For the Toronto Raptors and their fans, the heartbreak from Sundays loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 is still fresh - so fresh that even contemplating next season, or even this offseason, might be too painful to do right now. [url=http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Mike-Gillislee-Super-Bowl-J

For the Toronto Raptors and their fans, the heartbreak from Sundays loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 is still fresh - so fresh that even contemplating next season, or even this offseason, might be too painful to do right now. Mike Gillislee Jersey . Perhaps thinking about anything else at all would be a welcome distraction. The 2014 Toronto Raptors seemingly came out of nowhere. In a season when the club was expected to be "riggin for Wiggins" or one of the other highly touted prospects available in next months NBA Draft, not only did the Raptors compete, they won the division and, in the process, became the most likable team that Toronto sports has seen for some time. Now, whats next? What would you do to build upon this years breakthrough season going into 2014-2015? The Raptors success was a confluence of many different things and credit is due to many different people. General manager Masai Ujiris December trade of Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings opened a number of doors for Dwane Caseys squad and was the chief catalyst for the success to follow. Nobody will dispute Gays credentials as a gifted scorer and a well-liked teammate, but on many nights, he was a black hole on offence for the Raptors. Sure, Gay led the team in scoring, but he also led the team in shots taken with many of them low-percentage and poorly thought out. The Raptors offence lived and died with Gay and the teams 6-12 record at the time of the trade indicates that there was a lot more dying being done. Gays removal did two major things for the Raptors – it opened up the floor for the emergence of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and effectively rounded out the teams second-unit. Not much more ink can be spilled on the seasons that both DeRozan and Lowry had for the Raptors. In becoming the teams out-and-out number one option, DeRozan rounded into a smarter player who, when given the ball, did one crucial thing much better than Gay did – he picked his spots. Rarely did you see a Gay-like game from DeRozan with 25+ points, but on sub-30 per cent shooting. DeRozan earned himself on an All-Star appearance in becoming the Raptors go-to player and it was well deserved. Lowry was inarguably the best point guard in the Eastern Conference in 2014. The Raptors backcourt general, Lowrys vision and quick decision-making on most nights opened up the floor and allowed the Raps to develop into a solid offensive team in the leagues top half. Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson, two of the players acquired from the Kings, were sparkplugs off the bench, contributing both valuable minutes and timely scoring. Of course, there was more than just that. Jonas Valanciunas built on his rookie season, growing more accustomed to the North American game, to continue to develop into a more than effective post presence. Amir Johnson, the heart and soul of the team, was a dependable energy player, both responsible defensively and able to chip in on offence. None of this would have been possible without the guiding hand of Casey. The man who finished fifth in voting for the NBA Coach of the Year award got his charges to commit to his system and work as a cohesive unit. More often than not, one of the most consistent talking points you would get from any interview given by a Raptors player over the course of the season was that there was a real sense of camaraderie amongst the squad and that was fostered under Caseys tutelage. But what now for Ujiris second act? Soon, though, when the heartache from that last-second loss begins to subside in earnest, Ujiri will some difficult decisions to make in guiding his 2014 Atlantic Division champions forward. Firstly, lets look at who on this team is almost certain to return. Under guaranteed contract for 2015 are DeRozan, Valanciunas, Terrence Ross, Chuck Hayes, Steve Novak and Landry Fields. Thats 60 per cent of your starting five and three bench pieces, but ones that are not remotely irreplaceable. The team has five players with non-guaranteed contracts for next season, three of those of consequence. With all due respect to Julyan Stone and Dwight Buycks, whether or not the team chooses to retain the pairs modest salaries is insignificant, considering the two are in street clothes more nights than theyre dressed. Amir Johnson, John Salmons and Tyler Hansbrough are the trio of players that Ujiri has options on. Johnson and Salmons both have a $7 million option and Ujiri will be loath to let the former go. Johnson is arguably the teams most popular player and his workmanlike effort will not be easy to replace. Barring the unforeseen, Johnson is a Raptor next season. The situation is murkier for Salmons. A piece who came over from Sacramento as part of the Gay deal, Salmons found himself in and out of Caseys favoured rotation over the course of the season. A more than competent sixth or seventh man, there certainly is value in retaining Salmons in his leadership and sharpshooting. That said, $7 million isnt exactly a drop in the bucket for a bench player who will turn 35 over the course of next season and the team might try to explore a trade for veteran before deciding not to qualify him. Salmons probably wont be back. As for Hansbrough, his $3.3 million is commensurate for what "Psyco T" brings to the table and, while hes not a lock to come back, hes likely to return. The team holds qualifying offers on three players: Vasquez, Patterson and Nando De Colo. Both Vasquez and Patterson want to return and its easy to see why Ujiri would want them back. Vasquez excelled as the teams back-up point guard with Casey feeling no unease inserting him to spell Lowry. His dependable off-the-bench scoring, competent defence and the ability to start in a pinch guarantee that a player like Vasquez, due to make $3.2 million next season, wont have any troubling finding an NBA job. The same goes for Patterson, who comes in at just over $4.3 million. Expect there to be interest league-wide for both players, but look for the Raptors to be game to match. De Colo, who came over at the deadline from the San Antonio Spurs, was serviceable in his limited role as a number-three point guard and would be welcomed back in that role. This, of course, leaves the teams biggest question mark on the court and its only unrestricted free agent: Lowry. The player wants to come back. Management wants him to stay. His teammates want him to return. Kyle Lowry doesnt have to clean out his locker room stall at the Air Canada Centre if he doesnt want to. The sticking point, as is apt to be the case in situations like these, is money. Lowry, a player who was attached to trade rumours for much of this past season, was the 23rd-highest-paid point guard in the league. You can guarantee that wont be the case with his new deal, but two key factors come into play for the Raptors: just how much the 28-year-old is looking for and how big the market is for his services. Obviously, the two are linked. From a financial standpoint, Lowrys career-year couldnt have come at a worse time. There just simply arent vacancies right now around the league for a point guard to be paid what the Raptors talisman will likely command. Sure, Lowrys easily the best unrestricted PG out there (with the likes of Rodney Stuckey and Mario Chalmers also on the board) and a team like the Los Angeles Lakers is a potential destination, but in all likelihood, theyre keeping their chequebooks open for next summers probable free agent bonanza (including UCLA product Kevin Love, who they covet highly.) What that boils down to, then, is the fact that for a myriad of reasons, Toronto is Lowrys best fit. Its all a matter of finding common ground. Hes not going to get max money, but hes going to be in line for a significant raise that will eat up some of the teams available cap space. All signs are pointing to a deal getting done, but dont think that Lowry wont be listening to other offers. So where does this leave the Raptors for next season? Theyre clearly a work in progress, which is a blessing and a curse. Theres potential here to build on, but theres also a clear indication that this team needs to raise its talent level one way or another, whether its through free agency or trade. Its difficult to speculate on the trade market just yet, but there are several potentially attractive names for the Raptors available on the free agent market. The likes of Trevor Ariza, Luol Deng or even a returning Vince Carter could all make sense for the Raptors and represent an upgrade in the overall talent department. Yes, theres always been the concern about how attractive Toronto is to NBA players, but much of that is unfounded speculation based on ignorance. Players will always follow money and a chance to win and 2014-15 could be an opportunity for the Raptors to strike while the iron is hot. Dont get me wrong, nobody is suggesting that this team is in the same class as the Miami Heat or even the Indiana Pacers, but look around at the rest of the East and especially the Atlantic. The Nets are obviously anticipating the return of a healthy Brook Lopez, but Brooklyn is both expensive and old. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will both be buoyed by a high selection in next months draft, likely a player who could make an immediate impact, but each team is in the midst of a long rebuild.The New York Knicks will play the waiting game with Carmelo Anthony and whether or not hell want to opt out of his current deal. Yes, the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade have opt-outs, too, but out of the premier players in the NBA who have that option, Anthony is the only one who realistically might take it with the Chicago Bulls potentially waiting in the wings. As Phil Jacksons team focuses on Anthony, the rest of the team around him just isnt good enough. There is room to move in the East and the Raptors will do whats necessary to help facilitate that. Next October is a long ways away, but the path to it will start soon. Masai Ujiris Toronto Raptors face a pivotal offseason after the teams greatest success in recent memory. How would you move forward with the Raptors? Its Your Call! David Andrews Jersey . Alexander was released last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent the past three seasons at safety. He had 121 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven interceptions in 51 regular-season and three playoff games. Joe Thuney Jersey . Gustafsson controlled the first round after getting top position on a throw, and came out much more forcefully in the second, buckling Manuwa with a Muay Thai knee, and finishing him off with strikes on the ground. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Devin-McCourty-Super-Bowl-Jersey/ .Y. - The NFL has fined Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during last Sundays NFC championship game, a person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press on Thursday.LAS VEGAS -- Chris Weidman accepted his UFC middleweight title belt with a grimace and a furtive look over his shoulder. Anderson Silva writhed and screamed on the canvas behind him, his left leg grotesquely broken by a kick to Weidmans knee. The champ couldnt celebrate after the UFCs year-end show ended with a stark reminder of the brutality at the core of this flashy, fast-growing sport. Weidman defended his title when Silva broke his shin on a kick to Weidmans knee in the second round Saturday night, ending UFC 168 with a horrific injury. While Weidman (11-0) awkwardly acknowledged his victory, the MGM Grand Garden crowd watched with reverence and horror as medical personnel tended to Silva (33-6), whose shin bent to a 90-degree angle after Weidman blocked his kick 1:16 into the round. "Theres no real excitement in a fight finishing like that, because you never want to see anyone get hurt like that," Weidman said after his second straight win over the long-reigning champion. Weidman, who earned his belt with an upset victory in July, also dominated the first round of the rematch, pinning Silva to the mat and punishing him with blows. In the second, Weidman used his knee to stop Silvas kick with perfect mixed martial arts technique, never anticipating the result. "I did work on checking kicks," Weidman said. "I figured if I (caught) him on my knee, it could really hurt him. Crazy how this happened." Ronda Rousey also retained her bantamweight title on arguably the UFCs most anticipated show of the year, submitting Miesha Tate with a third-round arm bar. Rousey then walked away from her bitter rivals offer of a post-fight handshake, earning ferocious boos from the Vegas fight crowd. But Rouseys questionable sportsmanship was dwarfed by the unquestionably awful finish to the main event. Although the injury happened too quickly to be seen by most naked eyes in Las Vegas, the sound of Silvas cracking shin could be heard at cageside. Thousands of fans cringed and moaned when the replay was shown on the arenas big screens. "I knew coming into the fight that what he could hurt me most with was the leg kicks," Weidman said. "We trained checking the kick a lot. The idea is to pull your leg and for their shin to land at the knee. Thats exactly what I did, and I felt his leg go right away." Referee Herb Dean waved off the fight when Silva fell back, clutching his leg with both hands. Silva left the octagon strapped to a stretcher with a brace on his leg, screaming in pain. With his belt back around his waist, Weidman paid tribute to the injured ex-champion. Malcolm Butler Jersey. "Hes still known as the greatest fighter of all time," Weidman said. Silvas nearly seven-year reign atop the middleweight division ended nearly six months ago when Weidman stopped the preening, posturing champion with a left hook at UFC 162. With two straight wins, the former Hofstra wrestler has firmly ended Silvas reign. The injury in the rematch conceivably could end the 38-year-old Brazilians MMA career. The show was heavy on violent finishes. Heavyweight Travis Browne knocked out veteran Josh Barnett in the first round with a series of elbows to the head, earning the third straight early stoppage on the pay-per-view portion of the card. Before the unsettling main event, Rousey (8-0) got the biggest test of her ascendant career. Rousey had never seen the second round of an MMA fight, but Tate tested the champion with striking and tenacity. Although Rousey repeatedly tossed Tate (13-5) to the canvas and pounded on her, Rousey couldnt finish until getting her weary opponent into her patented arm bar -- the submission move she has used to end each of her eight professional fights. "I respect Miesha very much as a competitor," said Rousey, who feels Tate insulted her family. "But I cant respect a fighter who did what she did, and I cannot shake her hand because of it." Tate landed plenty of strikes to Rouseys head, particularly during a thrilling first round in which she tested Rouseys chin. Rousey gradually wore down Tate and finally finished her, violently bending her elbow and forcing Tate to tap out. "Going more than one round was a good experience," Rousey said. "I needed that experience in the octagon, and as my mom said, better to get it in a win than in a loss." But when Tate attempted to shake her hand, Rousey slowly rose and walked away. The crowd booed vociferously when the replay of the snub was shown in slow motion, but Rousey didnt apologize. Nearly two years ago, Rousey defeated Tate by first-round arm bar to claim Tates Strikeforce title, cementing her meteoric rise from the U.S. Olympic judo team to the apex of MMA. Rousey and Tate have made no secret of their distaste since that bout, further stoked by their combative appearance as coaches on the most recent season of "The Ultimate Fighter," the UFCs competition reality show. "In judo, I didnt know what a cheer was," Rousey said. "Cheers are whats new." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '