Toronto Raptors 2013/14 Season

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Re: DD. He is steadily improving. He was very raw as a rookie and has improved every year to the tune of being the 2nd best 2 in the league. Only Harden is having a better year. DD is improving in every category. His Assists have gone up, his defense is better, and those two areas with his 3pt shot and his love of the long range 2 need improving. If he can keep adding to his game, he is on the trajectory to be an elite player in the league. This team is a big off the bench that can fill in for JV time to time and get quality offense, and a scoring guard off the bench from being a real threat night in night out no matter how many refs and league officials conspire against this team and have to concede that the raps have finally earned the league's respect.

DD isn't the problem, there are still some warts on his game but that is nitpicking. he is an elite player already and is young and still trending upwards. He's a keeper and a gamer. Sign him to an extension.

[Dauminator]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The reason the Raptors are going to the playoffs is because they traded Rudy Gay who was - all together now - an inefficient scorer with whom the ball would always die for a poor mid to long range shot. Unfortunately DeMar is very much the same player. I hope he can improve and become around a 50% shooter, but that means better shot selection and more passing. DeMar is also better to be dealt after the season when the market will be much bigger.

I keep saying it but Valanciunas should be the Raptors focus going forward. I believe he can legitimately be a top 3 big man in the league given the proper development. He needs to be fed the ball consistently. Unfortunately with a player like DeMar, I think he's less likely to get the touches he needs. This is DeMar's first season averaging more than 2.5 assists a game. That is not very good to say the least.

While I do agree with some of your statements, we are talking about a franchise starving for success. In no way would they be able to get away with trading Derozan and I sure hope they wouldn't. Yes his 27-29 foot shots are a huge pain, but he grabs the attention of the other team (and coaches - due to his all star selection) which in turn takes attention away from Jonas who can excel as a big in this league. Yes having an elite big man is a blessing, building a team around one just doesn't cut it anymore in the nba since Shaq

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by kmart

One of the worst calls ever made

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JFR...ature=youtu.be

Did he also get a Technical too? My god, what an absolutely absurd call.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Did he also get a Technical too? My god, what an absolutely absurd call.

It was amusing but just the top call in a night where the fix was in. If I knew anything about the betting lines on these games I would check up on this one. One of the suckiest things about sports is you never really know when the games are actually being played on a level field. So much corruption going on.

[Hockey_Ninja]

No wonder why people have just given up on the NBA. Such bull ####. We always seem to get the worst treatment from the refs.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's the NBA, they'd be doing everyone a big favour if they just changed the name to NBAE. The IOC and FIFA think the NBA has integrity issues.

[St. Pats]

The Raptors win over New Orleans I have to put in the well done category. Due to two things. One they finally used their brains and sat Amir. Idiots have been playing him despite the obvious fact he was injured. 2nd is the law of diminishing returns. The pieces of the trade gave them a boost for awhile but they have settled back down. PP might end up being a steal but the other 3 have shown lately why they were trade fodder. Now that PP is on the starting unit the bench is getting owned.

Despite that they won. They get the Hawks on a back to back game as well so maybe they can sneak by them. Meanwhile they should sit Amir out till he is completely ready to roll.

[octothorp]

Yeah, I'm totally in favour of sitting Amir out tomorrow, which would give him an 11 game layoff through the all-star break.

Yesterday is the day when the players received in the Gay trade can be sent out again (in combination with other players... previously they could only be in single-player trades). About 9 days until the trade deadline. I'd prefer to keep Lowry, Ross, JV, and Patterson, and would only trade DeRozan if someone is paying all-star market value, but beyond that I'd be okay with anything Ujiri thinks will improve the team.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Yeah, I'm totally in favour of sitting Amir out tomorrow, which would give him an 11 game layoff through the all-star break.

Yesterday is the day when the players received in the Gay trade can be sent out again (in combination with other players... previously they could only be in single-player trades). About 9 days until the trade deadline. I'd prefer to keep Lowry, Ross, JV, and Patterson, and would only trade DeRozan if someone is paying all-star market value, but beyond that I'd be okay with anything Ujiri thinks will improve the team.

That does not leave much to move does it? Salmons and other fodder. Maybe the Knicks pick from 2016. Plus taking on some salary.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

That does not leave much to move does it? Salmons and other fodder. Maybe the Knicks pick from 2016. Plus taking on some salary.

Well, I think all of Amir, Salmons, Hayes, Hansbrough and Vasquez have some trade value, though none of these are going to give you a star, more likely it would be two teams trading pieces that don't exactly fit on their existing roster but might fit better on a new roster and system.

[Da_Chief]

Raptors interested in Rondo.

Don't like it. Lowry should be a priority right now + the cost to get Rondo will be big + highly doubt he sticks around when he becomes a UFA in 2015.

[Cheese]

ya agreed...2 unprotected first rounders for Rondo is a lot of coin when you dont know if you can lock him up. Just coming back from that achilles injury as well...Id take a big pass and re-sign Lowry.

[darklord700]

Rondo is over-rated. He can't shot and relies too much on his atheletic ability to succeed. He's a good dribbler and in this golden age of point guard he's value is not that high. Uriji won't be that dumb to give away 2 first round unprotected for him. If he plays for no name teams like the Bucks, he'll stock won't be too much higher than Lowry's now. But because he plays for the Celtics and had won a championship once with the big 3, he's attracting the attention he's getting now.

[St. Pats]

I think it's just a slipped rumor to increase trade talk on Lowry.

[Cheese]

The Toronto Raptors have reportedly acquired Nando De Colo from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Austin Daye.

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=444305

[Hockey_Ninja]

Crappy ending to a hard fought game. DeMar with another 30+ point game.

[kmart]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Crappy ending to a hard fought game. DeMar with another 30+ point game.

Losing the Patterson, Amir, and T Ross in overtime hurt the team today.

[Dauminator]

I would love to see that as a playoff series, that would be insane. No such thing as a good loss, but never hurts to get reminded that you cant make as many turnovers in a game (as they did) and always win.

[smoothpops]

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=444923

Ex GM Colangelo openly admits to tanking at the end of the 2001-2012 season, still ended up with the 8th pick (Ross).

[bluejays]

2 things. I'm shocked Colangelo actually admitted that considering he's such a politician. He must've known his GM days were over to be saying this. Secondly, I'm shocked he admitted Lillard was their target. Normally they'd say the player they got was the one they were targeting all along. The break up had to have been messy.