Dick_Pole

I haven't said anything of that nature in months. IIRC last time I made mention of that was around the Pillar trade, notably when Jim started shutting the hell up about trading him. Notice how that pattern of conversation works? You can make a comment about it without lamenting that the team's GM is an idiot in every post. The Jays are on pace for 100ish losses in an environment where wins could have been picked up easily and efficiently on the free agent market. We all know Atkins is an idiot.

Giles 5 year extension announced tomorrow. The tank team in here cries more tears than purple haired libtards on November 9, 2016.

How many times are you going to post this same s*****, paranoid idea in this thread?

Philly has a bunch of loud-ass fans who trusted the process and still do. The only reason that series took seven games and every inch of Kawhi's soul is that the team played like s*** that series. There is something dementedly wrong with a player who cannot shoot a three pointer when even us plebs posting in this forum could take an uncontested shot from 24 feet away and maybe have a 10% chance of getting it in. With the exception of connor and BTS who I don't expect have the upper body strength to physically toss a basketball more than 10 feet. EDIT: And something wrong with a team that puts up with his s***.

The victory lap is definitely the right way to go. You want to protect the franchise brand as a winner. If someone offers multiple unprotected picks for Lowry, sure trade him (that won't happen though). But don't trade him or Gasol just for trading's sake. I don't see how this is much of a punting anyways. People assume a first or second round exit but this is essentially the same team as two years ago, minus DeRozan. And his ability to draw fouls has been more than replaced by Siakam's increased actual scoring ability. Defense is much tighter with a coach who knows how to coach defensively, not just say he does. This team hasn't lost a playoff series to a non-Lebron team in four seasons. Other than the Bucks, who has the clear edge against the Raptors? Maybe Nets depending if/when/how Durant returns. And this is not me being a homer. I count seven West teams that could probably beat the Raptors in a seven game series. This is a commentary on how s***** the east is. Assuming the Bucks take one EC final spot, the second one is wide open to five teams with the Raptors being one of them. Why punt that scenario?

Trade Stroman to a place where you know he will hate it, like Minnesota, and resign him in two years when the Jays are ready to compete. Since he loves it here so much. Only so many city tattoos he can get. If he gets traded to the Yankees I can see him retiring there. That solves everyone's problem between the people who want to trade him and those who want him to sign an extension. This is of course based on the assumption that signing him to a 5 year deal is worth the risk heading into his 30's.

LOL Lakers. Yeah what can go wrong putting a 6'8" 250 pound 35 year old at PG. There must have been some major ego stroking getting him to think how many triple doubles he can line up.

I really like that Stanley Johnson signing. That has the possibility to be a massive get if the Raptors can improve his offensive game.

FVV's value was on his defense, not on his lucky 3's streak. I do agree that Siakam might have a harder path to stardom this year over last. He's basically the #1 guy next year and unquestionably the #1 guy after that unless another big move is made.

LMAO. Even if the Raptors trade Lowry this is still a playoff team in the east. The east is absolutely trash and somehow managed to get even worse. Raptors drop to 25-1 to win the Championship. Ouch, but still tied for 10th best in the league with the Nets and Pacers. GSW has a ton of value here. If you're the type to make a bet that's going to take 11 months to pay off.

Saw that earlier. Best meme on this yet.

Connor, I hope your rent-a-bride holds off from calling her Russian sleeper agents to kill you and steal your identity just long enough so you can see Giannis sign with Toronto and you have massive egg on your face.

Yeah I think that's ********. Even with Siakam involved, no way do the Raptors have the pieces to get BOTH of those guys. OKC isn't the Ottawa Senators.

Raptors are still a top 4 EC team with a chance at a second round in the playoffs. Better than Miami that just added a big FA. This is not the time to blow it up, but keep together a somewhat zombie year and prepare for the next two when there is some cap space to play with. Plus with the coaching and defense who knows if this team can outperform. Siakam, FVV massively improved their games. Powell is sometimes useful. Anunoby hopefully bounces back. Gasol > JV for at least another year. Last thing you wanna do is blow this thing up and lose the Raptors momentum and recent history as a consistent winner. Why did the Jays sign Molitor, Morris, Winfield etc in the early 90's despite being in the dreaded foreign country? Because those players always saw the Jays as a winning and classy franchise all through the 80's while their s***** teams got walloped by them every year. Take the 45-50 win season, take the first or second round exit and reconvene next season. Don't become the Atlanta Hawks. Unless there is an absolute steal of a deal for Lowry or Gasol, they stay put. I don't want any Ross Atkins moves here.

Jim will you stop masturbating to the possibility of the worst Jays team since 1979? No one wants to see either of those things. I'm personally hoping for a 1998, where the team went on a huge run after all the vets were traded and that year was looked on fondly as the team's best since the World Series years until 2015. Dug way too far of a hole this year to compete with 1998's win total, but 75+ wins would be nice.

I'm still feeling sore from the Devon Travis fap articles/analysis during his rookie season and what could have been. I refuse to get excited over this guy until I know he can play more than 10 games a year.

At least Smith's face has created some good memes.

Never mind him, that Skip Bayliss is an insufferable, salty turd. Hey Kawhi, you should have made your decision weeks ago so you could sign like Durant did. Forget the fact that you have months before camp starts and that your top three options are still available to you. Oh, and you hurt the Clippers' feelings.

Kawhi staying in Canada confirmed by the man himself:

What is there to fix? It's a popularity contest driven by fans who want to see what they want to see. Not every baseball fan fits the mold of a 30 year old message board posting advanced stat geek.

Maybe, but there is a 0% chance this is happening as he gives zero shits about this, even if he had a personality that gave a s*** about meaningless sentimental things. Incredible how after a year here and some success everyone wants the guy to be an honorary Canadian. As far as targeting other FA, the team's payroll is at its limit. Next year and thereafter there will be a ton of breathing space but the main goal now should be trying to keep as much of the team together as possible. Which means 99% Leonard, 1% Green and an infinitesimally small number for the rest of the spare parts.

Oh I'm aware and I don't care. He's the one who looks like an idiot, basically repeating what I said about the free agent moves so far, on top of the laughs we already have at his expense for his weak political views. Britain sucks.

I'd do it for a one game ceremonial retirement. Give him 10 minutes on the floor in a meaningless at the end of the season. Then again, if you're going to make such an effort for Vince, a man who spent the bulk of his career not in a Raptors uniform, you might as well do that with hundreds of players across all major leagues. I know that Vince Carter holds some special bond to our team as a young franchise that has mostly sucked in its history, but in the grand scheme of things, Vince Carter's Raptors career isn't anything that particularly special or noteworthy. The comparable is probably Roberto Alomar and he won twice in this city and had truly memorable moments that people outside of the Toronto sports scene might recall. Vince Carter had some sweet looking dunks which make up two points of a 100 point game.

I'm liking how the FA musical chairs are panning out so far. Boston is slightly weaker Philadelphia is slightly weaker Brooklyn is better but not a threat as what Boston was supposed to be in the EC heading into 2018-19 season Miami is still irrelevant LOL Knicks I don't get Miami's thinking here. Just delaying the inevitable rebuild that must take place there. Guess they took one look at attendance figures of other sports teams in the area and realize their future if they do one. Also this, lol

The consensus right now if he re-signs is a 2-year deal with the second year being a player option. If I'm the Raptors I like that deal even better than 5 years guaranteed.