Chisholm: Raptors Should Chase Collison & Okafor

[Apollo]

Pacer on hunt for Collison

the Pacers have reached out to New Orleans about the former UCLA point guard.

Source: IndyStar.com

The Pacers desperately want a star PG to play with Granger. They potentially have as much as $49M in expiring contracts to offer up in any deal. The Raptors can't match what the Pacers can offer.

[Katman]

A Trade Exemption would trump expiring contracts, since the expiring contracts will only save you tax money after next season. Don't you think?

[Raptor4Ever]

Source: IndyStar.com

The Pacers desperately want a star PG to play with Granger. They potentially have as much as $49M in expiring contracts to offer up in any deal. The Raptors can't match what the Pacers can offer.

Nicely Said. We have 2 contracts that we want to get ride of. One if Jose and the other Hedo. We maybe able to package Jose with Bosh but then we need the expiring contracts of Banks and Regiee and the draft pick to off load Hedo.

So I am not sure How we can get Collison from Pacers and still have tools to get ride of Hedo and Jose as well.

Some of the scenario's given in this thread and very unrealistic.

[hateslosing]

"I'm pretty sure you need to trade a player to someone UNDER the cap to get a trade exception." -Katman

You're right, I had forgotten about that.

"Barring a huge move, I don't see NO competing in the wild, wild west. I think it makes financial sense to trade Paul as well as strategic sense to acquire and build around more young talent and hopefully grow a Thunderesque core in a couple of years. Peja is the big domino for them, if they don't turn him into a high priced vet, the CP3 train will start boarding for departure." -Mo-Sales

I think when you have a guy like Chris Paul on your team, you are always one player away from contending. I don't agree about them trading Paul and rebuilding as being the best option for them, even though I would love to try to get CP3. They have the best point guard in the league and I think when you get someone like that, you hang on to them until they either demand a trade or retire. Also, keep in mind that not every team that tries to rebuild through the draft is successful and they could just be setting themselves up for years of finishing just out of the playoffs. I do agree with you about Peja, he is certainly the guy they need to turn into something good and the reason I put him in my trade scenario was not necessarily because I thought it was what NO would want, but he is certainly the best of NO's awful contract and he would fill the hole Turk is leaving.

[Tim W.]

I know Bosh gave a list of 5 teams he would be willing to play for, its funny how none of them have a lights out pg.

Ya, that Derrick Rose guy is crap, isn't he?

[Apollo]

A Trade Exemption would trump expiring contracts, since the expiring contracts will only save you tax money after next season. Don't you think?

What trade exception?

[mo-sales]

Paul is the best pg in the planet and they are going to continue to waste his abilities if they are mired in the too cheap too spend, but just happy enough to compete balancing act that has them perilously close to disaster.

They seem to want to compete and dump contracts at the same time, I'm not sure if that is possible. They can either package Emeka with Collison for expirings or a little bit more and piss off Paul or trade Paul before he demands a trade and his value plummets.

Who says no to Paul and Emeka to Philly for the #2 pick, Dalembert and Lou Williams or NJ could offer Lopez, the #3, Yi and find a third team to match salaries and then make a legit run at Bron.

Collison is no Paul, but he's cheap and effective and they have Marcus Thorton to play alongside him. You compete in the NBA by building a core and then adding salary. The Hornets are at a crossroads, they have one bad contract in Emeka and one awful contract in Peja that can now be turned into an asset. You either go all in, keep paying Emeka and turn Peja + Collison into an overpaid all star or you hit reset and shop Paul. The last thing you do is panic by making a Bacockian trade that forces you to keep walking the tightrope and risks further alienation of your meal ticket.

[Apollo]

They would be crazy to deal Paul unless he wants out.

[Nick]

Ya, that Derrick Rose guy is crap, isn't he?

I forgot about Chi town my bad

[YKOil]

With mo-sales on this one.

NO is two years away from a "Bosh" off-season.

From Stojakovic (EXP $15.34), Peterson (EXP $6.64), Songaila (PO EXP $4.82) and West (EXP** $8.29) the Hornets have to get SOMETHING of quality to go along with Paul, Collison and Thornton.

Okafor isn't efficient enough for NO given the money he makes and West isn't dominant/good enough to pair with Paul in a dynamic duo situation so neither is a keeper for that team.

Soooo.... I see two routes for them to go:

1. Keep Paul

-- Hold tight and wait to see where all the FA's go - someone will have $ left and, given his contract is an expiring, maybe one of those teams picks up Stojakovic or Peterson to fill out their roster
-- Trade all the other expirings at the deadline and get what they can - explore trades for Okafor** and West
-- Target Carmelo Anthony in 2011-12; NO might be a smaller market but being paired with Paul, Collison, Thornton and Hickson would have to be tempting

2. Trade Paul

-- I have no idea who has the assets NO needs - I know the Raptors don't



** West is going into a PO year in 2011-12 that only pays $7.53 - I expect him to opt-out
** Cleveland could be a destination for Okafor if LeBron re-signs with the Cavs (West, Gibson and Hickson - buy-out West and keep Hickson)