The only trade chatter of interest to Raptors fans surrounds the Phoenix Suns and their failed season. A couple of our writers have already opined on this matter, and I thought I’d join in.
Sometimes I don’t know how I feel about ideas I have to help the Toronto Raptors unless I write about them. If I can convince myself on paper of the notion’s merit, I ask you our readership to give it consideration.
Which brings me to my latest crazy idea: let’s trade DeMarre Carroll.
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I like DeMarre Carroll, and think he’s fitted in very well on the Raptors roster. However, he’s expensive, this season and through the life of his contract, which ends after the 2018-19 season. In fact, he’s Toronto’s highest paid player this season. If DeMar DeRozan re-signs with our team over the summer, he’s certain to top Carroll’s money. Most commentators place DD’s compensation in the $25 Million range per annum, which feels right to me too. Even with a rising salary cap, there’s only so much money.
Let’s talk about what happens on the floor. Why was Carroll brought in? Because Dwane Casey felt, and Masai Ujiri undoubtedly agreed, that the Raptors couldn’t advance without re-establishing themselves as a premier defensive entity. Carroll was the 3 & D man Casey wanted. The Raptors had been smoked in the playoffs by seemingly unstoppable swingmen like the Nets’ Joe Johnson two years ago, and Paul Pierce last.
Have the Raptors returned to their prior status as a team tough to score on? They are tenth in defensive ranking, and sixth in offensive, with a net of 4.3, also sixth. But the improvement in defensive ranking has largely been achieved without Carroll, who’s been limited by injury to a mere 23 games. The Raptors have won 13 of their last 14 games, so they certainly haven’t been damaged by his absence.
I think the most marked improvement in the Raptors’ defense has been provided by the second unit, in particular the presence of Bismack Biyombo. I want to believe, and most of the time I do, that Terrence Ross has become a more capable on the ball defender. Whether his (assumed) improvement would carry over should he be moved back to the starting unit is very hard to say.
An analysis of the year-over-year defensive improvement of the Raptors is beyond the scope of this post. Let’s take it as read that Carroll is a capable defender, though not an essential one. He’s an efficient scorer, but we’re not short of those types of players.
What we do need is a true power forward, one who won’t back down from the wrestling matches soon to take place in the paint during the post-season. In the absence of James Johnson (injured ankles are worrisome things, and apt to be chronic), we could use another defensive wingman.
Voila! Let’s move Carroll to the Phoenix Suns for Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker. The transaction works with virtually no financial or winning impact for either team. The Suns aren’t going to sniff the playoffs this season, so don’t mind Carroll’s injured status (if they are in tank mode already, they might prefer he remain sidelined). Getting a low-maintenance man like him will be a breath of fresh air to an organization plagued with unhappy players (Goran Dragic, and now Morris) and with a fill-in coach, having fired the disappointing Jeff Hornacek.
Assuming Morris isn’t a pain, and I grant his attitude is a big question mark, he can be thrust into the starting job at the 4-spot. Tucker is certainly a better stop-gap than the overmatched Norman Powell at the 3. Perhaps TRoss gets his starter’s job back, and Tucker becomes Patrick Patterson and Biyombo’s mate on the second unit. No problem; the former second-round selection (by Bryan Colangelo) will bust his butt wherever he is.
OK, Rapture Nation, what do you think? Please drop a Comment.