Peja is not returning nothing.. not much but not nothing.

[Liston]

So basically this its Ajinca, 2nd rounder for Georgios Printezis. To me it sounds like the Mavs aren't exactly giving the Raptors a sweetheart deal for helping them make way for Peja.

Plus money. But what else could you get? I thought it was a great deal since for Dallas it was only a matter of time before the Raptors bought him out (or getting nothing). Yes, we could've traded him, but would most likely have to take players back - likely with multi-year deals (else why would anyone make the trade?). So it has to be a "we'll waive him now since you need him now, but give us a sweetener to do it now - or we'll look around". I can't see what other team would offer more?

I was happy we did this instead of trading for two mediocre players with multi year deals.

[RaptorsFan4Life]

So Ajinca is a poor man's Alabi?

He is more like a white version of Alabi.

-----------------------

What happens if Peja doesn't clear the waivers? :/

[grindhouse]

I like what BC is doing. Alabi now has another person he needs to fight over inorder to get on to the court. Bargs is basiclly being shown that what he does on the court is not enough. Between jay's comments about Derozan and Andrea effort I think now for the first time no one is safe on the roster.

[tonious35]

Georgios Printezis is probably a guy who could have helped the team this season if a contract was doable.

It totally feels like BC wasted this 2nd round pick. This was the only pick we had during that 2007 draft and there wasn't a lot to choose from, but he should try to take his 2nd rounders seriously and get the player with the best fit and effort to the Raptors. You never know if your second rounders somehow prevail and contribute to the Raptors "system", if there is any at all...

2nd rounders are a wash, but at least BC should give him a shot on the roster and evaluate the guy to see if he is useful on your team. This Goergie-the-Greek guy might not pan out, but if he does and drops double-doubles in the Western conference, BC or our system of coaching and scouts will look very bad.

Great GMs evaluate and respect 2nd rounders because they know they barely make it to the league with a "lowered" salary and have to give it 120% everyday to crack a roster spot.

[TheR3dMenace]

Power shift in the east.

xD

[tonious35]

The last time a Frenchman touched the Raptor's roster, it was not a pretty sight. Look up Jerome Moiso.

Alexis Ajinca's salary is dirt cheap compared to Reggie's and Peja's salary, so there's not a lot of expenses to be paid. 7'2" frame, ain't so bad, and a tad more experience than Alabi, so let's just take a flier on this guy.

FYI: Alexis Ajinca was the 20th first round pick by the Charlotte Bobcats after they used the #9 First round on DJ Augustin. MJ and Larry Brown where the "geniuses" making the choice so I don't know what they were thinking. Here are several players taken after Ajinca:

21-Ryan Anderson (NJ Nets)
22-Courtney Lee (ORL)
23-Kosta Koufos (UTAH)
24-Serge Ibaka (OKLA)
25-Nicolas Batum (POR)
26-George Hill (SA SPURS)
27-Darrell Arthur (MEM)
28-Donte Green (SAC)
29-DJ White (OKLA)
-------
33-Joey Dorsey (Houston)
34-Mario Chalmers (Miami)
35-DeAndre Jordan (LA Clips)
37-Luc Mbah a Moute (Milwaukee)
39-Sonny Weems (Denver)
40-Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJ Nets)
45-Goran Dragic (Suns)


The only 4 Frenchmen that can do damage in the league are Tony Parker, Mikael Pietrus, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf.

[UwanSUMhotFYUH]

LOOOOLL, Lets put a different spin on it, shall we ?

Bc got Ajinca ( a nobody) and a 2nd rounder for 10 million . How does that sound

hahaha the homers on this board dont like the truth !

[octothorp]

So going back to the assets we had going into last offseason and looking at the big picture, BC essentially traded a 2015 2nd rounder, Jack, Printezis and Banks for Bayless, Ajinca, and a 2011 2nd rounder (with Andersen and Peja both coming and going as part of that transaction). I'd call that a slight downgrade in talent but a significant upgrade in flexibility.

[Balls of Steel]

Perhaps this is paving the way for Bargs to be shipped out of town. Regardless, this is as exciting as eating my first bag of Doritos Sour Cream and Onions chips.

[Tim W.]

It totally feels like BC wasted this 2nd round pick. This was the only pick we had during that 2007 draft and there wasn't a lot to choose from, but he should try to take his 2nd rounders seriously and get the player with the best fit and effort to the Raptors. You never know if your second rounders somehow prevail and contribute to the Raptors "system", if there is any at all...

2nd rounders are a wash, but at least BC should give him a shot on the roster and evaluate the guy to see if he is useful on your team. This Goergie-the-Greek guy might not pan out, but if he does and drops double-doubles in the Western conference, BC or our system of coaching and scouts will look very bad.

Great GMs evaluate and respect 2nd rounders because they know they barely make it to the league with a "lowered" salary and have to give it 120% everyday to crack a roster spot.

Holy crap, he was the 3rd last pick in the second round. What exactly do you want Colangelo to do? And if the Raptor staff never felt Printezis had developed enough to bring him over, than all bringing him over to find out he's not good enough does is makes you lose his rights. Good GMs also don't bring over prospects from Europe before they're ready.

[Nine New Faces]

You have to think of Ajinca as an investment. Right now he's been bought low, but with a some scrap minutes and a bit of development, he could be sold for a higher price down the line. Just because he doesn't look like he fits into the team's plans long-term doesn't mean that he's not a solid asset if they take the time to develop and showcase him a bit.

[blackjitsu]

Found this review of the "trade" interesting

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...ed-to-raptors/

On initial glance this looked like a money move but maybe this a guy brought in to push Alabi and dare I say Bargnani during practices.

[Fanchie]

The only 4 Frenchmen that can do damage in the league are Tony Parker, Mikael Pietrus, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf.

You forgot Roddy Beaubois. I'd take this kid in a heartbeat.

[Matt52]

LOOOOLL, Lets put a different spin on it, shall we ?

Bc got Ajinca ( a nobody) and a 2nd rounder for 10 million . How does that sound

That is incorrect. Remember, Bayless was acquired using the TPE.

Players and salary were traded away in the trade specificially:

Banks - $4.8, Andersen - $2.5, Jack - $4.9 = total: $12.2M

Peja's contract = $15M

That is a difference of $3M

The Raps are no longer on the hook for the final $10.8M of JJ's contract.

By my calculation the deal saved the Raps $7M plus whatever cash from Dallas, got a prospect C, and a 2nd round pick.

As a side note, the Peja trade also provided the opportunity to get another young player on a rookie deal in Bayless.

Nice work, BC.

[RaptorsFan4Life]

Holy crap, he was the 3rd last pick in the second round. What exactly do you want Colangelo to do? And if the Raptor staff never felt Printezis had developed enough to bring him over, than all bringing him over to find out he's not good enough does is makes you lose his rights. Good GMs also don't bring over prospects from Europe before they're ready.

It's not going to be the 3rd last pick in the draft. It's out pick we traded Mavs to get Alabi.

[Katman]

I believe he is referring to the pick used to get Printezis.

[Tim W.]

You forgot Roddy Beaubois. I'd take this kid in a heartbeat.

You mean the 6 foot guy who can't pass and has been sent to the D-League this year?

[MangoKid]

He is more like a white version of Alabi.

Ajinca isn't caucasian.

[MangoKid]

The only 4 Frenchmen that can do damage in the league are Tony Parker, Mikael Pietrus, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf.

Boris Diaw begs to differ. I'd say he's better than Pietrus and Turiaf.

[Apollo]

Plus money. But what else could you get?

They could have not traded Printezis?