As addressed in an earlier entry, if the NBA is serious about trimming teams, Toronto should be at the top of the list. From Vince Young to Chris Bosh, no noteworthy player has wanted to continue onward in Ontario. This pattern will probably continue until Canada produces its own star. And another Steve Nash is a lot less likely than another Jamaal Magloire. As far into the future as we can see Raptors will try to get by with cast-offs, journeymen and past-their-prime players, which is fine for a D-League team, but horrid for an NBA club. They have added one from the third category, Peja Stojakovic, following a lop-sided trade with the Hornets. New Orleans gets one of the best backups in the league to spell Chris Paul, Jarett Jack, while Toronto gets a one-dimensional, aging guy with a bad back. Stojakovic’s scoring has declined for the past four seasons and he’s missed 41 games in the past two years – half a season’s worth.
This may seem like a minor move on the surface, but consider this: When the Hornets traded Darren Collison for Trevor Ariza, they gave away a promising young PG, who nearly matched Chris Paul’s production -- as a rookie. That exchange has worked in the Hornets favor, since Ariza has helped shore up a suspect defense from a season ago. Coach Monty Williams has made a concerted effort to reduce Paul’s minutes and now he can cut them more if he chooses because Jack is one of the best backups in the league and a borderline starter (he was splitting time with Jose Calderon in Toronto). So, the Hornets regained depth, while the Raptors sacrificed the only depth they had on a low-ball offer. Why not wait until the trading deadline (still months away), when the playoff picture is clearer, before jettisoning Jack? We’re confident Miami will be shopping for a PG soon. Maybe the Raptors are counting on their country’s superior health care system to restore Stojakovic’s health. To top it off, the Hornets saved money in the deal. Is it any wonder these teams’ records are nearly mirror images of each other (the Hornets are 12-5, while the Raptors are 6-11)? Like mixing Molson with maple syrup*, this trade should leave a bad taste in the mouths of Raptors fans. Simply put, Toronto got Jacked.
*Any competent Canuck knows LaBatts is the correct choice, as part of a booze-filled breakfast. Now if you'll excuse us, we're off to our EhEh meeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment