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Carmelo Anthony to Raptors – a trade where everyone wins

By Brian Boake

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shakes hands with Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors following an NBA game at Air Canada Centre on March 18, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shakes hands with Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors following an NBA game at Air Canada Centre on March 18, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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The Raptors are not in a happy place with the NBA salary cap. Here’s a deal which keeps our team in contention, and clears the decks for next off-season.

In many ways this is the silly season for basketball pundits. We can indulge in flights of fancy, which I’m doing right now, though with a serious purpose.

Loyal readers know I’ve been deeply concerned about the financial handcuffs the Toronto Raptors find themselves in. The NBA Draft just concluded with no activity by our team, and free agency is just around the corner. Many teams are under the salary cap, and thus able to put together juicy offers for the best talent. Sadly, the Raptors currently have only the Mid-Level Exception available to them. That’s like bringing a peashooter to a knife fight.

If the Raptors are going to improve on last year’s bitterly disappointing playoff results, a roster upgrade is essential. But I’m afraid the deal I’m about to propose won’t truly pay dividends until 2019-20. Anyway here goes:

Moving money as well as talent

A reminder – in the NBA players aren’t traded, contracts are. This transaction would provide our team with a one-year rental of Carmelo Anthony. If a mutual admiration society was created between player and team, great. Masai Ujiri could consider re-signing him. If not (a scenario I consider much more likely), our team would be out from under nearly $28 Million of guaranteed money and able to make some serious moves next off-season.

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Carmelo certainly isn’t the scoring machine he was in his glory years. The man is 33 years old, and coming off his worst statistical season ever, and that includes his rookie year of 2003-04. His scoring average plummeted to 16.2 points per game from 22.4, and his PER was a sad 12.8. Bearing in mind an average NBA player’s PER is 15, one can easily argue that ‘Melo has not just fallen from the rank of superstar, he’s not even a star.

He’d fit right in

However, Anthony would be joining the Raptors, a team better suited than most to accommodate his shortcomings. He’s defensively…um…challenged these days, but Dwane Casey, Mr. Defense First, is no longer in charge. New bench boss Nick Nurse is the right guy to figure out how to best use ‘Melo’s offensive skills (he shot 35.7% from deep last season, but he was over 40% twice while a Knick) within the framework of a veteran-heavy starting five.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – DECEMBER 27: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors on December 27, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – DECEMBER 27: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors on December 27, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Further to that point, Carmelo wouldn’t need long to develop a rapport with people like Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Would the aging ‘Melo pass along some tips to our kids like OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam? I’d like to think so.

Works for everyone

As for surrendering Serge and C.J., I do so with no pleasure. However, Serge underperformed last season and in the playoffs, and I’m skeptical he’ll make a turnaround. We have to add C.J. to make the money work, and that’s a shame. He’s a quality player and human being, but trades hurt.

The ESPN Trade Machine says this deal costs the Raptors four wins, and helps the Thunder win one more. Those are reasonable extrapolations.

Serge would return to the Thunder, a team he built his reputation with. C.J. is a top journeyman with skills useful anywhere.

The Raptors won’t fall out of contention with Carmelo on the roster. Once he’s gone, the financial situation will be infinitely better. Plus we’ll have draft picks again.

The chance of this deal coming to fruition is about nil. However, it’s an indication of how difficult the Raptors salary cap situation is that I even propose such a wild notion. Something’s gotta give.

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