To quote Bette (fixed): Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

This is no time for a tired reporter to stretch out on the couch.

I tell ya, this never ends.

It’s like 9:45 last night, really slow, I’m a lump on the couch after a long baseball practice (the urchins couldn’t turn four double plays in a row during infield so I didn’t have to buy ‘em all ice cream), calls and e-mails had gone unreturned and I’m trying to figure out which old TV drama to watch.

Dang you, Marc Stein (I joke, Marc’s one of the really good ones out there and loves Canada so how can I diss him).

Anyway it just goes to show that things turn on a dime at any time these days and since the moratorium’s lifted tomorrow and the cap number likely comes out late tonight, think we’re in for much the same kind of day.

As long as the doofuses don’t do anything of substance between 6-8:30 when the Mighty Yankees are attempting to turn two and go 8-2 on the season, I’m ready to work.

Or maybe it’ll be uber-quiet and we can enjoy a post-game coaches meeting.

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I think this explains the pros of any Marion deal for the Raptors, whose intent is two-fold, maybe three.

They want to foster some goodwill with the guy and his agent (but not at any salary cost) if they can; and they might get a little nugget out of it.

Let’s say they do this: Ship Marion somewhere for a player, a future pick and some cash, flip that player to a third team for a pick and some money and then they’re all done.

What’s the end result: Toronto grabs up some cash and some picks (and I don’t imagine they’d be high ones), Shawn gets some extra loot and everyone’s happy.

And Bryan’s got a marker of sorts with the agent.

What I can’t see happening – and was told wouldn’t happen under any circumstances by a league person I trust late last night – is that Toronto would bring anyone back that costs them a dime.

Now, in a perfect world, Bryan’s able to include Marcus Banks in any kind of transaction which would present two options: They could, in that case, take back a player making Banks’ money ($4.5 million this season, $4.8 million next, as long as it’s salary-neutral) or, in the absolutely perfect storm of transaction creativity, they dump Banks or someone and use that money on Delfino or Parker.

Bryan pulls that one off and no one’s allowed to rip him for a couple of days at least, deal?

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So, what do the Mavs, for instance, get in any sign-and-trade? Why not just “get” a player for the mid-level exception or something?

Lots of people ask and, while I don’t pretend to be able to think like other GMs, I do have an idea.

They maybe get rid of an asset they don’t want or can’t use (hello, Jerry Stackhouse!) and replace him with a serviceable bit. Maybe they couldn’t “get” the player coming at that lower salary if there were other teams in the bidding. Maybe they just love to spend extra money.

Maybe a combination of those things.

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Speaking of the Argos, it was rather refreshing to spend 90 minutes or so sitting around the sunny climes of U of T Mississauga watching football practice; it would have even been nice if I had any clue what I was actually watching.

But nice to catch up with old friends like Adam Rita, who I used to write about eons ago, and it was like a hoops beat grunt reunion with Rogers H. of the Sun and Quag 2.0 in attendance.

And seeing how the nice little campus is about a two-minute drive from Casa Doug, I’m all for helping out with Boatman coverage.

Now, I have to figure out what’s transpiring on the field, there seem to be an awful lot of players.

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No.

Any Marion deal does not get Toronto the mid-level salary cap exception.

Put it out of your mind. Please.

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Speaking of the Mavs and free agents and the moratorium and all that jazz, it was somewhat surprising to read this direct quote from Mark Cuban in another fine piece by Eddie Sefko earlier this week:

“We are excited to have Jason Kidd back in a Mavs' uniform,” Cuban said. “He was a major contributor for us last year, and we expect more of the same next year.

“We also are excited to have him tutor (point guards) Roddy Beaubois and J.J. Barea. This is hopefully the first of several deals to come in the next couple weeks.”

Seeing how GMs and coaches and PR guys and trainers and everyone else connected with a team faces a substantial fine for talking about any free agent during the moratorium period, I’ve got to figure those few words are going to be costly.

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We don’t give nearly enough props, or ink, or whatever, to the WNBA. Heck, we don’t give any props, or ink, or whatever, to the WNBA.

So I will.

In particular, to personal fave Tammy Sutton-Brown, who I’ve been writing about for almost a decade, I think.

Check out this link, where it says the best basketball export in the history of Markham picks up Eastern Conference player of the week honours for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.

Tammy’s one of the good ones, as a person and a player and it has to say something about her and her game that she’s still playing at such a high level.

Here’s a woman who plays in the WNBA and then heads overseas for another full season in the winter (Russia and a host of other countries as I recall) and still plays well.

When we talk about the best basketball ambassadors Canada’s ever had, we rightfully look at the men but if all the young women out there in readerland need a role model, there’s one playing in Indy.

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So, what else is going on?

Rasheed Wallace and maybe Grant Hill to Boston?

Celtic Youth Movement in full swing.

Plenty of good seats available at the AARP discount.

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The Canadas did their part in New Zealand while you were sleeping. The Under-19s beat Borat, it says here. Now, they have to deal with Manu II and Walter Hermann Jr. if they want any shot at a medal.

Games at like 9:30 eastern time tonight if anyone wants to follow it really closely.

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Comments

[Joey]

Morning Doug, y'know, I've never posted a question in the comments section, but I saw that it is, in fact, a viable option in getting my question answered.. so here goes. If Bryan were to swing a deal that allows us to keep Delfino (or Parker), do you see him starting ahead of DeMar?
And since you're such a fan of predictions, how do you see the Rookie class shaping up this year? Griffin for ROY?

Blogger's note: No way :) Sorry. We'll deal with starters when we see who's in camp and I'm going near ROY

[Bill W.]

Doug, you said "No. Any Marion deal does not get Toronto the mid-level salary cap exception. Put it out of your mind. Please." Not to belabour the point, but I'm not entirely sure why this is the case. Hopefully you can clarify based on my question.

It's my understanding that if the Raps spend over the salary cap retaining our own players, then we get the midlevel exception. So, for example - ignoring Hedo for a second (and my dollar figures are likely not accurate, but used to illustrate a point), assuming we have 9m to spend before we hit the cap, if we resigned Marion and Delfino for 9m+, and that was it, we'd get the exemption, correct?

So, if the above is true, would this example net us the midlevel? Step 1 - resign Marion ($7m) and Delfino (2m) (and get the midlevel in the process, but have $0 for Hedo, who apparently needs around 9m in year 1 from the math I've seen). Step 2 - trade Marion for Stackhouse and waive Stackhouse. That would put us on the books for Delfino (2m) and Stackhouse (2m). Then, step #3, we trade Marcus Banks (4m) and a 1st rd pick to a team with cap room (hello, OK City!). This step 3 would put us under the cap enough to sign Hedo for the money he needs.

Now, ignoring whether this is a feasable trade, would this solution or something like it net us the trade exemption? Thanks.

Blogger's note: No. Not according to anyone with any team I've ever talked to but maybe it does. I honestly don't know if that convoluted a thing would work but I absolutely trust my sources and they tell me no.
If they're wrong, I'm wrong and I'll hear about it. But I doubt they are.

[JJ]

In an absolutely perfect world, perhaps they could move Marion, Hump and Banks to Dallas for Stackhouse, Shawne Williams and Devean George. Williams and George would give them some bench depth at the 3/4, Stackhouse gets bought out.

Plus it should free up a little extra money -- whatever the difference would be between Banks and Hump's salaries minus the salaries for George and Williams and $2 million for Stackhouse's buyout.

But yes as someone else already said -- another day of hitting the refresh button!

[Jenuwine]

Doug, so BC somehow gets cash and picks from sign and trading Shawn Marion, does that mean BC will have enough flexibility to sign Delfino and/or Parker? Also do you think Rasho is still an option for the bi-annual exception?

Thanks Doug. Much appreciated.

Blogger's note: That's what he's trying to do. And I don't know about Rasho because I haven't been able to reach him and I don't know if he's getting other offers out there

[brent]

Doug,
Could you please clarify the back end of this potential 3 team deal? After the Mavs and Raps trade, BC then supposedly flips Stackhouse to a 3rd team for a bag of marbles or something. But wouldn't that 3rd team have to be $7mil or so under the cap right now - ie. I don't think it would be the $2mil buy-out number. Help - my head hurts!

Blogger's note: That team would, as I understand it, have to have just $2 million in room since that's the guaranteed portion of the Stackhouse deal
Or maybe that team has a player Toronto wants and would take the guaranteed portion of the Stackhouse deal plus Banks in a salary-neutral transaction that doens't impact Toronto's need to clear room for Turkoglu

[LeeZ]

It's not Mae, you yahoo! It's Bette! As in Bette Davis. From the movie All About Eve. SHAME ON YOU, DOUG!!! Just don't quit your day job and become a movie critic!

Blogger's note: Momentary loss of sanity. Thanks

[J.R.]

Doug, I think it is possible to turn this into something. If we sign Marion and trade to Dallas, and Dallas sends Stack and cash (enough to cover the $2 million guarantied portion) to Memphis/OKC, then we would have a large trade exception. I know Otis Smith said he wasn't interested in a sign and trade for Turk before, but this is a new development. We could use the exception in a sign and trade with Orland and throw in some cash and a future pick. Why would Orlando turn this down if they have to take absolutely no additional obligations on in return?

Toronto would then not have to use cap space to sign Turk and could retain their free agents and cap exceptions. Any insight on this?

Blogger's note: Nope

[Calvin]

Just a coincidence I suppose, but if Banks ends up moving again this is going to be the third trade in which Banks is packaged with Marion. Kinda made me chuckle a bit... poor Banks...

[mb]

The Mavs already used their MLE on Gortat

[tarutaru]

Hey Doug, what would need to be done for us to get back our Mid-Level Exception, or any type of Exceptions?

Blogger's note: Been there, done that; you'll have to check the blog in the past few days

[brent]

Doug,
Thanks for answering my "Back end of the deal" question. So, if I understand everything correctly, in a perefect world, BC may be able to: 1) get some cash or a draft pick, 2) get a somehwat useful player and 3) get rid of Marcus Banks and his contract -- in exchange for NOTHING, since Marion is an unrestricted free agent who can otherwise sign with anyone!

Blogger's note: Pretty much, yeah

[Lorie]

I get annoyed when people just come on here to correct you, but, what the heck, I am going to do it. Bette Davis in "All About Eve" quoted that famous line...but, you could keep the wonderful Mae West involved as she also is attributed a line that could be applied to the basketball goings-on and not-goings-on now: "An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises!" (don't really know which sport Mae was referring to, but from what I have read she was a "good sport" in a lot of ways!)...yes, only when the season begins, will we all know whose deliberations, discussions, promises, decisions and deal-making's were the superior ones. And thanks for mentioning the WNBA's Tammy Sutton-Brown. THe WNBA games are on Raptors TV now regularly and are very much worth watching.

Blogger's note: Yeah, it's been a looooooooong few days with no time for some of the important things in life so my mind is a bit of a mess at the moment. It'll clear and I won't make that kind of mistake again

[Sean]

Hey Doug I just listened to the Score talk about how Stackhouse would bring much needed veteran leadership to the Raptors. I was under the understanding that stackhouse would be waiver or shipped to a 3rd team. So Am I correct in saying that Jerry Stackhouse will never play a game for the Raptors?

Blogger's note: Yes, you are very correct. I doubt, if anything happens and that's a big if, that he even gets across the border

[Nick]

If Bryan can dump Bank's contract somehow and sign Delfino or AP, then I'm not ripping him for rest of the year.

[Clutch]

Good for Tammy Sutton-Brown,

I didn't know too much (err..nothing) about Tammy until you talked about her in the blog.

Blogger's note: And that's bad on us

[Jojo]

Regarding the note about BC creating goodwill for Marion and his agent, is it safe to say then that BC never made any offer to them and all along Hedo was the first choice? I know you hinted at this the other day, but if this is confirmed it would make me rest a bit easier knowing that Marion and his agent weren't so stupid as to turn down an offer that no other team would come close to matching. I really assumed it was a chicken match and BC called their bluff in the end.

Even apart from that, I'm not sure why BC should feel obliged to make nice with them. Did he do something wrong in this process (apart from maybe ticking off Portland with a last second swoop)?

Blogger's note: He doesn't feel "obliged." If he can help, he will; if he can't, no big deal.
The details of who said what to who and when about Marion and Toronto are unclear; I doubt highly -- from my own knowledge and the opinion of others -- that any former "offer" was made, rejected or answered

[Liam]

Would the Raptors ever consider a sign in trade that involved trading Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Lakers for Adam Morrison and someone else? or is that silly to think.

Blogger's note: Beyond silly

[Kevin A.]

The reason the Raptors don't have the mid level is very simple: since they are under the cap for more than the mid level is, the mid level is added onto their salary numbers (like a cap hold). In order to use the extra salary cap space this year, they had to renounce their rights to their mid-level,waning they lost the use of it. No deal cam bring it back, they can only get it back next free agent season, in 2010. Since they are projected to be under the cap next year too, they won't have the mid-level next year either.

For people who are interested, google Larry Coon and read his salary cap FAQ. Best on the 'net

[Clutch]

Hey you say it's bad on you guys but I only really began reading The Star because of your blog..just sayin...

[John]

Doug you live two mintues from UTM? You must be loaded. I go to school there everyday and those houses are huge! You beat grunts eke out a decent living eh?

Blogger's note: Two minutes drive covers a lot of real estate, trust me on that

[jc]

the refresh button is getting worn out. just so i can pace myself for the day...when is the deadline for this phase? ie, is there a time in the next 24 hrs when Bryan can no longer make his creative moves with sign and trades...does it all end once he signs hedo?

Blogger's note: Deadline? Nothing too firm

[Mark David]

Doug,

Are the mavericks the only team known to be interested in Marion right now that would be willing to do the whole sign and trade deal to get Marion plus mid-level money?

Blogger's note: Read the comments and blog re: mid-level

[fg]

Hey guys,

to bad otis smith and the Magic are not on the bandwagon, i was seeing that if he would participate, the raptors could S&T Marion etc.. for Turks with the MAgic, then the MAgic could do a sign and trade for Gortat to the mavs, and the MAvs could give Marion or Bass to the magic if needed. There are obvisiously other fillers, but it would work and the raps would keep all there exceptions and could be stacked, they could have delfino, parker, matt barnes, kleiza, nestorivic plus there potent starters.... sigh, that would be a killer team, best raps team ever. oh well , one can dream.....

But it would make sense, turks went to the raps, Gortat went to the Mavs , and Bass is linked to the MAgic, and the Mavs want MArion. I hope otis smith changes his mind, and the fillers/picks, are figured out. Geez they could easily trade MArion for there power forward they want.(BASS). The three teams are all connected, all three would win win win.

[David]

If Toronto can aquire Stackhouse and something like a first round pick, then trade Stackhouse to a team under the cap right now and also give them...say, 3 million cash and a 2nd round pick. That team can waive stack for 2 million, and Toronto gets back a Trade Exception for 7 million, which can be used in a sign and trade with Orlando.

I'm sure Orlando would be happy to get a large trade exception, some cash and Dallas' first rounder in exchange for letting Turk go for free.

Toronto is now still over the cap, did not renounce their rights to Delfino or Parker, and still have access to the MLE and LLE.

[anthony.mackay]

Kidd's career speaks for it self, but it looks like Dallas overpaid and knowing what that little PG in New Jersey is doing has to make this contact even harder for Cuban to sign.

Doug, are the Suns still movin' and shakin' or what? Seems like Amare has been on the block for years now. How about Marion and Amare to Dallas, Nash to Toronto.... and that's it since it appears Kerr is trying to avoid building a competitive team!

I miss the 7-seconds or less Suns :(