Scase wrote:islandboy53 wrote:Scase wrote:You don't think a team that has a core that was 21, 22, and 22 years old, that just managed to have the second best defence in the NBA, has more cap space, has more depth, and more picks than us......doesn't have a better trajectory?
Sometimes, I honest to god have no idea how some of you come to these conclusions. It is baffling.
It is true that Orlando's core is younger, and that they have more potential cap space, whether they use it or not. They have more 2nd round picks, but we have as many 1sts as they do. Nba.com has them with the 3rd overall defensive rating. At the same time, they had the 22nd offensive rating, just ahead of the Raptors at 24th. It's important to point out that Orlando's group has been together for 3 years, while Toronto's hasn't even had 3 months, meaning we're very likely to see more growth from them over the season than from Orlando. Banchero's great, and Suggs is an excellent defender, but, other than that, I like our guys and their potential more.
We have 6 picks from now until 2027. They have 10. 10 > 6.
Their defensive rating is 110.8, the celtics are 110.6, so yeah sure they are technically 3rd. They are functionally tied for 2nd.
They have been together for 2 years, Paolo isn't even in his 3rd year in the league. Yes, that is longer than the Raps, which is why I expect our offence to be better in the future. I however do not in any way, shape, or form, expect us to have one of the best defences in the league in 2 years.
All their players are younger and less experienced, they have more potential. Whether or not it is realized is a different story. But I will always take younger similarly talented players, over older ones. If you think we have higher potential, you are fully entitled to that opinion. I just don't see any reason to ignore younger players, that are playing as well, or better than older players and see that as less potential, just doesn't make sense.
Toronto has all of its own 1sts except for the one that will go to SA, whether that's this year, next year or the year after, plus Indiana's this year and in 2026. If the pick conveys this year, that gives a total of 5 1st round picks from now until 2027. Orlando has all of their own 1sts, plus Denver's next year, which is a total of 5 1st round picks from now till 20207, which is what I said. I also noted that Orlando has more 2nds, specifically they have 7 and we have 3 from now till 2027. I don't know where you got 10 and 6, but maybe check your source.
Their entire rotation
except for Banchero, has been together for at least 3 years. Suggs, both Wagners, Carter and Harris arrived in 2021, while Anthony and Isaac arrived in 2020 and 2017 respectively. I expect the Raptors to make strides on both sides of the ball next year. I don't expect them to be be in the upper echelons defensively, but I do anticipate them being better than Orlando offensively.
I agree with you that younger players generally have more room for growth. Orlando's current group is clearly younger than ours. I'm not ignoring that. At the same time, I never said Toronto has a "higher potential". My comment was that Orlando doesn't have a higher trajectory. They've had their group, mostly, together for 3 years and are clearly ahead of us. In my opinion, that gap will close rapidly as Toronto's group actually plays together, and adds to its talent base.