Trade Analysis: Warriors Marco Belinelli for Raptors Devean George

by TheNBAScoop on Jul 30, 2009 10:28 AM EDT

What do the Raptors gain and what do they lose?

By making this deal the Raptors acquire another solid SG who is a very potent scorer. Belinelli has a great feel for the game on offense and is a very pure shooter. He is always very poised with the basketball and makes smart decisions. His shooting range is phenomenal and he will spread the floor for the Raptors. This means Jarrett Jack does not have to play SG and can stay at his natural position at PG. Marco is 9 years younger than Devean and averaged higher numbers in every statistic except rebounding.

The Raptors will lose championship experience and tough defence by trading away George. He was with the Lakers during their 3 peat championship run and has had playoff experience with the Mavericks. He has shown he can be a good defender on a playoff team and can hit timely three’s.

What do the Warriors gain and what do they lose?

With George the Warriors gain playoff experience and defence as I stated in the Raptors losses but more importantly they gain more minutes for their many young guards. Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson look to be the starting guards. To back them up you have Stephon Curry, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Morrow, C.J Watson and Acie Law who all need minutes to develop. Losing Belinelli is not as big of a loss for the Warriors as it is a gain for the Raptors. This just provides more minutes to a guard heavy team.

The Warriors will miss Belinelli because he was a fan favourite and a young guard full of potential but to them he is expendable. Getting George for Belinelli was a bigger loss for the Warriors as Marco is worth more than an old injury riddled role player. If I were the Warriors I would have liked Antoine Wright or at least Joey Graham. Yes Devean George brings playoff experience and perimeter defence to the Warriors but the problem is the Warriors aren’t making the playoffs and they play no defence. Don’t be surprised to see George ride the bench for the year.

Who got the better deal?

It is very clear the Raptors got the better end of this deal. Belinelli will be a key piece to the Raptors success and has a bright future. Devean George will not see much playing time and may retire sooner rather than later. Kudos to Bryan Colangelo.

TheNBAScoop

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I think ...

The Warriors gain nothing and lose nothing. Marco didn’t fit their system and wouldn’t see much PT anywayz … We gain a player with a chance to play well in a system that fits his skill set. If he does not do well … George wasn’t going to help us anywayzzzz

"even though I was born in Toronto Canada and I love the BlueJays and the Raptors and the Leafs .. I cut my finger this morning and I was BLEEDING CHIEFS RED BABY!!!"

by T-DotChiefFanSince93 on Jul 30, 2009 11:15 AM EDT reply actions

gain/loss

no doubt, Marco might have a better year on the court in Tor than George, and it’s a HUGE breath of fresh air for him.

Raps fans should have cause for pause however: MB was not playing because he didn’t fit a system – he was not playing because he was buried behind better players in the depth chart. The up-tempo system at GSW should have fit Marco like a glove, yet he couldn’t grab PT until an epidemic of injuries hit our guards.

secondly, you are paying about double for this third string SG from a non-playoff team, and are planning on playing him major minutes – in fact, Raptors are paying for George AND MB now, while the dubs can use George’s expiring in a trade. who’s stealing from who?

MB is a SG who didn’t shoot a high % and only occasionally showed the potential to be " a very potent scorer " and some of that was in an over-hyped summer league showing. If he becomes a more efficient shooter the Raps got a steal - but only if, and then there’s the issue of picking up his option/re-signing him. (Do the Raps pick up the option prior to seeing him put in significant minutes? Obviously GSW was not going to pick up that option, and Tor has to wonder how much will it take to re-sign him later?)

The Warriors get some cash, veteran depth at SF, cash, some defense, cash, and didn’t give up a rotation player. What grates GSW fans is this: unless we’re going to use George in a subsequent deal, our FO just sold a young SG for cash going to an unpopular ownership.

Coangelo’s track record has been pretty solid, if he’s convinced MB can play will in an expanded minutes who are we to think we know better? Maybe the chemistry in Tor will bring out the best in Marco. Just don’t make the same mistake so many GSW fans did and think he’s some kind of savior or all star. Usually, you get what you pay for, or less.

by hardcore on Jul 30, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions

I don’t think the money really matters. On our part, we lost a guy that we weren’t sure could contribute at a position that we need help at, for a guy that may have had a hard time. I think this is going to be a last stand for Belinelli because either he’ll listen to Bargnani, Gherardini, and Iavaroni and get his game together, or he’ll be packing for Europe. If there’s any team that can get him on the right track, it’s those three.

And I’m not sure just how much defense George has in him at this point. Dallas needed defense and couldn’t really get it out of him. At the very least, we needed some scoring from our 2nd unit and Belinelli gives us a chance for that.

Kinnon "Vicious D" Yee
Author - RaptorsHQ.com

by Raptors HQ - Vicious D on Jul 30, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

money really matters

from the GSW side it probably matters more than from the Tor side, more to the point we aren’t paying George yet have his expiring to include in a deal if the opportunity arises all for a player who wasn’t going to play for us, we weren’t going to pick up his option so we have lost nothing while gaining a free expiring … I do agree with your assessment that this is MB’s [last] chance to show he belongs on this side of the pond

by hardcore on Jul 30, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions