Raptors Trade Daye to Spurs for De Colo in last minute deadline deal

Three things:

1)  DANNY GRANGER FOR EVAN TURNER!

2)  Good thing I didn't bet money on Toronto not making a trade.

3)  Is Bryan Colangelo still around?

At first glance the Austin Daye for Nando De Colo trade that's reportedly just gone down reeks of a Colangelo move, trading just for the sake of looking busy.  That's what happened last year when BC ridiculously decided to trade a second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Sebastian Telfair.  (I'm still mad about this one.)

But based on salary reports, the move could actually have some off-the-court benefit before even getting to the on-the-court part, saving Toronto a few hundred thousand dollars next season.  Daye wasn't going to play unless 80 per cent of the team was suddenly vaporized by aliens so if you can move a piece like that for at least a bit of cap space, all good.

And wait, there's more!  De Colo might actually play for Toronto this year.  He's averaged only 4.3 points and 1.2 assists in 26 games for the Spurs this season, but he's only in his sophomore campaign and as a 6-5 point guard, might represent an upgrade behind Greivis Vasquez for the Raptors' third-string PG role.

Now, in no way am I saying De Colo suddenly propels this club to an Eastern Conference Finals birth.  Yes, he's a soph but he's also 26 years old and couldn't beat out Corey Joseph or Patty Mills in terms of being Tony Parker's main back-up option.  But hey, there's at least something there that's more alluring than Austin Daye, kind of like picking a Pony over a K-Car.

My only question is, why would San Antonio make this trade?