With the likely hiring of Ujiri I have been trying to think about what direction he will take the Raptors. We as fans, and critics, and pointed out regularly how the Raptors are up against the cap, without a high ceiling, and no draft picks. This isn't to say that the team doesn't have skilled players or are hopeless, but a critique of the construction.

Ujiri seems to have displayed a focus on fiscal responsibility and use of assets during his time in Denver (as shown in his trading of Nene and Afflalo). If he were to move in a similar direction I could see Gay being a potential trade piece.

Charlotte is another team I'm simply not sure of their direction. Cho has talked about building through the draft, Jordan has talked about wanting to speed up the process, and I remember reading awhile ago that their scouts were recommending a trade of their 2013 pick.

So...how is this value?

Toronto trades: Rudy Gay and Quincy Acy, 2015 Second Round Pick

Charlotte trades: Ty Thomas, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and 2013 First Round Pick

Why for Raptors:
Move a talented but questionable fit in Gay, to acquire a young SF with a high motor and good potential. They also move into range to draft a guy like Anthony Bennett. Thomas is merely the cost of doing business and will simple sit on a different bench now.

Why for Charlotte:
Gay automatically becomes their best player and gives their fans some hope. He has the potential to be a 2A level player in the league and raises the profile for the Boncats/Hornets. They also receive a decent depth piece in Acy and a future 2nd round pick. Kidd-Gilchrist and a first are a lot to give up, but they also unload the albatross that is Thomas to help balance the trade.

Thoughts?

Jump in the draft bandwagon

Toronto out: Bargs, T-Ross, Kleiza, Gray
Toronto in: Okafor, Ariza, Shaun Livingston, Elton Brand, 13th pick

Washington out: Okafor, Ariza, Vesly, Nene, 2013 1st round pick, 2013 2nd round pick (37th) 2014 first round pick
Washington in: Bargs, Kleiza, Cavs 1st round pick, Daniel Gibson, OJ Mayo

Cleveland out: 1st round pick, Daniel Gibson, Shaun Livingston, Alonzo Gee, 1st round pick (19th)
Cleveland in: Was 2013 1st round pick, 2013 2nd round pick, Nene, Aaron Gray, Shawn Marion

Dallas out: OJ Mayo, Elton Brand, 13th pick, Shaw Marion
Dallas in: T-Ross, Jan Vesly, 2014 1st round pick (WAS), Alonzo Gee, 1s round pick (CLE)

TOR draft Gorgui Dieng with the 13th pick
Was take Nerlens Noel from the Cavs
Cleveland draft Otto Potter with Wiz pick
Dallas draft M.Plumlee with the Cavs pick

Raps Lineups (The Raptors may move up to 6th or 7th seeds)
Lowry/Livingston/3rd PG
DeRozan/Fields/A.Anderson?
Gay/Ariza/Third SF
Amir/Brand/Acy
Val/Okafor/Dieng

Wizards Lineups (The Wizards still will suck and be back in the lottery)
Wall/Gibson/Price
Beal/Mayo/Barbosa?
Webster/C.Martin?/Kleiza
Bargs/T.Booker/Singleton
Noel/Seraphin/Collins?

Cavs Lineups (The Cavs might make to the playoff, 8th seed)
Irving/Backup PG/C.Quinn
Waiters/Ellington/2nd round pick
Porter/Marion/Casspi/2nd round pick
Starting PF/T.Thompson/Speights
Nene/T.Zeller/Gray/2nd round pick
*Varejao + CJ Miles will be traded for a starting PF and backup PG perhaps

Mavericks Lineups
Collison/J.Akognon/3rd string PG
Carter/Ross/J.Cunningham
Gee/Crowder/2nd round pick
Nowitzki/Plumlee/Vesly/
Kaman/B.Wright/B.James
*Beaubois and A.Morrow might walk or traded

Raps Perspective: The benefit of the trade is obviously acquiring 3 backup veterans in Ariza, Brand, and Okafor who could provide key veteran help for the young Raps, at the same time acquiring that 13th pick who we can go after a C in Dieng or Golbert, sharpshooter in KCP, or European prospect G.Andekotombo. The Raps will for sure make to the playoff given the cap relief from Bargs + Kleiza, we just need to resign A.Andersen and don't have to look for some expensive FA, when 2014-15 comes off the book, Lowry, Ariza, Okafor, E.Brand will come off the book, we will have cap relief for some major change or tank next year (most unlikely given the roster change) for Wiggins.

Wizards Perspective: The benefit of the trade is to land N.Noel, perhaps this could rejuvenate the franchise, with their point guard J.Wall, 2nd year rookie in Beals, Noel would flourish for the team at the center spot. Bargnani, with a change of scenery might do wonders for the Wizards (hint his nickname in Italian translates into English is the Wizard), perhaps he's the last piece of the puzzle for a horrid Wizard. OJ Mayo will be that 6th man for the team behind Beals or even start for the team at the SF position on some given nights. However, with their injury-prone J.Wall and Bargs, the Wizards might go back to lottery next year but a change is a must

Cavs Perspective: The Cavs will want to trade down for Otto Porter and will unlikely take him at the No1 spot, that spot is reserved for none other than Noel. The Cavs get their pick along with key veteran in Marion. The Cavs will then wanna flip Varejao + CJ Miles and perhaps one of Gibson or Walton for a starting PF (Boozer, Aldridge, Ibaka, J.Smith). The Cavs will make to the playoff next year given a hungry Irving, possibly a MVP consideration, 2nd year D.Waiters, starting PF, along with Nene as their starting C who could teach T.Zeller a thing a two.

Mavericks Perspective: The Mavericks did not make to the playoff this year, a disappointing year for GM Mark Cuban but I see them making a big change in the summer, they will want to keep veteran aging V.Carter for maybe another 2 years with the team. By bringing a young rookie in T.Ross (8th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft), Ross, under the influence of Carter, might become a player in a few years or so since both won the Slam Dunk Contest, while the latter showed respect for the former so i wouldn't be surprised if the former can provide some crucial tips for the young Ross (who could become the future SG for the Mavericks franchise). Gee is no Marion but has better upsides on the long run, he and Crowder will battle for the starting SF position. Vesly is a young promising PF who could backup Nowitzki until he retires. The Mavs might make to the playoff next year given a small change in their lineups.

I made a post here that has a lot of the rationale behind my thinking for this thread.

In a nutshell for the Raptors to really compete with what they currently have, they need to obtain a quality PF with just these two assets at their disposal:

- one of Ross or DeRozan.
- Bargnani.


So what is your best trade to address PF involving just one of DD/Ross and Bargnani?

Just an idea I have here. This trade would benefit the Rap's a bunch on the bench, and we could get rid of DeRozan later on.

Proposal:

To the Wizards:

C Andrea Bargnani

F/C Quincy Acy


Coming Back:

F Trevor Booker

PG John Wall

SF Jan Vesely

Toronto trade Bargs, DeRozan, Kleiza, future 2nd rounder
Toronto receive E.Gordon, Austin Rivers, Devin Harris

Toronto trade Ross, A.Gray, future 1st rounder
Utah trade P.Millsap, D.Carrol

Raps resign A.Andersen and sign Carl Landry to a 3 years 20mil contract and sign Jose Calderon for the vet minimum (let's hope he resigns with us), and grab Nazr Mohammad from the Bulls.

Raps Lineups
Lowry/Jose/Harris
Gordon/Rivers/A.Andersen
Gay/Fields/Carrol
Millsap/Carl Landry/Acy
Val/Amir/Mohammad

Toronto trade Bargs, Amir, Ross, Future 1st rounder for Glenn Davis + 1st rounder

Raps draft Nerlens Noel with the Magic pick

Raps Lineups
Lowry/PG/PG
DeRozan/Anderson?/SG
Gay/Fields/Kleiza
Noel/Davis/Acy
Val/Gray

To say a I psychotic, maybe to an extent that I think I know what Phil Jackson's thinking. So if MR.Zen the Phil is hired, as Phil I would pull a move like this.

1) The Hiring of Phil as our Pres ofcourse.
2) Phil fires Coach Dwayne Casey but promote him to be our assistant coach, hires Brian Shaw as our head coach
3) Phil brings a bunch of guys together, assistant coaches, trainers, etc

Now trades and player movement. For the triangle offense to work, Phil will decide to keep our starting lineup of players with a few minor tweaks

1) Toronto send Bargs + Landry Fields + Kleiza
LA send Gasol + S.Blake

2) Toronto use LLE on Samuel Dalembart

3) Toronto resigns Alan Anderson for a 1 year contract

4) Toronto signs Derek Fisher to play cheap for the Raptors, more like provide tutelage for the young Lowry and S.Blake

5) Raps use MLE on Mike Dunleavy and the rest on a 3rd stringer defender SF like DeMarre Carol or buy a pick and somehow draft DeShaun Thomas in the second round

Raps Lineups next year
Lowry/Blake/D.Fisher
DeRozan/T.Ross/Alan Andersen
Gay/M.Dunleavy/D.Carol or D.Thomas
Gasol/Amir/Acy
Val/Dalembart/Gray

Phil will give T-Ross another year or maybe before the deadline to see whether DeRozan is a keeper of Ross is a heir to Kobe. Our backcourt are great with Lowry and Blake handling the point. M.Dunleavy is a gonna be a great backup behind Gay as in he can knock down the shot from the 3 point line and capable of starting for this team if Gay or DeRozan is injured. Gasol is aging but I would take him as opposed to Bargs, even if he has to come off the bench, he will contribute positively for this team, him and Amir will do wonders for this team, on some night, Amir and Gasol will play together. We get a veteran backup center in Dalembart who not only can block shot but provide help for the young Val.

Title says it all.

Why would the Bobcats do it? Well, they need talent. And if Bargnani got something, it is talent. Also, it appears that relations between Ben Gordon and the Bobcats organisation are not going really well. I also guess that Gordon would welcome a new start. Same for Andrea.

Why would the Raptors do it? Well, it is pretty obvious that the Raptors need to get rid of Andrea Bargnani. By doing this trade, they will save around 10M$ when the summer of 2014 comes. Also, they get Ben Gordon, a combo guard who's proved in the past that he's really, really clutch. He's a scorer, and he's a good veteran NBA player. He'd be great coming of the bench. He can play some minutes at the point, also.

I know some of you will say that Anderson gives us about the same type of game for a lot less money and that it would only cut on Ross' minutes. Well, I don't agree with you. Here's why. We want to be a playoff team. Gordon is an NBA player. A true one. Ross will play more next year than this past one that's for sure. But he probably still won't be ready to play huge minutes.

I'd still like to see Anderson back as the third small forward.

Valanciunas/FA/Gray
Johnson/FA/Acy
Gay/Fields/FA
DeRozan/Ross/Gordon
Lowry/FA/Lucas

Kleiza get amnestied. Would you do that trade? Do you like this roster?

Jalen brought up this idea on Simmons' podcast today.

Bargnani for Nash, straight up. (Although I'm thinking Toronto would have to throw in a 2nd rounder or something).

Nash is the backup everyone wants for Lowry. He also gets paid a little less than Bargs. And Bargs in a D'Antoni system would be one of the few places he could thrive in.

It works straight up: http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=c7vp7p4

I mean personally I'd take anything for Bargs that didn't take in more salary but this kind of makes sense.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=cqjw82c

We will have to throw two future first round pick