Norman Powell did ok defending Lebron. CJ Miles might have to take a turn. And throw Derozan at him for short spurts. Can't out power Lebron but might be able to bother him with smaller quicker defenders.
2016/17 Toronto Raptors Season Thread !!
- Thread starter raptorizedguy
- Start date
Nobody can contain Lebron. Tucker would have been the best bet, but he's gone, so the next best option is an undersized Powell.
I've been to a lot of 905 games and watched Bruno's development. He's still not ready for the NBA, he plays like an average D-League (now G-League) player. When half of his D-League teammates who don't have NBA contracts are better than him, you know there's a problem. Bebe is also not an NBA player, and is better suited for the D-League. When Delon Wright played on the 905 he absolutely dominated the games, and so did Powell who eventually became a Raptors starter. VanVleet, Siakam, and Poetl were also dominant when they played on the 905, so you know they're ready for the NBA.
The Raptors need to stop wasting their time trying to develop Bruno, he's already entering his 4th year in the NBA, and OG, who is a rookie, is already more NBA ready than him. Masai needs to ship out Bruno and Bebe before the season starts.
Bruno........ is he here because Masai surprised the world when he drafted him, and Masai wants to prove he was right and everyone else was wrong? Seems to me Coangelo had the same problem with Bargnani.
At least Bargnani was tradable! Bruno is still young but he just never seems to get any closer to being an NBA player, send him to Europe and see if he can outlast Bennett,(speaking of draft mistakes!)
Bebe doesn't really seem ready either. He needs to get mean and lose that grin! The wingspan is there, he can block shots, if he put on some muscle he would be a better rebounder, and he has to shoot and hit a more often. He just does not seem to want it bad enough that he will give that extra effort. He was given the opportunity last year and ended up back on the pine. Bruno usually gets a chair behind the bench. Have to get bench players that the coach has some confidence in or it is going to be a long season.
Where is this team going? Not sure what we're trying to accomplish just bringing back Lowry and Ibaka at high prices.
Having said that, I don't know if letting them go was a good idea either. I hope Masai makes some more moves.
Think this team wins 50 next year? The East is so bad they probably will.
Having said that, I don't know if letting them go was a good idea either. I hope Masai makes some more moves.
Think this team wins 50 next year? The East is so bad they probably will.
I feel the same way, Bruno is to Masai as what Bargnani was to Colangelo. They both have too much pride to admit they were wrong in their picks, so they just stick with a failing player year after year in the hopes that one day Bruno will be the next KD, and that Bargnani would be the next Nowitzki. I wish Masai can just admit he was wrong and ship him out already. He's just not an NBA player and never will be.
The current team is halfway between a rebuild and being a contender. You have proven veterans in DeMar, Lowry, Ibaka and Miles, but the rest of the team is 25 and under. If I were Masai I would trade our big 3 plus JV and start the rebuild this year. Right now you can get incredible young talent for DeMar and Lowry (maybe someone like Towns, Simmons, Fultz?), which would give the Raptors a good 3 years to develop their talent in order to have a chance at getting to the finals in a weak Eastern Conference once Lebron is over 35 and not as dominant. Everyone knows that this current team is not capable of getting to the finals, or even the Eastern Conference Finals. Masai knows this too, but I'm guessing that he was given orders by MLSE to keep this team competitive in order to keep the seats filled. Kyle will be 32 next year and if I had to make one prediction for the coming year it would be that this is the year that he will begin his precipitous decline. Once a PG loses his quickness, his career is over.
Here's a pretty damning article on JV and why the Raptors have unsuccessfully tried to trade him since February. It looks like we're stuck with him because no other team in the league wants him.
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/new...l-patrick-patterson/vjcnx6clh5ft17vq8fd82u8ha
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/new...l-patrick-patterson/vjcnx6clh5ft17vq8fd82u8ha
very interesting article! I hope JV reads it as it might be what he needs to motivate him. I still believe he can play if he wants to. I like the outside shot he began to put up last year and if he works on it could be hitting the occasional 3. He has to believe that every game and every play within that game matters and requires 100% effort, to date he has not got that message. AND no matter what he does he will still be slow!JamesDouglas[B said:
In defense of JV ... Since he got in the NBA they have asked him to bulk up and work on his post game but in the new NBA it seems the centre position has changed . Although his defense still isn't where it is supposed to be at this stage of his career ..
Think this whole JV saga is an overreaction. He is one of the best pick-and-roll players in the NBA efficiency-wise. The problem is Casey needs to take the reigns and run pick-and-rolls specially for JV.
This is a far more efficient way of running a offense. Wish the Raptors brought Jay Triano back as a offensive consultant. He understands the game so well and knows when to defer to pick and roll spots.mm
This is a far more efficient way of running a offense. Wish the Raptors brought Jay Triano back as a offensive consultant. He understands the game so well and knows when to defer to pick and roll spots.mm
Totally agree with the last 4 posts. I hope all this press motivates JV. He could use a good shake like James Johnson got in Miami. Damn I wish he was still here, and someone pushed him here like Riley did in Miami. He'd be our Lebron Defender.
If we don't trade JV this might be his put up or get out year. JJ got into shape and so did Lowry. It's JVs turn.
If we don't trade JV this might be his put up or get out year. JJ got into shape and so did Lowry. It's JVs turn.
Oh god Jay .. Really ? The guy who has a bunch of NBA players playing for him for Canada but has yet as a head coach got them to a major tournament .
Yes, really. People's strengths are different. You may be right about Jay Triano as a coach.
However, he is brilliant at drawing up set plays and one of the best at getting his team's to execute out of timeouts on the offensive end. Being a successful coach entails much more than this. There are many more hats you need to wear.
It's just like in the business world. You may have great staff who are technically very competent yet put them in a management position and they don't exhibit the same success.
As an offensive consultant he would fit the Raptors very well.
I respect your opinion and as an assistant he maybe great ( I will give you that ) but as a Head Coach he is a disaster ...
Steven Jackson on Carol
“DeMarre Carroll, why are you even talking? If anyone passes you the ball you should be happy. Play defense. You’re Bruce Bowen. Just go in the corner and shoot threes and be happy. You shouldn’t even have an input, you’re not good! You can shoot threes in the corner. He’s not good enough to have an opinion. He’s not. Everybody has a voice in the NBA now. He’s not going to take a team to the playoffs. He’s not a guy that shouldn’t even start actually.
“DeMarre Carroll, why are you even talking? If anyone passes you the ball you should be happy. Play defense. You’re Bruce Bowen. Just go in the corner and shoot threes and be happy. You shouldn’t even have an input, you’re not good! You can shoot threes in the corner. He’s not good enough to have an opinion. He’s not. Everybody has a voice in the NBA now. He’s not going to take a team to the playoffs. He’s not a guy that shouldn’t even start actually.
Triano was a complete disaster as Raptors head coach. He couldn't design a free throw! The friggin' players ran him.
