Much ado about nothing: Raptors & NBA Trade deadline
By Brian Boake
NBA trade speculation is rampant. Actual trades are in short supply. Will the Raptors find a player they like, and a team that wants to move him?
The voracious NBA trade press is desperate to find something to talk about. With less than 24 hours to go before the trade deadline of 3:00PM Thursday, there have been exactly two deals. [20-second timeout: The Orlando Magic sent Tobias Harris to Detroit for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova. That’s a clear win for the Pistons in my mind, and should boost their playoff hopes. The other deal, in which the featured player is Courtney Lee, isn’t worthy of comment.] As a result, frantic posts from competent writers like Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski are filled with “…so I’ve heard” and “…according to my sources”.
Let’s bounce around some of the names these guys and others are “hearing” (perhaps when they talk to other members of the starved-for-news crowd; no competent GM is going to pre-announce a potential trade) and see if any of them would be of interest to the Toronto Raptors.
Pau Gasol: Certainly he’s aging most gracefully, and would improve any dressing room, but where would he play? Should Jonas Valanciunas or Bismack Biyombo sit in favour of Pau? Pass.
Dwight Howard: I wouldn’t go near this guy. I’m reading speculation to the effect that he wants $150 million over 5 years on his next deal. You want to buy into a declining market – be my guest. emphatic Pass
Greg Monroe: Supposedly Milwaukee won’t discuss his availability. Too bad. Make an offer.
Ryan Anderson: In play, and going various places, according to “sources” (yeah…sure) Anyway, I’ve already expressed an interest in him, though I suspect Dwane Casey would veto any trade. Anderson isn’t a plus defender, and never will be. Make an offer anyway.
Taj Gibson: A rotation player and a first-rounder for a hard-working power forward like Taj? This guy could start tomorrow and look like he’d been with the Raptors for years. Make an offer.
Al Horford: I love him, and think he’d be a perfect fit. Sadly, I don’t think we can afford him and DeMar DeRozan next season. Pass, tearfully.
Kevin Love: See Al Horford comment. There’s only so much money. Pass, not as tearfully.
Anderson Varejao: When he’s been healthy, Andy has shown he can play, despite his clumsiness. Here’s the other side of the ledger: too expensive, too short term, too many games in street clothes. Pass.
Randy Foye: I’m sure he’s a fine fellow. Emphatic pass.
Omer Asik: The Pelicans would trade him in a heartbeat, but there are no takers. His play has cratered, and he’s another guy with no spot open on the Raptors for whatever skills he has. Pass.
Thaddeus Young: By all accounts, he’s off the market. Boo, hiss. Make an offer anyway.
Terrence Jones: Always talked about as available, yet he hasn’t moved. Maybe there’s a reason for that. Pass.
Rudy Gay: He wants out of Sacramento. So does any player with half a brain. Go elsewhere, Rudy. Pass.
Somebody’s got to get this party started. If a contender makes a move, don’t be surprised if there are a lot of deals which follow in short order. However, this may be the Year Of (Not) Living Dangerously. I’ll be monitoring all the usual sources, but Masai Ujiri and the Raptors could let another trade deadline slip by with no deals.