Scary thought about Toronto...

[The One]

They will have a better record than the Celtics but they also have the Knicks pick...currently with the 8th worst record and they are freefalling!

They won't catch Brooklyn but with some ping pong luck, similar to Cleveland in the past, they could have a top 3 pick!

Ouch!!

[GC003332]

They will have a better record than the Celtics but they also have the Knicks pick...currently with the 8th worst record and they are freefalling!

They won't catch Brooklyn but with some ping pong luck, similar to Cleveland in the past, they could have a top 3 pick!

Ouch!!

Denver has the right to swap the Knicks pick if it drops below theirs, Toronto will get the worst of those picks, So it will be the Nuggets who would benefit if it turns into a top 3 pick and theirs doesn't.

[TheSundanceKid]

Toronto are in a really nice position. Growing organically, nice picks incoming. It's a lot like us except I think they have more legitimate options to close a tight game than us. Most of our players have a few years of extra youth on them though so I'll very hopeful for the future!

[bdm860]

Plus they've done everything they've done this season while missing significant time from arguably their 3rd and 4th best players, with DeMarre Carroll playing in only 23 games and possibly out for the season and Jonas Valanciunas also missing 17 games.

Think about how good we'd feel about the Celtics 33-25 record if Jae Crowder went down for the rest of the regular season in Decemebr (but with a playoff return hopeful), and that Marcus Smart injury still happened.  And the Raptors are 6 games better than that with a likely top 10 pick coming next year.

Of course that rosey outlook could all change if DeRozen walks in free agency, but I doubt he's leaving that bromance he has going on with Lowry.

[Tr1boy]

Derozan is going to stay imo.

Cabolco was a horrible pick by raps GM.

Pretty strong team 1 to 5. They are looking for a sf/PF . I'm guessing they will draft based on position needs

[Snakehead]

I have to applaud DeRozan in this thread.  I am someone who was not a fan in the past but this year he has been really awesome for them and has won me over.  He has put his head down and attacked the rim with such abandon.  Don't have the time to check if he still is in the lead, but he had a strong lead in total drives to the rim this year.   We have IT doing that well for us but of course he doesn't have the length that DeRozan has.

He is a guy I would sign to the Celtics but I also doubt he leaves.

[PhoSita]

Masai is one of the best GMs out there.  Doesn't get enough credit.  I like the Raptors a lot, and they've got plenty of flexibility to shape their roster around Lowry / Carroll / Val, plus Derozan if he stays.

[rondohondo]

They are in a nice position , but the C's are in a better position

They have a solid team with a chance to add a max and top 10 pick

BUT

C's are a solid team with a chance to add 2 max players , a likely top 5 pick , plus a bunch more 1'st including brk's the next 2 years . 

[manl_lui]

They are in a nice position , but the C's are in a better position

They have a solid team with a chance to add a max and top 10 pick

BUT

C's are a solid team with a chance to add 2 max players , a likely top 5 pick , plus a bunch more 1'st including brk's the next 2 years . 

ha nice!

I'd also like to add, I don't think their superstars usually stay on their teams for too long? Most of their superstars usually bolts or gets traded

Vince Carter
Tracy McGrady
Bosh

am I missing any one important? What are the chances Derozan bolts?

[Al91]

Cabolco was a horrible pick by raps GM.

Was it? From day one it wasn't a pick meant to have an immediate impact on the team. Gotta give the kid the duration of his rookie deal before suggesting it was a horrible selection on Ujiri's part.

[max215]

The Raptors are very good and Masai has done a great job. Only thing to keep in mind with them: Kyle Lowry is a small PG quickly approaching 30. Those guys typically don't last.

[gift]

Cabolco was a horrible pick by raps GM.

Was it? From day one it wasn't a pick meant to have an immediate impact on the team. Gotta give the kid the duration of his rookie deal before suggesting it was a horrible selection on Ujiri's part.

True. He was supposed to be "two years away from being two years away". However, if the guy is a free agent by the time you know if he's any good, that does diminish the value a bit too.

[Al91]

The Raptors are very good and Masai has done a great job. Only thing to keep in mind with them: Kyle Lowry is a small PG quickly approaching 30. Those guys typically don't last.

John Stockton was perhaps an inch taller than Lowry and played like what, forty years? I'm being facetious, but I'm not sure what data you have to suggest Lowry's career won't last like this much longer. A year in the NBA is a long time, franchises can be torn down and built back up within three years (Boston, for example). Toronto will be fine if they can get five more years out of Lowry.

[Tr1boy]

Joseph and biyombo were solid pickups

[Fafnir]

Eh, Lowry is probably as his peak and hasn't been consistently this good from year to year. Not so sure how good this squad can become without a FA addition or surprisingly good pick/trade.