2nd Pick Available for taking on Tyrus Thomas Contract
Here's the link.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft/2012/6/27/3120501/nba-trade-rumors-bobcats-pick-tyrus-thomas/in/2836609
Thanks to the Barbosa trade, the Raps are one of only 2 teams teams in the league (other is Sacramento) that are able to take on Thomas's contract without having to send any salary back before the draft. This combined with the contracts we have brings up a bunch of scenarios where the Raptors make ideal trade partners.
1. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
I'm thinking the Bobcats do this as they clear a horrible contract and only drop back 6 spots in the draft. They can still get a really good player at 8, maybe just as good as they could at 2. Is it worth it for the Raps is another question that I'll leave up for debate.
2. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick and Ed Davis for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
If 8 and cap relief isn't enough for the 2nd pick, we could include Ed Davis who fits a need for the Bobcats and is still on a cheap rookie contract so they still get some cap relief. Thomas's contract is just awful so I don't see the Raps being interested here. On the plus side it frees up the logjam at PF.
3. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick and Amir for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
Maybe the Raps have the upper hand in negotiations and can send back one of there questionable contracts too, albeit a much much better contract and player. Amir's contract is the same length as Thomas, but the Bobcats would save $6.5 million over the length of the deal. Not to mention they would get a player who fits a need and will actually earn most of their contract.
4. Raps send Bobcats Jose Calderon for the 2nd Pick and Tyrus Thomas
Thomas had a PER of 9 last season. He's a PF who shot 0.367 FG. He scored 5 pts and 3.7 rebounds a game. Tyrus Thomas sucked last season, and Tyrus Thomas has 3 years and $26 million left on his deal. This is a really bad contract. If Thomas contract is the cancer the quote at the top implies, maybe Charlotte does a deal like this. They get a nice salary dump in Calderon's expiring contract, rid themselves of Thomas awful deal, and actually bring back a really nice player.
5. Raps send Bobcats Ed Davis for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas
The Bobcats rid themselves of Thomas contract and get back a nice player at a position of need on a cheap rookie deal. Doesn't make the Raptors logjam at PF any better or worse.
Now we would obviously have to make some more moves (or Amnesty someone) with a few of these scenarios to clear up a log jam at PF (or salary cap space for a FA), but assume that we can do that.
While Tyrus Thomas was abysmal in 2011-12, he was actually decent in 2010-11. Oddly enough, that year he played 2/3 of his minutes at C, where he was significantly more effective both offensively, and especially defensively. While abysmal at guarding PF, he was actually above average at guarding C according to 82games.com.
In 2010-11 Thomas averaged 21 min, 10 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.6 blks and had a PER of 18.2. He actually had a PER of 16 and above the 3 years prior, and his lowest PER ever was 14.7.
There is a good chance that Thomas decline was directly linked to being pushed back to PF full time (83% of his playing time) by the presence of Biyombo. Looking back even further bears this out. In 2009-10, once traded to the Bobcats (41 games), Thomas played nearly half of his minutes at C, where he was great on offense and above average on defense. He was once again horrendous at PF. So......
If Toronto were to play him as a backup C to Jonas, he could be a decent piece, and will be affordable if you look at money spent per position, since Jonas will be on a rookie deal for the next 4 years, and Gray will be playing for the vet min.
So let's say we make the trade, and we've got the 2nd pick. Who do we draft with it? Here are the candidates:
1. Bradley Beal
2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
3. Harrison Barnes
4. Thomas Robinson
I really like both Beal and Kidd-Gilchrist for the Raptors. In my opinion, any of those trade scenarios would be worth it to get either of those guys. We'd get our SG or SF of the future with real star potential, and we wouldn't have to give up any players that are in our future plans to do so (Ed's at best a back up of the future).
What do you guys think? Do you do any of those deals? Who do you want with the pick? Do you think Thomas could bounce back to 2010-11 levels of play with a move back to C? Are there any other deals you'd want instead?
Here's the link.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft/2012/6/27/3120501/nba-trade-rumors-bobcats-pick-tyrus-thomas/in/2836609
According to multiple sources, the Bobcats are trying to convince teams interested in the second pick to also take back disappointing power forward Tyrus Thomas, who has more than $26 million remaining on his contract. Thomas is coming off the worst season since his rookie year as he averaged just 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds.
When asked if teams would be willing to touch Thomas, one Western Conference executive said, "I don't think so."
When asked if teams would be willing to touch Thomas, one Western Conference executive said, "I don't think so."
1. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
I'm thinking the Bobcats do this as they clear a horrible contract and only drop back 6 spots in the draft. They can still get a really good player at 8, maybe just as good as they could at 2. Is it worth it for the Raps is another question that I'll leave up for debate.
2. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick and Ed Davis for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
If 8 and cap relief isn't enough for the 2nd pick, we could include Ed Davis who fits a need for the Bobcats and is still on a cheap rookie contract so they still get some cap relief. Thomas's contract is just awful so I don't see the Raps being interested here. On the plus side it frees up the logjam at PF.
3. Raps send Bobcats the 8th pick and Amir for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas.
Maybe the Raps have the upper hand in negotiations and can send back one of there questionable contracts too, albeit a much much better contract and player. Amir's contract is the same length as Thomas, but the Bobcats would save $6.5 million over the length of the deal. Not to mention they would get a player who fits a need and will actually earn most of their contract.
4. Raps send Bobcats Jose Calderon for the 2nd Pick and Tyrus Thomas
Thomas had a PER of 9 last season. He's a PF who shot 0.367 FG. He scored 5 pts and 3.7 rebounds a game. Tyrus Thomas sucked last season, and Tyrus Thomas has 3 years and $26 million left on his deal. This is a really bad contract. If Thomas contract is the cancer the quote at the top implies, maybe Charlotte does a deal like this. They get a nice salary dump in Calderon's expiring contract, rid themselves of Thomas awful deal, and actually bring back a really nice player.
5. Raps send Bobcats Ed Davis for the 2nd pick and Tyrus Thomas
The Bobcats rid themselves of Thomas contract and get back a nice player at a position of need on a cheap rookie deal. Doesn't make the Raptors logjam at PF any better or worse.
Now we would obviously have to make some more moves (or Amnesty someone) with a few of these scenarios to clear up a log jam at PF (or salary cap space for a FA), but assume that we can do that.
While Tyrus Thomas was abysmal in 2011-12, he was actually decent in 2010-11. Oddly enough, that year he played 2/3 of his minutes at C, where he was significantly more effective both offensively, and especially defensively. While abysmal at guarding PF, he was actually above average at guarding C according to 82games.com.
In 2010-11 Thomas averaged 21 min, 10 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.6 blks and had a PER of 18.2. He actually had a PER of 16 and above the 3 years prior, and his lowest PER ever was 14.7.
There is a good chance that Thomas decline was directly linked to being pushed back to PF full time (83% of his playing time) by the presence of Biyombo. Looking back even further bears this out. In 2009-10, once traded to the Bobcats (41 games), Thomas played nearly half of his minutes at C, where he was great on offense and above average on defense. He was once again horrendous at PF. So......
If Toronto were to play him as a backup C to Jonas, he could be a decent piece, and will be affordable if you look at money spent per position, since Jonas will be on a rookie deal for the next 4 years, and Gray will be playing for the vet min.
So let's say we make the trade, and we've got the 2nd pick. Who do we draft with it? Here are the candidates:
1. Bradley Beal
2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
3. Harrison Barnes
4. Thomas Robinson
I really like both Beal and Kidd-Gilchrist for the Raptors. In my opinion, any of those trade scenarios would be worth it to get either of those guys. We'd get our SG or SF of the future with real star potential, and we wouldn't have to give up any players that are in our future plans to do so (Ed's at best a back up of the future).
What do you guys think? Do you do any of those deals? Who do you want with the pick? Do you think Thomas could bounce back to 2010-11 levels of play with a move back to C? Are there any other deals you'd want instead?
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