Jermaine O'Neal for T.J. Ford? (UPDATE: Done Deal)

o'neal is on the decline. closer to shareef than brand.

 

See I think this is more about getting rid of TJ Ford and having a massive expiring contract next year than it is about getting O'Neal.

By a lot of reports TJ was a nightmare in the locker room.....so much so that Jose offered to come off the bench even though he was playing way better than Ford.

DD

 

I am visualizing Moses going head-to-head against Jermaine when both were at their respective peaks.


Moses and it wouldn't be close.

 

IMO J Oneal is who I thought the Mavericks shoulda traded for...him or Vince Carter. Definetly not Jason Kidd. I think Oneal still got some game left. Though as a Rocket fan, I think dallASS made the right move

 

Raptors were on a bad run/losing streak with Calderon starting. They fared better when Ford took over.

 

I wonder if the Raptors have a plan B? Any guesses what could it be hypothetically speaking of course?

 

I just don't know what indiana's thinking with this deal.

1) doesn't tj have a ridiculous contract, too??

2) don't they still have jamaal tinsley??

3) why give someone in their own conf a talented, if injured, big man?

4) if JO's deal is only 4 two more years, y not just keep him for this yr, then move that massive expiring contract in 09?

for toronto, it makes sense. give up a malcontent small for a talented (yet injured) BIG. if he comes back healthy, u pair him with bosh and calderon and prepare for a shot at the finals. if not, he's not cancerous, and will be off the books in a couple years.

almost anytime you trade small for big, you win. in fact, all things being equal (contracts, etc.), I can't think of a time when the team getting the smaller player won.

 

Man, they're really making Chad Ford earn his money this year, huh?

 

I would love to have O'Neal to team with Yao and TMac for a few years. I would be willing to send BJaxs expiring contract, Steve Francis expiring contract, Scola and sign Mutombo to a 1 year expiring deal to make it work.

That would give the Pacers a very servicable big man in Scola plus a lot of expiring contracts for next season or the trade dead line.

The trade Battier plus what ever else we need to package him with for TJ Ford.

Draft CDR and move TMac to the small forward position.

Rockets line up then looks like this:

TJ Ford
CDR
TMac
JOneil
Yao

Key Bench Players would be

Carl Landry
Aaron Brooks
Rafer Alston
Chuck Hayes
Mike Harris

Of course that is with out a doubt the all injury prone team. Could we keep all of them healthy for a couple of years to make a serious run at the championship. It would definitely be the best front court in the league when healthy...of course that might not be for very many games a year.

 

Appears like a done deal.....

Risky move by BC but hey people thought the same way when he got Steve Nash.......



http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...jermaineonealtraded062508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns



O’Neal nearing trade to Toronto for Ford

NEW YORK – After on-and-off again negotiations, the Indiana Pacers have agreed in principle to send six-time All-Star Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors for point guard T.J. Ford and the 17th pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, a league executive said Wednesday.

After nearly completing the deal earlier in the week, Pacers and Raptors officials needed to exchange more medical information on O’Neal’s left knee and Ford’s neck before finding a comfort level with the trade. It is believed both sides now are comfortable making the deal, though the trade won’t be complete until both O’Neal and Ford pass their physicals.


Toronto also will send Rasho Nesterovic and another role player to match up with O’Neal’s salary. O’Neal is owed $44 million over the next two seasons. He played just 42 games for Indiana a year ago with a left knee injury. O’Neal has expressed a desire to leave the Pacers for a contender.

Ford, who has a history of neck injuries, became expendable when Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo decided that he wanted to make Jose Calderon the franchise’s future at point guard.

Ford was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a condition that narrows the openings the spinal cord runs through. He missed the 2004-05 season with the Bucks following neck surgery, and missed 13 games with a neck injury last season after Atlanta’s Al Horford leveled him on a breakaway layup. Ford has $25 million and two years left on his contract. Indiana had been searching for a point guard and Ford takes the job now.

Calderon is a restricted free agent, and Colangelo has insisted that he’ll match any offer for him. Clearly, the Raptors will belong to him now.

The Pacers would now hold the 11th and 17th picks in the draft.

 

First big trade of the offseason. Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal? Next year has already become interesting!

 

great move by colangelo.

buy low sell high. o'neal isn't worth much at this point, but if he gets healthy watch out for that team. if he doesn't... massive expiring contract in 2010.

plus the raps will need to add another role player into the deal to match salaries... even more money off the cap.

the great thing is.. the mock drafts don't have to change since toronto was supposed to draft big... now indy will surely want a big.

 

I agree. And its not like Ford was bringing anything positive to the Raps, he only took minutes from Calderon. Now Toronto has a unique makeup in the east with two legit big men. O"Neal has really looked bad lately (43% FG) but he has always shown the drive to want to succeed, improve, and get healthy.

 

Wonder if BC is going to trade Bargnani for a top 10 pick........he can't play SF, he's too slow....things still to come in my opinion. One thing is for sure, BC likes to remain active...I like this trade, fills a BIG need.

 

TJ is probably as much a risk as O'Neal is. Add that to the fact the the Raptors already have a better PG in Calderon, it fits their needs much better.

Not really a fan of it for Indiana though.

 

O'Neil's never been a good FG% shooter, especially for his position. the low 40's he's been in the last 2 years have been embarrassing.

Still, like you, i can see how he could come back healthy, shoot closer to his highs (i.e. 47-48%), grab close to 10 rebounds like he has in the past, some blocks, etc. Certainly, playing with Bosh should help both.

I also see the deal working for Indiana, though. they don't have JO's massive expiring contract, but they do have Rasho's, which expires sooner and of decent size - and Rasho has the type of game that would make him a great pickup by a team in contention for a top seed looking to bolster their frontcourt (i.e. - the Pacers can still turn an expiring contract into some good young talent), and I'd assume the throw in player will also have a contract expiring shortly.

Ford is on a longer contract, though. But at some point, your team philosophy can't be just about getting as far under the cap at some random point in the future as possible. Ford isn't an all star, but he is more than capable. Granted, the Pacers really need to move Tinsely and he doesn't exactly have a ton of value. But they also pick up an ok draft pick.

seems to be an ok trade for both teams.

 

I'm just happy a trade happened, but I'm very interested in who that "role" player is. Is it a minor player like a Kris Humphries or a Jason Kapono?

 

It seems like I'm the only person that thinks this was an incredible deal for the Raptors. I'm not sure it will work out for them on the court with O'neal's injury history, but it is worth a shot for 2 years (considering the alternatives in a Ford trade) and most importantly, that will be an enormous expiring contract in 2 years.