Spurs/Raptors Trade

[kepdawg]

Spurs deal Nesterovic to Raptors for Williams, Bonner
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

The Toronto Raptors traded Eric Williams and Matt Bonner to the San Antonio Spurs for Rasho Nesterovic on Wednesday, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo told ESPN.com.

The deal allows the Raptors to fill a desperate need at center without damaging the team's cap flexibility this summer.

The Raptors looked at the free-agent market this summer and probably felt like they'd have to overpay on a five-year deal for a center.

Nesterovic has three years, $23 million left on his contract.

The Raptors should have roughly $12 to $14 million in cap room this summer.

For the Spurs, they rid themselves of a center that's been largely ineffective for them and gain longterm cap flexibility. Both Williams and Bonner's contracts expire next summer.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

[SintonFan]

:thinking: :thinking: :thinking:
Rasho was too inconsistent for the money but I'm not sure about these guys. They need to cut Nick van Hexel and get a little younger for starters.

[Emerson1]

Nick Van Exel is a free agent.

They need to draft a pg that they can develop. Maybe trade Finley or someone for a top 15 pick and develop a PG like Dallas is doing with Harris.

Finley and Van Exel have to go, they were quick fixes for this season. Time to rebuild, not reload for 1 season.

[Maroon87]

I had heard Van Exel was retiring after this season...

This trade makes them a little more athletic as they try to keep up with the Mavs, Suns, and Clippers out West. Plus it frees up all important cap space.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by SintonFan
:thinking: :thinking: :thinking:
Rasho was too inconsistent for the money but I'm not sure about these guys. They need to cut Nick van Hexel and get a little younger for starters.
It's a good move from a cap standpoint. Bonner and Williams come off the books at the end of next season, so they could (conceivably) be in the running for a bunch of the kids from the draft class that included Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Darko (he'll come into his own next year). San Antonio does a great job positioning themselves for future FA's. That's why they've done such a good job retooling all these years.

[DU_stud04]

i also heard nick vanexel is retiring, i liked rasho in nba live(they made him really good) but he didnt really do anything atall for them. brent barry might be useful for another year? id like to see someone new though. robert bigshot bobby horry could also get the boot if i was in charge. finley is good for the rotation for now. we need a new center definatly and someone for td to mentor. ginobili hopefully will have a great season next year if he stay healthy. bowen is a beast, getting old but isnt showing it. parker is good, but a trade wouldnt be bad. im hoping the spurs can get rid of alot of dead weight and rebuild back to the championship team they can be.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by DU_stud04
i also heard nick vanexel is retiring, i liked rasho in nba live(they made him really good) but he didnt really do anything atall for them. brent barry might be useful for another year? id like to see someone new though. robert bigshot bobby horry could also get the boot if i was in charge. finley is good for the rotation for now. we need a new center definatly and someone for td to mentor. ginobili hopefully will have a great season next year if he stay healthy. bowen is a beast, getting old but isnt showing it. parker is good, but a trade wouldnt be bad. im hoping the spurs can get rid of alot of dead weight and rebuild back to the championship team they can be.
I'd really like to see them pick up a young player, preferably a post, who can carry the franchise in the future. Ginobili and Parker are great, but they're not that kind of player.

[Emerson1]

The raptors might be decent this year, they have last seasons GM of the year now who was with the suns and turned that franchise around.

[SintonFan]

You gotta keep Parker and Beno was way down this year, but he lost a lot of minutes to van Axel.

[PhiI C]

:confused: