The Rapcast

Hot topics, hot takes, hot raps and hot jerseys.

Part 1:

Dwane Casey expectations

Terrence Ross's physical limitations compared to DeMar DeRozan

Who's the better defender - Ross or DeRozan?

Jonas Valanciunsa expectations

Part 2:

Drake vs Meek

Nicolas Batum

Jerry Stackhouse talk

Jerseys

It's a solo show as we replay key Raptors talk from the recent Grantland podcast, and tackle low and high-hanging organic fruit in a short but packed podcast.

Topics:

Team Canada Basketball talk

Zach Lowe and Jared Dudley

Small ball talk

Power forward position

Everybody sees Valanciunas' importance

Organic growth

Importance of health

"Losing" Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez

Corey Joseph money

Loss and acquisition of ball-handling

Ujiri and Casey with specific intent

Summer-time content

Ross talk in context of recent article

DeMarre Carroll - hustler with talent

Tim Chisholm joins the Rapcast to see if Norman Powell can beat out the already beaten down Terrence Ross for playing time.

Blake Murphy and Andrew Thompson join the Rapcast and we round up all the signings, trades, and summer-league happenings. There's too much content here to describe in a list but I'll spend a minute doing so anyway, here you go:

Some of the topics:

DeMarre Carroll signing and impact

Did Raps overpay for Cory Joseph?

Can Dwane Casey actually use the new players to good effect?

Lou Williams not being re-signed, or even offered a contract

Ross taking over Lou as scorer role, Casey quotes

Luis Scola the new starting PF?

Norman Powell taking no prisoners in summer league

Summer league performances - how to read them

Bruno Caboclo update

DeAndre Daniels' NBA feasibility

Bismack Biyombo and whether he can catch a ball

Did the Raptors actually improve as a team? Expectations for next season

Enes Kanter and Robin Lopez contracts and what it means for Jonas Valanciunas' upcoming deal

Much more

Nick and Barry finally get together in the same room and do a damn podcast. On this episode of Talking Raptors the guys discuss the off-season so far. We've lost some faces and gained some new ones.

Topics include

- So long Sweet Amir Johnson.

- Dearest Tom Sterner. We will miss you. You to Greivis... and Lou too.

- The new cast and our feelings on the new team.

- Leave Demar alone.

- D-League. We made it.

- What's Coach Casey up to?

If you thought the Chuck Hayes Minute was gone... You were terribly mistaken. The legend gets his shine as always.

The guys also take a look around the league and try to sort it out the best they can.

With Zarar Siddiqi and Andrew Thompson preoccupied, third-string podcast host William Lou takes over with guest Sean Woodley to discuss all things free agency.

Part 1 - Raptors Transactions

DeMarre Carroll at $60M/4

- What role will Carroll play?

- Did we overpay Carroll?

Bismack Biyombo at $6M/2

- Can Biyombo function on offense?

- What does Biyombo bring on defense?

Luke Ridnour for Tomislav Zubcic

- Will he get traded AGAIN?

- What if he actually suits up?

Part 2 - Rumor Roundup

LaMarcus Aldridge

- Chasing top-tier free agents

- Spurs vs. OKC vs. Warriors

Wes Matthews

- Can he overcome his Achilles' injury?

- Smallball with 3 wings

Will Bynum

- Pass

Lou Williams

- We recorded the pod before the Lakers deal

Part 3: Moving forward and looking back

What's the next move?

- Jeremy Lin? Darrell Arthur? Taj Gibson?

- What do we do at power forward?

Goodbye Amir Johnson

:'(

Steve Gennaro returns to the pod along with Andrew Thompson and we talk what happened and didn't happen on draft night. There's the analysis of the Delon Wright and Norman Powell picks, plenty of DeMar DeRozan contract talk, analysis of Al-Farouq Aminu, loads of free agency stuff, and lot more.

Part 1

The Greivis Vasquez trade

The drafting of Delon Wright, was he picked too early?

What to expect from Wright next season?

What were the Raptors biggest needs on draft night?

Norman Powell scouting report from UCLA

Part 2

What does asking for the max really mean for DeMar DeRozan?

Is DeRozan worth the "max", what NBA tier is he in? Can he make it to the next tier?

DeMar DeRozan - the cards on the table - what do we do with him?

Next moves Ujiri has to make

Who's available in free-agency?

Do we need Al-Farouq Aminu, as rumoured?

Raptors 905 talk

The Doctor's crew give their take on what the Raptors should be doing tonight. Have a listen, and stay tuned to RR for any Raptors-related developments.

First up, congrats to The Hustlers for winning the tournament!

We took the mic down to the Raptors Republic Summer Slam tournament and talked Raptors with Blake Murphy and a bunch of Raptors fans who had plenty to say about all things Raptors.

Blake Talk:

Dwane Casey lame duck head coach

Lou Williams off - do we feel sad?

Amir Johnson - do we want him back?

Jonas Valanciunas and Casey's comments about big men

Draft talk - Blake gives his target pick

Fan Talk

Who do we want in free-agency?

Disappointed we didn't get Thibodeau?

Can we win the East with DeRozan or Lowry?

What's DeMar DeRozan's best-case NBA projection?

Patterson and Vasquez review

Nick Reynoldson from Talking Raptors:

Talks about his floater

Adjustments to make in the second half of the tournament

Barry Taylor's defense

Team's laughing at other teams

More Fan Talk

Playoff exit was surprisingly surprising

Team's still good enough, need to pepper it with pieces

Need for defensive small forward, one not named James Johnson

Will and Zarar search desperately for topics as the podcast continues unabated through a slow June, and to help it along are Dwane Casey's recent quotes, Tom Sterner piping up, and Brazilian's making comedy videos.

Part 1

- Thoughts on Dwane Casey officially returning

- Irrational fan criticism against Masai

- Raptors FA minicamp - Tyrus Thomas and the Scrubb Brothers

Part 2

- Tom Sterner for TSN analyst

- Hope in Mo Pete

- What do we really know about Bebe and Bruno?

- NBA Finals talk - ABC and the Curry family; Windhorst excited about LeBron