2022 Toronto Raptors Thread

[bluejays]

Starting a new thread in time for this offseason. A few thoughts leading to Thursday's draft.


1) If Lowry and DeRozan are contemplating heading to the Lakers, I hope the Raps stay away from any sign and trade. No point bringing in depth garbage to help the Lakers - let Lowry figure out his own contract benefits if it's the Lakers. With other teams I'm open to the S&T possibility.


2) Just based on skillset, Suggs seems like the solid pickup, but not the future superstar pickup. I'd be comfortable with it, but with today's rumor of Raptors interested in Jarrett Allen, the timing seems suspicious. If I were to guess is they're floating the rumor to give the impression they're going for Suggs, but I think they want Mobley. I really don't know what it would take but Cunningham looks like a stud, and it would be nice to get him somehow.


3) Though Masai should probably look to deal Siakam, I'm certain he won't. Athletically, the guy has the tools, but his confidence the past couple seasons has taken a serious hit, and I don't think he's the man to lead the team. Probably a great #2 or 3 on a team, but it looks like the Raps are all in on him in hopes it works out.


4) I hope the rumors that the Raps are trying to keep Masai, are true, and he signs soon. The team can't go the full year with this cloud hanging over them. Nobody knows what the holdup is, but I really hope ownership isn't playing total hardball with him - if it's partial ownership he's looking for, it's worth it, as he's more important than any player currently on the roster IMO.

[octothorp]

I'm really surprised that there's shaping up to be such a strong market for Lowry, and it's great for the Raptors. Still a chance that some team signs him into cap space, but the stronger the market is, the better the odds of the Raptors getting a S&T return. Like if a team like the Pelicans offers him 3 years at $30m, is Miami prepared to cut loose a lot of veteran free agents to match that sort of money?

Personally, I'm pretty high on Suggs. My main thing I'm looking for at the top of the draft is championship player archetypes, and (apart for offensive hubs with great size, like LeBron, Luca, potentially Cade), two-way elite PGs are one of the best. two-way big-men are also great which is why I'm also intrigued by Mobley, but I rank pure scoring SGs as a relatively weak and overrated archetype, and I'm lower on Green as a result.

If the Raptors draft Suggs and then acquire a good young C using some combination of Lowry/Boucher/Flynn/cap-space to acquire that C, I'll be really happy with that. Allen, Turner, Hayes, Achiuwa and Bagley are five guys I like, but if that sort of guy is unavailable, a second class of older, lower-upside bigs like Holmes or Noel should be gettable.

I'm skeptical on a Siakam trade. It needs to be on a similar scale as the Paul George package that OKC got. The rumoured GSW package is okay, and depending on who's there at #7 might be workable, but I haven't seen any other rumoured returns that make sense.

[bluejays]

The plot thickens. What’s the GS rumour for Siakam?

[octothorp]

The GS rumour is based around #7/#14/Wiseman/Wiggins for Siakam, with different people reporting different combinations of that. Supposedly Curry, Thompson, and Green went to GSW management and stated that they wanted to see a trade for either Siakam or Beal. Supposedly #7 and Wiseman are the assets that GSW feels are expendable. Wiggins would need to be included for salary-matching. Hollinger first connected the dots on that a couple weeks ago, and it's hard to tell since then what is coming from an additional source, or what is another pundit just parroting Hollinger and trying to pass it off as a new scoop.

[The Big Chill]

This could be a very interesting draft for the Raptors. Even if they stay put and just pick Suggs/Mobley it will be exciting. Both plug a huge hole and are supposed to be pretty damn good.

[octothorp]

And the Pelicans just trade Adams, Bledsoe, and the #10 pick for JV and #17. Fantastic trade for them... massively clears their books, gives them a better C, and gives them a real shot at a free agent run at Lowry.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Happy for Kyle that there appears to be a genuine bidding war for him, he is going to get paid. Also glad the Raps kept him simply for the S&T possibilities instead of taking the trash Heat/Sixers/Lakers offers. As for the Siakam rumour I think it's coming from the GS side, even though Siakam's value is not what it would have been after the ring he's still worth more than the Warriors offer, although there aren't many logical landing spots to get the kind of package that would be fair.

[devo22]

don't get this from Memphis' perspective at all. Take on two bad contracts and trade the best player in the deal just to move up 7 spots?!

great deal for the Pelicans.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Might as well start the countdown to Morant leaving lol.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by octothorp

The GS rumour is based around #7/#14/Wiseman/Wiggins for Siakam, with different people reporting different combinations of that. Supposedly Curry, Thompson, and Green went to GSW management and stated that they wanted to see a trade for either Siakam or Beal. Supposedly #7 and Wiseman are the assets that GSW feels are expendable. Wiggins would need to be included for salary-matching. Hollinger first connected the dots on that a couple weeks ago, and it's hard to tell since then what is coming from an additional source, or what is another pundit just parroting Hollinger and trying to pass it off as a new scoop.

Given this years draft, I’d be inclined to take the Wiseman and the number 7. The seven will get you a player who potentially has about the same upside as Siakam. Again, I think Siakam is Masai’s pet project so I don’t think they’d be inclined to do it, but this year I’m intrigued as you could likely find a star player at 7.

Would be nice if JV could come back to Toronto in a flip.

[Harry Lime]

I've only been doing a little reading, but if the Siakam trade came to fruition and the Raps drafted Suggs and Barnes in #4 and #7, that would really set them up for the future. Interesting offseason.

[bluejays]

Can't say I'm a huge fan of company man Doug Smith, but I think he does a really good breakdown of what each of the picks could mean for the Raptors on today's blog. Normally he plays the executive too much and always sides with what the team does, no matter what, year in and out. This wasn't that type of article and he articulates the possible selections well.



https://www.thestar.com/sports/rapto...mplicated.html

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by octothorp

The GS rumour is based around #7/#14/Wiseman/Wiggins for Siakam, with different people reporting different combinations of that. Supposedly Curry, Thompson, and Green went to GSW management and stated that they wanted to see a trade for either Siakam or Beal. Supposedly #7 and Wiseman are the assets that GSW feels are expendable. Wiggins would need to be included for salary-matching. Hollinger first connected the dots on that a couple weeks ago, and it's hard to tell since then what is coming from an additional source, or what is another pundit just parroting Hollinger and trying to pass it off as a new scoop.

Could you conceivably trade 4, 7 and 14 for 2 and get Jalen Green?

That’s the guy who explodes off the screen to me - a true superstar.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Hearing all of the top prospects in the draft talking about how great the Raptors are at player development is wonderful to hear. Surely giving them a leg up for getting UDFA's, but it also shows just how respect the franchise is amongst the basketball universe.

[octothorp]

Oh, one Raptors tidbit I don't think was talked about is a couple assistant coach acquisitions:

Earl Watson, former Suns HC and a great developmental coach. Seems like a really nice potential development coach for Suggs or Green in particular, as he did great things for Booker's development.

Maybe more intriguingly, they also hired Trevor Gleeson from the Australian NBL. A five-time championship winner and two-time CotY winner there, and really admired as an innovative X's-and-O's guy.

This goes along with Jama Mamalelah leaving for GSW to head up their development program.

[corporatejay]

Wiggins is a negative asset so you gotta pay Toronto to take him.

7/14 and Wiseman for siakim would be great. Draft a G and a forward with 4 and 7.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I suppose "you miss all of the shots you don't take" applies here, but this is some elite level delusion.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1420458320897445888

[Da_Chief]

I wonder if Pop is still laughing at that ask...ridiculous. Heard the Raptors are interested too and possibly dangle the 4th overall, NO to that I say.

[SebC]

They asked Toronto for Lowry + Fred + OG + 4th overall pick... so yeah.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I totally missed that Raptors proposal, man Morey is absolutely off his rocker if he thinks Ben Simmons is viewed as a top 10 player in the league.