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

[jimmie]

The only -- only -- reason to keep Banks this year would be if you were 99% certain that you could trade him at the 2010-11 trade deadline.

He's not an asset in Toronto this year as a player (it's obvious he has little to no use as a PG in the NBA) or as trade ballast, because he still has a 4.8M salary on the books for 2010-11, and no team is going to take that on prior to the "free agent frenzy" summer of 2010. Toronto will not be major players in that game unless Bosh leaves, so we might as well get a player for that money.

Carroll's contract is fair for what he is -- a mostly spot-up, but very effective, long-range shooter. The comparisons to Kapono are pretty close. Toronto saves $500k in 09-10, which translates to 1M when you consider the relative cap hit. If they like him, he only gets cheaper in 10-11 and 11-12.

And he's better trade ballast than Banks in any case, since as I said, he can still provide a valuable service for a decent price, and his contract will expire right around the same time that those who sign in the summer of 10-11 are starting to expire (2-3 year contracts is what I'm expecting for most 10-11 FAs).

The bottom line is that we are getting a better, cheaper player to fill a roster spot NOW vs. a complete and utter stiff, and the ramifications long-term are likely beneficial as well. Another good deal.

[BrianV]

If BC can pull off this Banks trade, put me down for a birth canal transplant, as I have first dibs on fathering his children.

[Jeff Steele]

This is a good trade in my opinion. Matt Carroll is a deadly shooter and had some very impressive games as a rotation player with the Bobcats. He deserves to get playing time in Toronto if this deal gets done. How? That will be Triano's job to come up with some creative rotations...

Here's a thought: Split the first three quarters at SG between Demar, Marco and Matt and leave in whoever is hottest in for the 4th quarter. Over 82 games this will keep all three of them from getting worn down.

Then Antoine Wright can play the 10-15 minutes of available backup time at SF while coming in to guard the Kobe's, Ray Allen's and Micheal Redd's at SG when the extra defense is needed.

Jay sure has some serious work to do to come up with a system to distribute minutes between all these new guys. I'm looking forward to seeing his basketball mind go to work! There is no excuse for a losing season now with this roster, so the pressure is on.

Here's a fun question for you Doug (feel free to move it to the mail bag if it's too much of a guessing game for you):

Which Raptor has the best shot at making the All-Star team next season along with Bosh?

[Vincent Lam]

Does this deal happen without the Delfino/Ukic deal? Did they save some money that allowed them to aquire Carroll?

Blogger's note: No, if this goes through, it's entirely on its own and the other one had nothing to do with it.

[Tim W.]

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."

Why would you assume Belinelli is defensively handicapped? He's average, at worst, and although it's hard to tell on the Warriors, I saw him being a better than average defender.

gotgame: "I don't get this trade at all. Its basically a garbage for garbage deal. Why would you want Carroll instead of having an expiring contract sooner?"

Well, not all trades have to be talent for talent. Deep bench players can get traded, as well.

I don't really understand the criticism. Yes, Carroll's contract is longer, but the Raptors are getting someone who is semi-useful for someone who is completely useless. Don't see how that is a bad thing.

As for this `Why not wait and trade Banks when he has an expiring contract?' argument, a year and a half from now, how many teams are really going to be begging for expiring contracts? And won't dozens of other teams also have similar expiring contracts for players who are probably much more useful? And wouldn't the Raptors then have to take back a longer contract, like say Carroll's, in order to trade it away.

Carroll is a scrub, but he's a better player than Banks and one who is more valuable because he actually has a valuable skill. In the end, who really cares because the trade has little effect on the team.

[chris]

Crap in, crap out....only we now have 4 yrs of it instead of 2.

Doug - what's your opinion on us taking banks back in that deal? Was it really necessary considering what we gave Miami? (a serviceable big, a first round draft pick....why did we have to take Banks as well?)

Blogger's note: The deal in February doesn't get done without Banks in it; it's that simple.

[doug]

to those that say this is a "terrible trade" you may be fans of the game but you don't understand it....a guy like Carroll can be used in certain scenarios, scenarios in which Jay never had anyone to use before this trade....lets say Raps down by 3, 5 seconds or so on the clock, carroll is out there as a option that the defense has to respect, he may not take the shot but he can't be ignored....or let's say the Raps are down by 15 with 7 minutes left, it's a flat game, you go to a guy like Carroll as he may come in and hit a quick 3/4 shots, changes momentum and the team has a chance to win...so those are the the type of scenarios in which he will be utilized..

also the econmics of a NBA team are different then our personal economics, yes 4 mill is a lot of cash to a individual, but in the context of a NBA team it is a relatively small sum and a very manageable one...this contract is not a onerous one, BC has managed the teams finances quite well going forward.....a nice balancing act as each year every team has to carry forward contracts from one year to the next....this one is a pittance in relative terms, especially when compared to the more onerous ones other teams are stuck with...

[Scott]

Doug did you break this story. I haven't seen any other reports of this.

Blogger's note: I don't know, but as I said, it's not done until it's done

[aditya]

i am now dead torn about this plausible trade....all i know is matt carroll could be the 10th 11th or 12th man on this team...he is going to make open shots which sometimes kapono missed...$3.5 mil in a final year isn't such a bad number for carroll who can shoot and works hard (if i remember right)...DEAD TORN...possibly no winners in this trade

[S.W.]

Doug

what do you know what people know about how highly brian thinks about sonny weems?

Blogger's note: I haven't had a chance to speak to him about Weems

[dc]

IS BC reading the comments board?
it seems like all those raps fans out there who follow this blog and made their case for an overhaul of the 'mr. nice guy' roster are getting their wish.

Thanks, Mr. Colangelo.
Banks would have been an albatross had he been around to start the season.

[doug]

I am just watching Canada play Argentina on atdhe.net....they are looking quite good up by 18 near the end of the 3rd....

[Johnny]

I like Carrol's ability to shoot 3's, but there's no PT for him on the Raptor's roster. Why lock in a long term contract when Bank's expires next year. Carrol is probably gonna be the 10th or 11th in the rotation. Do you really want that much money invested in your 10th or 11th player off the bench?

Blogger's note: Less than $4 million a year? Yeah, I'm okay with that

[dallas]

Hi Doug,

Congrats to you and the Super sun on a Super Season. you should be commended for finding the time to feed teh beast and help out and coach the youngen's though I'm sure you get as much enjoyment out of it as they do at the end of the day. Just wondering, if at 6'6 you'd see Carrol as capable of filling in at back up SF? or is he a more of a true SG?

Seems to me after Turk, we don't have a lot of size at the SF, and even with Turk, we don't have that rebounder like Marion was. I know we can't get everything. Go ahead and call me Crazy, but I say there's more room than ever for a guy like Joey Graham, on this roster.

Blogger's note: Nah, he's a 2. And since they have 15 players on the roster, there is no room for Joey or anyone

[Aaron]

Bryan was walking on water up until this proposed trade. Carroll is generally pretty terrible and his game is on the decline. Neither is particularly effective and if the Raps are looking for a shooter (as opposed to a strong wing defender) they could probably do better than picking up Carrol's over-paid contract. Please don't do this Bryan. You are still trading nothing for nothing.

[Jim Redmond]

Hmmm! Look who's left from last year's squad - Bargnani, Bosh and Calderon plus O'Bryant, Banks and Douby. Seems that when Brian puts his mind to it - he can blow up a team real good! With the exception of the "BBC," he has talen whatever resources and he had and gutted this team. Hopefully for the better. A repeat of his first season here? Hope so....

[Ltrain]

If he can dump Banks then go for it, but my question is who then is the 3rd PG if one of the top 2 go down? Douby? Belinelli? Hedo?!! I think a team needs 3 PGs on the roster in today's NBA.

Blogger's note: Douby can handle it, they think; Hedo can play some point forward.

[brent]

Doug,
Can you give any background on the Carroll contract? I don't think I've ever seen one with gradual annual decreases.
Thanks and keep up the great work!

Blogger's note: No real background; just the way they structured it. Happens every now and then. Happened here with Hump who took a hit in the second year of his three-year deal.

[Chris]

This would be a bad trade for the raps if it were to go down. I would like nothing more than to send Banks packing, but not by taking on greater salary for another defensively-challenged below average journey man.

[dp]

I would really like to see Roko tear it up in Milwaukee, win the starting job over a Brandon Jennings, Luke Ridnour or Ramon Sessions. For some reason I feel as if he'll be embraced by Milwaukee fans.

[fan223]

Hey Doug,Why Does Marcus BAnks Always End Up With Shawn?

Blogger's note: Fate?

[Sean E.]

Excellent trade. Some of you just need something to complain about. Carroll is a veteran 2 guard and sharpshooter that will provide instant offense to a defensive-minded bench lacking offensive firepower besides Belinelli. Not to mention that we're SAVING MONEY for the next 2 years. That said, it'll be interesting to see how Triano juggles the minutes at the 2 and 3.

Banks doesnt have bad game, he just doesnt "get it." He has some talent, but he might just need the right set of circumstances (which definately aint here) and a mentor like lets say . . Jason Kidd for it to click. Either way, we should wish him well.

http://www.realgm.com/src_feature_pieces/816/20090819/dissecting_the_2009_offeason/

Raps have had the 2nd best offseason? I'd like to say THE best, with BC pulling off unreal trades like this one and George for Bellineli.

[bill]

LOL I am a BIG Mavs fan. MATT CARROLL FREAKIN SUCKS

[Lawrs]

This trade probably won't be a huge difference maker, but its good that we got another shooter. I'm not sure if all this would work out, but BC is making moves that I have never seen or dreamed of (even in a video game) before. Which leads to my question, have you ever seen another GM in the history of the NBA making as much moves in the offseason as BC?

Blogger's note: Not that I recall off the top of my head but the summer that Orlando got Tracy and Grant Hill, it strikes me they had a major roster turnover.

[Jay]

I am a Maverick fan and I would love this trade if it is straight up. Maybe even a Barea-Belinelli swap to even out the positions.

I do hope, however, that Cuban declines the trade if the Raps are looking for any sweetners in the deal.