Toronto Raptors have gone from Tanking to Spending . Raptors offseason

[frankcastle]

Toronto was 12 games behind Philly in 8th place.

13 games away from New York in 7th

14 away from Orlando

It's tough to asses how the Raps will do as it would be foolish to assume that all those teams will be the exact same next year. Maybe they will be better maybe they will be worse.

If Howard leaves Orlando that would help the Raptors but this is also assume that the Raptor players stay the same or improve and that the new players make a difference.

Are the Raps ready to make the jump to plus 500 ball? Who knows? But 500+ is a long ways from 348.

 

[Casa_Nova]

Injury wise the Raps got it bad last year. At one point I had no idea who they had on the floor starting the games

Assuming they go with the rotation of Lowry, Fields, DeRozan, Bargnani, and Valanciunas...Bench unit of Calderon, the 2 Johnsons, Davis etc, it could be an interesting young team. I don't believe Colangelo is done set so we'll see what the opening day roster will look like.

 

[Ironhead]

Toronto Raptors have gone from Tanking to Spending

And now back to tanking ?

Raptors get their PG . Rockets Lowry . Some preferred him over Nash .

Maybe not.
I do not want to get excited yet, but the playoffs look like a real possibility this coming season.

Dare I say it ... Toronto Raptors in the 2013 playoffs.
Go Raps !

 

[Babypowder]

the seasons over the heat have ray allen. 2013 champs

 

[wonkyknee]

the seasons over the heat have ray allen. 2013 champs

Even if D12 ends up in LALA land?

 

[frankcastle]

the seasons over the heat have ray allen. 2013 champs

Ray Allen was not playing that consistantly in the playoffs and at times looked like he was struggling with his outside shot. An improvement over mike miller but not that big of a boost to the team.

Points, FG%, 3pt%, FT% were all well under his season and career averages.

11 points, 40% FG, 30% 3pt, 70% ft for the playoffs is not really exciting numbers.

 

[Babypowder]

Ray Allen was struggling during the playoffs. but he was top 5 in 3pt% and had his highest career %3pt during the regular season this year. having him on the floor will definitely open paint alot. and also having lebron and wade will allow him to get even more wide open looks. also after the playoffs Ray had surgery to remove the bone spurs in his ankle that were troubling him.

 

[frankcastle]

Ray Allen was struggling during the playoffs. but he was top 5 in 3pt% and had his highest career %3pt during the regular season this year. having him on the floor will definitely open paint alot. and also having lebron and wade will allow him to get even more wide open looks. also after the playoffs Ray had surgery to remove the bone spurs in his ankle that were troubling him.

sure if he can bounce back to regular season form yes he is a good addition. but we all know that people bounce back from surgeries slower with age and at this point he is just a 3pt specialist. IF that's waht the team wants there must be cheaper guys who can camp behind the line and jack threes. Chances are their defense won't be much worse that Ray's. not saying he was horrible at defense just that it's not a standout part of his game.

 

[Bargnani_]

Just want to mention that while most draftees are doing nothing right now . Jonas is playing for his country this week and trying to get his county to the Olympics . Today he got 10 points and 5 boards against Nigeria .

Jonas in a must win semi final game came up huge with 17 points . He is off to the Olympics . Congrats

More Details



Jonas : 17 points (6/9 FG ; 5/6 FT); 7 rebounds; 3 TO's in 26 minutes

 

[Casa_Nova]

sure if he can bounce back to regular season form yes he is a good addition. but we all know that people bounce back from surgeries slower with age and at this point he is just a 3pt specialist. IF that's waht the team wants there must be cheaper guys who can camp behind the line and jack threes. Chances are their defense won't be much worse that Ray's. not saying he was horrible at defense just that it's not a standout part of his game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--heat-gave-ray-allen-reason-to-again-feel-wanted.html

Interesting read on the Allen to Heat situation.

If these are indeed the reasons why Allen left, and being the machines that he is - I don't see him slowing down one bit. It'll make the Heat vs. Celtics game mighty interesting to watch...

 

[frankcastle]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--heat-gave-ray-allen-reason-to-again-feel-wanted.html

Interesting read on the Allen to Heat situation.

If these are indeed the reasons why Allen left, and being the machines that he is - I don't see him slowing down one bit. It'll make the Heat vs. Celtics game mighty interesting to watch...

So he left because he was used as trade bait? Come on. Trades are part of the business. At 37 and being in the league this long he should be more humble and know that at his point in his career he is expendable. Just as he looks out for his own interests so does the team. If there is a younger player who can extend the life of the team or a player who can help them win now then he should expect to be gone.

As for not getting along with other players. I get that. But those two reasons don't sound that strong to me.

In the end he took less money to be on a team that he thought would have a better chance of winning. and he's probably right Lebron, Wade, Bosh, plus not Ray allen is a good combo.

I hate articles where they try and build up more drama then there really is. Bottomline Ray decided that he had a better chance of winning in Miami and at this point in his career clearly that is what he wants more than money.

 

[JamesDouglas]

Nobody can say that Ray Allen is greedy, he took much less money in Miami than he would have gotten in Boston. He did, however, lose his chance of getting his jersey retired in Boston, and will definitely get booed once he plays the Celtics next year. It wouldn't be as painful to Celtics' fans if he went to any other team in the league, except the Lakers, but the fact that he went to the Heat, their biggest rival the past few years is tough to swallow. There'd be absolutely no hard feelings if he went to another contender like the Thunder or Clippers, for example.

 

[wonkyknee]

Can't help but think that Jason Terry has been a much more clutch player than Allen over the last few years. His shooting % isn't as great for sure, BUT it increases dramatically in the playoffs when he is even more feared...in fact he shot 50% from 3pt land in the playoffs. Celtics just have to make the playoffs, then JT will go on a tear....Rondo improves every year. Garnett and Pierce will do their thing.....and trade season isn't over. Cetics will get over the loss of Allen and yes the rivalry will be exciting.

So he left because he was used as trade bait? Come on. Trades are part of the business. At 37 and being in the league this long he should be more humble and know that at his point in his career he is expendable. Just as he looks out for his own interests so does the team. If there is a younger player who can extend the life of the team or a player who can help them win now then he should expect to be gone.

As for not getting along with other players. I get that. But those two reasons don't sound that strong to me.

In the end he took less money to be on a team that he thought would have a better chance of winning. and he's probably right Lebron, Wade, Bosh, plus not Ray allen is a good combo.

I hate articles where they try and build up more drama then there really is. Bottomline Ray decided that he had a better chance of winning in Miami and at this point in his career clearly that is what he wants more than money.

 

[Bargnani_]

Nobody can say that Ray Allen is greedy, he took much less money in Miami than he would have gotten in Boston. He did, however, lose his chance of getting his jersey retired in Boston, and will definitely get booed once he plays the Celtics next year. It wouldn't be as painful to Celtics' fans if he went to any other team in the league, except the Lakers, but the fact that he went to the Heat, their biggest rival the past few years is tough to swallow. There'd be absolutely no hard feelings if he went to another contender like the Thunder or Clippers, for example.

Isn't their no state tax in the state of Floridia .

 

[frankcastle]

I think you guys pointed out the most important thing is that it will make for good basketball. Now Celtics, Cavs and Raptors fans have reasons to hate the heat.

 

[thewalker]

I think you guys pointed out the most important thing is that it will make for good basketball. Now Celtics, Cavs and Raptors fans have reasons to hate the heat.

No fan needs a reason to hate the Heat. They are the Darth Vader of the NBA. Pat Riley is the Emperor.

 

[mur11]

No fan needs a reason to hate the Heat. They are the Darth Vader of the NBA. Pat Riley is the Emperor.

Does that make LeBron James Darth Vader? And Erik Spoelstra Grand Moff Tarkin?

 

[Dawgger]

Colengelo is spending again .

Ersan Ilyasova

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/2767/ersan-ilyasova

He is 25 and had a break through year last year. Against Toronto he avg 25 pts 13 boards in two games last year . He actually was Eastern Conference Player of the week .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M9q6VHzD0Y

I like this pickup a lot. If we get Ilyasova we will be a much improved team. As much as I like Nash he isn't a fit here for a rebuild.

What makes you think Ilyasova Is coming here? All I see is he is about to resign with the Bucks!

 

[JamesDouglas]

I think you guys pointed out the most important thing is that it will make for good basketball. Now Celtics, Cavs and Raptors fans have reasons to hate the heat.

Ray Allen joined the dark side, Darth Vader (Pat Riley) suckered him in with endless promises of championships, being a starter, never being traded and copious amounts of sex with the local latina talent.

 

[Babypowder]

I doubt he would be a starter. he would probably come off the bench for dwyane wade.