Another trade on the horizon?

Man, a guy goes to the dentist, gets back and it looks like work might be calling again.

According to a couple of league sources and I can't corroborate this with any of my most trusted Toronto folks, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo's got another deal bubbling, one that would send guard Marcus Banks to the Dallas Mavericks for Matt Carroll, adding a little long-term salary but providing coach Jay Triano with a shooter that he could use deep on the bench.

I'm warned -- and therefore so are you -- that the proposed transaction remains in its relative infancy and if this summer's proven anything it's that nothing's done until it's done. But just as we suspected, Bryan is thinking of moving a salary for one that’s a bit longer but not that much more expensive in the long haul.

Carroll, a 6-6 guard who will be entering his seventh NBA season, has four years left on his contract, he’ll make $4.7 million this season, $4.3 million in 2010-11, $3.9 million in 2011-12 and $3.5 million in 2012-13.

It’s more money and years than Banks has left – he’ll get $4.53 million this year and $4.8 million in 2010-11 – but the way Colangelo has structured his roster financially over the next few years makes the extra cost on the Carroll deal not that large a burden.

What Carroll can bring is to be determined. He’s a good shooter – a career 40 per cent shooter from three-point range – but on a Raptors roster pretty stacked at the wing spots, he’ll be an emergency fallback for Triano.

Banks? Well, Banks never really worked out after being obtained in the Shawn Marion trade last season. He hardly played, was mediocre when he did and then got hurt and missed about the last month of the season.

He didn’t take the team’s suggestion and play in the summer league last month – although he was in Las Vegas to meet with the staff and work out – and the GM’s been trying to deal him for months.

And in another strange twist to Banks’ career, he’ll be reunited with Marion one more time.

They were traded with each other from Phoenix to Miami in the Shaquille O’Neal trade and then moved in tandem from the Heat to the Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal.

Carroll’s bounced around for his entire career. He spent time with Portland and had a cup of coffee with San Antonio after leaving Notre Dame and then spent more than four seasons in Charlotte. He was traded from the Bobcats to the Mavericks at the deadline last season.

Comments

[MPI]

Fire it up! Even with the longer contract, it's better than Banks sitting on the end of the bench. In a squeeze, Carroll can actually play some real minutes at the two/three and make a contribution offensively. At this point, I'd take the proverbial bag of balls for Banks! if it happens, it's another solid move for BC. This is getting me amped up for 09-10.

[plusgroove]

Nice trade if it happens. This is plan C for Triano and the Raps. Banks was useless and didn't look too passionate for his job. Bryan loves his shooters that's for sure.

[aditya]

it's too many of the mediocre guys on the raptors roster who play the same position (belinelli, wright, carroll, unknown derozan)....i don't understand, we are stacked at the 2 position (jack, derozan who needs playing time to develop, belinelli, wright who is more of a 2 than a 3, but can play the 3....carroll, weems is a 3....

i would rather use banks' contract next season at the trading deadline or next summer because his is going to be an expiring contract, not in huge favour of adding salary (2 extra year albeit at very decent salary)

Blogger's note: I'll get into this more in the morning but what leads anyone to believe Banks could be traded at any time other than today?

[Jason]

Nothing wrong with a career 40 per cent three point , 85 per cent free throw shooter on your roster - even at the end of the bench.

Bill Simmons would be pleased with our diverse white out capability.

J.

[sean]

Matt Carroll is basically the same type of player as Jason Kapono is he not?

Blogger's note: Yeah, you could say that

[Sab]

Excellent trade. BC works his magic again. Turning something from mere useless to a credible product. Although Carroll's contract is longer it's essentially the same thing. Only difference is Bank's contract would have been wasted on the bench, whereas Carroll can be used and be relied upon. Fantastic trade!

[marc]

Great deal if it happens...why would Dallas do this deal? What's in it for them?

Blogger's note: Long term financial savings

[fred]

BC is amazing!! I've always respected Carrol too, and i think that he is making a solid team of good, quality, hungry players all the way from 1-15. ANOTHER SOLID MOVE!

[john]

I've never seen Marcus Banks play at all, and always wondered why. I mean you have to be pretty bad to not get even a couple of a minutes on a team with only Roko as a back-up point. Any more insight on his role on other teams, how the other players feel about him, etc? Is he just bad or basketball, or a tweener that has no real position, or have some kind of attitude problem?

He must have done something right to get the contract he has now. Just curious.

Blogger's note: Struck it rich at the right time; he's not horrible, not great, just kind of a tweener with no real defined role on any team he's been on

[kelsie]

Hey Doug,

BC has done a good job of overhauling this roster but not so sure if I like this proposed move.

Why take on additional salary over longer perdiod of time for a guy that will most likely not ever see the court?

I like depth but you can't play 15 and don't you think 3 years from now we will be looking at that contract the way we currently look at Banks's contract?

Blogger's note: Because it goes down each year, I don't.

[charles]

thanks Doug. I hope it happens. Matt is a true professional, who will never complain about his role and will be a good locker room guy.
also a good interview from what I've read :) even if Matt doesn't play im very happy I wont see Banks staring off into lala land when the camera cuts to the bench after DeRozan throws down a monster jam :>

[kelsie]

Doug,

Just a quick hypothetical before the flood of Carroll questions or 'BC is the Messiah'comments come in.

I know you don't have a crystal ball but do you think if Colangelo had given Mitchell this roster last year, do you think he would still be the coach today?

Blogger's note: No, sadly, I don't. I'm sure the Bryan-Sam relationship would not have soured at sometime last year.

[Dave]

Am I missing something here? The Raptors save $330,000 over the first two years yet have to pay $3.9 mil and $3.5 mil after that. Carroll will play little to no minutes. Based on the insignificant savings and potential on-court impact, I am at a loss as to how this is a beneficial trade for the Raptors.

With the new contracts of Hedo, Bargnani, and possibly Bosh next year, how is $330,000 going to allow BC to be more active? I say just eat Banks' contract.

[Grant]

Wow! BC seems determined to purge the very smell of last year's team. It is encouraging that a player similar to Jason Kapono is coming in as an end of the bench guy whereas JK was a a solid rotation player last year.

[Thane]

To those people saying that Banks should be traded at the deadline or in the next offseason for his expiring contract - think about it.

2010 is exactlly when people DON'T want money on their books. An '11 expiring contract isn't so good; it's a boobie prize for not getting one of the great free agents - who's going to want the boobie prize before they play the game?

[Dinosty]

re: "Matt Carroll is basically the same type of player as Jason Kapono is he not?"

Actually, Carroll is the player Kapono wanted to be. Both can shoot, but Carroll has no problem putting the ball on the floor, looks less gimpy than JK did when doing so, and can finish around the net. Much more aggressive player if I recall.

[NC]

The funniest thing about this is that Banks will be following Marion yet again.

[andrew]

Doug,
Here are his stats from last season
PPG APG 3P%
3 0.5 .245
I know nothing is final but why would we want to take on two years of extra money for a guy that probably won't be playing much? You mentioned that it's not that much of a financial burden but it still seems strange to limit flexibility for a guy that will be an "emergency fallback"

Blogger's note: Gains more flexibility in the next two summers, tax-wise, than it loses in the last two years because there would have to be someone on the roster making about that money and why not Carroll?

[Mario]

Well I can't wait until the season starts too. But this is turning out to become the 06-07 season when BC brought a whole bunch of people from europe or are european excluding Ford. It took them some time to grow chemistry together. 09-10 season looks alot the same except they are nba players so I hope they start great, and finsh great. How do you think the team chemistry will go and the how the line up's will look like?

Blogger's note: No real idea.I imagine chemistry will be fine and the lineup will work itself out but I'd say it's safe to assume Calderon, DeRozan or Wright, Turkoglu, Bosh and Bargnani with Jack, Belinelli, the other of Wright or Turkoglu and Evans, Rasho and/or Johnson off the bench

[Matt]

Anybody notice that this trade will actually save the Raps $500,000 next year when they'll likely be throwing money at a certain all-star they want to re-sign? ...or at least at free agent replacement? What I don't understand is how GMs keep lining up to give BC these great deals. What a salesman!

[Michael]

Carrol seemed to be a Raptors killer when he played for the Bobcats. Great addition if it happens! I'm glad to see the Raptors acquire a sharpshooter for some instant offense off the bench with the second unit.

[alex]

Not so sure about this. Depth is good and no doubt Carroll fills a need Banks can't, but if i'm raptors GM I might rather save the cash in the long run.

Is money thrown at the end of your bench really money well spent?

[John]

Id rather have Banks ride the bench for two years then Carroll for 4 years. Does it really matter who are 15th player is? Save your money Colangelo.

[Joey]

So does Triano play Belinelli ahead of Carroll? I imagine they're both defensively handicapped, so this could turn out to be another 'Delfino-Kapono' bench situation? Assuming Wright is first in for Hedo.

Blogger's note: Lots of assumptions there, guess we'll have to wait and see

[Michel G]

The hosts of the Fan590 morning show asked Jay Triano the other morning what else the team could need on top of all the additions that have already been made. He stated that you can never have enough shooters. I thought he was being greedy at the time considering all the new additions. I guess you can never be too greedy. A good addition if the deal goes through.