changv10

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_6931935

Didn't we have a trade proposal to get AK47 to Toronto? I think that involved Rasho + Mopete + others back then. Anybody still want him? He'd be AWESOME with our team. But for salaries to match, we might need to trade Rasho + Garbo + others. He's a good player ... but is he worth max ... and for 4 more years?

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MOFOs & Raptors rule

crimedog

no...because i think he has to play the 4 to be effective. i'm not sure about that, but it's the only explanation i can think of for his drop off in play last year. i would LOVE to have him, but not at the cost of handcuffing the franchise financially.

narrator

If he comes cheap, go for it. If not, I don't think he's worth blowing up the team for.

The Raptors have to call, though, at least to check the price.

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changv10

Rasho + Garbo is pretty cheap for a former all-star. AK is a great player. His stats are similar to Garbo in points and boards. Garbo can shoot the 3, but AK47 can get a couple of blocks per game. AK has a high FG% and did he lead the league in blocks the previous 2005-2006 season?

I'd say AK47 is a great athletic defender. He's really what we need at the 3, no way he plays the 4 (that's really not his strength).

The big issue is his contract and the amount owed. His performance and help for this team are unquestionable. If that was the offer (Rasho+Garbo for AK47), I think I'd do it. We lose a lot of size though ...

TJ Ford / Jose Calderon / Juan Dixon
Anthony Parker / Carlos Delfino / Jamario Moon
AK47 / Jason Kapono / Luke Jackson
Chris Bosh / Maceo Baston / Joey Graham
Andrea Bargnani / Kris Humphries

I think Joey plays the 4 better than the 3. Kris plays better at the 4 than 5, but has to move up given the lack of size.

Man, that starting lineup looks awesome. Great size, defense, speed, scoring punch. Then we get no dropoff at the point with Jose and the best 3pt shooter in the league coming in from the bench.

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MOFOs & Raptors rule

trick

I'd be all for it if BC could still keep one half of Forderon, Bosh and Bargs. Building around Ford/Calderon, AK, Bosh and Bargs may not necessarily guarantee a title, but the very least make the team contenders for a good number of years, which would lead to the most success the franchise has ever faced thus far.

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NeoSamurai

id be all for it...adding his athleticism on defense will do wonders for us considering that Bosh and Bargnani arent the best 1 on 1 defenders....hes a good rebounding 3 plus is one of the best players in terms of weak side/help defense because of his ability to block shots...if he can remain healthy for an 82 game season, he'd be a great addition to the team...the only thing that worries me is that he is a poor spot shooter and in the offensive system that we run, he can hurt us in that respect...

but all in all, if theres a deal to be made that doesnt seriously disrupt our talent core, id swing a deal for him....

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Diversity, Our Strength...Lets Go Raptors

lucky777s

Good mid range player on O, but can't hit the 3ball so doesn't fit our system well.

On D he is not a shut down defender like Artest but a very good team D guy and help guy. His blocked shots came from playing closer to the basket as a 3/4 in Utah until last year when he was on the perimeter more which is why his rebounds also came down.

Parker is probably a much better fit for us right now and that is who Utah would want back imo. Plus the size of his contract means we have to give up several players and hurt our depth, which is our greatest strength right now.

ballocks

it's one thing for the raps to sign a free agent like kapono. it's quite another for this team to make a major splash on the trade front. when they say "we're always looking to improve our team" it doesn't necessarily means it's always true. with the raptors right now, i don't even think we know what we have yet, so why jeopardize it? yeah, i'm sure there's room for major improvement but we don't know exactly where it is yet. until bargnani becomes a top-tier player and solidifies himself on the floor with bosh, we just won't know and it'd be a mistake to dive into any trade like this- whatever it is.

one thing we do know, as lucky pointed out, is that our depth is a key asset. to throw substantial risk into the picture and sacrifice our depth would be enough of a non-starter for me. there's a difference between being proactive and being impatient imo. i think this would border on the impatient. i think we've gotta stick to what we have for awhile.

peace

ballocks

... BUT on the point that kirilenko wouldn't be able to play the 5, i couldn't disagree more. imo, that's summer talk. the reality (imo) is that when games begin, you don't necessarily need 5 unique positions on the floor. the days of needing a tub of goo on the block with a hamburger are pretty much over, save for the 20 mins a year you might actually see a monster like shaq (only shaq) dominating his opponent with sheer force. and even then...

like i said above, i wouldn't make any meaningful trade right now, but a frontcourt with bargnani, bosh and kirilenko is more than "big enough" for me. they're almost completely interchangeable bodies, too, which is an added bonus- if one guy gets 'tired' bouncing around down low with the scott pollards and mikki moores and robert swifts of the league (oh wait), he can just take on a smaller body around the perimeter and have one of his two teammates take his place in the middle.

in short, i think kirilenko would be a terrific fit as a center because i don't think a 'center' really exists anymore. so that's not the reason i wouldn't do the trade, but i still wouldn't do it.

peace