<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>In his search for a draft choice, Bryan Colangelo has found something that might have an impact on who – and where – he chooses: a market for point guard T.J. Ford. As the run-up to the June 26 NBA draft began in earnest yesterday, with the first of several workout sessions at the Air Canada Centre for prospective picks, the Raptors president and general manager was juggling interest in Ford from a handful of teams, interest made known during last week's Orlando pre-draft camp. Whether that interest has a direct impact on Toronto's No.17 slot in the draft can't be ascertained right now. The possibility exists that Colangelo might want to package Ford with the pick or he might be able to address one of his team's needs in a trade rather than with the first-round selection. However it shakes out eventually, the Raptors are covering all bases in their pre-draft workouts. Yesterday's session involved six players: guards Wayne Ellington of North Carolina, Shan Foster of Vanderbilt, Mississippi State's Jamont Gordon, Oregon's Malik Hairston, Courtney Lee of Western Kentucky and North Carolina forward Danny Green, who are all marginal first-round selections at best and are just as likely to go undrafted or return to college as anything. But with so many other issues at play, the Raptors feel they need to build a book on as many players as they can. "Some of them, you never can tell what might happen in the second round," said Jim Kelly, Toronto's director of player personnel. "We don't have a (second-round) pick, but I think in the last two drafts, we've been wheeling or dealing with second-rounders, selling them or buying them. I think they're always for sale out there." But the Ford issue is the one hanging over the team like a sword. Colangelo has said he is going to sign restricted free agent Jose Calderon if any other team makes the Spaniard an offer and it's far-fetched to think things will work smoothly if both Ford and Calderon are back on the team next season. While Colangelo has always asserted he's willing to start the season with both point guards in Toronto rather than be forced into making a bad trade, finding five or six teams with legitimate interest in Ford gives the GM many more options to explore. The parallel course is finding a draft choice they like best while also being prepared for any trade contingencies. "Unfortunately, the draft comes before you can talk about what you're going to do trade-wise or free agent-wise," Kelly said, "so you have to be prepared for everything." The Raptors could swing a deal before the draft, but likely they will either have something in place to do draft night or the day after or they will want to see how the rest of the top of the first round unfolds. They cannot begin negotiating with free agents until July 1 and can't sign any until July 8.</div> <div align="center">Source: Toronto Star</div> Good to see that the rumours of TJ being untradeable are turning out to be false. I think the Raps can get something substantial for him, as this year's PG class isn't outstanding and there's not much else out there in free agency.
That's the plan, dude. It's looking more and more like the Raps will have to part with one of their expiring contracts to complete a good deal. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I think Colangelo was hoping to keep that cap space.
