talent upgrade to the roster (if Ingram re-signs) while getting one last dip at the lottery to add a long term piece and then are likely back in the playoffs next year. I know its not sexy, but there is something to building on a run of sustained success.

 

[phillipmike]

The fact that you have to explain this to Lewenberg is alarming. This was never going to be a scorched earth rebuild when you already have Scottie, IQ and RJ.

Our starting lineup consists of 3 guys who can score 20 and 2 that can give 15

All are under 30.

You have Barnes, Dick and your pick this year and all your picks.

That’s probably better than any other team legit tanking right now.



There is more than one way to win. And tanking guarantees nothing

We won a championship without tanking and without lottery pick.

Now we have 6 lottery picks on the team. 2 are guys we selected in Barnes and Dick with another coming.

Is there a rule that tanking works better if the lottery pick was one you selected?

It’s all about asset management not tanking.

Last 30 years of tanking;

Tanking doesn’t work or always work - in fact it’s more likely to fail. Maybe the only example is Boston in the last 20 years. We will see if OKC can get it done.

But for every Boston, you have the Suns, Washington, Pistons, Bulls, Kings, Hornets, Sixers, Pels twice, Clippers twice, and Portland.

So it’s better to have assets to be ready to trade. Still have to draft and develop which the Raps do well.

Only teams to have won outside of Boston recently are;
-any team LeBron goes to
-Lakers with Kobe
-Raps because they made trades
-Nuggets (Jokic was a 2nd round pick)
-Milwaukee (Giannis was a mid first pick)

GS was great draft and develop team but was never a real tank. Spurs were an anomaly early on.

The only real tanks to work in the last 30 years were;
2024 Celtics and the Spurs dynasty but we are talking 2 generational players (Robinson and Duncan) going 1st overall. They got their 3rd in Wemby. Odds of winning the lottery and getting 3 generational players is rarer than winning the Lotto Max.

2 examples in 30 years isn’t a good enough reason to tank.

 

[LaPlante94]

Is Ingram a FA after this season? I would assume if he was that we knew he'd sign here or else that trade makes zero sense. Maybe they sold him for next season and not this 1. Would make sense because we could draft in the top 10 or get lucky and win the lottery and possibly draft top 5. Could be a very deep team next season.

IQ-Barrett-Ingram-Barnes-Poetl as starters

Snead-Walter-Dick-Agbaji-Mogbo-Wiseman and the 2025 1st round pick all in rotation/bench

I know some were possibly thinking when Masai said we're gonna rebuild that he meant we'd tank in the standings for a few years, but this is probably a much better way. Made trades for young guys with potential and develop them together. The real question is what position do we target in the draft because I see a lot of guards and forwards in the top 15.

 

[thewave]

Is Ingram a FA after this season? I would assume if he was that we knew he'd sign here or else that trade makes zero sense. Maybe they sold him for next season and not this 1. Would make sense because we could draft in the top 10 or get lucky and win the lottery and possibly draft top 5. Could be a very deep team next season.

Yes FA. He has said in the past TO is one of his fav road trips. Maybe a Drake connection but unsure. He is good, not as good as Pascal but a notch under and regardless Pascal was a fader in the POs.

IQ-Barrett-Ingram-Barnes-Poetl as starters

Legit starting lineup. Should be PO bound if healthy.

Snead-Walter-Dick-Agbaji-Mogbo-Wiseman and the 2025 1st round pick all in rotation/bench

Something like that for now.

I know some were possibly thinking when Masai said we're gonna rebuild that he meant we'd tank in the standings for a few years, but this is probably a much better way. Made trades for young guys with potential and develop them together. The real question is what position do we target in the draft because I see a lot of guards and forwards in the top 15.

Toronto can not do a 5 year rebuild. They need to play the market. Tank here and there get lucky, build assets that are desirable and hope to get a Kawhi to close it in trade. That's what Masai is on path to do now.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Is Ingram a FA after this season? I would assume if he was that we knew he'd sign here or else that trade makes zero sense. Maybe they sold him for next season and not this 1. Would make sense because we could draft in the top 10 or get lucky and win the lottery and possibly draft top 5. Could be a very deep team next season.

Brandon Ingram trade details: Pelicans star forward heads to Raptors ahead of trade deadline | Sporting News Canada

Here is the breakdown of the move that sent Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans to the Raptors.

www.sportingnews.com

Brandon Ingram contract details

Ingram is in the final year of his five-year, $158,253,000 deal, which he signed ahead of the 2020-2021 season. It is fully guaranteed.

The Raptors will have the chance to extend the forward rather than using him as a half-season rental.

Season	Age	Salary
2024-2025	27	$36,016,200
2025-2026	28	Unrestricted free agent

 

[dredeye]

Yeah many fans think you shamelessly tank ala 76ers for 5 years and then think you have a starting 5 of Hall of Famers when the reality is that you might get one in that 5 year run and then are desperately trying to shake the loser culture getting back to relevance.

We just added another talent upgrade to the roster (if Ingram re-signs) while getting one last dip at the lottery to add a long term piece and then are likely back in the playoffs next year. I know it’s not sexy, but there is something to building on a run of sustained success.

You have to think they have the framework of a deal in place otherwise it makes zero sense to grab him and lose him in the summer

 

[thewave]

You have to think they have the framework of a deal in place otherwise it makes zero sense to grab him and lose him in the summer

They can offer him a 3 year 136m deal. Read he is excited to start in Toronto.

 

[Greek_physique]

Raps, when healthy this year, even without this trade, were too good to be a lottery pick.

I don't mind the trade and it gives us options for next year

 

[canucksfan]

If anyone is wondering, I was curious when Ingram would return from injury and the Pelicans didn’t have an update for about a month. Looks like the Raps will check him out and then provide an update in a few days possibly.

 

[trellaine201]

They can offer him a 3 year 136m deal. Read he is excited to start in Toronto.

That is always nice to hear! Someone who doesn’t mind playing in TO let alone look forward to it. Good attitude to start.

 

[Ale Brew]

If anyone is wondering, I was curious when Ingram would return from injury and the Pelicans didn’t have an update for about a month. Looks like the Raps will check him out and then provide an update in a few days possibly.

I’m sure they’ll take their time with it and let it heal up 100% before getting him on the court. Have to keep that pick in the top 5 if at all possible.

 

[canucksfan]

Raps waived Wiseman

 

[jetsforever]

Wonder what the chances of re-signing BI are - otherwise a very strange trade but if he returns then I'm happy with it

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[thewave]

Raps waived Wiseman

No harm there. They got some money

 

[WeThreeKings]

Raptors traded Mitchell for PJ Tucker and a 2nd.

 

[stats1]

We're on our way to mediocrity!

Ok then don’t watch lol if that’s what you take out of what I said or what the trade means. No one is forcing you to watch your perception of mediocrity. I look at it as a great buy low move.

Raptors traded Mitchell for PJ Tucker and a 2nd.

Which basically means they probably had this trade lined up before the Ingram one. They basically punted the Indy first down a few slots into the 2nd round.

I’d love to know from the people who don’t like this trade who they think the Raptors were going to sign for Bruce Brown’s 23 million coming off the books? A couple of scrubs maybe? Like sure complain about the trade all you want but then what would you do different? All I’m reading on here snd X is people ranting about treadmill??? Do you guys understand how good Ingram is? You put a lottery pick with him and Barnes and you make a few other moves in the summer or next summer and we’re looking solid

 

[CapspaceKiller]

The raptors acquired Ingram now, because Masai had no belief in the team's ability to acquire quality free agents with the capspace he had. And why would he? Toronto will never be a free agency destination, so he traded for a very good scorer. A guy he would never land in free agency. My guess is Ingram is load managed the rest of the year and barely plays to help the tank.

Mitchell and Shead were competing for the same minutes. They took Shead because he's younger and cheaper.

With Scottie, how long can you tank? I always thought they would be bad on purpose for a year and then reload the team. There's a bunch of talent already here. The last year added some much needed depth to the team and they will add a top 10 pick and hopefully a top 5 pick in a loaded draft.

Then its time to start winning again. As others have mentioned, multiple year tanks actually don't have a great deal of success in recent years and the way the cap is now structured its hard keep everyone happy with their salary.

RJ's time in Toronto though is probably coming to an end this off-season. I don't see him and Ingram working.

 

[TMLAM34]

The raptors acquired Ingram now, because Masai had no belief in the team's ability to acquire quality free agents with the capspace he had. And why would he? Toronto will never be a free agency destination, so he traded for a very good scorer. A guy he would never land in free agency. My guess is Ingram is load managed the rest of the year and barely plays to help the tank.

Mitchell and Shead were competing for the same minutes. They took Shead because he's younger and cheaper.

With Scottie, how long can you tank? I always thought they would be bad on purpose for a year and then reload the team. There's a bunch of talent already here. The last year added some much needed depth to the team and they will add a top 10 pick and hopefully a top 5 pick in a loaded draft.

Then its time to start winning again. As others have mentioned, multiple year tanks actually don't have a great deal of success in recent years and the way the cap is now structured its hard keep everyone happy with their salary.

RJ's time in Toronto though is probably coming to an end this off-season. I don't see him and Ingram working.

I haven’t followed basketball much these past two years but replacing RJ with Ingram sounds like a bad organizational move. Ingram might be the better offensive player but he’s also got a lot of flaws to his game and personality.

 

[Senator Stanley]

I haven’t followed basketball much these past two years but replacing RJ with Ingram sounds like a bad organizational move. Ingram might be the better offensive player but he’s also got a lot of flaws to his game and personality.

Everything I've read suggests he's a great teammate.