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Trade Proposal: David Lee to Raptors – news or noise?

By Brian Boake

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The Golden State Warriors don’t require further evidence that veteran power forward David Lee is an expensive redundancy for them. Lee was conspicuous by his absence during the Warriors’ (I won’t write “Dubs”) race to the NBA Championship, averaging only 8.2 Minutes Per Game [PG] and 3.2 Point PG in the playoffs. Management has not denied they will search for a trade partner on his behalf, and speculation abounds as a result. The Toronto Raptors have been named as a possible destination by nearly every credible site I’ve checked, so let’s weigh in, shall we?

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Mar 2, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Warriors forward David Lee (10) and center Andrew Bogut (12) battle for a rebound against Toronto Raptors forward Amir Johnson (15) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Warriors 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

TODAY’S DAVID LEE

Lee is a 32-year-old veteran of 10 NBA campaigns, half with the New York Knicks and the balance as a Warrior. He’s a consistent performer who overcame his humble selection at #30 in the 2005 draft to become a two-time All-Star. Lee can score both inside and out, rebound aggressively and pass the ball. He is, or was, Kevin Love Lite.

WHAT TO DO, IF ANYTHING?

The question for Masai Ujiri and the Raptors brain trust is simple: do they want to pony up $15.5M for next season, in the hope that Lee is 80% of what he was in ’12-’13? That season saw him start 79 games and average 18.5 PPG. If he still has a lot left in the tank, and can provide leadership to the still-youthful Raptors, he might be a worthy gamble. But if the Warriors were sitting him for good reason, i.e., he can’t play anymore, then acquiring him, even for the one season left on his contract, could be a fiasco.

Here’s a trade which works for the Trade Machine: David Lee for Landry Fields, Chuck Hayes and Tyler Hansbrough. Of course, those three will be renounced on July 1, so the deal becomes hugely beneficial for Golden State. They would free up a giant chunk of cap space to join the LaMarcus Aldridge hunt.

For the Raptors, the opposite results. All the cap space Masai is looking forward to finally having at his disposal would be eaten up by Lee’s salary. Beyond that, he’d have to make up the depth lost, so Amir Johnson would suddenly be in a stronger bargaining position. Presumably Masai would have to be satisfied DeAndre Daniels can make the big team, and whoever is drafted on June 25 isn’t a project. Coach Dwane Casey would have to be comfortable with Lee’s defensive capability.

VERDICT

The Warriors would be thrilled with this trade, so it’s the Raptors who have to be satisfied. And I think they would be. This trade is a worthwhile gamble for a Raptors organization which needs to shake things up, and it won’t hurt that much even if Lee flops. It’s only one season, and we’re not in championship mode yet.

What do you think, Rapture Nation? Comments, please.

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