NBA Today - April 4th

[duncan]

The thing I really disagreed with was Rucillo's idea that Bargs had to be traded for another big. Other teams in the league know what a bad rebounder/defender he is. Why would they trade for him?
I think he needs to be traded to a team with a solid C, or a team with a rebounding PF (Minny). If Bargs was playing the 4 next to Gortat, or Howard, his flaws would disapear pretty quick.

[ceez]

He'd fit in with a few teams really well, specifically Orlando and Phoenix.

[mcHAPPY]

He'd fit in with a few teams really well, specifically Orlando and Phoenix.

Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Utah would also work in my opinion.

[minks77]

The thing I really disagreed with was Rucillo's idea that Bargs had to be traded for another big. Other teams in the league know what a bad rebounder/defender he is. Why would they trade for him?
I think he needs to be traded to a team with a solid C, or a team with a rebounding PF (Minny). If Bargs was playing the 4 next to Gortat, or Howard, his flaws would disapear pretty quick.

He didn't say you'd have to trade him for a big, just that a big is what we need and he was looking at players with similar contracts ($ not years). I also disagree that if you put AB next to Howard or Gortat his flaws would "disappear." As Evidence I offer up Rashard Lewis when he was alongside DH and Channing Frye alongside Gortat AND Lopez. They both shoot from deep, park out on the perimetre and don't defend or board. Brandon Bass looks better down low with Dwight than Lewis did IMO. As for Minny, well Kevin Love likes to pull up from outside too. He isn't strictly a low post guy. Personally I think K-Love needs help defending the post.

Tim, I wasn't meaning "who would you trade him for" as a knock saying he's untradeable, just that from a numbers perspective are you really gonna be taking something worthwhile back to build with or just a shorter cap hold. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[minks77]

Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Utah would also work in my opinion.

I like Milwaukee for Andrea. Don't really know what I'd want back from them. Salmons ? Delf? been down those roads. ATL would probably be a good fit but they want/need to move Horford to the 4 and JSmiff to the 3 so where does AB fit unless they give us back one of those 2 or have Bargs coming off the bench?

I feel like Utah and PHX get thrown into this discussion because they already have outside shooting bigs as opposed to it making sense in terms of pieces coming back or even what they want going forward. Maybe Dallas or SAS would want him coming off the bench. NJ or Clev maybe? But whose coming back from those teams?

[Tim W.]

Tim, I wasn't meaning "who would you trade him for" as a knock saying he's untradeable, just that from a numbers perspective are you really gonna be taking something worthwhile back to build with or just a shorter cap hold. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Sorry. Usually when people say that it's an argument in favour of not trading him because you won't get much for him. I do think that there may be some teams under the cap willing to take on his salary because they see potential in him. Either way, though, cap space is overrated unless you're going to be able to use it, and I don't see the Raptors being in a position to do so.

[minks77]

Either way, though, cap space is overrated unless you're going to be able to use it, and I don't see the Raptors being in a position to do so.

I agree 100%. I don't see the TPE being used, at least in full, either.

[Raptorsss]

Some, of that podcast was good but mostly bad. He tried to save face, when before the season put them at the worst roster in the league, now to the 2nd worst. I call B.S. their current standings in the league, is exactly where this team ranks in terms of talent. I.E. 4th or 5th worst team.

Also, he has a hate on for the Raptors broadcasters? Sure, they're biased, but they watch and go to every Raptors game, aren't basketball neophites and are also fairly hard on the Raptors, considering their bias.

Steve Nash is not going to Toronto, and declining attendance is a red herring and directly related to the product, not vice-versa.

Also, the Toronto is not a destination team/city is also B.S. They're top 5 in attractiveness for talent, no question.

This also, makes dislike ESPN more and more. Maybe, if they actually showed a Raptors game once this year on of their 3 networks, we'd get a much less biased answer.

[Tim W.]

I agree 100%. I don't see the TPE being used, at least in full, either.

Part of the TPE has already been used to get James Johnson and Ajinca, as well as, I believe, partly to get Bayless (although I could be wrong on that one). What I always wanted the TPE to be used on was deals like the James Johnson one, and like what Oklahoma did last year in the draft to move up to the 12th spot. I've never liked the idea of using it to trade for an overpriced veteran a team doesn't want anymore and who isn't really going to have a big effect on the team.

[mcHAPPY]

Part of the TPE has already been used to get James Johnson and Ajinca, as well as, I believe, partly to get Bayless (although I could be wrong on that one). What I always wanted the TPE to be used on was deals like the James Johnson one, and like what Oklahoma did last year in the draft to move up to the 12th spot. I've never liked the idea of using it to trade for an overpriced veteran a team doesn't want anymore and who isn't really going to have a big effect on the team.

You are correct: JJ, Ajinca, and Bayless all came through the TPE.