Yahoo/Sportsnet: J. O

[Double Helix]

I'm pretty sure BC will find a way to get a pick and possibly draft one of his sleepers in the 2nd round.

[UNC Tar Heel Fan]

This is very surreal.

I can't tell you what it felt like to acquire TJ Ford in the first place. AAR3D and I were hyping him up in the Bosh draft year over and over again. I followed him in Milwaukee and was a fan. When he finally arrived in Toronto I was going crazy. Never had I wanted a player, made fake trades for a player and actually had it happen.... Ever.

We've went over the pros and cons of this deal a millions times already but I'm cautiously optimistic heading forward because I know how dominant O'neal can be when he's on and the word is that he's finally healthy.

This is very surreal.

IS AAR3D still on the boards? Did he change his name? I remember he was one of the biggest TJ fans.

[Basketball_Jones]

Somebody please tell me we are getting back Stephen Graham, otherwise we are getting hosed big time!

In all seriousness, it sucks to lose the pick. However, only Hibbert and CDR have a high probability of being rotation players imo. Everyone else seems to be a crap shoot, which is probably why BC had no qualms about dealing the pick. Also, for those worried about JO playing half a season and us ending up in the lottery, it probably won't happen. Even with JO injured, we are essentially the same team as last year so we won't bottom out. This, imo, is kind of a bad thing. I'd rather us contend with JO, or bottom out and get a real stud in the draft. The latter, depending on Bosh's health, isn't likely to happen imo.

[ilikecb4]

[quote="Double Helix"]I'm pretty sure BC will find a way to get a pick and possibly draft one of his sleepers in the 2nd round.[/quote]


we dont even need that..pay attention to the free agent camp we hold every year..

there is a couple of intriguing prospects

[CJ_18]

^ Is that true about we have to draft someone based on who indiana tells us to pick?? we would get screwed big time if they then backed out.

Toronto also will send Rasho Nesterovic and another role player to match up with O’Neal’s salary.

We will??????

[ansoncarter]

he'll also protect the team from fat kids coming on the court

[Marvin!]

Does this move finally dispel the myth that Colangelo is ONLY interested in soft, jump-shooting, no defense playing Euros?!?

I really hope so.

[Hoopstarr]

I'm shocked at how much everyone loves this trade. We just traded away our best tradeable assets, plus the pick which was also tradeable, for a 12 year vet with jello knees and a huge contract. Plus, how do Bosh and JO coexist? Both are almost the exact same player and rely heavily on isos. So JO will have to change his game and just by doing that we're getting back less than we're paying for. If we didn't have Bosh and did this trade, it would've made sense. So anyone expecting a duo of 20/10 guys needs to rethink things.

[UNC Tar Heel Fan]

Does ANYONE think O'Neal can bounce back to his 04-05 season? Before the brawl he was ON.

[Nessah]

I feel alright about this trade. We weren't going anywhere with what we had, nor were we ever going to get a total stud by trading TJ.

Teams like Portland can bide their team and be patient. Let their players grow. Meanwhile, picking up lottery players in the process.

We, on the other hand, have players in their prime, and we're not going to grow to be much better, so Colangelo needs to have a greater sense of urgency to make things happen. Otherwise you become a team like the Nets, where you've hit your ceiling and you're solid every year, but you're not going anywhere. A treadmill team., in another words.

+1 Great point. I agree that even though we're a "young up and coming team", there's no reason to think the Raptors can't make big moves now.

And if we did keep TJ Ford and waited...what good would that have done? It's not like TJ is an all-star (he could be one day, but he has yet to reach that goal). So Jermaine O'Neal is a pretty good pickup if you look at this deal as a whole picture.

Also on http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/s ... ayerId=615
Status Alert:
O'Neal will be traded to Toronto for T.J. Ford if both players pass their physicals, Yahoo! Sports reports. (Jun 25)

[Danny1616]

The thing that I like about this deal is that it maintains our core.

Bosh, Parker, Calderon and Bargnani are still in tact.

Crucial peices like Moon, Kapono, Humphries and maybe Delfino are still here.

O'neil if healthy will solve our interior defence and rebounding problems and we will still maintain our high scoring fast pace game. It may also free up some space downlow for Bosh since they won't always be able to double him.

[asif9t9]

Why does Smith refer to "tonight's" draft?

[arrpy]

I'm going crazy right now thinking of J.O on the Raps!!

[Marvin!]

they most certainly are not the same player.

[CJ_18]

Why does Smith refer to "tonight's" draft?

because the next time he'll sleep is after the draft

[UNC Tar Heel Fan]

A message from O'Neal to us fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzopKcPYV54

Looks genuine. Can't wait to see what he says to us when he shows up for the press conference.

[pspot]

how come no one is hyping the usual never trade a big for a small ?

hope the Raps get the 42nd and/or BC gets a pick but nice move and address a lot of issues

sorry to see Nessy go

[Hoopstarr]

I am wishfully hoping that JO was acquired to immediately move him again for a better piece. There's just no way BC should've made this trade expecting to be done for the summer. I'm probably wrong though.

[ansoncarter]

did colangelo give up more than jersey did for Vince?

or L.A. for Gasol?

or Denver for Iverson?

or G.S. for Baron Davis?

pretty discouraging if he did (and I think he might have, not sure though, and can't remember the Davis trade at all other than people thought it was a steal)

[~ TeRRoR SquaD ~]

I just hope this plan works.