It's all one deal and it's bye bye Turk and Jose

Bryan Colangelo is at it again.

In a complex transaction that’s still not finalized, the Raptors are shipping out Hedo Turkoglu, Jose Calderon and one other piece not yet confirmed and getting back Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns, Boris Diaw and possibly Tyson Chandler from the Charlotte Bobcats.

(It's been confirmed Chandler is coming and while no one's told me officially from the Raptors, looks like Reggie Evans is going; but the deal is not official and won't likely be until Tuesday)

League sources could not confirm the final pieces Monday morning but the Raptors will not have to touch the $14.5 million trade exception acquired last week in the Chris Bosh sign-and-trade transaction.

Colangelo originally drafted Barbosa with the Suns and has long been a fan of Diaw, a multi-purpose forward who can play a couple of positions. Chandler, who is in the last year of his contract, gives the Raptors another long athletic big man.

Turkoglu is destined for Phoenix, Calderon is headed to Charlotte and the league sources were unsure who the third piece leaving Toronto is and where he’s going.

The financial gains are significant.

Barbosa has two years and $14.7 million left on his current contract; Diaw has two years and $18 million remaining and Chandler will be paid $13.1 million this coming season.

Turkoglu still had four years and about $40 million left on his deal and Calderon has three years and almost $30 million left to go.

We'll get more as the day progresses.

Comments

[Johnny Bravo]

NW we're talking!! Trading JC and getting Chandler is HUGE. JJ now runs the point and we switch Bargs to PF with Chandler starting. I think this gives us a young, fast and hungry bench led by Barbosa, Weems, and the rooks!

I like it. I was very perplexed by the earlier news of bringing in Diaw with most of the exemption. Upon hearing the remainder of the trade this makes more sense!

One thing about BC, when he makes a mistake he cleans up and changes things pretty quickly!

[Arielle3000]

Raptors gonna be messed up this season without a playmaker. #TorontoWantsHedo

[SGosse]

(besides missing what the extra pieces are obviously) haha

[Chris]

Wow. Sad to see Jose go. Best of luck in Charlotte Jose, I always enjoyed watching you play.

Barbosa's a bit of a combo-type guard, do you see him starting at the 1 next year Doug?

Blogger's note: Starting? No

[Kate - Toronto]

Wecome back BC!! We never doubted you for a minute...

I'm over the moon with this trade.

[Ryan]

Any guesses as to who the third player shipped out of Toronto would be? ... Or at least, what criteria would this player need to have?

[SY]

Wow....If we are going to get all three, Barbosa, Diaw and Chandler - Banks and Reggie have to be a part of the deal in order for the salaries to match.....If this is the case, it's a really good trade.

-SY

[pain777pas]

Colangelo is doing ok. Chandler is defense and some offense. Barbosa is some explosive streaky offense and Diaw is a multitasker. Very good trade, I must admit. No matter who the other piece is. Way to go Colangelo. Plus, Doug every one knows that the GM is stock piling the bigmen to make some noise later in some more deals. I think that Diaw should go. Evans is the other piece in my opinion with Turk and Jose. As sad as I am to see him go because of his loyalty it's for the best and chemistry is what is needed right now. Davis, Albi, Demar and the soon to be no suprise Weens are looking good so far. I think I'll watch a few games this season. Chandler, Andrea, Amir, Weens and Jack I'm predicting for the starting 5. Weens is making the case right now over Demar and I thought that last year aswell that there is this confidence with this young man that should not be denied. He's a average defender and that is a plus aswell. I'm feeling much better about this team now however I do see the odds of this team winning being 150-1 as some are saying. Doug are you feeling optimistic about this squad? I'm starting to see a team coming together here.

[Dave]

I too will miss Jose. I will not miss all the negative comments blaming him for all that is wrong with the world. He was a class act who gave 100 percent all the time. Unfortunately he couldn't do everything and couldn't live up the the expections of the Toronto fans.

These moves are not to solve all the problems for next year. These moves are for a few years down the road.

Toronto fans, it is time to stop booing Vince Carter. That is so long ago, you just make yourselves look bad. Save your angst for Turk and I will help you.

This should make for an interesting, if not successful, year. Should be a fun team to watch.

[Thane]

Both Hedo and Jose are great players. No doubt, alonside Nash, Hedo will have another breakout year - still, the trade for Barbosa was a good one, I think.

Jose, I'm not too sure about. This leaves us with one quality PG (plus Banks; Barbosa is a SG, not a PG), and not one who can really spread the floor.

Any word on getting another point in?

[Scott]

Bye bye Jose. At least I wont have to listen to Doug talk about how good you are anymore!!!!

[other mark]

I don't follow basketball very closely, but I read this blog with interest and make the observation that Raps fans sound a lot like Leafs fans. Eternal optomism, even when your best players are leaving town. Colangalo, like Burke, is in major rebuild mode. Both did a fine job cleaning house and creating flexibility, but if they can't do something constructive with the freed up cash/roster places, then they have to be considered inadequate general managers. I give each 2 more years to produce a serious contender, or bye bye.

[oliveira]

Nice post. Nice to see some info to digest.

Jose was for the most part a class act and a good PG, but his defence is weak and his contract is an albatross. Chandler should provide better interior defence.

I am speechless about Turkey glue leaving. Best move of the year, BC!! MLSE should offer you a contract extension after this move.

It would be interesting if we're able to use the untouched TPE. BC please go after Collinson in NOH, please!!!!!!

[Andrew Clark]

Wow... this would be an interesting deal. Leaves us with a decent line-up. Now they can use the trade exemption to pick up a starting SF or SG to bump DeRozan or Diaw to the bench. Maybe a guy like Luol Deng, Tayshaun Prince, or Andrew Iguodala. I know I am probably thinking too lofty but that's what makes this time of year so much fun.

Starting lineup of: Jack, DeRozan, Diaw, Johnson, Bargniani

Bench of: Barbosa, Belinelli, Weems, Davis, Chandler

Dead Wood/Development: Alabi, Banks, Evans, Dorsey

[Neil]

Well for all those poeple who were calling for BC's firing and clamoring about a lack of direction and all that malarkey. Look what this trade does:

1. Helps begin the process of clearing the books Calderon and Turkoglu are gone along with their big money and long deals (though I personally will miss Calderon). In there place is less money and nothing longer than two year deals.

2. Ships out two slow and below average defenders for 3 players with more speed, athleticism and defensive skill.

3. Creates an addition by subtraction situation. Turkoglu is gone along with his drama and the point spot becomes a little less clogged.

4. The team remains competitive and still allows for the space for the young players to grow and develop.

To summarize: To begin the new Bosh-less era in a couple of fell swoops BC has undone some of his failed efforts to keep Bosh, cleaned up some chemistry issues, secured future cap space, left space for young talent to develop and improved the teams speed, athleticism and defense. Not too shabby. Here's hoping the player to be named isn't one of the "young gunz" (I'm hoping for one of Banks, Evans or Bellinelli - in that order)

[Ritallin]

For BC to have done all this while not touching the trade exception is exceptional work. Most of the biggest, baddest long-term contracts are gone, and we will be getting solid pieces back with greater flexibility in the longer term. Well done, Colangelo!

Also, I think the acquisition of Chandler is huge. He allows Triano to play Bargnani at the 4 with a true prototypical centre. The impact of this development on Andrea's game cannot be underestimated - he doesn't have to play all the minutes at the 5 and allows for some killer arrangements with some of the other bigs (Johnson, Davis and Alabi in particular) as they continue to develop their skills.

Stay competitive, build in more financial flexibility for the future, develop the younger players who are the on-court future of the franchise ... perhaps BC is back on the right track.

[TL]

Very sorry to see Jose gone -- loved his game and his attitude from Day 1. Fun to watch a true floor general do his stuff. With Turk gone, a lot of Jose's baggage left, too, so this timing kind of sucks.
Glad to have Barbosa on board though. Diaw? Chandler? not so much...

[James]

I for one will also miss Calderon... he handled himself with class the whole time he was with the Raptors... very unselfish and I thought I decent player who had a rough season last year and fought through injuries...

That being said.. I love a GM that realizes things aren't working and doesn't try to make them work but owns his mistakes and deals with them...

As far as the extra piece... I wonder if it will be evans or marco... to the guy who thinks bargnani... please... they would have to throw in someone else big for that.. you may not like him but mobile young 7 footers with an outside game and constantly improving inside game and defense are not something you throw away.. especially where this year he will be matched with a true center like Chandler instead of an outside post player like Bosh...

Hope to see what else happens this summer! I think they will be an entertaining team! Still will miss you Jose...numero ocho!

[Jeffrey]

Thinking that Evans/Banks for Chandler - Expirings have to go to make the cap work without losing the TPE.

[Chi of Steel]

First our leading scorer and rebounder bolts, and now our leading assist leader is being traded. I've always been a fan of the team first, but Jose Calderon became the first NBAer who I can say I was a fan of over the past 7 years. He's done a lot for the Raptors and is a class act all the way. Too bad he won't get to bask in the World Cup celebrations with his countrymen with this trade on his mind.

[brent]

Doug - Is Charlotte waiting on the medical reports for Reggie Evans before he can be announced as "the final piece"?

[rocketman]

If you're a Raptors fan and know anything about basketball then this is about as close to christmas morning in July as us fans are gonna get....Chandler, Diaw and Barbosa without using the TPE and saving $30mm of contracts in return for turk, calderone and ? is a fantastic trade and just the shakeup this team needs to put some excitement back in the air heading into next season....for better or for worse, BC gets sh*t done and I like that!

[Joey "Howard" Dorsey]

Trading our 2 worst defensive players in 1 day (Turk and Calerone) and acquiring a real true C in Chandler. WOW. Nice Colangelo. Very impressive, looks like you're starting to realize just how important defense really is.

[DaveT]

Someone asked how it can work without digging into the TPE.. now I don't have precise salaries and I'm no expert, but here's how it looks to me:
The Phoenix portion could be called Turk -> Phoenix for Barbosa +Dwayne Jones + ~2.7mil TPE

To get Chander (13 mil) + Diaw (9 mil) then the Raps need to give out approximately 17.5 mil in salary (the 125% +/- 100K rule for teams over the cap).

Calderon + Dwayne Jones + an unnamed piece that's likely Reggie is about, what, 16-17 mil? Dip into Belinelli and/or the extra exception from Phoenix to make up the difference.

The end result is that we still have the complete exception from the Bosh deal and maybe a little bit more from the Phoenix deal. This is a huge amount of cash to throw around, either in pieces or to try for a home-run ball to just "buy" an all-star point guard from a team looking for financial flexibility. I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that this is a perfect set up to bring in a Gilbert Arenas type, but I'll try not to speculate on ANYTHING any more. I wonder how Diaw fits in, and wonder who else is out the door by summer's end.

[Sly]

Good trade! Hope Turkoglu has fun warming the bench in Phoenix. Calderon was a great guy, those who criticize him for being weak defensively need to get a clue. Like Steve Nash or Stephon Marbury, defence is not his game. He's good at distributing the ball and that will be sorely missed. Diaw and Barbosa in return? I'll take that. I just hope BC doesn't feel the need to blow up this roster every year because you can't build a contender that way.