(Quick) When enemies are friends: Trail Blazers-Raptors matchup has ties that bond

[Orion Bailey]

Where did I say I would trade Vonleh first over Leonard? I don't think Vonleh should be starting. I think we need a veteran power forward who can score. Not everybody on the team needs to be 25. We're the third youngest team in the league. It's good to have some vets mixed in.

Where did I say you said you would trade Vonleh?

What your saying we need though will require a trade, will it not? Your adamant about not being able to sign a star in free agency and we dont have a pick(another project) and you want a vet. So who do you give up for him? You think Leonard gets us that vet? It will take a combination of our players which will kill the team chemistry.

What Im saying is we DON'T need to trade for another star because our youngs are still playing. Yes I know its good to have a couple vets on a young team, but we already have them. No the team doesn't all need to be 25 and they arent. So i'm missing your premise.

The only way I see us bring ing in a star player is in free agency. We have the money and we dont want to squash our current chemistry.

 

[Natebishop3]

I would pay good money to watch BGD and Strenuus rap battle.

 

[Natebishop3]

Where did I say you said you would trade Vonleh?

What your saying we need though will require a trade, will it not? Your adamant about not being able to sign a star in free agency and we dont have a pick(another project) and you want a vet. So who do you give up for him? You think Leonard gets us that vet? It will take a combination of our players which will kill the team chemistry.

What Im saying is we DON'T need to trade for another star because our youngs are still playing. Yes I know its good to have a couple vets on a young team, but we already have them. No the team doesn't all need to be 25 and they arent. So i'm missing your premise.

The only way I see us bring ing in a star player is in free agency. We have the money and we dont want to squash our current chemistry.

The whole premise is that we go out and sign DeRozan because he is close with Dame and Davis. That would essentially eat up all our cap space. I think we would also match on Harkless, Crabbe, and Leonard. I think Hendo and Kaman are gone, so that's most of our veteran leadership right there. I would try to trade Aminu/Leonard for a veteran. Or if the market for Harkless has strengthened, I'd keep Aminu and move Harkless. I like Aminu off the bench a lot more than I like him as a starter.

I think we have enough depth that we can move a couple guys for a veteran. I think this team could contend if we add a couple more pieces. Anderson would be a good pickup. He's only 27 and he would fit Stotts' system perfectly.

 

[Draco]

Where did I say I would trade Vonleh first over Leonard? I don't think Vonleh should be starting. I think we need a veteran power forward who can score. Not everybody on the team needs to be 25. We're the third youngest team in the league. It's good to have some vets mixed in.

Vonlehs defense has been good, he has a respectable jumper. If we had DeRozen at SF we could play Aminu/Harkless at PF.

I wouldn't be against another PF but he would need to be a better than average defender plus have a jump shot. Then he'd have to be content with less minutes if Vonleh/Amunu/Harkless take some.

All together that makes for a very small set of criteria. Might be better to just roll with what we have. Remember 13 months ago many fans thought CJ was a lost cause.

 

[Draco]

The whole premise is that we go out and sign DeRozan because he is close with Dame and Davis. That would essentially eat up all our cap space. I think we would also match on Harkless, Crabbe, and Leonard. I think Hendo and Kaman are gone, so that's most of our veteran leadership right there. I would try to trade Aminu/Leonard for a veteran. Or if the market for Harkless has strengthened, I'd keep Aminu and move Harkless. I like Aminu off the bench a lot more than I like him as a starter.

I think we have enough depth that we can move a couple guys for a veteran. I think this team could contend if we add a couple more pieces. Anderson would be a good pickup. He's only 27 and he would fit Stotts' system perfectly.

Ryan Anderson? He's a mess defensively. I don't like him with a Dame/CJ backcourt at all. We need good defenders up front. Ryan Andereson is likely to make almost $20mil a year.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

A few years ago Derozan was the worst player in the NBA (who got a lot of minutes). Has he really improved?
Not according to these people:
http://hoopshabit.com/2015/11/29/demar-derozan-crunch-time-catastrophe/
http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/2015/10/14/the-nbas-all-overrated-team
http://bballbreakdown.com/2015/10/07/pick-roll-demar-derozan/

Basically he's amazingly inefficient. And I don't think that's the kind of player Olshey values. Say what you like about Kanter and Monroe but they're efficient scorers.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Also:

Lowry has been an absolute force for Toronto, leading the Raptors’ surge to the second-best record in the East. He’s attempting a career-high seven threes per game and making a career-high 39 percent of them. If these numbers are at all representative, however, DeRozan appears to be dragging Lowry down more than anything. This kind of dynamic isn’t uncommon with mediocre shooting guards playing with good scoring point guards — their contributions may range from redundant to net negative.

 

[blue9]

Also:

I feel like Hillary Trump with the flip-flopping I'm about to do:
I am - once again - against DeRozan.

 

[BigGameDamian]

A few years ago Derozan was the worst player in the NBA (who got a lot of minutes). Has he really improved?
Not according to these people:
http://hoopshabit.com/2015/11/29/demar-derozan-crunch-time-catastrophe/
http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/2015/10/14/the-nbas-all-overrated-team
http://bballbreakdown.com/2015/10/07/pick-roll-demar-derozan/

Basically he's amazingly inefficient. And I don't think that's the kind of player Olshey values. Say what you like about Kanter and Monroe but they're efficient scorers.

Wonder what it would take to land both Middleton and Monroe? C.J. and_____. Bucks might blow it up again.

 

[handiman]

The article didn't mention that T-Ross is from PDX, too?

And our coaching staff has Toronto connections.

 

[dviss1]

If so, we should gfo after him in the off season and put Aminu on the bench. I think this is something that wouldnt mess with the team chemistry at all.

After examining al-farouq Aminu play I think I'd rather keep Harkless.

 

[dviss1]

I would pay good money to watch BGD and Strenuus rap battle.

That would SUCK royally.

 

[BBert]

Derozen and Lillard worked out with GP and GPII this summer, too. Payton has been mentoring them both (Lillard because of Oakland ties, never heard why Derozen), Payton wanted to show GPII what the next level looked like, so they all got together this last summer.

Seems to have paid off for GPII

 

[riverman]

Need a big push here in the 2nd half! Go get this win!

 

[Sinobas]

Derozan could be a good acquisition, we already have one of the best back courts in the league, and I think he could play some SF.

 

[Natebishop3]

This guy is a fucking bum.... A BUM! We don't need him on our team.

38 points? Fucking amateur. A real star drops 50+.

 

[KingSpeed]

How many points did dame score in the 4th? 22?

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Derozan could be a good acquisition, we already have one of the best back courts in the league, and I think he could play some SF.

If DeRozan agreed to come here we'd likely deal CJ for another star like Cousins or George.

 

[DUB]

Can DeRozan guard LeBron/Durant/George/Leonard?

If the answer is no (which I think it is), we'd need to trade CJ if we brought DeRozan in.

 

[speeds]

Can DeRozan guard LeBron/Durant/George/Leonard?

If the answer is no (which I think it is), we'd need to trade CJ if we brought DeRozan in.

The answer is no. That is why James Johnson and DeMarre Carroll were signed.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Can DeRozan guard LeBron/Durant/George/Leonard?

If the answer is no (which I think it is), we'd need to trade CJ if we brought DeRozan in.

I agree. Never fall in love with the players.

 

[KingSpeed]

I agree. Never fall in love with the players.

Huh? What's the point of being a fan if you can't love the players on your team?

 

[BigGameDamian]

Huh? What's the point of being a fan if you can't love the players on your team?

Your a fan of the team more than the players on the team aren't you?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Harden without the jumper and douchiness.

 

[Sinobas]

Dorozen is enticing because he's available next year, and there's a chance he'd sign here because of his tied to Dame...but ideally we need a front court player.

 

[Natebishop3]

Dorozen is enticing because he's available next year, and there's a chance he'd sign here because of his tied to Dame...but ideally we need a front court player.

He's available this summer.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

I like DeRozan, but I think I'd rather have CJ to be honest. If DD can play the 3 then sure

 

[Draco]

DeRozen would be fine here with CJ. We stagger rest after 6 minutes so he may end up playing just as much SG as SF. Aminu could guard LeBron, Kawhi or Paul George. It's 2016 not 1998 we don't need nor want all our guys to be big and physical at perimeter positions.

 

[Draco]

Thinking about this more; if DeRozen signed here I don't know if its best to start Plumlee. Plumlee gives us needed offense ability and passing with our current forwards. But if we effectively replace Vonleh with DeRozen on offense? That changes what we need from the two bigs. Maybe Ed Davis and Aminu defense would be more useful.

Davis / Plumlee
Aminu / Vonleh
DeRozen / Hendo
CJ / Crabbe
Dame

Think I would role with that rotation. Plumlee skills would be more useful on the second unit where we have offensive lulls. Ed is also better at avoiding fouls against starters; and less likely to shoot free throws at the start of quarters.

If Meyers and Harkless can be brought back for third string prices do it. They get along with teammates and would be playable if there's an injury. They aren't important parts of the core so if it costs much let them go.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Thinking about this more; if DeRozen signed here I don't know if its best to start Plumlee. Plumlee gives us needed offense ability and passing with our current forwards. But if we effectively replace Vonleh with DeRozen on offense? That changes what we need from the two bigs. Maybe Ed Davis and Aminu defense would be more useful.

Davis / Plumlee
Aminu / Vonleh
DeRozen / Hendo
CJ / Crabbe
Dame

Think I would role with that rotation. Plumlee skills would be more useful on the second unit where we have offensive lulls. Ed is also better at avoiding fouls against starters; and less likely to shoot free throws at the start of quarters.

If Meyers and Harkless can be brought back for third string prices do it. They get along with teammates and would be playable if there's an injury. They aren't important parts of the core so if it costs much let them go.

I like what your saying here alot. Now call me crazy but...WHAT IF, Meyers can improve his Center Defense a bit more to no longer be a liability. Resign him and start him at center? I only say this, because he is our best misd range pick and pop big we have currently and I think that would help open the middle more for the three scorers.
There is an odd man out in there for sure though...