Bobby Webster on Thaddeus Young, frantic ending to Trade Deadline
Raptors GM Bobby Webster outlines the rationale behind acquiring Thaddeus Young, the flexibility Toronto has heading into the offseason and ways the veteran will help the team's core this season.
Video Transcript
- Go ahead, Aaron.
- Oh hey, Bobby. How are you?
BOBBY WEBSTER: How's it going, Aaron?
- I'm doing well. How was your day?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Pretty busy. There were a couple stressful moments at 2:45, 2:50 but we made it through. It wasn't as stressful as last year. I can tell everyone that.
- Why did you guys make the move that you did?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Thaddeus, I think he's a known commodity around the NBA. And I think for us, we followed him for a while. We've made a few attempts to get him you via trades in prior years. So we felt like this was a good situation where we're bringing him into Toronto and he's at a point in his career where we think he really complements the core and doesn't necessarily-- he kind of compliments more than tries to kind of substitute what they're doing. And I think that was part of the philosophy for us, was maintaining and respecting what this group is doing and how can we add to it?
- I'm sure you've already started looking toward the draft, the upcoming draft class, and you guys, it looks like slipped down a little bit in the draft. How would you evaluate the difference in those picks, and what this class is shaping up to be, sort of in that probably middle tier of the draft?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah exactly. You hit it. That's the value play here, right? Is you slide a little bit in the draft and you pick up a player that you think can help you. Listen, I think historically that's an area not in the draft that we've operated in the past. I think you know realistically, we don't see a ton of incremental change between those picks.
- Thanks, Bobby.
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah.
- Thanks Aaron. Adam had his hand up next. Go for it, Adam.
- Hey Bobby, I'm just wondering if you can speak to a bit about what your own confidence is in the core. Obviously, you didn't really move a foundational piece. What can you say about your own confidence within the core of this team?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah, I think it goes back to when we decided to go down this path this summer, and the types of players, especially on the defensive end that Coach Nurse likes to play, and I think that these guys like to play, and we started to see it a little bit probably in the bubble run. And so it's fun to see this team to come together. I think due to COVID and injuries, we didn't really see the full group, and to be fair to them, they didn't have a ton of time together playing. I think for the first time we're seeing that everyone relatively healthy, understanding their expectations, understanding their roles, and what we're trying to do on both ends. So that's probably been the most rewarding.
- All right, thank you.
- Thank you. Go ahead, Josh Lundberg.
JOSH LUNDBERG: Hey Bobby, thanks for doing this. You mentioned the other day that you guys are in a position to potentially add some long term salary. In the end, you went the route of flexibility. How important was that for you guys in the end with Young's contract expiring after this year, as well as some of the flexibility that you guys get under the tax and being able to do something with that 15th spot as well?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Exactly. You kind of hit on them. There were some options to take on additional money. Ultimately, a couple of those deals fell through. And then in a couple of other examples, the money went out so far, it felt a bit kind of risky. So we walked away from those.
And then as far as the flexibility under the tax, we knew going into this year we'd be really tight. And so this does give us some flexibility in the buyout market, and also to use some of our mid-level to offer more than maybe what another team can do.
JOSH LUNDBERG: In terms of needs and skills that you talked about yesterday, and something that gets talked about often, not just with your team but with every team in the league, is shooting. Thad, capable shooter, but it's never been a huge part of his game. Was the market for shooting-- I mean, a lot of the guys that came up in conversation didn't get moved. Was the market for shooting just really tough to get into? Or is that not something that you guys had prioritized?
BOBBY WEBSTER: I think it's something that we talked about earlier this week. I think it's the combination of the shooting and ball handling. Those guys are the ones that are hard to find. Not necessarily hard to find, but hard to get. And so I think that's probably what you saw, is a lot of people, a lot of teams are looking for those combos, and it was just, the price kept going up.
JOSH LUNDBERG: Great. Thanks, Bobby.
- Thanks. Thanks, Josh. Go ahead, Doug.
- Hey Bobby, thanks for stopping by. Glad you got through the day safe and sound. What is it about That Young that has intrigued you for all these years? Is it his basketball abilities? His personality? Why have you guys liked him for so long?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah, I think it's a high level professional. Obviously, being in the league this long he's developed into a leader. I think you saw that probably even with Chicago last few years. And then the defensive versatility. Obviously, we like that ability to switch. He's disruptive. Good hands. And then on offense, I think he's a smart player. He can pass a little. He kind of knows where to be. And so in that sense, we felt from an off the court in the locker room, helping some of these guys grow, but then also on the court, still being a productive player.
- Is the off the court stuff-- how significant is that with this group, that seems to be very close? That this core group, and not wanting to bring in-- I don't want to say disruptive personality, but maybe someone who might not fit well?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah, we definitely put a priority on that. And I think that's probably what you're alluding to, and what you're seeing with Thaddeus, to be able to come in and fit into the locker room. But also be a leader as opposed to bringing a completely new personality. Or energy.
- Great. Thanks very much, Bobby. Take care.
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah.
- Thanks Doug. Go ahead, Michael Grange, who seems to be in the media room at Scotiabank.
MICHAEL GRANGE: All by myself. Hey Bobby. Was there a player or a type of player you were targeting that you kind of thought you might have been able to get, and it kind of slipped out of your grasp kind of thing?
BOBBY WEBSTER: You know, everyone always says it, but you don't know what really slips out of your grasp, because you don't know what was there. Are you talking about dozens of players? Yes, and other deals happen. But Thaddeus was pretty high on our list from the start. And I think that was obviously what drew us to him at the end of the day, was we always liked him, and it's been someone we tried to get for a few years.
MICHAEL GRANGE: And then going forward into next summer, you've got a very clean set of books relatively. How does this move set you up for then?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yes, obviously trading for Thad, you get his Bird rights, which gives us a lot of options this summer. Obviously, we have a couple of free agents that we'd like to re-sign, and then we have our mid-level. So I think between those three, we feel like we have some ability to spend, either keeping our own players or going out and get some other ones.
MICHAEL GRANGE: Thank you.
- Thanks Mike. Go ahead Steven.
- Hey Bobby, it's good to see you.
BOBBY WEBSTER: What's up, Steve?
- I saw-- I think everyone saw the report about Drew Eubanks being waved. Can you confirm that for us?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah, I think just, he was in there for salary cap and then positionally, and with the buyout market, I think it just makes sense for both of us to get going sooner rather than later.
- OK. And I think when you started the press conference, you mentioned how there was a little bit of stress at 2.50? What was that stress for you?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Oh, you know, time's counting down. You got new deals coming out of nowhere. All the rumors are flying. You start to see what deals. Some teams get players that don't want them, so you want to see if you can pick them up at the last minute. It's just the trade deadline frenzy.
- Thanks a lot, Bobby.
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah.
- Thanks. Go ahead, Oren.
- Hey Bobby, thanks for doing this. How much of this trade was about making a run for the playoffs and getting the young guys on your team that haven't been there, or guys with little experience their reps in a playoff situation? How much do you think Thaddeus can help you get there? And how important was that for this trade?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah, I think it's all, I think it's both. Whatever, however many things you mentioned. He can help us on the court. I think he can help those guys prepare and learn. Those guys will get reps as well. And I think this adds to our depth as far as types of players that we like.
- All right, thank you.
- Thank you. Go ahead, Eric.
- Hey Bobby. I know it's early, but with the extra spot do you have any idea of how you'd want to skew in terms of buyout market versus guys that have been in the G League, what you're thinking positionally, or is it all far too early to think about that?
BOBBY WEBSTER: It's probably too early to identify what this specific is. It seems a bit early because I think we probably have like three weeks here before the March 1 date, so the typical game, like you said, do you want to go get a prospect? You want to look at someone in the G League? Do you commit early to a vet, not knowing what vets might eventually pop up on February 28th? See, it's probably earlier rather than later in the process. We're putting that list together, talking to agents, and seeing what might be out there.
- Thanks Bobby.
- Thank you, and I think we've got just one more thing from Michael Grange.
MICHAEL GRANGE: Hey Bobby, so this sort of does bring to an end the whole Kyle Lowry trade adventure, I guess. And how do you assess it if you look back to where you were this time last year, if not this actual time last year, and the decisions made, and then over the summer, and now it's all tied up? So how would you assess it?
BOBBY WEBSTER: Very philosophical, Mike.
MICHAEL GRANGE: It's my job.
BOBBY WEBSTER: Yeah. You know, I think, this probably dates back to even the second half of the year in Tampa. And as we started to evaluate the team and what we thought was best for the future of the franchise. And so, you want to be obviously respectful to Kyle through that process. You want to set up the team for the future. You want to start to have a vision for what the team looks like. And so you're starting to get players that kind of fit with your young group.
You also have to be a bit business-oriented and figure out what contracts, and obviously this contract, ended up helping us a little here. So it's not all warm and fuzzy. I think you've got to navigate a lot of those. And I think obviously, Precious has shown a lot of talent. He's continued to improve this year.
Obviously, having the Goran expiring allowed us to be in a lot of conversations this year. And now we have Thaddeus Young, so I think these things, they're nice stopping points, I think, to evaluate. But I'm not sure it's ever the beginning or the end of those discussions. And so we'll continue to see with this team, and with this direction.
MICHAEL GRANGE: Appreciate it. Thank you, Bobby.
- Thanks, Mike. Last call for hands.
