New deal in the works?

At some point I am going to resume my "off-season in review" pieces, but until then I am more then happy to write about real news...

According to various reports Mr Colangelo is at it again with a familiar twist.  According to reports Colangelo is looking to deal Marcus Banks, the little used 4th string point guard with an albatross of a contract ($4.53 million this coming season, $4.8 million next season).  This is no surprise of coarse and not much in the way of news.

The real news is the fact that Colangelo may have actually found someone to take Marcus Banks off his hands.  The proposed  deal would send Marcus Banks to the Dallas Mavericks for Guard Matt Carroll.  Carroll's best season came in 2006/07 playing for the Charlotte Bobcats.  He averaged career highs in minutes 26.1, points 12.1, rebounds 2.9, and assists 1.3, he also shot .433% from field goal range and .416% from 3 point range.  Carroll has averaged 7.9 ppg and has shot .400% from 3 point range.

The Good 

This deal is a classic Colangelo trade.  It will probably fly under the radar (if it is consummated) but could provide dividends in that it essentially rids the Raptors of a player that would not play a significant minute this season in Marcus Banks, with a contract that was deemed virtually un-tradable.  The Raptors would recieve the type of 3 point specialist that Colangelo and coach Jay Triano love, and the type of shooter that works well in the Raptors system.  

Carroll would be the 5th wing on the depth chart if this trade becomes official.  However with so much unproven talent on the wings (i.e. DeRozen, Belinelli, even Wright) Carroll could step in and be productive off the bench if one of the before mentioned players falters for a prolonged length of time or is injured.  Depth in any variety is never a bad thing.

As mentioned above, Carroll is the type of player Colangelo loves, a big guard that can shoot the 3.  Triano was that type of player for the Canadian National team so it makes sense he also lis infatuated with shooters and works hard to get them involved in the offense.  This was prevalent many times last year when Kapono was in the game, the problem was our 3 point specialist at the time had a severe allergy to shooting 3 point shots and much preferred turning the ball over and going for a tan.

The Bad

As my boy Doug Smith point out in his blog today:

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/

The Raptors will save about $700 thousand over the next two seasons as the next two years on Carroll's contract are cheaper overall then Marcus Banks'.  The problem is that Carroll has an extra two years on his contract after 2011 (when the Banks contract expires) that will pay him $3.9 million and 3.5 million respectively.  While this is not a huge salary and is well below the league average (roughly $5.9 million per year) if Carroll does not prove to be useful the Raptors may find themselves in a similar situation with Carroll as they were with Banks for a longer period of time.

The Outlook

The key to this deal that many seem to over look is the fact that Colangelo would be doing his best cupid impression.  He would be reuniting two old cowboys that just can't quit each other.  On July 19 2006 Marcus Banks signed with the Phoenix Suns and two men would be forever linked in any transaction that either one was apart of.  When Shawn Marion was dealt to Miami for Shaq, Marcus Banks was there, when the trade finally went through to send Jermaine O'Neal to Miami for Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks wasn't far behind, it only seems fitting that we reunite these two one more time in Dallas.

From a financial standpoint, taking a closer look at Carroll's contract, it is a top heavy contract that declines in salary every year unlike most NBA contracts.  The main portion of the contract has already been paid out which softens the blow that two extra years on his contract gives the Raptors.

The main thing is that once again Colangelo has managed to turn nothing, into something, and if the deal does through, he will get the most talented player in the deal.

- J.Moore