2024-2025 NBA/Toronto Raptors thread

[bluejays]

Wow. I think this is terrible. Seems like MLSE is going with Pelly at the helm, which means the same will probably happen for the Jays (couldn't come sooner). But I think it's a bad move on the Raps side. To do that to someone who is well respected, and the heart of the Raptors, is just a dumb move. Good luck finding talent to come here.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Thanks for everything you've done for the Raptors Masai. 2019 will always be remembered

Spoiler!

[The Big Chill]

Strange timing to do this right after the draft. I hope they know what they’re doing..

[bluejays]

Masai's delayed dismantling of the 2019 team too late, at a huge discount, while also spending a lot on Poeltl, was Masai's worst moves. But he was the face of the franchise. Now there are rumors they're going to be looking for a replacement? So dumb. Nobody is going to be as strategic. Not a fan of Pelley already.

[devo22]

NBAs timing is whack this season. Firing coaches right before the playoffs, announcing a huge trade on the day of game 7 of the finals, firing a GM between the draft and free agency ... madness.

[Jason14h]

Strategically the last 5 years have been a bit of a disaster for this franchise. And going forward they aren't in a great position either.

However timing is very weird. Maybe they told him at seasons end but wanted him to stick around through the draft.

[Trojan97]

Ed Rogers finally got what he wanted. Incredibly dark day for the org. To extend the entire front office but dump Masai in this fashion says all you need to know. Thanks for putting basketball on the map in Canada Masai. That championship run was some of the greatest memories of my life as a sports fan.

[mile]

Ugh, Raptors had a top 5 record overall during Masai’s time here.

I worry about the future, I don’t think Rogers
wanted to pay him

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Masai's delayed dismantling of the 2019 team too late, at a huge discount, while also spending a lot on Poeltl, was Masai's worst moves.

Exactly & IMO got lucky with the 2019 win thanks to Kawhi, GS win if not for KD and Klay injuries, there is no title win.

It was time to move on.

[bluejays]

Something about Keith Pelley really bothers me. He comes across as a goal oriented jerk. The type of person Board of Directors love, but the type of person you'd hate to work for.


Anyway, perhaps it was time to move on from Masai, but whomever it is, I don't think it'll be as good as the Masai/Bobby combo. Maybe he got too powerful in ownership's eyes, but that shouldn't be a reason to walk away from him. He's a keep talent evaluator, and I'd have liked to see him rebuild this team. After today's news conference he was told about this for some time. Hopefully whomever is given the President title (if Bobby), can live up to expectations, but I'm really really skeptical. It's just not a good feeling from a culture perspective to walk away from a guy who was well respected. I'd say almost no chance of Giannis moving here.

[Finger Cookin]

Rumor has it that MLSE will outsource day to day operations of one of its franchises to Amazon as a cost cutting move.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by redmile04

Exactly & IMO got lucky with the 2019 win thanks to Kawhi, GS win if not for KD and Klay injuries, there is no title win.

It was time to move on.

So trading for Khawi to try to win a championship was luck?

[trackercowe]

Apparently Masai was making 15 million, and this was a cost cutting measure of MLSE. I can't see him looking for a job for long. I wonder if he ends up in New York, since they were rumoured to want his services a few years ago.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Apparently Masai was making 15 million, and this was a cost cutting measure of MLSE. I can't see him looking for a job for long. I wonder if he ends up in New York, since they were rumoured to want his services a few years ago.

$15M? Wild. From an ownership perspective, I can understand it now. Damn.

[Senator Clay Davis]

With Brunson seemingly in control of the Knicks front office I seriously doubt they'd go to Masai. It wouldn't surprised me at all if, once the expansion announcement comes (rumored to be this summer), one of the expansion teams makes a play for him. But otherwise, most of the top markets are set for now, and I doubt Denver is willing to pay the price for a reunion, even if it makes a lot of sense.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

With Brunson seemingly in control of the Knicks front office I seriously doubt they'd go to Masai. It wouldn't surprised me at all if, once the expansion announcement comes (rumored to be this summer), one of the expansion teams makes a play for him. But otherwise, most of the top markets are set for now, and I doubt Denver is willing to pay the price for a reunion, even if it makes a lot of sense.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Look no further than connections. Tim Leiweke brought him to Toronto ages ago. Now he’s heading the Seattle push. I’d put money he’d be in place there.

[browna]

My guess too is that because the Knicks wanted him, Nets wanted him also in the past, and now Atlanta, he'd be getting more than $15M (which he got because of the threat of other teams stealing him) from MLSE.

Probably a good time to part ways for both sides.

And no question his presence and commitment and conviction off the court and setting the roster, was key to win a title.

My guess in Kawai doesn't come to Toronto without him and they don't win in 2019.

[devo22]

Bucks are waiving Lillard and signing Myles Turner.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1940064851025703154

https://twitter.com/user/status/1940067141803212947

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well if this doesn't get Giannis to stay, what will?

[powderjunkie]

I like Turner fine, but Turner+Kuzma+GTJ is still a downgrade from Lopez+Middleton+Jrue/Dame (at least from what they were a few years ago). Obviously it's better than where they were headed for this year though.

All the Rockets signings make me think they'll be in for a 4 for 1 kind of deal mid season that doesn't kill their depth