Raptors Discussion: v97 Raptor's 2024-2025 - Training camp begins Oct. 1

[LaPlante94]

I wasn't the biggest Fred fan but I think fans soured on him because of the system around him more and how it influenced his play. They had basically zero half court offense, that's on the system put in place for the team. He was a 20 and 7 player for the last 3 or 4 years , Dennis is a 14 and 4 guy. That's a decent drop, not saying it can't work out but I think Fred will be missed more than people imagine. Dennis does bring a nice speed element but this isn't a team that plays with a ton if pace, maybe new coach and system the direction shifts. Lots of unanswered questions, the team could look drastically different by training camp.

VanVleet also played around 37 minutes a game and started every game while Schroder played like 30 mins and didn't start every game until after Westbrook got moved I believe (not 100% about that). VanVleet also took way more shots a game as well so I'd assume if Schroder took 16 FGA a game that'd he'd have similar scoring numbers. Their career numbers are almost identical and are the same age and Schroder makes 12 million while VanVleet makes 40 million so I think the small differences in stats if you compare contracts is a very small issue, especially when it sounds like we want to get away from the individual game and play with more movement and set plays. I think going by what Masai and Darko are saying is that they are completely changing up the culture of the team and the players they drafted and brought in make me think they want to play a higher paced game with much more movement. Poetl signing I think also confirmed that since he is a big man that can sit out high and be a playmaker if needed. Should be a fun season if everyone can stay healthy.

 

[DuklaNation]

Cameron Payne just got dealt for a second. He would have been a great pick up for the Raptors to utilize in a platoon role with Dennis. Can push pace. Can shoot the three. Would have had to move Flynn too to make salaries match, but it sucks seeing point guards continuing to move/sign that would be great fits for us while Masai and Webster seem content with our near league worst quality and depth at the position.

We still have guys like Jaylen Nowell, George Hill, Austin Rivers, Kemba Walker, Ish Smith, etc out there on the FA market. Nowell really the only interesting name of that group IMO and not sure he’d sign for the remaining cap we have left.

Walker is washed. Hill,Rivers,Smith are useless. Nowell could be interesting as a bench SG but is inconsistent.

The better idea would have been to clear more room earlier and target other players that signed cheap deals at beginning of FA. But they were committed to getting Fred back and passed on a Jevon Carter or a Nickeil Alexander Walker who both fit this team's needs more.

 

[fancy lad]

Hey what's the take on Markquis Nowell? By all accounts he had a good summer league.

For people who pay more attention than i do, what do you all think of his chances?

Given the complete lack of PG depth on the Raptors i would think he is likely to be on the roster coming into the season.

 

[DuklaNation]

Hey what's the take on Markquis Nowell? By all accounts he had a good summer league.

For people who pay more attention than i do, what do you all think of his chances?

Given the complete lack of PG depth on the Raptors i would think he is likely to be on the roster coming into the season.

Chances are very low. The number of smaller guards in history of NBA is low. Even lower currently. Unless you can really shoot it, I don't give this type of player much chance. In the NBA, help defense is elite and lot of his actions he likes to do won't be as effective.

 

[Bjindaho]

Hey what's the take on Markquis Nowell? By all accounts he had a good summer league.

For people who pay more attention than i do, what do you all think of his chances?

Given the complete lack of PG depth on the Raptors i would think he is likely to be on the roster coming into the season.

His odds long term of being a productive guard are decent. He's very good at running an offense, he's fast enough to be able to make an impact.

The plan for this year is likely that he plays mostly G League and sees some NBA time as a 2nd or 3rd PG. It's up to him to steal his minutes.

 

[LaPlante94]

Hey what's the take on Markquis Nowell? By all accounts he had a good summer league.

For people who pay more attention than i do, what do you all think of his chances?

Given the complete lack of PG depth on the Raptors i would think he is likely to be on the roster coming into the season.

He has potential and he has developed a game that helps him succeed because he does lack size, but I think in Summer league from what I saw was that the way he plays can get him in trouble and turn the ball over at times and I think that could get worse at the NBA level. Definitely gonna need some development and I hope we can get him into some NBA games throughout the season so he can see what it's like and what to improve on and so our development team can get film of him to help him too. Isaiah Thomas did it being 5'9 and he was pretty much a pure scorer while Nowell can score and he's a much better playmaker imo. I think if he cleans up some things he can at the very least be a pretty damn good bench player who runs the bench unit imo.

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[DuklaNation]

I don't see it with Harper at all, if you can't excel at summer league at age 23, you should be cut immediately. Looks heavy and slow out there. Be aggressive in looking for young talent for once.

 

[IceColdBear]

I'm not very excited about the Raptors.

The Poeltl trade was dumb the moment they made it, and every day since it has looked dumber and dumber. Not to mention the trades that were not made at the deadline.

We aren't a good team, are rumoured to be looking to trade our best player, and have no first round pick in next years draft, which doesn't make all that much sense. We're basically in no mans land.

Who knows, maybe Scottie and OG will break out, Pascal will return to all-nba form, and Gradey will be a solid piece for us, and in 6 months things will be looking a lot better.

As of right now, though, I haven't been this apathetic about the Raptors since before the Lowry and Derozan era.

 

[trellaine201]

The lowest i have felt. No direction.

 

[thewave]

I'm not very excited about the Raptors.

The Poeltl trade was dumb the moment they made it, and every day since it has looked dumber and dumber. Not to mention the trades that were not made at the deadline.

We aren't a good team, are rumoured to be looking to trade our best player, and have no first round pick in next years draft, which doesn't make all that much sense. We're basically in no mans land.

Who knows, maybe Scottie and OG will break out, Pascal will return to all-nba form, and Gradey will be a solid piece for us, and in 6 months things will be looking a lot better.

As of right now, though, I haven't been this apathetic about the Raptors since before the Lowry and Derozan era.

I guess they want to attempt to treadmill their way to the top again. I don't understand how they will pull it off.

Maybe they have a trade lined up that can kickstart.

 

[dredeye]

I'm not very excited about the Raptors.

The Poeltl trade was dumb the moment they made it, and every day since it has looked dumber and dumber. Not to mention the trades that were not made at the deadline.

We aren't a good team, are rumoured to be looking to trade our best player, and have no first round pick in next years draft, which doesn't make all that much sense. We're basically in no mans land.

Who knows, maybe Scottie and OG will break out, Pascal will return to all-nba form, and Gradey will be a solid piece for us, and in 6 months things will be looking a lot better.

As of right now, though, I haven't been this apathetic about the Raptors since before the Lowry and Derozan era.

They have gotten progressively worse since the title. They refuse to rebuild or even retool and it’ll keep the pain growing.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Thornbury]

Wow, Ujiri is knocking it out of the park this off season.

 

[DuklaNation]

Blake Murphy=MLSE cheerleader

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[shaner8989]

Lebron James son suffered a heart attack. Absolutely mind boggling.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Wow, what in the hell is happening here. What is Masai doing? Any goodwill remaining from the championship is running out soon.

 

[thewave]

Wow, what in the hell is happening here. What is Masai doing? Any goodwill remaining from the championship is running out soon.

I think it's done. Everyone knows he should have addressed things earlier unless it's another case of MLSE selling names to the public over legit contending.

 

[LaPlante94]

Wow, what in the hell is happening here. What is Masai doing? Any goodwill remaining from the championship is running out soon.

What would you like Masai to do since you think it's that easy to make moves being the only Canadian market in the NBA where most players don't want to play.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

What would you like Masai to do since you think it's that easy to make moves being the only Canadian market in the NBA where most players don't want to play.

Pick a damn direction. Are we trying to compete, tread water or rebuild. It’s a damn train wreck atm.

 

[LaPlante94]

Pick a damn direction. Are we trying to compete, tread water or rebuild. It’s a damn train wreck atm.

I think they've made it pretty clear. Nurse didn't want to develop talent and wanted to compete so he kept what we had and traded for Poetl to give him his best chance to compete. People complained thinking we would get crazy packages for players like VanVleet or Siakam when it clearly seems like that wasn't really the case. People wanting us to trade OG are just idiots because he's still like 25 and one of the best 2 way players in the NBA already(he obviously could get better at things on offence). Now Masai brought in a coach who is known for development and wants to develop players because if we're gonna win we're gonna have to do it by drafting and developing players because big name FA aren't gonna sign here or players we trade for aren't gonna stay long.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Thornbury]

I think they've made it pretty clear. Nurse didn't want to develop talent and wanted to compete so he kept what we had and traded for Poetl to give him his best chance to compete. People complained thinking we would get crazy packages for players like VanVleet or Siakam when it clearly seems like that wasn't really the case. People wanting us to trade OG are just idiots because he's still like 25 and one of the best 2 way players in the NBA already(he obviously could get better at things on offence). Now Masai brought in a coach who is known for development and wants to develop players because if we're gonna win we're gonna have to do it by drafting and developing players because big name FA aren't gonna sign here or players we trade for aren't gonna stay long.

The coach doesn't dictate the direction of the franchise. That's Masai's job, and he has lost his way. This team is stuck in neutral, and he's too proud / stubborn to acknowledge that.

 

[LaPlante94]

The coach doesn't dictate the direction of the franchise. That's Masai's job, and he has lost his way. This team is stuck in neutral, and he's too proud / stubborn to acknowledge that.

He got a coach to dictate the direction he wants the team to go so how has he lost his way? We win 1 championship because of 1 hail mary trade we do and forget about the previous 20 years before that of trying to bring players here. We have to draft and develop which is the direction Masai is going in or we have to luck out on a trade and win in that small window they'll stay here and by doing so we'll probably hurt our future by giving away many draft picks. We have a young core now of OG, Barnes and Dick to go with Siakam so idk why people are freaking out thinking we are lost. We've been bringing in players that can shoot the ball so it's pretty clear we want to improve on a weakness we've had for some time now and what you can say has cost us many games in the 4th quarter.