ALonelyDad
Veteran
RJ securing a trade the last 2 weeks with his worst ball of the season 
FIRE DARKO!! - 2025/26 Official Toronto Rangers (Raptors) Thread
- Thread starter MikelArteta
- Start date
I guess it's whatever if we put lottery protection. The tricky thing about Sabonis is his contract because once that trade is made we're locked into Scottie, BI, Quick, and Sabonis. I like RJ, but I think we have to do trade if we think we can make a run with Scottie and BI. Sabonis will make us a much better team with his playmaking and rebounding. I don't rate him defensively but he'll improve our team
Soldier
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He’s an upgrade over poeltl in most areas except physicality/ defense. He’s Healthier, a few months younger, better three point shooter/playmaker/passer, more durable than Jakob. Our offense will have so many looks and scoring options/chances with him on the floor. As a team the raps rely too much on transition/fast break offense. Adding a Big like Sabonis to the lineup will give us more effective Ball movement and longer offensive possession/pressure in the offensive zone and a better ability to stretch the floor. The #26 pick has a solid shot of being in the 20's and even if not, is definitely outside of the lottery. I can't be upset for missing out on Jakobe Walter level prospects. For every Trey or Sengun in that drafting range, there are 10 Precious Achiuwa's anyway.
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
As for RJ and Jake....I don't think the org has a desire to pay RJ (Have we heard a single word about extension talks?) and Jake's new deal was never good, just an necessaryish evil that the cap's regular increase takes a bit of the sting out of. Moving off of our 1 more season of RJ and Jake's deal altogether isn't a significant loss to the team imo.
It only really temporarily impacts the ability to swing a big trade, but an Ingram + stuff + multiple 1sts (2030, 2032) would probably be viable next year imo.
I don't think RJ + Jake + 2 1sts (26, 28) is "selling out".
It only really temporarily impacts the ability to swing a big trade, but an Ingram + stuff + multiple 1sts (2030, 2032) would probably be viable next year imo.
I don't think RJ + Jake + 2 1sts (26, 28) is "selling out".
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
Sacramento kings are maybe the dumbest/most incompetent organization in the league so it's hard to guess what they value and what they don't. But if I'm SAC and I'm trying to tear that down I wouldn't fuss too much over 3 picks instead of 2, especially when we're talking about a 2030 pick. The market on Sabonis is really soft apparently (for reasons I disagree with, but whatever, the market is the market) and you run a legit risk of just being stuck with an unhappy Sabonis for 2.5 more years. I don't think you're getting a better package than 2 good starting level NBA'ers and picks. Pay RJ his ~30 millions a year as a culture setter (he's known as a hard worker, legit professional, good teammate in the locket room btw) and get Jake healthy. You'll be able to move off of both of them in a few years anyway. at a ~200 million dollar cap. On a personal level, I would hate to see a hometown/local player go away from Toronto.
Just take the best overall value and run. They're stuck with Lavine for 1 more season anyway and moving forward with Keegan-RJ-Jake-Demar isn't a terrible veteran starting place to go with your top 5 pick in this loaded ass draft along. If you get a stud there, you should want him surrounded by real pros anyway.
Just take the best overall value and run. They're stuck with Lavine for 1 more season anyway and moving forward with Keegan-RJ-Jake-Demar isn't a terrible veteran starting place to go with your top 5 pick in this loaded ass draft along. If you get a stud there, you should want him surrounded by real pros anyway.
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
I worry that they think they can get big value out of Keon Ellis seperately, and our interest in just Sabonis is at a different cost than they think
I mean, how valuable do they think a player they only give 17 minutes each game with an expiring contract is? They're giving Lavine, Demar, Westbrook, Monk, and Clifford more minutes than they give him.
I mean, you're going to get a late 1st for him at the most anyway from a contender who wants him and knows it's only a rental.
I don't see Sabonis getting the Raptors package with 2 1sts without Ellis involved. There's no real Sabonis market other than us by the sounds of things. RJ + Jake + 1st for Sabonis, and the other 1st for Keon. is how the value split shakes out.
I mean, how valuable do they think a player they only give 17 minutes each game with an expiring contract is? They're giving Lavine, Demar, Westbrook, Monk, and Clifford more minutes than they give him.
I mean, you're going to get a late 1st for him at the most anyway from a contender who wants him and knows it's only a rental.
I don't see Sabonis getting the Raptors package with 2 1sts without Ellis involved. There's no real Sabonis market other than us by the sounds of things. RJ + Jake + 1st for Sabonis, and the other 1st for Keon. is how the value split shakes out.
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
I keep seeing everyone else say, that Sabonis can't shoot.
This just isn't true. His 3pt shooting has been
this year, but the previous three seasons, he was a 38% shooter. He's traditionally a decent to good free throw shooter (a decent enough indicator of ability to make 3's) and from the mid range he's almost identical in % over the last few seasons to mid range scoring sniper Brandon Ingram. BI obviously a more dynamic/mobile/rover active shot creator -he takes both much more shots overall and more difficult shots than a static scorer like Sabonis who usually shoots almost purely spot ups, but still.
Ingram is a volume and accurate shooter able to create his own shot
Sabonis is more of a static catch and shoot passive shooter.
This just isn't true. His 3pt shooting has been
this year, but the previous three seasons, he was a 38% shooter. He's traditionally a decent to good free throw shooter (a decent enough indicator of ability to make 3's) and from the mid range he's almost identical in % over the last few seasons to mid range scoring sniper Brandon Ingram. BI obviously a more dynamic/mobile/rover active shot creator -he takes both much more shots overall and more difficult shots than a static scorer like Sabonis who usually shoots almost purely spot ups, but still.Ingram is a volume and accurate shooter able to create his own shot
Sabonis is more of a static catch and shoot passive shooter.
ALonelyDad
Veteran
Wendell Carter with 23 points, another big that dominates..that Sabonis trade will happen lol
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
It's a make or miss league. We don't shoot enough 3's and we don't make enough 3s
I’m annoyed at how we struggle to create and shoot 3s. We might be one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to that aspect of the game.
I’m annoyed at how we struggle to create and shoot 3s. We might be one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to that aspect of the game.
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Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
We also struggled to sustain longer, more consistent pressure in the opposing/ offensive zone because we were rushing our ball possession with bad ball movement and bad shooting . We need a legit quarterback/pount guard/ stretch floor general so bad. We were not patient, intelligent and creative enough with the ball tonight , that’s way we made rushed, bad shots often.
So far, We’ve been relying too much on transition/fast break offense.
And in the 4th quarter tonight we never left the perimeter, because we couldn’t get inside. So bad shooting. Bad ball movement, bad decision making with the ball. And turnovers.
In the playoffs, the game is played at a much more slower, intense and physical pace. There are no room, space and time for playmakers/shooters. And bad teams with careless/sloppy execution on defense like the wizards, hornets, nets, pacers, pelicans won’t be there. Playoff Teams are actually situationally aware, are collectively smart, pay attention to details, are good defensively and limit turnovers well.
And Teams who can generate offense and score in the paint/down low win. It’s a War of attrition- driving hard to the net, fighting like mad for second scoring opportunities, drawing fouls and shooting efficiency.
We get destroyed down low because we don’t have a legit center/big with imposing physical presence who can protect the rim, get rebounds, contain opposing centers and dominate the glass. Sabonis or Giannis please.
Until we don’t upgrade at PG, C, and find a 3&D perimeter defender with elite three point shooting, we won’t be a better team. We lacked depth, size and a higher gear tonight.
So far, We’ve been relying too much on transition/fast break offense.
And in the 4th quarter tonight we never left the perimeter, because we couldn’t get inside. So bad shooting. Bad ball movement, bad decision making with the ball. And turnovers.
In the playoffs, the game is played at a much more slower, intense and physical pace. There are no room, space and time for playmakers/shooters. And bad teams with careless/sloppy execution on defense like the wizards, hornets, nets, pacers, pelicans won’t be there. Playoff Teams are actually situationally aware, are collectively smart, pay attention to details, are good defensively and limit turnovers well.
And Teams who can generate offense and score in the paint/down low win. It’s a War of attrition- driving hard to the net, fighting like mad for second scoring opportunities, drawing fouls and shooting efficiency.
We get destroyed down low because we don’t have a legit center/big with imposing physical presence who can protect the rim, get rebounds, contain opposing centers and dominate the glass. Sabonis or Giannis please.
Until we don’t upgrade at PG, C, and find a 3&D perimeter defender with elite three point shooting, we won’t be a better team. We lacked depth, size and a higher gear tonight.
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
I think we can get away with not having the « main character » by having 4-5 legit offensive threats out there at the same time who can all do something of value in the half court. But a lot of our lineups include 2-3 guys who just aren't positive offensive contributors overall and are pretty bad/useless in the half court. Shead, Jakobe, CMB, dikk. That's a lot of minutes taken up by guys who just aren't threats in the half court. It just puts a ton of pressure on everyone else to have a good night offensively because they have no choice but to shoot the ball even when they're not feeling it. IQ and RJ can't have off shooting nights or else we lose.
They can’t rely on BI to go off from the midrange every game. He’s probably our only consistent scoring threat, and he’s usually injury prone but managed to stay healthy this season so far. RJ is more of a slasher guard/crash bang shooting winger who draws fouls with his athleticism/mobility/speed when he charges hard to the basket/rim.
IQ is hit or miss. Some nights, He’s as inconsistent and useless offense as our bench players. I thought PG was supposed to be the Quarterback /floor general in the starting five? He can’t set up and run an offense.
Mamu is the best of the bench mob.
They can’t rely on BI to go off from the midrange every game. He’s probably our only consistent scoring threat, and he’s usually injury prone but managed to stay healthy this season so far. RJ is more of a slasher guard/crash bang shooting winger who draws fouls with his athleticism/mobility/speed when he charges hard to the basket/rim.
IQ is hit or miss. Some nights, He’s as inconsistent and useless offense as our bench players. I thought PG was supposed to be the Quarterback /floor general in the starting five? He can’t set up and run an offense.
Mamu is the best of the bench mob.
Soldier
not redeemed with gold but with His Blood
RJ Barrett's a liability if he can't get it going offensively the way he hasn't this game.
CMB has zero game inside the paint. No confidence. Hes no threat . He lacks size and hes too short. Slow too.
Quickley's a shooter who can't shoot and doesn’t have handles. He Can't create nothing and with RJ Barrett around, can't play the two PG lineup nearly as much and that's a huge downgrade all around.
Barnes/Ingram aren’t good enough to bail out all these useless dead weight’s on offense
And It’s too bad Scottie hasn’t developed any kind of initiative /aggressiveness in his game and consistent half court scoring ability
That’s literally the only thing holding him back from being a superstar. He didn’t look at the rim in the 4th until there was 2 min left and we were down 13 lol
CMB has zero game inside the paint. No confidence. Hes no threat . He lacks size and hes too short. Slow too.
Quickley's a shooter who can't shoot and doesn’t have handles. He Can't create nothing and with RJ Barrett around, can't play the two PG lineup nearly as much and that's a huge downgrade all around.
Barnes/Ingram aren’t good enough to bail out all these useless dead weight’s on offense
And It’s too bad Scottie hasn’t developed any kind of initiative /aggressiveness in his game and consistent half court scoring ability
That’s literally the only thing holding him back from being a superstar. He didn’t look at the rim in the 4th until there was 2 min left and we were down 13 lol
