NBA 2019 Off-Season Thread

[Strange Brew]

What a wacky league. You just win a championship and now you have to try and acquire a certain player to keep your star player from leaving.

The NBA is simply a playground for it’s stars. And apparently never been more popular.

[dino7c]

Well it was a fun year...back to the NBA being a complete joke and the Raptors have zero chance to win. Ah well they got their one and only championship.

[browna]

Yeah a Lowry trade would be interesting. Uraji has the stones to do it but the return would be underwhelming to the fans, as Lowry would be a second tier star, and won’t be popular anywhere else as he is in Toronto.

It would be a clear out of salary to take a run at a legit tandem next offseason. But with Lowry’s now-legacy, and all that comes with it for a fan base smarting from losing Leonard, it would give Uraji a bit more pause before he pulls the trigger.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Why do you keep calling him Uraji?

[jayswin]

lol

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Well it was a fun year...back to the NBA being a complete joke and the Raptors have zero chance to win. Ah well they got their one and only championship.

This is exactly what people said all season long, all the way to the finals.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This is exactly what people said all season long, all the way to the finals.

No it isn't. The Raptors were a legit contender all year, are we talking about the same team?!

What the Raptors were said to have no chance in was winning the title over the Warriors. That changed with injuries. The Raptors will legitimately have no chance at a title next season.

The NBA is not a league where a bubble playoff team could go all the way. Stars mean too much, and 4 or 5 teams have multiple super stars. Not sure why you'd compare the Championship Raptors team that was supposed to be at or close to where they were when they started the finals to this upcoming team.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Well it was a fun year...back to the NBA being a complete joke and the Raptors have zero chance to win. Ah well they got their one and only championship.

Next year is looking like the most wide open year in recent NBA history (past 30 years at least). This year became wide open in mid-May when Durant got hurt, otherwise the Raps would have been swept.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Well it was a fun year...back to the NBA being a complete joke and the Raptors have zero chance to win. Ah well they got their one and only championship.

The league is more fun than ever! Star players are constantly moving, super teams forming and imploding, dynasties ending, free agency drama. It's all great entertainment.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by jayswin

No it isn't. The Raptors were a legit contender all year, are we talking about the same team?!

What the Raptors were said to have no chance in was winning the title over the Warriors. That changed with injuries. The Raptors will legitimately have no chance at a title next season.

The NBA is not a league where a bubble playoff team could go all the way. Stars mean too much, and 4 or 5 teams have multiple super stars. Not sure why you'd compare the Championship Raptors team that was supposed to be at or close to where they were when they started the finals to this upcoming team.

I can look through this thread and find dozens of posts from a myriad of posters saying the Raptors has no chance to win the title. Even all the way through the playoffs.

But this time you really mean it?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I can look through this thread and find dozens of posts from a myriad of posters saying the Raptors has no chance to win the title. Even all the way through the playoffs.

But this time you really mean it?

Are you suggesting they can win it all next season? It was an extremely unique situation that brought a top three player to TO for one season. Even with him the stars needed to align with bounces and injuries to the opposition.

As a Raptors only basketball fan the league is back to being pointless. Raptors have zero chance of winning it all so what's the point? It's not like hockey where underdogs win.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Are you suggesting they can win it all next season? It was an extremely unique situation that brought a top three player to TO for one season. Even with him the stars needed to align with bounces and injuries to the opposition.

As a Raptors only basketball fan the league is back to being pointless. Raptors have zero chance of winning it all so what's the point? It's not like hockey where underdogs win.

Ok bandwagoner... next season is going to be one of the most exciting ones in the past 15 years. Way more exciting than what the NHL has to offer.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Are you suggesting they can win it all next season? It was an extremely unique situation that brought a top three player to TO for one season. Even with him the stars needed to align with bounces and injuries to the opposition.

As a Raptors only basketball fan the league is back to being pointless. Raptors have zero chance of winning it all so what's the point? It's not like hockey where underdogs win.

Like I said, it’s the same refrain from last year. I just don’t get the point of complaining about your team having no chance.

Winning it all isn’t supposed to be easy.

This is shaping up to be an incredible season.

[Johnny Makarov]

Raps have the same odds as the Kings to win the ship next year at 80-1. LOL Pretty sure that will be the highest odds of all time for a defending champ.
Having the Spurs, Pacers and Mavericks ahead of them is pretty ridiculous though.
I'm hoping for a Bucks win next year, and that the Lakers take out the Clippers.

2019-20 NBA Championship updated

LAC 3/1
Mil 9/2
LAL 5/1
Phi 8/1
GS, Hou 12/1
Den, Uta 14/1
Bos 25/1
Por 30/1
Bkn, Ind, Mia 40/1
Dal, SAS 50/1
Tor, Sac 80/1
OKC, Orl 100/1
NO, NYK, Atl, Chi 200/1
Det, Min, Mem, Phx 300/1
Cha, Wsh, Cle 1000/1

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Raps have the same odds as the Kings to win the ship next year at 80-1. LOL Pretty sure that will be the highest odds of all time for a defending champ.
Having the Spurs, Pacers and Mavericks ahead of them is pretty ridiculous though.
I'm hoping for a Bucks win next year, and that the Lakers take out the Clippers.

2019-20 NBA Championship updated

LAC 3/1
Mil 9/2
LAL 5/1
Phi 8/1
GS, Hou 12/1
Den, Uta 14/1
Bos 25/1
Por 30/1
Bkn, Ind, Mia 40/1
Dal, SAS 50/1
Tor, Sac 80/1
OKC, Orl 100/1
NO, NYK, Atl, Chi 200/1
Det, Min, Mem, Phx 300/1
Cha, Wsh, Cle 1000/1

Lol exactly my point... defending champs with some of the worst odds. No chance so why bother.

One of the top 3-5 teams is winning...the rest is pointless. If you find that exciting then great...enjoy

[jayswin]

Yeah, Strangebrew's take that anything can happen is just bizarre considering how the NBA works. Anything can happen if you're a contender and injuries happen to the league's superteam (this year with Raptors).

But even with a much more open league this season you're either a team with a shot or you're not. The Raptors are now not. To equate this year's Raptors with last year's Raptors is crazy. There is a rounding error shot of winning.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Lol exactly my point... defending champs with some of the worst odds. No chance so why bother.

One of the top 3-5 teams is winning...the rest is pointless. If you find that exciting then great...enjoy

Bet 365 has them at 25-1

Point stands , unless Siakam turns into a top 5 player they don’t have a realistic chance this year. But that was the plan. All the salaries come off the books this year. They may be able to move guys on expiring at the deadline as well for some assets as well

[jayswin]

Yeah, that's the one thing that makes this year easier and kind of exciting (in a depressing kind of way as we were so close to having a contender for years to come). What should have happened is we had no Kawhi and started rebuilding this season.

Instead we got a championship and are doing the same thing anyways, minus one tradeable asset in DeRozan. I'd say that's worth "the trade".

[dino7c]

Kawhi convinced a player with two years left on his deal to ask for a trade and then told another team to go get that player and he would sign with them...I mean its pretty insane

I feel like we were strung along a bit the last week and maybe I'm a little butt hurt...great ride but honestly nobody but the hard cores are gonna be watching the Raps next season which is a shame after the past couple months.

Better to have loved and lost I guess

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Kawhi convinced a player with two years left on his deal to ask for a trade and then told another team to go get that player and he would sign with them...I mean its pretty insane

I feel like we were strung along a bit the last week and maybe I'm a little butt hurt...great ride but honestly nobody but the hard cores are gonna be watching the Raps next season which is a shame after the past couple months.

Better to have loved and lost I guess

This is kind of it for me really.

There are A LOT of NBA organizations that have still never won a championship that have been around a lot longer than the Raptors. Utah Jazz have been around since 1974, no championship. Ya I guess it kinda sucks that they wont be that competitive next year but I really don't give a ####. I'll watch them and enjoy them and know that I got to witness something incredible this past season that I might never witness ever again.