Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Melo’s Legacy

August 11th, 2016 at 8:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

In an interview with ESPN’s Marc Stein, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony indicated that if his professional basketball career were to end without him winning an NBA championship, he’d still consider it a success if he walked away with three Olympic gold medals and an NCAA title. “I would be very happy walking away from the game knowing that I’ve given the game everything I have, knowing I played on a high level at every level: high school, college, won [a championship at Syracuse] in college and possibly three gold medals,” Anthony said.

Anthony has long been a polarizing player among fans, thanks to his gaudy statistics and lack of playoff success over the course of his career. The tale of the tape on the forward’s NBA career thus far is: In 902 career regular season games Anthony has averaged 24.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists to accompany a shooting line of .453/.344/.812. He’s a nine-time NBA All-Star, has won an NBA scoring title (2013) and is one of the more versatile players the league has ever seen on the offensive side of the game. But…he’s only made it out of the first round of the playoffs twice in his 13-year career.

The player whose career I’ve often compared Anthony’s to is former Hawks great, Dominique Wilkins. While Melo’s game is certainly different from the “Human Highlight Film’s,” Wilkins is a prime example of a star whose statistics never translated into an NBA title. To further illustrate my point, take a gander at Wilkins’ career numbers, which are eerily similar to Anthony’s. In 1074 career regular season contests, Wilkins notched averages of 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists to go along with his shooting line of .461/.319/.811. Wilkins enjoyed a bit more playoff success, advancing past the first round on four occasions during his time in Atlanta, but never past the second round.

I reference Wilkins because despite never having won an NBA title, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006 and is generally regarded as one of the greats of the game, though not in the same conversation as Jordan, Bird, Magic, etc. Unless the Knicks strike gold in the near future, it appears that Anthony is also destined to end his career with an impressive stat line, but no ring to silence his detractors.

This brings to today’s topic, which is a two-parter: What will Carmelo Anthony‘s NBA legacy be if he fails to win a title during his career? And if he indeed fails to lead a team to a championship, is he worthy of being inducted into the Hall Of Fame?

Take to the comments section to share your thoughts on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Decisions On 2017/18 Rookie-Scale Team Options

August 11th, 2016 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams hoping to extend players eligible for rookie-scale extensions this offseason must get those deals completed by October 31, as we’ve discussed in recent weeks. However, that’s not the only reason that Halloween is a notable date on the NBA calendar. October 31 is also the deadline for clubs to exercise team options on the rookie-scale contracts of former first-round picks.

All the players whose options will be exercised or declined by October 31 are already under contract for the 2016/17 season. Their teams will have to make a decision on whether they want to keep those players beyond the coming season, picking up or turning down team options for the 2017/18 campaign.

For players who signed their rookie-scale contracts in 2014 and have been in the NBA for two years, teams must decide on fourth-year options for 2017/18. For players who just signed their rookie deals last year, and only have one season of NBA experience under their belts, teams will already be faced with a decision on third-year options for ’17/18.

In most cases, these decisions aren’t hard ones. Rookie-scale salaries are so affordable – particularly with the salary cap up to $94MM+ this year – that it usually makes sense to exercise most of these team options, even if a player isn’t a key cog on the roster. And for those players who do have a significant role on a team’s roster, the decision is even easier — it’s not as if the Timberwolves would ever consider declining their options on Andrew Wiggins or Karl-Anthony Towns.

Still, we’ll wait for a trusted reporter, a player (or his agent), or a team itself to confirm that an option is indeed being exercised or declined, and we’ll track that news in this space. Listed below are all the rookie-scale decisions for 2017/18 team options that clubs must make by October 31. This list can be found at any time under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on our right-hand sidebar, and will be updated throughout the rest of the offseason, as teams’ decisions are reported and announced.

Here are the NBA’s rookie-scale team option decisions for 2017/18 salaries:

Atlanta Hawks

None

Boston Celtics

Marcus Smart (fourth year, $4,538,020): Exercised
James Young (fourth year, $2,803,507): Declined
Terry Rozier (third year, $1,988,520): Exercised
R.J. Hunter (third year, $1,251,960): Waived

Brooklyn Nets

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (third year, $1,455,720): Exercised
Chris McCullough (third year, $1,242,840): Exercised

Charlotte Hornets

Frank Kaminsky (third year, $2,847,600): Exercised

Chicago Bulls

Doug McDermott (fourth year, $3,294,994): Exercised
Jerian Grant (third year, $1,713,840): Exercised
Bobby Portis (third year, $1,516,320): Exercised

Cleveland Cavaliers

None

Dallas Mavericks

Justin Anderson (third year, $1,579,440): Exercised

Denver Nuggets

Emmanuel Mudiay (third year, $3,381,480): Exercised
Jusuf Nurkic (fourth year, $2,947,305): Exercised
Gary Harris (fourth year, $2,550,055): Exercised

Detroit Pistons

Stanley Johnson (third year, $3,097,800): Exercised

Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney (third year, $1,233,840): Exercised

Houston Rockets

Clint Capela (fourth year, $2,334,528): Exercised
Sam Dekker (third year, $1,794,600): Exercised
Tyler Ennis (fourth year, $2,666,707): Declined

Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner (third year, $2,569,920): Exercised

Los Angeles Clippers

None

Los Angeles Lakers

D’Angelo Russell (third year, $5,562,360): Exercised
Julius Randle (fourth year, $4,149,242): Exercised
Larry Nance Jr. (third year, $1,259,640): Exercised

Memphis Grizzlies

Jordan Adams (fourth year, $2,410,057): Waived
Jarell Martin (third year, $1,341,600): Exercised

Miami Heat

Justise Winslow (third year, $2,705,040): Exercised

Milwaukee Bucks

Jabari Parker (fourth year, $6,782,392): Exercised
Rashad Vaughn (third year, $1,889,040): Exercised

Minnesota Timberwolves

Andrew Wiggins (fourth year, $7,574,323): Exercised
Karl-Anthony Towns (third year, $6,216,840): Exercised
Zach LaVine (fourth year, $3,202,218): Exercised
Adreian Payne (fourth year, $3,100,094): Declined
Tyus Jones (third year, $1,397,400): Exercised

New Orleans Pelicans

None

New York Knicks

Kristaps Porzingis (third year, $4,503,600): Exercised

Oklahoma City Thunder

Mitch McGary (fourth year, $2,430,982): Waived
Cameron Payne (third year, $2,203,440): Exercised
Josh Huestis (third year, $1,242,840): Exercised

Orlando Magic

Aaron Gordon (fourth year, $5,504,420): Exercised
Mario Hezonja (third year, $4,078,320): Exercised
Elfrid Payton (fourth year, $3,332,340): Exercised
C.J. Wilcox (fourth year, $2,183,328): Declined

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid (fourth year, $6,100,266): Exercised
Jahlil Okafor (third year, $4,995,120): Exercised
Nik Stauskas (fourth year, $3,807,147): Exercised

Phoenix Suns

T.J. Warren (fourth year, $3,152,931): Exercised
Devin Booker (third year, $2,319,360): Exercised

Portland Trail Blazers

Noah Vonleh (fourth year, $3,505,233): Exercised
Shabazz Napier (fourth year, $2,361,360): Exercised

Sacramento Kings

Willie Cauley-Stein (third year, $3,704,160): Exercised

San Antonio Spurs

Kyle Anderson (fourth year, $2,151,704): Exercised

Toronto Raptors

Lucas Nogueira (fourth year, $2,947,305): Exercised
Bruno Caboclo (fourth year, $2,451,225): Exercised
Delon Wright (third year, $1,645,200): Exercised

Utah Jazz

Dante Exum (fourth year, $4,992,385): Exercised
Trey Lyles (third year, $2,441,400): Exercised
Rodney Hood (fourth year, $2,386,864): Exercised

Washington Wizards

Kelly Oubre (third year, $2,093,040): Exercised

Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 8)

August 10th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t often allow for second chances, we at Hoops Rumors believe it’s fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.

We’ve previously tackled the 2003 and 2013 NBA Drafts and the next one we’re tackling is 2005’s, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.

In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Knicks, who held the No. 8 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for New York’s pick and check back Thursday night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Warriors should have taken at No. 9. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

Selections

Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
Knicks — ? [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.

Salary Cap Snapshot: Houston Rockets

August 10th, 2016 at 10:19pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the free agent signing period winding down and teams looking ahead to the preseason, we at Hoops Rumors will be tracking the Salary Cap figures for each team around the league. These posts will be maintained throughout the season once financial data is reported. They will be located on the sidebar throughout the year, once all the teams’ cap figures have been relayed. You can always check RosterResource.com for up-to-date rosters for each franchise, with the Rockets’ team page accessible here.

Here’s a breakdown of where the Rockets currently stand financially:

Guaranteed Salary

James Harden —$26,540,100 [Deal contains 15% Trade Kicker]
Ryan Anderson —$18,735,364
Eric Gordon —$12,385,665
Trevor Ariza —$7,806,971
Lou Williams —$7,000,000
Patrick Beverley —$6,000,000
Nene —$2,898,000
Sam Dekker —$1,720,560
Marcelo Huertas —$1,500,000 [Waived by team]
Clint Capela —$1,296,240
Pablo Prigioni —$1,050,961 [Waived by team]
Montrezl Harrell —$1,045,000
Bobby Brown —$680,534
Chinanu Onuaku —$543,471
Gary Payton II —$543,471 [Waived by team]
Kyle Wiltjer —$543,471
Bobby Brown —$253,759 [Waived by team]
Isaiah Taylor — $250,000
Troy Williams — $150,000
Isaiah Taylor — $50,000 [Waived by team]
Troy Williams — $31,969 [10-day contract (Mar 10)]

Total Guaranteed Salary= $91,030,536

Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]

Cash Received Via Trade: $75K received from Nets in K.J. McDaniels trade [Amount Remaining $3.425MM]

Payroll Exceptions Available

Room Exception: $0 [Used to sign Nene]

Total Projected Payroll: $91,030,536

Salary Cap: $94,143,000

Estimated Available Cap Space: $3,112,464

Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000

Amount Below Luxury Tax: $22,256,464

Last Updated: 3/24/17

The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.

Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year

August 10th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers, with the first overall pick in June, landed one of the most highly-touted college players of the last several years, adding former LSU forward Ben Simmons to their roster. Simmons’ performance in Summer League action already has Sixers fans salivating at his potential, but the No. overall pick isn’t the only Philadelphia player with a chance at the 2016/17 Rookie of the Year award.

As Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated tweeted last month, the 76ers actually believe three candidates for the Rookie of the Year award, though Simmons is the only one of the trio actually drafted this year. Croatian forward Dario Saric, a 2013 lottery pick, is arriving in Philadelphia after spending several seasons developing overseas, while Joel Embiid, 2014’s third overall pick, is hoping to finally be healthy after two lost seasons.

While the Sixers are probably the team most likely to have the 2016/17 Rookie of the Year on their roster, there are a few other intriguing contenders. Second overall pick Brandon Ingram figures to see plenty of action right away on a fairly young Lakers team, and the same might be true for players like Timberwolves point guard Kris Dunn (No. 5 pick) and Nuggets shooting guard Jamal Murray (No. 7).

Of course, the most polished player to be taken in the top 10 of this year’s draft was former Oklahoma sharpshooter Buddy Hield, who will join a Pelicans team that lost Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson and badly needed some outside shooting. Hield, who will turn 23 later this year, is perhaps more NBA-ready than many of his fellow 2016 first-rounders.

It’s still too early to get a clear idea about which rookies will see the most playing time, and which ones will be given the opportunity to make the biggest impact. But what’s your early read on the situation? Which first-year player do you think is headed for a Rookie of the Year award?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on this year’s crop of rookies. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Players With Non-Guaranteed 2016/17 Salaries

August 10th, 2016 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

While most players currently on NBA rosters are locked into their salaries for 2016/17, guaranteed to make that money whether they’re retained or released, that’s not the case for every player.

The majority of NBA teams are carrying at least one or two players whose salaries aren’t fully guaranteed. That’s especially true in the offseason, when clubs can carry up to 20 players. Only 15 players can make a team’s regular-season roster, so most teams won’t fully guarantee more than 14 or 15 contracts — the remaining players will get small partial guarantees or non-guaranteed deals and will have to compete for a roster spot.

If a player with a non-guaranteed salary earns a spot on his team’s regular-season roster, his contract doesn’t necessarily become guaranteed instantly. As we detailed in our schedule of salary guarantee dates, some players have special language written into their contracts that sees them earn chunks of guaranteed money if they remain under contract beyond certain deadlines. But the league-wide deadline won’t arrive until January 10, 2017. If a player remains under contract past that date, his salary for 2016/17 becomes fully guaranteed.

Listed below are the players whose salaries are currently not fully guaranteed, along with their respective teams. If a player has a partial guarantee, that’s noted in parentheses. Players on this list who are waived will be moved to our 2016 free agent list, assuming they clear waivers and reach the open market. Players who have their salaries guaranteed will likely end up on our 2017 free agent list, since they’ll either have a non-guaranteed salary or no contract at all for the 2017/18 season.

Here’s the full list of players who are currently on non-guaranteed or partially-guaranteed contracts:

Point Guards

Bobby Brown, Rockets
Semaj Christon ($200K), Thunder
Spencer Dinwiddie ($100K), Nets
Ty Lawson, Kings
T.J. McConnell, Sixers
Tim Quarterman ($75K), Trail Blazers
Fred VanVleet ($50K), Raptors

Shooting Guards

Ron Baker ($75K), Knicks
Bryn Forbes ($125K), Spurs
Treveon Graham ($75K), Hornets
DeAndre Liggins ($25K), Cavaliers
Sheldon McClellan ($50K), Wizards
Rodney McGruder ($400K), Heat
Jordan McRae, Cavaliers

Small Forwards

Robert Covington ($50K), Sixers
Dorian Finney-Smith ($200K), Mavericks
Jerami Grant, Thunder
Danuel House ($100K), Wizards
Derrick Jones ($43K), Suns
Damjan Rudez, Magic
Troy Williams ($150K), Grizzlies
Metta World Peace, Lakers

Power Forwards

Cristiano Felicio, Bulls
Thomas Robinson, Lakers
Kyle Wiltjer ($275K), Rockets

Centers

JaVale McGee ($500K), Warriors
Mike Muscala ($508K), Hawks
Daniel Ochefu ($50K), Wizards
Jeff Withey, Jazz

Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Longest-Tenured Players By NBA Team

August 9th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

So far this offseason, several teams have seen their longtime superstar depart, either in free agency or retirement. Dwyane Wade is no longer a member of the Heat. Kevin Durant has left Oklahoma City. And Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan retired from the NBA after spending their entire careers with the Lakers and Spurs, respectively.

While Kobe had easily been the longest-tenured Laker, those three other players had competition for the title of longest-tenured player on their respective teams. Nick Collison‘s stay with the Seattle SuperSonics, before they relocated to OKC, predated Durant’s time with the team. In Miami, Udonis Haslem joined the Heat in the offseason Wade did. As for the Spurs, Duncan was the team’s longest-tenured player, but Tony Parker wasn’t far behind — he has been in San Antonio for 15 years.

The NBA’s current list of longest-tenured players by team features some obvious names, like Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas or Brook Lopez in Brooklyn. But there are also some surprising players on the list below. With Al Horford no longer in Atlanta, for instance, the longest-tenured Hawk is Mike Scott.

Be sure to check out the rosters and depth charts at RosterResource.com for full details on how and when each team acquired every player on its roster. Here are the NBA’s current longest-tenured players by team:

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki (draft trade), June 1998
San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker (draft), June 2001
- Manu Ginobili was selected by the Spurs in the 1999 draft, but didn’t sign with the team until 2002.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Nick Collison (draft), June 2003
- Collison joined the franchise when it was the Seattle SuperSonics.
Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem (free agent), August 2003
Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley (draft), June 2007
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez (draft), June 2008
Los Angeles Clippers: DeAndre Jordan (draft), June 2008
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry (draft), June 2009
Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan (draft), June 2009
Chicago Bulls: Taj Gibson (draft), June 2009
Washington Wizards: John Wall (draft), June 2010
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins (draft), June 2010
Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward (draft), June 2010
Indiana Pacers: Paul George (draft), June 2010
Boston Celtics: Avery Bradley (draft), June 2010
Minnesota Timberwolves: Nikola Pekovic (draft-and-stash), July 2010
- Pekovic was drafted in 2008, but didn’t sign with the Timberwolves for two years.
Denver Nuggets: Wilson Chandler (trade), Danilo Gallinari (trade), February 2011
- Chandler and Gallinari were acquired in the same trade with the Knicks.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony (trade), February 2011
Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving (draft), Tristan Thompson (draft), June 2011
- Irving is technically the slightly longer-tenured Cavalier, having been selected first overall, while Thompson was picked fourth overall.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker (draft), June 2011
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis (draft), June 2012
- Davis joined the franchise when it was the New Orleans Hornets.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (draft), Meyers Leonard (draft), June 2012
- Lillard is technically the slightly longer-tenured Blazer, having been selected sixth overall, while Leonard was picked 11th overall.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond (draft), June 2012
Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson (draft), June 2012
Atlanta Hawks: Mike Scott (draft), June 2012
Phoenix Suns: P.J. Tucker (free agent), August 2012
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic (trade), August 2012
Houston Rockets: James Harden (trade), October 2012
Philadelphia 76ers: Nerlens Noel (trade), July 2013
- The trade that sent Noel from New Orleans to Philadelphia was agreed upon in June and finalized in July.
Los Angeles Lakers: Nick Young (free agent), July 2013

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Salary Cap Snapshot: Golden State Warriors

August 9th, 2016 at 10:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Here’s a breakdown of where the Warriors currently stand financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Kevin Durant — $26,540,100 [Contract has 15% Trade Kicker]
Klay Thompson — $16,663,575
Draymond Green — $15,330,435
Stephen Curry — $12,112,359
Andre Iguodala — $11,131,368 [Contract has 15% Trade Kicker]
Shaun Livingston — $5,782,450
Zaza Pachulia — $2,898,000
Kevon Looney — $1,182,840
Damian Jones — $1,171,560
Ian Clark — $980,431 [Actual Salary — $1,015,696]
James McAdoo — $980,431
JaVale McGee — $980,431 [Actual Salary — $1,403,611]
Anderson Varejao — $980,431 [Waived by team; actual salary — $1,551,659]
David West — $980,431 [Actual Salary — $1,551,659]
Jason Thompson — $945,126 [Waived via Stretch Provision]
Patrick McCaw — $543,471
Elliot Williams — $250,000 [Waived by team]
Matt Barnes — $242,224 [Actual salary — $383,351]
Briante Weber — $61,739 [10-day contract (Feb 14); contract lasted 12 days to allow for three games]
Briante Weber — $51,449 [10-day contract (Feb 4)]
Cameron Jones — $50,000 [Waived by team]
Elgin Cook — $50,000 [Waived by team]
Scott Wood — $50,000 [Waived by team]
Phil Pressey — $35,000 [Waived by team]

Total Guaranteed Salary= $99,993,851

Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]

Cash Received Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]

Payroll Exceptions Available

Room Exception: $0 [Used on Zaza Pachulia]

Total Projected Payroll: $99,993,851

Salary Cap: $94,143,000

Estimated Available Cap Space: –$5,850,851

Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000

Amount Below Luxury Tax: $13,293,149

Last Updated: 3/11/17

The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.

Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 7)

August 9th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Raptors, who held the No. 7 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Toronto’s pick and check back Wednesday night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Knicks should have taken at No. 8. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

Selections

Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
Raptors — ? [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.

Community Shootaround: Toronto Raptors

August 9th, 2016 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

After consecutive first-round playoff exits, the Raptors broke through this spring, winning a pair of postseason series before becoming the only Eastern team to win any games against the eventual-champion Cavaliers. Toronto ultimately fell 4-2 to the Cavs, and the series didn’t really feel that close, but it was still an impressive step forward for a franchise that had never before been on the winning end of a seven-game series.

This offseason, the Raptors were relatively quiet, with the exception of the one massive deal they handed out to DeMar DeRozan. With no cap room to spare after completing that move, Toronto lost veteran free agents Bismack Biyombo, Luis Scola, and James Johnson, ostensibly replacing them with Jared Sullinger and a pair of first-round picks — Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam.

While the Raptors may not be any better on the court in the short term, the team’s roster is one of the youngest in the NBA, with Poeltl and Siakam joining an under-25 group that also includes Jonas Valanciunas, Cory Joseph, Norman Powell, Delon Wright, Lucas Nogueira, and Bruno Caboclo. There may not be a budding mega-star in that group, but Valanciunas and Joseph are already key contributors in Toronto, and Powell and others could join them in that group.

Still, for now, the Raptors don’t appear to have the firepower to match up with the Cavaliers, and the division-rival Celtics gained significant ground this offseason as well. That brings us to today’s discussion question: What do the Raptors have to do to take the next step?

Does the club need to package some of its assets in an effort to trade for another impact player to complement its All-Star backcourt of DeRozan and Kyle Lowry? Is it just a matter of being patient and waiting for young players to improve? Did the team make a mistake this summer by letting Biyombo go and/or giving DeRozan a huge contract? Should Valanciunas and Terrence Ross – both on very affordable deals compared to most of the contracts signed by free agents this summer – have been dangled as trade chips? And will Lowry, who can opt out in 2017, be around for the long term?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the Raptors. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.