He would be the one to tell us! Always loved his trades! Been posting with FJ for years! All is right with the world now.
As to your question Denny.... I have always thought Toronto is a logical destination for him providing the Raptors could move Hedo Turkoglu ( which Bryan Colangelo has alluded to being possible ) It seemed as though Chris Bosh wanted his max contract ( including years ) early on but this seems as though it is softening with him being a strong candidate for Miami , maybe New York but Chicago seem to be in the mix as well. From his recent interview though Bryan Colangelo is talking about sign and trade possibilities that get him back salary flexibility and a trade exception . I don't know that the Raptors would be receptive to taking Luol Deng is a sign and trade but they should The Raptors were one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season. They need complements around Andrea Bargnani . Deng's rebounding and slashing game complements Bargnani who is a perimeter big that is "light on" in the rebounding department So my Raptors trade to unload Deng and rebuild the Raptors is : Deng + our 2012 1st round pick to Toronto Hedo Turkoglu + Chicago's rights to Charlotte's 2012 draft pick to Golden State Andris Biedrins to Toronto Jose Calderon, James Johnson, Reggie Evans ( expiring contract ) and Marcus Banks (expiring contract ) to Washington Gilbert Arenas to Toronto Demar Derozan to New Jersey Terrence Williams to Toronto Chris Bosh to Chicago So my new look Raps are : Biedrins Bargnani Deng Williams Arenas bench Vet Big Davis Weems Bellinelli Jack They have a draw card in Arenas and haven't sacrificed their long range attack with the shooting capacity of Arenas, Bargnani and Bellinelli - but they have added signficant defensive assets in Biedrins, Deng and Williams. A vet big with an interior defensive focus and with Jack having some defensive capacity then I believe this is a team that can't contend but it can sure as hell compete and be a winning team and be a legitimate playoff contender They MUST address their defense if they want to compete and go forward and have people take them seriously. Dealing Deng obviously allows us to make a play for Bosh but it also opens up the posisbilities for Joe Johnson ( assuming we include James Johnson in the dealing mix with Deng ) I thought Minnesota was a logical destination for Deng before David Kahn went and drafted Wes Johnson and Luke Babbit while also still figuring out what they are going to do with Corey Brewer I never saw the Clips as an option . They are saving their cherry for James who doesn't want it ...and beyond that I don't see them paying Deng when are paying Davis and Kaman The Kings could be an option. Maybe a Deng for Beno Udrich swap and a lottery protected 1st round pick. The Kings have the room to absorb the contract and this opens up a $5M salary differential in the trade . This enables two max contacts and the ability to add someone like Mike Miller perhaps who would be 40% of the cost of say Joe Johnson ( OK without the same defensive capacity ) but we can easily add role wing defenders over time. And then the last option is possibly the Nets if they whiff on significant free agency additions . Adding Deng with say Taj Gibson for Terrence Williams could be a smart move for both teams. Deng gives them a good fit with a natural penetrating point guard like Devin Harris and Taj basically provides a stead PF option until Derrick Favours matures and assumes the spot. Certainly a long term core of Lopez, Favours, Deng and Harris is promising and only really leaving their 2 spot to improve through still available cap room and/or the lottery where they would likely be at least for 2 to 3 more years. The reported Magic trade is interesting and from a Bulls perspective it balances us up but only makes sense for depth if we're doing Lebron and a lesser cost PF option like David Lee or Joe Johnson ( with Lee and Johnson both starting at $13M ) I'm not sure why the Magic would do this trade though . I can't see where it makes a bunch of sense for them Outside of these points I can't see much of a market for Deng elsewhere
Get out the U-Hauls in 4 cities with that first deal. Why does Golden State do it? I was thinking maybe Deng for Bosh in a S&T. Toronto has the Euro thing going on, so Deng would fit in. Not a horrible consolation prize, either, for losing Bosh. I'd love to see Cleveland take Deng in S&T for LBJ, but I think our roster would be like 5 deep (starters) with guys like Flip Murray (at best) as the fill-ins. How about Deng to NOH for Paul and Okafor? That would be one of our FA slots (CP3), but we'd have a pretty good backup C and PF.
I think Golden State does it because Hedo is a ball handling point forward at his best that in my opinion would revive his career with a wing attack of Steph Curry and Monta Ellis . Nellie has always played light upfront and Biedrins isn't skilled enough with ball in hand to fit what GSW do. They'll end up playing Randolph and Wright a ton in small ball . Udoh should see some minutes too. Hell if they can play Corey Maggette as a PF than all bets are off
Hedo's 31 years old (32 before end of next season) and his main stats have declined three straight seasons. I think he's an albatross type contract/player anymore....
You are right Colangelo has surprisingly been open to doing a S & T with Bosh. If they get rid of the disgruntled Hedu as you have provided us in this trade they could take him. Especially if Bosh says it's the Bulls. Deng's defense would help them, no doubt, and his scoring would help take the sting out of losing Bosh. Who would GS get for Biedrins? Oh I see, Hedu. Arenas in Toronto is interesting. Deng and Arenas would make up for losing Bosh, but in your trade Toronto loses more. Jose Calderon is no biggie imo, but Derozan has a nice game! If they trade him to the Nets he could excell with the young team they have. That being said, I dont see why Toronto trades him. A lot of Bulls fans thought Minnesota would be ideal, but as you point out, doesn't seem like a fit now. Interesting trade
OK. Noted . But he has significantly more talent than Andris Biedrins who is also coming off injury and declining production In this case I think its about fits . Hedo fits the no responsibility defense of GSW but can create offense which is gold for GSW's bevy of shooters. Ellis creates and does his own thing or could play off the ball with Hedo handling , or , Hedo just feeds the shooters . Biedrins gives some defensive anchoring and rebounding to play a role and complement Bargnani with Deng on the other side of Bargnani
PLus ...we're giving GSW the better talent and giving them a potentially valuable pick in 2012 ( Charlotte's pick ) which may well be lottery or mid 1st round . Contract $'s and length are similar . All this to buy a better fit for Bargnani. Work it baby. Work it.
Speaking of shooters... Where do we find 3pt threats? A team with Rose/LeBron/Deng/Bosh/Noah has only LeBron who's a consistent threat and he's not really that good at it.
Toronto trades him because he is a scorer and you don't need that to pair with Gil . You need a defensive beast in the back court with Gil ( or a potential defensive beast ) and the two young guys that fit that bill are Terrence Williams and Gerald Hendersen. Derozan can'y shoot anyway. He's an athletic highwire act only at this stage. It has to be about defense for the Raps and you're not going to get that with Arenas and Bargnani. Hence Biedrins, Deng and say Terrence Williams Deng is the perfect 3rd offensive wheel , the "two way" player to throw in behind Arenas and Bargnani If that team can be put together that's top half of the East and a 2nd round team IMO with the chance for upset to go to the Conference Finals ( depending on Coaching staff and the rest of the core rotation )
Biedrens is 24 years old and plays a position where there is a scarcity of quality players. Yeah, I think he's been injury prone, but the past is no indicator of the future.
Well until David Kahn switched from his PG draft fetish to a SF draft fetish .... I was hoping we could come to a sensible arrangement and maybe swap James Johnson for Wayne Ellington Also .... if Utah is for real in wanting to redo Boozer than I think Deng makes a lot of sense for Utah . I'm thinking Millsap and a resigned Kyle Korver at $3.5M starting + our 2012 1st round pick - Utah has $10M going at and has $11.6M coming back in with Deng who pairs with Boozer and Fesenko upfront with Okur and Kirilenko supporting the front line. Deron Williams and Wes Matthews at guard with vet depth sitting in behind them Millsap , James Johnson and the rights to Omer Asik go to Toronto for Chris Bosh and Marco Bellinelli We have room left over to sign a combo guard that can back up both guard spots and shoot the 3 . Roger Mason ladies and gentlemen. Give him a round of applause. Kaboom. We have our shooters. Korver, Bellinelli and Mason
I'm aware of this . Notwithstanding - any which way you slice it Turkoglu is the superior talent and irrespective of his age has had no history of major injury Its also why we are throwing a likely lottery pick ( mid 1st round worst ) that they will receive in 2012 . At best .. Biedrins is a mid 1st round pick in a so so draft . So they get this quid pro quo for free AND get the better talent NOW that ( theoretically ) should fit Steph, Monta , Morrow and Azuibuike like a glove
