FanPost

Plenty To Play With

The Raptors financial situation of the cap room are one of the few positives the Raptors should take advantage of. For many of the NBA teams the overall goal is to win championships and for LA, Boston, MIA, San Antonio that is to win multiple championships in a short time span. As for teams like TOR, WAS, and the Bobcats their happy with just making the playoffs. BC can either speed up the process like he has before trying to compliment Bosh but ending up with a 1st round loss or out of the playoffs or re-build slow and be patient. The Raptors have some talent, a good coach and cap room.

BC should take advantage of the cap room by not signing free agents (Let's be honest, who wants to come to Toronto and play for a struggling team) Unless you give out HEDO dollars! I believe in building through the draft as I've seen my favorite teams (Braves and Packers) have yearly success but that's besides the point.

Now with the Raptors having the lowest salary cap this past year and the likes of Calderon 10 mill coming off the books next year the Raptors should look to strike and take advantage of other teams financial instability. Some teams are the Hornets and Mavs.

Hornets have the number #1 pick. It's guaranteed that it will be Anthony Davis. Now the Hornets also have the 10th overall pick. Hornets are going to be relatively young and they do have cap space but would probably like more since they are also re-building. They have Jack and Vasquez who are serviceable at point, Gordon at SG, Aminu and Ariza at SF and Davis soon to be PF w/ Okafor at C. Ariza and Aminu are the same player with Ariza having the higher contract and Okafor having 2 years left on his deal.

With the cap space I feel the Raptors should look to take advantage of acquiring a short term player not exceeding several years on their contract. Okafor would be my pick as the Raps need a Center and could help JV come along. while acquiring even more talent in the draft.

The Raptors would acquire the 10th overall and Okafor for a player such as Klieza, Amir or Forbes. Or multiple players out of these three even though I feel they'd have the least interest in Amir do to his contract.

This give the Raptors the ability to win now but better yet still re-build through the draft with an extra pick. With the 8th and 10th pick the Raptors can go multiple scenario's with it. With one of the picks I'd like to see the Raps draft Damian Lillard. PG of the future with Calderon gone after the year and Bayless being the combo guard/sixth man. For the other pick it's a toss up, you can decide on who you would want BC to draft.

Now for the Mavs, they WILL always be in a win now mode with Mark Cuban at the helm. They are trying to clear salary space for any big time FA such as Deron Williams or Dwight Howard. They have an overpaid center in Brendan Haywood with a relatively bad contract. 4 years making around 9 mil according to HoopsHype. As any fan reading this you are probably screaming NOOO but there's a catch. Haywood has a clause in his contract stating that if traded the team that acquires him can release him and instead of paying him out his contract, the team could pay him no more then 2 mill a year until the year 2026. Now this is something BC should be looking into because this could be a steal.

The Mavs have the 17th overall pick w/ some good prospects still on the board according to DraftExpress. Now the Raptors could chose to do whatever they would want with Haywood. Allow him to play the first year and mentor JV or release him outright once he is traded. Plenty of options to play with in this situation and could acquire a player such as Ross, Jones III, Moultrie, or Harkless in the draft. Once again you make the pick!!

Aside from gaining draft picks I feel acquring a defensive Center will help hide Bargnani's flaws. Yes, I am one that eventually wants to rid ourselves of the soft purple Barneysaur. Setting ourselves up with such young talent can eventually lead to trading for a franchise star WHEN the team is ready.

Trade with Hornets
PG - Calderon/Lillard/Bayless
SG - Lamb/DeRozan/Bayless
SF - DeRozan/Johnson
PF - Barney/ED/Amir
C - Okafor/JV/Amir

Trade with Mavs
PG - Calderon/Lillard/Bayless
SG - DeRozan/Bayless
SF - Johnson/Harkless
PF - Barney/ED/Johnson/Harkless
C - Amir/JV if essential release Haywood.