Rumor: Raptors going for J. O'Neal, Diaw

[-Young Buck-]

Thats a good trade for both teams. Raptors get a nice duo of big men. Pacers get Ford and 17th pick. I think the Pacers actually played better without oneal.

[cyanide]

I hope it's worth the trade. I'm just happy that Ford's out of there, but I am concerned about O'Neal's injury-prone ways. This should improve ball movement for the Raptors since TJ couldn't pass, but I hope the Raptors can pick up a decent backup pg soon. I have no idea about Ukic coming over, and after 3-4 years, I'm sick of hearing his name. I'm pretty excited, and hopefully Bargs will come back better than that last pathetic season he had.

[Lamrock]

I bet Indy is partying like its 1999.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

Bosh+O'neal= Playoffs

Calderon=Starter

Bargniani= Bust. Trade.

[benji]

This should improve ball movement for the Raptors since TJ couldn't pass

Eh? The guy has assisted on 44.8% and 44.4% of Raptors baskets the last two years. Averaging around 9.5 assists per 36 minutes. He didn't qualify this year due to not playing as much but in 2006-07 he was 2nd in the league. (And this year ignoring qualifying minutes, he led the team.) Yeah, he commits a lot more passing turnovers per pass than Calderon, but it's lower than Nash's rate. And besides, Calderon is more like a point god than point guard.

Bosh+O'neal= Playoffs

They'll have to look out for that team they just sent four players to in order to get a $21 million jumper missing black hole. Especially what with filling one of their bigger holes, plus giving them a fairly nice center, and all.

[-Young Buck-]

Back when TJ played for the bucks i didnt like him. He seemed to get too far into the paint and then kick it out. It wasnt good basketball, more wreckless if you ask me. There are players who make good passes, and then players who drive and kick and pray.

[Lamrock]

Back when TJ played for the bucks i didnt like him. He seemed to get too far into the paint and then kick it out. It wasnt good basketball, more wreckless if you ask me. There are players who make good passes, and then players who drive and kick and pray.

Well, they suck without him.

[Wacky Bibe]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

[kingjames23]

this is the first i am hearing about the trade. sounds like an awesome front court, if O'neal stays healthy that is.

[[Q]]

looks like TJ & Rasho & 17 pick for Jermaine.

to make the salaries work, looks like either AP or Bargnani will be thrown in. and no way they give up on Bargnani so Parker's good as gone. sucks, i liked him in Toronto I don't think he'll do as well in Indy and will probably wind up going back to Europe if he follows the trend. Is Maceo Baston still in the NBA or did he go back to Europe?

[frAn]

not an awesome trade but good enough.
the pacers should get rid of tinsley next.

[jonthefon]

Was Rasho not a beast after March, averaging 10/10 a game ?

JO is overrated IMO. If they throw in Parker, that's a pretty good deal for Indy: Nesterovic could start, Parker is solid and they have another guy to add to their incredible overload of guards. That 17 pick? I'd say big man. Or sell it to Mark Cuban!

[Abctest123]

looks like TJ & Rasho & 17 pick for Jermaine.

to make the salaries work, looks like either AP or Bargnani will be thrown in. and no way they give up on Bargnani so Parker's good as gone. sucks, i liked him in Toronto I don't think he'll do as well in Indy and will probably wind up going back to Europe if he follows the trend. Is Maceo Baston still in the NBA or did he go back to Europe?

Baston is still on the Raptors' roster. I highly doubt it will be Anthony Parker that will be included in this trade. What's going around RealGM and being speculated is that one of Joey Graham or Maceo Baston will be included.

EDIT 1: Portland at one point had offered something along the lines of Channing Frye and Martell Webster for TJ Ford.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/449548

Earlier yesterday, Colangelo confirmed that the Raptors had told Ford immediately after the season they were going to try to move him in order to anoint Jose Calderon as the team's starting point guard.

"There was discussion with T.J. at the end of the season and also with his agents or representatives since the end of the season where we amicably discussed the scenario that might play out where he might be part of a trade and he's comfortable with that," said Colangelo.

O'Neal is an expensive acquisition, due to make about $44 million (U.S.) over the next two seasons. But even if the 29-year-old doesn't return to optimum form because of his knee injury, he still gives Toronto salary-cap flexibility in the not-too-distant future.

"I'm constantly also not only trying to balance improving the roster for the current day but to maintain flexibility in the future and have the ability to make adjustments as you go forward through either completely remaking the path or to add to the progress that's been made or to a developing roster," Colangelo said earlier yesterday.

The deal ends a harried time for the Raptors as they shopped Ford.

According to league sources, Portland made an offer that included Channing Frye and Martell Webster. Both of them have contracts that expire at the end of the season but because of Toronto's long-term salary obligations, they wouldn't give the Raptors nearly the financial flexibility the O'Neal contract will when it runs out.

EDIT 2: Baston will be in this deal and head back to Indiana, while Indiana's 41st pick goes to the Raptors.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3461029

ESPN.com has also learned that the Raptors will get the 41st pick from the Pacers as part of the deal while the Pacers will receive Raptors forward Maceo Baston to complete the deal.

[Its_asdf]

I have man crushes on Frye and Webster, I'm sorely disappointed that did not work out. Even though financially Jermaine O'Neal gives the Raptors more cap flexibility I still don't think Jermaine O'Neal will return to his old form and Colangelo could have possibly gotten something a bit better than O'Neal.

Then again... I trust Colangelo's judgement and I hope I'm proven wrong and O'Neal returns to form.

I wonder what Indy thinks of the trade.

[BigGameJames]

LOL I remember last summer the Lakers were thinking about giving Bynum AND Odom for J.O. in retrospect that trade would have really sucked for the Lakes. Glad they never made it, now Bird is willing to give O'neal away for TJ Ford and journeyman Nesterovic, trade is a wash IMO, no winner no loser.

[GoHornets]

Well, finally they got rid of O'neal. Now, the Pacers can start rebuilding with two very talented player, Granger and Ford. They also have the two first round picks and they can sign a good free agent this summer.
Very smart move

[Indy]

Excellent trade for the Pacers in so many ways. This is a great start to Larry Bird's career running the team. (Yes, this is the first move Bird has ever made.)

Getting Ford gives us flexibility in the draft, as we no longer have to take a point guard, and now we get an extra pick. I'm very high on Speights and Darrell Arthur, and I would love to get Mario Chalmers to backup Ford. Chalmers can shoot the three and defend, he will be very steady in the league.

We are also now in a great position salary-wise. We are in position now to be 16 million under the cap next year, giving us the ability to sign a big-time free agent. The Pacers could be off and running again very quickly.

There are many more moves to come, I expect Jeff Foster, Shawne Williams, Jamaal Tinsley and Ike Diogu to all be wearing different uniforms next year.

The Pacers may try to move one of those guys for another first rounder. Bird is going to be very active.

From the Raptors perspective, I don't really understand it completely. All his career, JO has needed someone to do the dirty work for him, and now he's supposed to be the guy that does it for Bosh? He makes their defense better right away, and will certainly take pressure of Bosh on that end, but he has always complained about having to play Center and doesn't like to have to bang. The Raptors need to pick up a banger now, and will actually miss Rasho.

That said, the Raptors are going to be unstoppable offensively. Both Bosh and Jermaine can step out and play out to 18-20 feet. Bosh is going to have to do that more often, as Jermaine has always really struggled when someone else clogs the lane, but I think Sam Mitchell is a creative enough coach.

The Raptors really need to pick up a small forward or a shooting guard now though. Starting any combination of Parker, Moon or Kapono won't work, they will still find themselves as the 4th best team in the East.

[cyanide]

I wonder what Indy thinks of the trade.

He's too busy replying to draft-related threads. This trade is not that important to him.



Edit: What the fuck. He replies.

[Its_asdf]

but I think Sam Mitchell is a creative enough coach.

I hope so too... All he does is run a pick and roll from beyond the three point line and hope that someone gets open.

[benji]

Hibbert makes this trade all the better for the Pacers. They basically replaced O'Neal with that pick. (And dare I say...upgraded?)

[Sauru]

yeah i think indy is the clear winner in this trade

[[Q]]

if you covet tiny PGs with an inferiority complex that takes bad shots and has trouble passing the ball when he needs to.

[Its_asdf]

It's the fact that the Pacers managed to replace an aging injury prone O'Neal with a younger centre with more potentia that makes the trade more worth while for the Pacers, as Benji already said.

[benji]

if you covet tiny PGs...

As compared to a $21+ million 6-11 guy who takes 70% of his shots as 37% jumpers? And that's assuming he makes it on the court for 82 games and 2500+ minutes.

[Sauru]

if you covet tiny PGs with an inferiority complex that takes bad shots and has trouble passing the ball when he needs to.

i dont care that they got ford, its more about getting the pick(hibbert) and getting rid of oneal