Feb 27, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) shoots over Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) during the second half at EnergySolutions Arena. The Hawks won 102-91. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

“The only thing that should surprise us is that we can still be surprised.” La Rochefoucauld

Consider the pressure Utah’s GM Dennis Lindsey was under prior to the trade deadline. The Jazz have two quality big men in Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, both of whom are on expiring contracts. His team is in danger of missing the playoffs in the NBA’s tough Western Conference. If Lindsey does nothing about trading either or both of Millsap and Jefferson, he increases his chances of a playoff berth, which keeps his owner and fans happy. He also has a big chunk of salary cap space at season’s end. However, if both of these players leave the Jazz, there’s a gaping hole in his roster. Fans and the press are cranky because Lindsey didn’t turn one or both of them into assets via trade while he could. It’s an NBA GM’s version of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. Presumably his ownership didn’t order him to make a deal, otherwise he would have. But what if he did receive such an order, like Sacramento Kings’ President Geoff Petrie must have done?

I make that assumption because nothing else save temporary insanity or naked greed can explain the Kings’ donation of Thomas Robinson to the Houston Rockets (I know there were other players involved; Robinson, the #5 pick in last year’s draft, was the big prize and surely the only player of interest to Houston). The press has quite properly flamed Kings’ management and its ownership for this travesty of a trade, which does nothing to improve the Kings, now or in the future. [20 second timeout: David Stern killed the Chris-Paul-to-the-Lakers trade in 2011, so why didn't he squash this one?] The Maloofs, who are just about finished in Sacramento as team owners, apparently grab another million bucks with this trade, while poking Kings’ fans in the eye. Kings’ GM Petrie may well have wanted to resign on the spot when he was ordered to undertake this mockery of a deal. Houston GM Daryl Morey probably couldn’t believe his luck. (“Hi, Geoff, it’s Daryl. What would it take to get Thomas Robinson from you?” “Hmmm….how about 3 guys on your roster who can be proven to have pulses?”)

Feb 19, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings power forward Thomas Robinson (0) drives in against San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw (33) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Rod Thorn was the Nets’ GM who fleeced Raps’ GM Rob Babcock out of Vince Carter in 2004. It was public knowledge that Carter wanted out, and Babcock wasn’t receiving offers anywhere close to equal value. Thorn has since admitted he low-balled Babcock and was astonished that his offer was accepted.

My point is this: every day GMs call each other to offer their rowboat for the other guy’s nuclear submarine – and once in a great while, his counterpart says Yes. There is no such thing  as an impossible trade.

Brian Boake is a co-editor for Raptors Rapture. “Like” Raptors Rapture on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @RaptorsRapture for all the latest news and updates about the best damn NBA team from Canada.

Several analysts have criticized the Raps’ trade of Hamed Haddadi for Sebastian Telfair, because a second-round draft pick was thrown in. While I concur in theory that a second-rounder can prove valuable, I don’t understand what the Raps were supposed to do otherwise. Is a second-rounder really so important as to kibosh this deal? The need for insurance at the point guard spot has been glaringly obvious since Jose Calderon’s departure. We allow a veteran with lots of tread left on his tires a 27-game tryout (plus playoffs?), while protecting ourselves against a Kyle Lowry or John Lucas injury. We give up a player with no future on our team, plus a low second-rounder, and the financial impact is minuscule. I do this deal every day.

Dec 21, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Raptors guard John Lucas III (5) against the Orlando Magic at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Magic 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Andrea Bargnani is still a Rap. None of the deals I put forward, and on which many of you were good enough to Like and/or comment, were consummated. I’m neither disappointed nor surprised. The number of NBA deals proposed surely outnumbers those actually finalized by orders of magnitude. I’ve also taken the position that the most likely deal is in the future, i.e., AB & Landry Fields for the Lakers’ Pau Gasol.

The Trade Deadline Day just passed was more exciting than watching a tree grow its annual ring, but not by much. J.J. Redick was the biggest name to be moved – how sad is that? I believe many NBA General Managers, bewildered by the complexities and luxury-tax penalties in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, are waiting until the off-season before making any moves. I’m going on record with the prediction that this summer will produce enormous upheaval in NBA rosters, to a degree we’ve never seen before. After the playoffs are complete, and the Sacramento-or-Seattle decision is finalized, I will examine this topic in much greater detail.

Brian Boake is a co-editor for Raptors Rapture. “Like” Raptors Rapture on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @RaptorsRapture for all the latest news and updates about the best damn NBA team from Canada.