ESPN: "Lots of teams are calling Toronto about Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani"

[ceez]

He's a emotional eater

[Bendit]

Geez, just because Jose's trade value is at an all time high we should trade him? Not buying it. He runs the team well. He might be the PG we would trade for if we didn't have him.

One of the major reasons to trade Jose apart for the salary relief is that he is going to be one busy hombre this off season with the Olympics and one wonders what physical toll it will take come next season. I believe he is a luxury we can withstand for the potential return at this time. This would be a move for the long term and for the best return on this asset.

[Apollo]

I'm with Matt. Jose has been great but he doesn't fit into the long term plans of the team. I don't personally mind him staying because he could be a very solid veteran backup PG but he doesn't fit with the change in focus and he can't be expected to play starter minutes much longer given his injury history. To sell now would be getting out good price.

[Bendit]

Another buffet addict...jeez. For those of us who wanted even more player controls in the new cba, what a piss off for that team. Why would we want him under the circumstnces. It goes to the character of the individual. No?

[Soft Euro]

Not going to hindsight you either way. I wonder how injury prone he really is, I don't think it's that bad. I would not be opposed to a good deal, but it better be good. I want him to stay if the only deals are simply trading away talent for capspace unless of course that capspace is used to acquire better talent. E.g. Felton does not qualify atm.

If we lack a pg next year we might have a completely different hindsight army...

[mcHAPPY]

Not going to hindsight you either way. I wonder how injury prone he really is, I don't think it's that bad. I would not be opposed to a good deal, but it better be good. I want him to stay if the only deals are simply trading away talent for capspace unless of course that capspace is used to acquire better talent. E.g. Felton does not qualify atm.

If we lack a pg next year we might have a completely different hindsight army...

Jose has been injured after every international competition he has played in for the last 3 years that the season has started on time:

2008 Olympics, bad hamstring all season.
2009 Euro Champsionship, bad hip.
2010 World Championships, bad feet and ankles.
2011 World Championships, no injuries (which can could be attributed to a long layoff due to lockout and possibly less minutes due to Rubio's rise). All of his injuries happen early in the season as well (November, December) and linger for the year.

Preparing for the Olympics is a great opportunity to stay in game shape. The problem is there is an 82 game season which requires a body to be strong. You can't do this type of training (specifically core, strength, and flexibility training) in season. Preparing for the Olympics with warm up tournaments, exhibition games, and the Olympics itself is like another season with another 20 games added in July and August.

[Hugmenot]

Not going to hindsight you either way. I wonder how injury prone he really is, I don't think it's that bad. I would not be opposed to a good deal, but it better be good. I want him to stay if the only deals are simply trading away talent for capspace unless of course that capspace is used to acquire better talent. E.g. Felton does not qualify atm.

If we lack a pg next year we might have a completely different hindsight army...

Some of the posters who believe it is just a matter of time Jose gets injured were all for making an offer to Oden last Summer... Coherence always takes a back seat when it does not suit the current plan.

I am fine with trading Calderon + Ed Davis for Felton + Batum because I believe Batum is significantly better than the other 3 players involved. There is no way I would trade Calderon straight up for Felton as I am not a believer in Felton. The "he played at near all-star level in NY" argument which is often used always fail to come with the "in D'Antoni's system" disclaimer.

[MangoKid]

Chances are, teams aren't putting forth genuine offers. They're all lowball offers. I wouldn't get rid of Calderon unless the trade makes sense for this team. I wouldn't deal him just to get rid of him..which some of you REALLY want to do.

[Joe Buddy]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMa...radeId=89a9n89

Matt's trade 2.0

Force the Blazers to include Batum : they might let him go for nothing next summer cause teams will put tons of $ on the guy and at some point, they won't be able/want to match. At least they get a good and young prospect rather than nothing.

Batum said he would never play for Toronto.

[CT2010]

I wish a "person with inside knowledge" on the Raptors would leak the contents of those calls to RR, for us to discuss. I mean, we collectively have no issue debating the merits of vague gray area topics like this, but an honest black-and-white rumor would be fantastic... AND we could provide BC/ES with some fan feedback! lol

Ya, that is why no one will go on the record with these things. Just take a quick browse through any thread and realize that few have an argument based on anything more than hair colour.

[mcHAPPY]

Batum said he would never play for Toronto.

Can you provide a link for that other than the 2008 ESPN article and the one tweet from Ryan Wolstat that was a retweet of someone else to him?

This has been brought up numerous times but no one has ever produced the infamous French interview.

[MangoKid]

Batum said he would never play for Toronto.

I remember that. However, money changes a lot of things. We'd have to back up a truckload of money to his front door and all of those notions of him not wanting to play in Toronto would go right out of the window.

[MangoKid]

Speculation on my part is that they probably gave him a promise in 2008, and then backed out. I don't think his beef is with the city or the organization, moreso, it's with the GM.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I remember that. However, money changes a lot of things. We'd have to back up a truckload of money to his front door and all of those notions of him not wanting to play in Toronto would go right out of the window.

I'm curious... at what price would you (or anybody) consider Batum to be overpaid? With him finally getting a chance to start and knowing that many teams will have (or could make) cap space to target such a talented young wing, it's not like Toronto just has to make an offer and hope Portland doesn't match; I assume quite a few teams will be thinking the same things and will also be bidding quite high.

So, it makes me wonder at what point RR readers think BC should/will turn his attention to other wings - ie: Chandler, Kirilenko, Mayo/Gay, etc...

[MangoKid]

I'm curious... at what price would you (or anybody) consider Batum to be overpaid? With him finally getting a chance to start and knowing that many teams will have (or could make) cap space to target such a talented young wing, it's not like Toronto just has to make an offer and hope Portland doesn't match; I assume quite a few teams will be thinking the same things and will also be bidding quite high.

So, it makes me wonder at what point RR readers think BC should/will turn his attention to other wings - ie: Chandler, Kirilenko, Mayo/Gay, etc...

I'd rather give that money to Batum than Chandler, Kirilenko - Anytime you can acquire a lengthy, young swingman with explosiveness without giving up any assets on your own roster, you gotta take that chance. I'd give him 8-9 mil a season to start.