2020-21 Tampa Bay Raptors Thread

[Nik]

Chet Holmgren here we come.

[Frank E]

So...tanking?

[L K]

So...tanking?

I don't see them being that bad...I also don't see them being much more than a borderline playoff team at best unless Barnes becomes an elite shooter between now and then.  OG always shows flashes of being more than just a really solid 3+D player but hasn't taken the step toward consistency.  Their passing isn't as good with FVV as PG.  They will get horrible outrebounded and shooting consistency from their depth is questionable (they added 6'9" SF/PF Sam Dekker who was playing in Europe and added a 3-point shot last year).

I don't think they are anywhere near bad enough to finish atop the lottery.  Chet Holmgren looks like he would be phenomenal if they lucked out though.

[Nik]

I don't think they have to tank to be a pretty bad team. There's certainly not a lot of teams in the league I look at and say "The Raptors are clearly better than them". Houston, OKC, Washington...not much else.

But I think LK is right. They're not bottom feeders right now. It would almost make more sense if they were. Trade Siakam for more young guys.

[Frank E]

Unless it's fake news, or old news, but I just read that Masai is staying?

OK, I think it's for real now.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/masai-ujiri-remain-raptors-im-stay/

[Highlander]

Unless it's fake news, or old news, but I just read that Masai is staying?

OK, I think it's for real now.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/masai-ujiri-remain-raptors-im-stay/

I forgot, there is indeed a God!

[Frank E]

Is Scottie Barnes projected to make the Raptors out of camp?

[Nik]

Is Scottie Barnes projected to make the Raptors out of camp?

I think it would be very surprising if he didn't.

[Frank E]

Is Scottie Barnes projected to make the Raptors out of camp?

I think it would be very surprising if he didn't.

Thanks Nik...so bench player until he can usurp?

[Nik]

Thanks Nik...so bench player until he can usurp?

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they fill the line-up with Siakam out to start the year. They could go Dragic-VanVleet-Anunoby-Boucher-Birch or something or they could go smaller and start Anunoby and Barnes to begin things.

[Frank E]

Thanks Nik...so bench player until he can usurp?

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they fill the line-up with Siakam out to start the year. They could go Dragic-VanVleet-Anunoby-Boucher-Birch or something or they could go smaller and start Anunoby and Barnes to begin things.

Thanks again Nik...what does it mean to "go small"?

[Nik]

Thanks Nik...so bench player until he can usurp?

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they fill the line-up with Siakam out to start the year. They could go Dragic-VanVleet-Anunoby-Boucher-Birch or something or they could go smaller and start Anunoby and Barnes to begin things.

Thanks again Nik...what does it mean to "go small"?

So one of the way to think of Basketball positions is to number them 1-5 like this:

1. Point Guard
2. Shooting Guard
3. Small Forward
4. Power Forward
5. Center

Typically, this is also sorted in ascending order in terms of player size as well. So, usually, the guys who play point guard(so, say, Allen Iverson) are the shortest/lightest, followed by shooting guards and up to the biggest Centers(like, say, Shaq). Now, in recent years, it's been sort of a trend for the idea of traditional positions and roles within those positions to fall out of favour. Centers and Power forwards, for instance, who used to play within the key and grab rebounds and take shorter shots are now as expected as anyone to be able to shoot from distance and guard on the perimeter and positions are less defined in general so teams are getting more creative with their lineup choices. So by "going small" it might mean a lineup where you don't have a traditional C or someone of that size on the court and instead use two Small forwards in your starting lineup(like, for instance, Anunoby and Barnes). Basically it's any lineup where instead of the traditional 1-2-3-4-5 alignment you double up on one of the smaller positions so like 1-1-3-4-5 or, in the lineup I suggested the Raps may use to start the season above, 1-1-3-3-5.

[Frank E]

Thanks Nik...so bench player until he can usurp?

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they fill the line-up with Siakam out to start the year. They could go Dragic-VanVleet-Anunoby-Boucher-Birch or something or they could go smaller and start Anunoby and Barnes to begin things.

Thanks again Nik...what does it mean to "go small"?

So one of the way to think of Basketball positions is to number them 1-5 like this:

1. Point Guard
2. Shooting Guard
3. Small Forward
4. Power Forward
5. Center

Typically, this is also sorted in ascending order in terms of player size as well. So, usually, the guys who play point guard(so, say, Allen Iverson) are the shortest/lightest, followed by shooting guards and up to the biggest Centers(like, say, Shaq). Now, in recent years, it's been sort of a trend for the idea of traditional positions and roles within those positions to fall out of favour. Centers and Power forwards, for instance, who used to play within the key and grab rebounds and take shorter shots are now as expected as anyone to be able to shoot from distance and guard on the perimeter and positions are less defined in general so teams are getting more creative with their lineup choices. So by "going small" it might mean a lineup where you don't have a traditional C or someone of that size on the court and instead use two Small forwards in your starting lineup(like, for instance, Anunoby and Barnes). Basically it's any lineup where instead of the traditional 1-2-3-4-5 alignment you double up on one of the smaller positions so like 1-1-3-4-5 or, in the lineup I suggested the Raps may use to start the season above, 1-1-3-3-5.

Thank you for that Nik.