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OT: The Official Toronto Raptors Thread

LeafGm said:
The fact that he legitimately had players, coaches & management of the 76ers and Bucks preoccupied with him during 2nd & 3rd round playoff series has definitely elevated him in my books.

And while I don’t really listen to his music (or hip-hop in general), I do appreciate that he’s never shied away from repping his hometown.
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I don't care for his courtside manner but I appreciate that his star power helps brings Toronto into pop culture conversations. Most people that check out Toronto for the first time end up liking it. Drake brings more people in.
 
He's awful. I'll never understand his fame. But if he helps the raptors, **** it. I don't care. Let him ramble on about chips and dip and all that nonsensical garbage.
 
CH1 said:
I don't care for his courtside manner but I appreciate that his star power helps brings Toronto into pop culture conversation. Most people that check out Toronto for the first time end up liking it. Drake brings more people in.
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I've seen legitimate economists make estimates of the "Drake effect" into the billions of dollars on his impact for Toronto.

#TeamOVO
 
I can’t name a song of his, but he’s a funny and amusing little sideshow who loves Toronto.

Can’t complain about that.
 
MindzEye said:
There's 4 Drake's musically.

1) Southern Drake
2) R&B Drake
3) Pop Drake
4) Backpack rap Drake

I only **** with #4. He drops just enough of it to keep me on board.

I **** with Kendrick and Tyler's weird ass too though.
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:cheers2:
 
MindzEye said:
https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2018/07/08/the-drake-effect-on-toronto-tourism/

440 million just in tourism

How much value has he added to the Raptors bottom line? How much additional brand value to the city of Toronto (aka, "the Six")
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Interesting. The economist is attempting to equate youtube views and search numbers with tourism. Not sure they correlate into a neat financial number.

But yeah, like I said earlier, I respect his positive impact on putting this city on the map.
 
Another F5 season round up

- Kawhi signed a contract with Cargo Jet, reaction to it seems to indicate he's staying in Toronto. Team Kawhi is still ridiculously quiet though, so nobody really knows shit.
- Cris Carter claims that nothing has changed with his list of teams Kawhi is expected to speak to. NYK, BRK, LAL, LAC, TOR
- There is a rumoured 4/112 sitting out there waiting for Horford, Dallas swears to god that it's not them
- Word is that the Nets are growing more and more confident that they're going to sign KD.
- This of course makes it way more likely that they go get Kyrie
- If that happens, apparently the T Wolves believe that have "a path" to get D'Lo. KAT and D'Lo are good friends.
- All sorts of "Kyrie didn't like Boston, the people, the team, his coach, the colour of the jerseys, ****ing everything" stuff is now coming out. Which shouldn't surprise anyone at all. Kyrie is a weirdo, but it's a proud Boston tradition to slander players as they leave.
- Next big name player they're expected to slander in a few years? Vujevic. Apparently he's the Celtics #1 priority in free agency.
- This was New York medias first question for RJB https://streamable.com/s74yc ...this kid will be a Raptor
- Kobe had his 4th child today. Well, technically Vanessa had it. But still, congrats Mamba
- Casey finally said something unsalted about the Raptors today
- Tacko Fall will sign an exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics...whatever the **** that is
- FVV had a draft party the night he was draft eligible...and he went undrafted. He then stood up in front of the friends and family who came to his draft party and said this: https://streamable.com/b9fg5 . The circle of life.
- Zion is the 2nd heaviest player in the NBA at 285. Seriously. Boban is 290, but is 7'3
- The Rodmiral shit talking Draymond Green awkwardly https://streamable.com/h2jab
- ACSO has, for reasons that are purely PR, shared still images with the Globe & Mail which appear to show the conflict between Masai and the cop. They won't show the video because they don't want to "taint the jury pool", and won't let G&M republish the still photos. Yeah, this is completely ****ing normal. The claim regarding the body cam video is that there is a switch on the top of the camera that was struck during the conflict and turned off. That they're carefully selecting still images to show media (but not letting them republish), but refuse to show the video, speaks volumes.
- Danny Green was on the Breakfast Club (huge radio show in NYC) this morning and was given a hypothetical of choosing between Toronto and LAL for the same money. Danny said hands down he picks Toronto as long as Kawhi comes back. Love you Danny
 
I was 50/50 on Kawhi staying when we first traded for him. I believed in his teammates being good enough to win, and I believed in the city making him fall in love with the place.

So now here almost a year later, we won, and he obviously loves the team and city.....

....i'm still exactly 50/50 on him staying.
 
zeke said:
I was 50/50 on Kawhi staying when we first traded for him. I believed in his teammates being good enough to win, and I believed in the city making him fall in love with the place.

So now here almost a year later, we won, and he obviously loves the team and city.....

....i'm still exactly 50/50 on him staying.
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Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I'd handicap it at 80/20. It's really only down to us and the Clippers and geography is really the only thing the Clippers have going for it. The Clippers don't come with the same marketing/promotion machine the Lakers do, so they don't really offer the off the court revenue to bridge the gap. It really does make the most sense for a guy with a chronic leg injury to take the big ass 5 yr deal, and do exactly what it looks like he's doing with the cargo jet deal, use this uptick in notoriety to grab as much sponsorship money as Canada is capable of giving him.

I mean, there's "betting on yourself" and there's taking unnecessary risks with the financial future of his family. Take the 190 guaranteed, cash in on the short term sponsorship opportunities in Canada, and if the Raptors have to reboot in a couple of years, Masai will trade you to the major market you want to go to. Easily makes the most sense. His family (girlfriend & Uncle Dennis) appear to love the shit out of Toronto.
 
I still see an unassailable argument of "home" + "superstardom in a massive US market" that I could never fault him even an iota for going for.
 
zeke said:
I still see an unassailable argument of "home" + "superstardom in a massive US market" that I could never fault him even an iota for going for.
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I dont tiink anyone is expecting 5 years in toronto. 1+1 though while sees how the young clippets gel? Possible if not probable
 
zeke said:
I still see an unassailable argument of "home" + "superstardom in a massive US market" that I could never fault him even an iota for going for.
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Only thing I see standing in the way of that is that the Clippers don't have that "superstardom" cache. They just don't. Blake Griffin got about as big as someone could get for the Clippers and he wasn't pulling in superstardom endorsements. Kia, Subway, on the Nike "B" team, AT&T...that was it. Topped out at about 7 million in endorsements. KD for comparison, did 35 million this year. Harden did 18 million in Houston. The Clippers just don't generate that push. If Kawhi wants superstardom, he's not going to find it playing for the other team in LA.
 
MyNameIsJonas said:
I dont tiink anyone is expecting 5 years in toronto. 1+1 though while sees how the young clippets gel? Possible if not probable
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1+1 doesn't get him to the magic 3 year mark for supermax. 2+1 does. 2 years guaranteed, 1 year player option. Decline the option, 5 yr at like 250ish extension after that.
 
But I agree with Zeke. Dude has a chronic leg injury and he's already taken a big financial risk by not taking max from the Spurs. The right play is to take the 5 yr deal for 190 guaranteed and take another ride with this group and try to repeat. If this group gets old and busted, politely ask Masai to move you to a major US market where he can cash in.
 
MyNameIsJonas said:
Okay that then takes him through he cheap years of Robin
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It does, but we have Pascal's full bird rights and if we time it properly, we can walk some of the old boys out (or re sign for much cheaper), sign a max free agent to come make it a big 3, and then go over the cap re signing Robin to his big money 5 yr deal.

For example, assuming Kawhi is like 39 million next year, and the Danny Green rumour that won't go away is roughly the same salary but at 3-4 yrs:

- Decline the Gasol cap hold
- Decline the Ibaka cap hold
- Trade Norm

Leaves us

- Kawhi (~35)
- Green (10)
- FVV cap hold (~11)
- OG & Pascal (7.3)
- Apparently for some arcane CBA reason I don't understand, Kyle Lowry wouldn't require a cap hold next summer.

This would obviously leave the Raptors with a ****ton of cap space, and Kyle Lowry's bird rights. Cap will be about 115 million, and we would be able to comfortably fit a max salary in to form a big 3 (No really desirable FA's, but trade would be an option). We could then go over the cap re signing Kyle & FVV, and use our MLE to bring back one of Gasol or Serge. Then fill in the roster using vet min ring chasers & D league kids we develop (that we have an excellent history with).

Then the following off season, use our bird rights to go over the cap to pay Pascal.

If Kawhi stays, we're really well set up to remain contenders for as long as Kawhi is a world beater and maybe even longer depending on who we're able to snag with that cap space next summer.
 
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