codell - If I believed everything that was in the media, I'd be getting ready to curse about using the TE on Davis.
I don't know how much truth there is to this rumor, but where there's smoke....we did, apparently, inquire after AD at the beginning of the summer. EG was mentioned as bait at that time. Since then, Toronto drafted Chris Bosh, and so another thin 4 with upside is probably not the way they want to go. But a trade that would involve, say, Cato and Cuttino for AD and Mo-P might make sense for the Raptors, as they need a center (albeit one who, in Sean Deveney's words "moves like a phone booth," although the same article mentioned Cato's excellent rebounding and shot blocking skills). The Raptors wanted Cat a couple years ago; Alvin Williams and Vince Carter were both trying to land him. Of course, that would mean VC would play the 3. I think such a trade would involve, What frontcourt players will wind up where? If we could get Mo Pete, or send Mo Pete to Indiana somehow for Artest (my own delusional fantasies creeping in), then I'd be on that deal right quick.
Gater, Its not just a media opinion. That is directly from Grunwald. http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/Sports/2003/10/01/213753.html
We'll take a couple of Raptors with raps against them loff their hands. AD and VC. KC, MoT, CT, BN and the exception = done deal. Let JVG make aman of Air Canada.
Don't expect Toronto to take MoT or Eddie, if you have a look at their roster it is full of 4's they are going to want Cato. All I want from them is Bosh and A. Williams.
If the Raptors are so deep at PF that they won't take MoT, then why would we take Davis to have 3 PF's again? I'm sorry but I don't want a 35 yo EC PF with a $35m contract trying to play backup C in the West. ...Thinking to self...I do like Mo Pete sort of. And a Top 5 protected TOR 1st this summer without using the TE...hmmmmm...let me see how Cuttino and JVG get along...
Gator: I understand about matching salaries. Trading Rice was never about getting a good player for Toronto. It's about rebuilding. I reached that conclusion from watching Raptors games for the last couple of seasons. You can argue that injuries brought them down, but when injuries bring you down for 3 straight seasons you have to be asking questions. They have a team built around VC OK keep him. They now have Bosh and JYD playing PF. Michael Bradley is a scrub for C but it's still not worth paying AD a huge contract for declining talent, as the Raptors are heading nowhere fast. I envision a trade (prior to getting Amaechi) to be somewhere along the lines of AD + 2 first rounders for Rice and EG. They get cap relief and a PF to replace AD. We get a veteran and two picks so people can finally shut up about Eddie. As for Amaechi, cancer or not, he's got an attitude problem. With JVG in his face all the time, he's just a ticking time bomb.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...189&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064 The GM wants a word with ... everybody No special talks as veterans arrive Peterson knows it isn't personal DOUG SMITH SPORTS REPORTER Glen Grunwald is going to talk to Antonio Davis today. And he's going to talk to Alvin Williams and Vince Carter and Michael Curry and Jerome Williams and probably a bunch of reporters, too. No big deal. "Like I talk to any other player," the general manager said yesterday of any conversation he'll have with his veteran power forward today as Raptor veterans finally report to training camp. "There's nothing to sit down about, really." Maybe. Maybe not. It's no secret that Davis' name has been out there on the trade market for the past six weeks or so and, early last month, was almost shipped to Portland as part of a three-way involving the Blazers and New Jersey Nets. But what has not been said is whether Davis wants to get traded or whether Grunwald is taking the initiative. Davis, in a not unusual move, has spoken only to Grunwald and new coach Kevin O'Neill this summer and numerous calls to his agent to get a feel for the 35-year-old's feelings on Toronto have gone unreturned. NO MO MONEY: Morris Peterson understands. He's known for a long time that a lucrative long-term contract extension wasn't going to be forthcoming from the Raptors. He knows it's nothing personal. "I think the organization really does like me," Peterson said yesterday. "They respect what I've done since I've been here and I think I've tried to get better every year. "It's not about the organization not liking me. Sometimes it comes down to money issues and, with that, sometimes you have to be patient and wait things out and hope things work out for the best." Under terms of the NBA's collective agreement, the Raptors have an exclusive window to renegotiate an extension of up to six years with Peterson. If they don't, they also have the hammer next summer because they can match any offer he gets as a restricted free agent. With more than $58 million (U.S.) tied up in salaries this year and on the hook for more than $48 million in 2004-05, it makes little or no financial sense for Toronto to consider a long-term contract extension for Peterson right now. Entering his fourth year in the league, the 6-6 swingman is due to make about $1.6 million this season. Peterson, who has been allowed in to work out with the other young Raptors for three days ahead of more seasoned veterans, will be in a fight for playing time at small forward with both Lamond Murray and Michael Curry this season. He welcomes the challenge. "It's mine to earn," he said of the starter's role, as opposed to being his to lose. "Just like it's Lamond's and Michael Curry's. Whoever plays the hardest and plays the best is going to get the spot."
MY QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED... WHO IS THE VETERAN ON THE ROCKETS???? I'm sorry but there is no guy on this team who is the heart of the team..... Mr. Franchise is not the heart... If the Raptors eat enough of Davis's salary then this would be an awesome trade(for a veteran). so hopefully this trade happens. Though i think RAsheed Wallace would make of a bigger Impact because he can guard the Duncans,Garnetts.... Davis should only be a backup PF......cause he is 35...that's kinda pushing the age limit..... one last thing.... the Raptors are not loaded(deep) with PF's....the ones they have are scrubs .........only Bosch is good but too young....JYD sucks.
I was thinking the Rockets might want to go after Dale Davis from the Trailblazers. Unless the Raptors throw in Alvin Williams and take Moochie and Mo Taylor off our hands, I don't think Antonio Davis is a good fit given his age and salary. Even with the a Moochie/Taylor for Antonio Davis and Alvin Williams deal, I would hope that the Rockets go after Ron Artest agressively.
Every week there's a new 'rumor' which takes a life of its own. Artest (and Harrington) preceded this (with a little Stein-fed Garnett in between). Sheed earlier this summer. Even Jermaine has had his moments here. Gotta love it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1629229 Thursday, October 2, 2003 Associated Press TORONTO -- Antonio Davis doesn't sound like he wants to be with the Toronto Raptors anymore. Asked Thursday if he wants to stay, the center said: "I'm here." Davis faced the media for the first time since rumors surfaced that he asked for a trade. He said he didn't come flat out and ask to be dealt, but it sounds as if he'd prefer to be elsewhere. He criticized the team for not making enough moves to improve itself. "I took time to look over what transpired over the summer. I didn't go in there and tell them I think you should move me, but I also understand the nature of this business," Davis said. "When I look at our roster, I'm sure all of you have printed that I'm coming up on 35, and given my situation and my salary structure and all that, yeah, I have to wonder if this team is going to make moves and they haven't." Davis, who has three years and $37 million left on his contract, sold his Toronto home over the summer. He didn't want to talk about whether his family is happy in Toronto, but he complained two years ago about his children having to learn "O Canada" and the metric system. "I have to be a father first and a husband first," he said. Davis welcomes a move sooner rather than later. "If you're going to trade me, trade me,'' he said. "Whenever they are going to do, let them do it so I can situated." The 6-foot-9 Davis averaged 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 53 games last season. He missed the final 11 games with a groin injury and a swollen right knee, which he had surgery on over the summer. The Raptors went 24-58 last year and Davis doesn't want to go through that again. "Nobody respects us. We're going to have to work twice as hard as anybody," he said. Raptors star Vince Carter doesn't want to see Davis traded. "I hope we can figure out something. As far as I know he's not happy, from what I hear," Carter said. "If that's what he wants to do, we just have to support that. At the same time we'd love to have him." Guard Alvin Williams said the Raptors better get something significant in return for Davis. "I hope he doesn't get traded unless we get a Michael Jordan from 1985 for him," Williams said. "He's somebody we came up with. He's been through a lot with the team." Davis spent six seasons with Indiana before coming to Toronto in a deal before the 1999-00 season for the rights to forward Jonathan Bender. He had his best season in 2000-01, averaging 13.7 points and 10.1 rebounds. New coach Kevin O'Neill expects Davis to be a professional this year. "I'm expecting Antonio Davis to be Antonio Davis, a hard playing guy, a blue collar guy, a good leader on and off the court," O'Neill said. "He's one of the guys that we are going to build our team around. I just expect him to be here at 10 o'clock in the morning to suit it up like he's done for the last decade. I don't think we should expect anything different."
Hmmm... the plot thickens. I wonder what the Raps would take for Davis.... I wouldn't part with Cato unless we can get a decent backup center in return; I don't think we'd fare well with Meech as the backup center. I'm not sure if Les will use the exception/go back to luxury tax territory again for Davis.
I change my mind. I think Taylor could be a decent backup center if necessary. But the more I think about it, I don't think Davis is worth using the exception on. If we can get him for Cato or Taylor and Mooch, that's fine, but I wouldn't give up much more for him unless Alvin Williams was part of the deal. I'm not high on Mo Pete; it doesn't seem as if Raptors management or fans are either.
Actually, after the Hakeem trade (during the limited time he played), Davis looked lost at PF. As I recall, he actually sulked a little about not getting touches.
Why dont we just sit on the exception money just a little longer because Antonio has become an fading star, we dont need a washed up All-Star, we already got Jim Jackson(I luv him though). We should wait for a younger player comes this way trying to get on the Yoa-Stevie Express and then we spend the $$$... Cato and Mo Taylor for Kobe "Colorado" Bryant in the offseason 2004...Let's make it happen baby.
Now that Mo Taylor has been injured and has never been much of a banger - would anyone like to reconsider the possibility of acquiring AD? He's closer to 6'10" and weights over 250 (I asked him myself). He's a considerably tougher interior presence than anyone on the Rox and would be the ideal frontcourt match alongside Yao, who would be option #1. Davis can start at PF and also play backup minutes at C - being especially effective against other backups. He may not be a force offensively but he has many years of playoff experience - something the Rox are short on - and always elevates his game in the postseason. Van Gundy is also huge fan. The Raps are stacked at PF and would like nothing better than to get a C who's making less money than AD, who has offered himself up for trade since he'd prefer to leave the Raptors. Some of you are concened about ADs age, but consider the fact that he's in excellent physical shape (not unlike former teammate Kevin Willis or Karl Malone). 38 isn't THAT bad - you'd get atleast 2 good seasons out of him and then trade his expiring deal before the 2005-06 season.
