Yahoo/Sportsnet: J. O

[YogiStewart]

And your just 1 notch below my belt, haahaahaaa

i don't understand your Engrish. please sexplain.

oh wait, you meant "you're" and not "your"...oh....

[chsh22]

to nessah: its b/c of BYC

thanks for that. Grange also clarified it in his article:

The trade couldn't be made official until July 9 at the earliest. Ford is designated a base year compensation player, which means the salaries would not match, as required by the NBA's collective labour agreement. Ford's base year status will expire on July 1, but then the NBA has an eight-day moratorium on signings and trades.

The BYC provision only really means we're sending back more than simply TJ/Rasho/Joey. If it's tradeable (and I'm not sure it is) Jorge's expiring bought-out contract could be included to pad the numbers. If not then Hump, Baston, etc., could also be headed the other way.
That is of course if we have to get it done before the draft.

[T-Spot]

If this trade goes through, BC would have answered the questions on how much balls he really has.

This is a trade where you need a scotch in one hand and in your other hand you have a big set of balls.

[cdash]

If you make TJ "the man" in Indiana, it's a good thing for Indiana. You'll get a lot out of him, Tinsley (is he still there :S) might want to give TJ his space though.

Tinsley will not be around in Indiana when TJ gets here. We wont let that cancer anywhere near TJ, Rasho, the filler, or the rookies.

Best of luck to the Raptors with JO. Its obvious that Colangelo sees a window in the East and he is going for it. When the Pacers are out of it next year, I will support JO and the Raptors.

[RomaniaLuvTR]

WELCOME JO. I LOVE U BC

[nesta]

sweet!! i can't wait to see the Cabbie/JO segments next season

[ThWilmesi]

Well I think it is a bold move from BC but he is in a win-win situation. If JO doesn't pan out he get in two years huge cape relief - and we save two years on TJ's contract right????? both have health issues so who has the bigger risk in my opinion? If JO return to his form 2-3 years ago well he is exactly what we need and it shows Bosh that now we want to improve which will help also in two years - overall a very good move except we need to round out our roster with veteran, low-level exception etc.... coul be a bit tight. I don't like too much of losing the pick, but i guess that is the price...

[Next Coming]

If healthy I wouldn't put it past O'neal to average 16/11/2. But obviously that's a big if.

O'neal at full strength makes this team just a little better. We'll still be behind the Celtics and the Pistons if they don't blow it up but we'll be better equipped to compete with the Cavaliers, Wizards and the Magic.

All in all I think Colangelo has set himself up nicely for the summer of 09.

[Strav]

I like this deal only because of O'Neal's contract - that's an awfully big expiring next year which can fetch a number of different possibilities. I will enjoy the 30 to 40 games that JO will play sporadically for the Raps next year alongside Bosh, and here's hoping all those games add up to victories. Now we need a back up PG in the worst way.

[Nessah]

to nessah: its b/c of BYC

thanks for that. Grange also clarified it in his article:

The trade couldn't be made official until July 9 at the earliest. Ford is designated a base year compensation player, which means the salaries would not match, as required by the NBA's collective labour agreement. Ford's base year status will expire on July 1, but then the NBA has an eight-day moratorium on signings and trades.

The BYC provision only really means we're sending back more than simply TJ/Rasho/Joey. If it's tradeable (and I'm not sure it is) Jorge's expiring bought-out contract could be included to pad the numbers. If not then Hump, Baston, etc., could also be headed the other way.
That is of course if we have to get it done before the draft.

ah, then it only makes sense to wait til July 9th. Were there any trades in the past (similar to this situation) where you had to wait more than 1 week to officially consummate the deal BUT one team backed off before the official date?

[mcmasterballer1]

biggest thread in raptor board history

[anotherhomer]

I have always thought of Ford as a sub-par defender, but I would like to know what you guys think of him on that end. Also how much do you think the injury effected his game last year? Did he seem to get fully healthy and play to his full capabilities for any long stretch of time last year?

I think Ford could be a good defender, but Mitchell wasn't the right coach for him. Ford is obviously quick and feisty on D, but with Mitchell's system (or lack thereof) Ford was often left in no man's land. Ford is very short, and I think he is slow to react, so when the ball swings to his man, the guy more often than not has a wide open shot. I suspect of O'brien is a much better coach than Mitchell, and I think Ford can be a good defender. He has the foot-speed and works hard. Guys like Billups and Kidd post him up occasionally, but I don't think it is a huge weakness that teams can exploit.

i'm going to agree with this statement. TJ Ford is a special player that requires a system to utilize his talents (mainly speed to break down defences). The guy's smart enough to run plays, provided the coach has plays for him to run otherwise he's over dribbling. At the same time, he's motivated enough that as long he has the security of knowing he's the number 1 point guard, he can play undeterred and be pretty good. If he can stay healthy and work on his jump-shot, I sense he'll re-establish himself as a top-ten point guard in the league, and potentially all-star.

[evilRyu]

sweet!! i can't wait to see the Cabbie/JO segments next season

True that, should provide some entertainment

[JJWong17]

So wait, the yahoo article said we throw in Rasho too. It feels like a bit much.

TJ Ford + Rasho + #17 pick + Filler for O Neal

Does seem like a bit much huh? But it looks like a win-win for both sides.

I'll mention that it was a bit of knee-jerk reaction. My opinion of Rasho may be slightly coloured by people who kept insisting that his expiring contract could net use some really decent players. Now it almost feels like we're just tossing him in so it seems like a bit much to me. But then hey, maybe it's the only thing that'll make the trade work out.

[Harry Palmer]

It's weird...but this move confirms what I love and what I hate about BC.

Love: willing to take chances and redress errors.

Hate: concentrates too much on the short-to-medium term, tends to end up with compromised rosters built for the now or almost now.

I like that he seems to be semi-willing to reconsider his general basketball philosophy...seriously, that's a good sign...but I don't like that in order to do that, based on past moves, we were put in a spot where this kind of half-life move was necessary in order to try and dig us out of the hole we were in.

So in some ways I am a little more positive about out long-long-long term, in that this might mean BC has reconsidered the whole 'basketball revolution' idea...but in other ways I see us doomed to a series of compromised moves based on BC retaining his ability to remain flexible and in control and good in the here and now rather than committed to a real rebuild.

[gangstaff]

If this trade goes through, BC would have answered the questions on how much balls he really has.

This is a trade where you need a scotch in one hand and in your other hand you have a big set of balls.

Post of the Night!

[teamLeiweke]

I love the deal.

Whatever BC was hoping Bargnani could be beside Bosh, JERMAINE ONEAL IS!!!!! 15 and 7 last season, potential 20 and 10 when motivated and healthy, BIG TIME DEFENSIVE AND REBOUNDING beat beside Bosh, exactly what Bosh needs.... and even if he is unhealthy, as long as he is good to go for the playoffs, WHAT AN ASSET!!! now there is less pressure on AB as well, he can come off the bench with reason, because a 6 time all star plays in front of him, come in and play solid bench 20 minutes..... and Sam gets what he has been jumping up and down about needing... Jose gets starter minutes, I LOVE YOU COLANGELOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

next up.... swingman.

[tylrrr]

If JO passes the physical, I love this. If he doesn't, then the trade doesn't happen. I like it.

[chsh22]

ah, then it only makes sense to wait til July 9th. Were there any trades in the past (similar to this situation) where you had to wait more than 1 week to officially consummate the deal BUT one team backed off before the official date?

Well, we would actually send back less players if we wait until the 9th. See, once a rookie is signed to a contract, they become a tradeable asset for the full value of their contract, so we could sign whoever we draft on Indy's behalf to the rookie contract, and then his amount is included in the deal. It may just be TJ/Rasho/(whoever we draft for indy at 17) going back if we wait until the 9th.

I'm sure such deals have been backed out on at some point or other, but I doubt it happens with much frequency.

[JJWong17]

Jermaine doesn't have the greatest FG% (even in his good years) so I hope he's not asked to create too much of his own offence too often.