The player they just selected 5th overall hasn't yet come over and has been playing very well in Lithuania. Throw in another likely top 5 pick into a lineup with Bargnani and Derozan, with the team defense Dwayne Casey has brought in, and they can be a playoff team as soon as next year in the weak Eastern conference. And they have money to blow this off-season. They're not in as bad a position as everyone thinks. Bosh leaving may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because they were never going t win with him as a #1, and now they're building a solid core.
To everyone discrediting the Leafs
The player they selected 7th overall (Kadri) has been playing very well in the AHL should make the team next year. Throw another likely high pick in the lineup with Kessel and Gardiner, with the team defense Randy Carlyle has brought in, and they can be a playoff team as soon as next season in the weak eastern conference. And they can bury money if they have to this off-season. They're not in as bad a position as everyone thinks. Gustavsson leaving will be a blessing in (poor) disguise as they were never going to win with him as a #1.
The player they selected 7th overall (Kadri) has been playing very well in the AHL should make the team next year. Throw another likely high pick in the lineup with Kessel and Gardiner, with the team defense Randy Carlyle has brought in, and they can be a playoff team as soon as next season in the weak eastern conference. And they can bury money if they have to this off-season. They're not in as bad a position as everyone thinks. Gustavsson leaving will be a blessing in (poor) disguise as they were never going to win with him as a #1.
im really excited about the raptors team next season bargs, derozan, val, barnes/beal, calderon. thats a starting line-up thats only gonna get better as they mature
All it takes is one stellar draft pick. Lebron carried the Cavs all the way to the Finals. The Cavs are the furthest thing from a big market team.
Oklahoma City has a stellar team right now too. There success was a matter of luck (getting a top pick in year Durant was eligible), and good draft choices (Westbook, Harden, Ibaka). If you look at Toronto's draft history of the last seven years, it hasn't been stellar. And unfortunately, the Raptors drafted 1st in one of the weakest drafts in recent history.
In the short term, there's probably no way the Raptors win. They don't have enough top end players. And if they get better next year, it puts them out of the contention to garner top draft picks.
unless, say, they winn the draft lottery and get anthony davis. while the raps might seem the furthest away at this point, in basketball the difference one player can make is astronomical. considering we didn't get to see our 1st round pick play this year, we're most likley going to be adding 2 top 5 picks into the mix next season. not saying they can even make the playoffs, but after an offseason of moves made it's not out of the realm of possibilty that they'll be in a better position then our leafs, as sad as that is.
While I agree that Basketball is probably the easiest of the three leagues to turn one's fortunes around, I still don't think the Raptors have much of a chance of a championship any time soon even if we win the lottary. Like any other sport, you need a whole team to win a championship and while the Raps have a couple of good pieces, even adding the best player in the league may not be enough to make them a contender. The Cavs are a prime example of a team that landed a first overall pick who is arguably a top 3 player in the league in James that still failed to win. The problem is that teams generally cannot keep these superstar players long enough to put the other pieces togeather needed to win a championship. The Cavs came close, then James left and look at them now...
The player they selected 7th overall (Kadri) has been playing very well in the AHL should make the team next year. Throw another likely high pick in the lineup with Kessel and Gardiner, with the team defense Randy Carlyle has brought in, and they can be a playoff team as soon as next season in the weak eastern conference. And they can bury money if they have to this off-season. They're not in as bad a position as everyone thinks. Gustavsson leaving will be a blessing in (poor) disguise as they were never going to win with him as a #1.
I agree that the Leafs are not in as bad a position as people think. Heck if they had not suddenly quit playing for a month for reasons we may never know they would have made the playoffs this season. That said, I believe that the arrival of Carlyle is going to require a change in personelle for his system to work. We currently have to many smallish soft forwards for a strong forchecking team to succeed. As it sits the NHL roster that Burke has put togeather is designed for a speedy rushing game. They cannot and do not work well along the boards which is what Carlyle wants of them.
I believe that changes towards the "truckulent" type of team that has Burke always wanted will be happening over the summer to help make Carlyle's system work. While the Leafs have many prospects who play a physical/checking game, I don't think many are ready for the step up to the NHL so free agency and trades will be where we aquire these kinds of players. Goaltending and our number one center position also need addressing as they have for many years now.
CFL gets no respect. Who are the Bills? That American team who comes here once a year that nobody cares about?
Honestly though....I'd have to say the Jays even though they are in tough. Plenty of good young talent....some of the best in baseball. Owners with deep pockets if they think they can win. Smart young GM.
The player they selected 7th overall (Kadri) has been playing very well in the AHL should make the team next year. Throw another likely high pick in the lineup with Kessel and Gardiner, with the team defense Randy Carlyle has brought in, and they can be a playoff team as soon as next season in the weak eastern conference. And they can bury money if they have to this off-season. They're not in as bad a position as everyone thinks. Gustavsson leaving will be a blessing in (poor) disguise as they were never going to win with him as a #1.
If you're going to include the tier two pro sports teams like TFC, the Rock, and the Argos then you have to include the Marlies and I think it might be them.
If you're going to include the tier two pro sports teams like TFC, the Rock, and the Argos then you have to include the Marlies and I think it might be them.
Honestly? The Leafs. Even with all their futility. They are the most popular team in the NHL and eventually we are going to get a superstar here who will bring home a championship.
Jays won't ever win again unless they don't have a cheap owner or unless the MLB institutes a salary cap. $$$ brings in talent. You can draft all the talent you want but if you don't trade or sign superstars you aren't going anywhere. Jays got lucky with Bautista.
Raptors are somewhere in the middle. I am very confident that the Raps will be a post season contender next season if they can bring a few solid veteran FA's and with their 2 1st round picks adding to the roster next season the future looks bright. But then again you can't really compete vs. the tops teams like the Bulls, Heat or Thunder. So I don't see it happening soon (next 5 years).
