In response to you both, we're all arm-chair fans. None of us, to my knowledge, is employed by a front office staff in professional basketball.
My thoughts or philosophy, at least when it comes to creating a team (something of which none of us truly know about except for fantasy hoops), is that when you have the ability to secure
three Hall of Fame caliber players, in the PRIME of their careers (which all three of these guys mentioned, Kawhi, PG 13, and Russ), you DO IT. PARTICULARLY in a market that historically, has had a hard time attracting top level free agents and talent.
I never said my argument is "get 3 great players." I said if you have a chance for THREE HOF-caliber players in their prime. HUGE, HUGE difference.
Toronto has, by Kawhi leading them to a a chip, shown itself to not only be a top-class organization, but also a top-tier NBA city. All because of...Kawhi. Nevermind Vince, T-Mac, Mighty Mouse, DeRozen, etc....The Raptors came of age because of Kawhi Leonard and that title.
And if, again IF the RUMORS being reported by MULTIPLE sources are true, that Ujiri passed on getting those three HOF-caliber players together, because of a hesitancy to part with a G-League guy the team has developed into a promising, future All-Star, that is, at least in my estimation, given the situation regarding those HOF-caliber players' ages, a COLOSSAL error.
The Raptors are now back as a .500 team in the EAST with an aging Lowry, an old roster, and Siakam, who may end up being an All Star on a team that probably will go from NBA champs to missing the playoffs. Why? Because the President of the Raptors ALLEGEDLY passed on retaining/acquiring the HOF talent that would keep them in the limelight, and most likely led to another ring.
To simplify, the Raptors are back in the North, alone, with no real hope of contending again for the foreseeable future. All because ALLEGEDLY, Ujiri wouldn't part with Siakam.
IF all that is true, tell me again how I'm wrong. I'm not.
Now, :
Maybe you're right, but I think the basis by which your forming your opinion is very myopic.
Far from it. I have as much insight into this issue as anyone who is just a fan. Thirty years a fan of two teams (Wolves and Knicks - like I said, I know ineptitude when I see it, ha ha ha), a sportswriter for five years in a major market back in the prehistoric era, and someone who follows the business of the NBA rabidly now. I can turn around and toss insults at you, jingle (no need to call the basis of my opinion myopic). But I wouldn't do that. You love your team. You should. Hell, your team is a lot more successful than my Wolves have ever been. We're all just fans, on a music forum. With no real "expertise" other than our personal experiences (unless someone on here is holding out and works for a professional sports franchise in a front office).
We should probably just agree to disagree. My mind is blown that that we're even discussing Ujiri losing his job when the guy has proven to be better than almost every other executive in the league over the course of his career. Who is available that would even be a better replacement? This is madness.
I think, based on the alleged stuff above, if that's true, Ujiri made such a huge, huge error. Kawhi not returning is one thing. If the Raptors made their pitch, and Kawhi leaves, that is the risk that was taken. It is what it is. But my heated statements are not on that. They are directly aimed at the reports that Kawhi was not retained BECAUSE Ujiri passed on trading for PG 13 and Russ BECAUSE he didn't want to let go of Siakam. THAT is what I am fired up about. If that's true, as stated above, I think the level of error in that decision was incredibly high, and I would have fired him, yeah. But that's why I'm not a team owner.
If we disagree, that's totally fine.
And guys, I'm not taking this personally. I hope you all aren't either. I love the NBA free agency, the player movement, the drama, the team building, and all of this banter. I have nothing but respect for all of you. I enjoy the back and forth. I just feel strongly about this particular situation.