Sunday Thought - Could Bosh Be the Best Free-Agent in 2010?

I really enjoy these Sunday thoughts - good discussion makers for sure.

In my humble opinion, Bosh will be the top prize for 2010 as Lebron will stick around Cleveland for another four or five years, and there's no way Wade is going anywhere. So another angle then is to think about the leverage Toronto could have based on this; suddenly if Bosh is the top draw, then his trade price goes up and the Raps perhaps profit a lot more than they would have had Lebron or Wade been in play.

And maybe that's Colangelo's angle?? Maybe that's why it seems like he'll hang onto Bosh until closer to next summer as he's confident that Bosh will be the only guy teams will want to take a shot at.

Hi guys, I had the chance to watch Andrea's interview in Italian (the one the guys at realgm provided some translation for). They seem to have missed an interesting piece of information when Andrea said they were going probably to discuss his contract extension this summer. Just in case someone was interested.

Renato - Thanks man!

plenty of BArgnani interviews in Italy, some expected things, although never confirmed first hand and some interesting insights:

On JO arrival: I was unhappy about it although I was expecting it given my level of play last year. This is not to say I did not get along with JO, I trained with him last summer and he helped me a lot, also during the season.

On JT: I was much more comfortable with him although I did not play more because of him, they were forced to play me because after JO got injured there was none else and (good) performance after (good) performance I earned my spot in the starting 5.

On his post game: It has come a long way, there is still has a long way to go

On Messina (Messina has been Andrea's coach s he knows him well): He should adapt, but once he get familiarized with the differences he would be doing great in US.

What differences?: well Ettore (messina) is very meticulous in preparing games and in training (preparing) his team where instead you can't do much of it in NBA where you play 3 times in 4 days and your starting five is tired. Sometimes we prepare games on just video and we can put our gears on for just half an hour.

On Toronto and the contract: Playing in Toronto and getting extended is my top aspiration. I adore the city and I am 23, there is not just basketball in life and I am doing great in TO and it wouldn't be the same being in another place where you may not be having it this good.

My take: I believe this guy, as attitude is as direct and as down to earth as it gets. Too bad this is a side of him does not really come across much when he speaks English

you cant sign-and-trade a player in a package - only by himself... Deal is impossible, sorry.

Is it true that the Raps begin workouts tomorrow? Any notable names coming in this week?

I don't get it Howland, help me out. In one instance, you suggest that Bosh could be the "best" free agent in 2010, a free agent class some think to be the best in a decade. Then, in the same post you suggest trading him for the David Lee-Chris Duhon poo-poo platter.

I really have a hard time getting my head around how Bosh's value has been so greatly under rated on this site by both the writters and the posters.

Have the Raptors disapointed in the past two seasons? Absolutely. I just don't get how that falls strictly on Bosh...
There is a tidal wave of evidence (as highlighted in Franchise's recent articles) that points to the fact that this team is fundamentally weak outside of the top three players. Whether is PER, or other crative stats delivered through the wages of wins or "wins produced" they all provide evidence of how pathetic this team is and how far the drop off after Bosh and Calderone...

So why is the overwhelming sentiment espoused by Raptor fans and critics to trade their best player?! Why not deal with the problem and improve the teams actual deficiencies?
What bothers me the most is that if Bosh is traded, the team is in a position where they are building around Bagani. Now, Bagani improved this year. Granted. However, I for one would be devestaed at the prospect of having to watch a this franchise build around a jump-shooting centre for the next decade.

MAS, if Bosh signed an extension this summer then I bet BC would try to "deal with the problem" and improve the players around him. The idea of trading Bosh stems from the point of view that its better to trade him for something, than to lose him for nothing in 2010. Speaking of trades, here's mine:

Bosh,Banks&Humphries
for
Biedrins,Maggette,Azubuike&
Randolph

This trade gives us one of the best rebounders in the league at age 23, a starting SG in Azubuike that can play both ends of the court efficiently and like Joe Johnson years ago, just needs to move to a team where he’s a more prominent part of the offense; a veteran in Maggette who provides leadership at age 30 as well as stats 18ppg; and Randolph an athletic freak with all kinds of potential.

Sign and trade Marion for L. Deng as mention by Doug Smith as a possibility. Then trade Kapono for Reggie Evans (improves our toughness) and you’re looking at a line up similar to this:

C - Biedrins/O’Bryant/Jawai
F - Bargs/Evans/Pops
SF - Deng/Maggette/ Draft Pick
SG - Azubuike/Delfino/Parker
PG - Calderon/Roko/Douby

Still a weak bench but O Bryant and Douby are waivable to make room for a more established front court player, eg. Pachilia or a better point guard eg. Marcus Williams (yes I actually think he’s got a place in the NBA still),

Would you trade jose calderon for Joe johnson?

Member 29,

You bring up something that needs to be cleared up. Someone, correct me if I'm wrong on this... But as I understand it, under the current CBA, and player contract structure, if Bosh (and Wade and LeBron for that matter)signed an extension this summer, it would be an extension of their current deal and would not be at the max, six year level that he could sign for next year. In order to get that six year deal upwards of 100+ mil, Bosh would need to have his current contract expire.

This is why the rational for moving Bosh if he doesn't "re-up" this summer is flawed. He, or the others in his class that signed simillar deals, were never going to re-sign this summer as it doesn't make financial sense for them.

So if you are only expecting to get a David Lee and bit parts type deal back for a Bosh, this can be done in a sign and trade next summer (supposing Bosh does not want to resign).

IMO the only way the Raptors should trade Bosh before a sign-and-trade scenario is if it is for comperable front line talent.

MAS, good point, can anyone clear up that CBA rule. I'd be interesting to know if there is a downside to Bosh signing a deal this summer. I'd think BC would know better than to offer him a deal this yr when he can get a better deal in summer of 2010.

MAS

Ultimately I think that is the issue though. A number of people on the site feel Bosh is not worth the "Max money" status that he will command once he becomes a free agent (again, assuming he opts out of his contract in 2010) and therefor, if he doesn't accept an extension (for less than the max), the Raptors should ship him out.
As for his trade value, it isn't that people think he isn't good enough to bring back a lot of talent but more the fact that the trend in the NBA has been that Star players only get about 50 to 70 cents in the equavalent trade value. If you need a prime example all you have to do is look at the Gasol deal from last season. The trade for Iverson this year is actually a reverse situation as Iverson turned out to have almost no impact due to his playing abilities being diminished (much like the Jason Kidd trade) but older veteran players are in a different market bracket then young stars are. If you follow that reasoning (and the evidence seems to indicate that the trend will continue) then many people believe that trading Bosh now will net you the most return (think 75 cents on the dollar) as opposed to waiting for the trade deadline (where the Raptors might get 40-50 cents on the dollar) or in what they consider the worst case scenario, a sign and trade next year (where they might get 25 cents on the dollar). Whether the Raps should gamble and ride Bosh for one more year and hope he doesn't bolt or trade him now is really a matter of opinion. I think the Raptors should only trade him now if they are going to get a decent return and do not have to take any long term crappy contracts back. Otherwise, I think they are better off in the long term letting him walk in 2010.

BTW... One of the biggest problems with the argument that if Bosh doesn't reup this summer that we should trade him is that I have not heard the same reasoning for Wade and Lebron. As far as I know, neither of them are signing and extension this summer (although that might change) and yet I also have not heard people argue that they should be traded away from their teams if they do not sign extensions. Again, I admit Bosh is not as good as either of those two (not many are) but the same standard should be applied, should it not?