The Toronto Raptors haven’t received this much attention on the NBA blogosphere since Chris Bosh signed with Miami in 2010. A little over a week after acquiring Rudy Gay in a three-way trade with the Pistons and Grizzlies, the Raptors are at the center of a new NBA trade rumor.
Per Marc Stein of ESPN.com, Toronto and Chicago have engaged each other in talks about a potential trade that would send Raptors forward/center Andrea Bargnani to the Bulls in exchange for Carlos Boozer. While no deal is imminent, the Raptors haven’t been quiet about their desire to move Bargnani, who was the number one overall pick in the 2006 draft.
The reasoning behind Toronto’s interest in Boozer isn’t clear (other than a desire to get rid of Bargnani) given Boozer’s salary and the potential luxury tax consequences Toronto would face with Boozer and Gay on their roster. According to Stein, Chicago believes Bargnani’s shooting would complement Derrick Rose well when the all-star guard returns to the lineup. In addition, the Bulls are reportedly looking to shed Boozer’s high salary cap number.
Whether or not Carlos Boozer and his salary are worth the risk for the Raptors is certainly debatable, but you have to give Raptors President Bryan Colangelo credit for the way he’s aggressively trying to make the Raptors relevant again.