CalgaryRapsFan wrote:
I understand what you're both saying. However, I think Memphis would either let their free agents walk or would find another more willing trade partner, before agreeing to any trade with Toronto that doesn't include the #8 pick. They want financial freedom, but they aren't going to just give Gay away either. Plus, I frankly put very little value in Davis & JJ, considering they are/would both be fighting just for backup duty on a Raptors team that had added Gay (Davis VS Amir, behind Bargnani and JJ VS Kleiza, behind Gay). If Toronto can get the #25 pick back in return, I really don't think Davis & JJ & #8 & #37 is giving up too much at all. I don't know where the negotiations would begin, but I would be more than happy to have them end with that deal.
If that deal were to go through, my next call would be to NO, about trading the #10 pick & Ariza for #56 and TPE. Then Toronto would have Gay, Ariza, #10 and #25. At #10, they could very well get whoever they were targeting at #8.
Their lineup would look like this, prior to making any additional moves:
C: Valanciunas, Amir
PF: Bargnani, Kleiza
SF: Gay, Ariza
SG: DeRozan, Forbes
PG: Calderon
+ #10
+ #25
+ MLE
+ Vet Exception
+ any additional trades
That looks like a really solid lineup, especially when you add the 2 1st round picks! I also don't feel that Davis or JJ would be missed much at all, which is why I'd have no hesitation pulling the trigger on that deal with Memphis.
* If Memphis would take Amir instead of Davis, all the better for Toronto (for unloading Amir's contract). However, I highly doubt they would, since they'd likely prefer a younger/cheaper player with a higher perceived ceiling, who opens up about $4M more cap space.