Regarding being stuck in the middle.

Compare where we’re headed with what happened after the 2009-10 season. We were a mediocre team then, with one really good star player, and one promising prospect, (a former first-overall pick); some other interesting pieces but nobody who would end up be an all-star level talent. We also had a rookie head coach. Our FRPs that we had counted on developing were turning out to be end-of-bench guys, and we had given up other FRPs trying to solve our center issue, and getting underwhelming returns. So some similarities to where we are now. We also signed what was at that point the most exciting free-agent signing in team history, who was absolutely an abysmal fit on the floor and a distraction off it.

We lost the star player for a crap return at the end of the season, and the prospect underperformed, which was the beginning of signs that he was never going to amount to more than a role-player. A trade to fix the roster for three really intriguing players collapsed at the last minute. That following season we ended up with our third and forth worst-seasons in franchise history over the next two years, and received the fifth and eighth overall picks for those campaigns. Meanwhile, the star player we lost ended up going to a perennial championship contender. The main player in the trade that fell apart won a championship.

The only reason that era didn’t drag out indefinitely is because we drafted DeRozan (who greatly outdid draft-ranking projections), and traded for Lowry (who experienced one of the most unexpected mid-career turnarounds in NBA history); after three really crappy years, a new GM came in ready to blow things up completely again, but suddenly things started to click behind those guys. But until that really unlikely turnaround, there was no reason to think that we weren’t going to be among the worst teams in the league for many more years.

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In a worst-case scenario where we lose Siakam and OG for nothing this offseason, we’re still in a less frustrating place than that era, because Barnes, despite his flaws, is infinitely less frustrating than Bargnani. We’re a better free agent market now than then. We’re far more likely to get value back for Siakam and OG, whether that means keeping them, trading them now, trading them down the line. Not having all our own draft-picks going forward sucks as far as a position to start a rebuild… but coming off an era where our late FRPs have failed to pan out or have been traded away is far better then the era we were in where our lottery-level picks weren’t panning out or were being traded away.

man y’all are so spoiled. it could EASILY be worse, it’s clear some of you never sat through the Bargnani or Rudy Gay days

This isn’t even in the top 10 for most frustrating seasons lmao

In 1997-98 we finished with a record of 16-66 and in 2005-2006 we went 27-55…

It’s been way worse.

Man do I remember the good old times when our best player is freaking Andrea Bargnani. It was a sheer hopeless endeavour until Kyle and Demar rose up to help usher in a brand new era winning. While this year is frustrating when it comes to progress and direction, nothing compares to the dark ages of 2010-2013 and god knows whats in store for mid 2000s era when Carter left

There have been more frustrating times, I’m only 35 but been a fan since the first season. Frustrating is having your young pg ( fave player at the time) mighty mouse wanting out after a few years and the front office getting dismantled at the same time. Frustrating is having pick restrictions for the first few years so the team was handicapped. Frustrating is having Vince Jalen rose and donyell Marshall and seeing us score 60 points with Kevin oneil lol. I can go on and on but the one thing is, right now it seems like the team is stuck but the front office at least has a track record. I don’t think at almost any other time could we say that about the front office when the team truly looked bad or stuck in a treadmill.

Raptors won the second most games of all nba teams in the nba during your time watching the raptors.

if you are asking can it get worse… yes it can trust me

The year that we won 16 games was one of my favourite seasons. You have to understand that there wasn’t any expectation of winning so even being close to winning was exciting. The bigger difference is that there was significantly less coverage. West coast trips were broadcast on the radio and the internet was still in its infancy. Also, raptors were known as craptors and the dino jerseys were considered a joke. It was hard to be a fan to the point of embarrassment. Rn, people want to fire Masai but from my perspective, he’s the best thing that has ever happened to this franchise. The idea that we have Scottie and pieces like siakam that are discussed in trade for the likes of Durant is far and away better situation than where we started.