Pacers trade Jermaine O'Neal to Raptors for TJ Ford in 6-player deal

[DoubleTech]

not a terrible move for the raps if he can stay healthy...

calderon is looking like he is going to have PLENTY of people to pass it to next season... 10 apg isn't out of the question.

[InspiredLebowski]

He's 5'11, 165 lbs and attacks the paint relentlessly, it's just freak accidents that result from a man that size constantly coming into contact with 6'11, 260 lbs forwards and centers who are swatting at the ball and instead are crushing him, injuries happen. The only reason to worry is just his style of play and his size.

Or he has spinal stenosis.

[2LeTTeRS]

Ford is injury prone but that is still too much for O'Neal who hasn't played a full season in about 5 years, is old (since he came right to the league out of highschool), is injury prone, and most importantly has the 5th highest salary in the league! the pacers should be giving up a 1st round pick just to unload that horrible contract. He makes $21 million a year!

He's overpaid but in a league where Wally szcerbiack, Ben Wallace and Larry Hughes all make over $10 mil he's not the worse contact in the league, and if motivated he can still be effective. People seem to forget that even last year there was a vocal minority including John Hollinger who said he deserved to be the DPOY. He could be a tremendous asset on a good team.

[Molson]

People have to stop saying "If he can stay healthy...". That is obvious but the facts are that he CAN'T stay healthy. He's averaged about 50 games a season for the last 4 years. He isn't sitting out because his team is lousy, he is sitting out because he is legitimately hurt.

It woudl be a miracle for JO to stay healthy this year and next.

[trig]

JO is injury prone but so is TJ. JO can miss games, TJ can retire anytime. Diaw+Bosh will win you games but will struggle in the playoffs. too soft and too perimeter oriented frontline.

TJ also has a longer contract than JO. JO can be used as a trade bait after 1 season if things didn't workout.

IMO its worth the risk if the raps dont see anyone they like at #17

[power works]

I think this deal is there for the Raps if they want it. No need to twist Bird's arm, they just want to get something for JO, they just want him out of there.

Probably more than the Raps want to get rid of TJ.

If this deal does fall through it would be cause Raps got cold feet --- JO's injury risk & huge salary yada yada. Or, maybe BC got a better offer (and puh-lease NO Diaw).

[2LeTTeRS]

I think this deal is there for the Raps if they want it. No need to twist Bird's arm, they just want to get something for JO, they just want him out of there.

Probably more than the Raps want to get rid of TJ.

If this deal does fall through it would be cause Raps got cold feet --- JO's injury risk & huge salary yada yada. Or, maybe BC got a better offer (and puh-lease NO Diaw).

Honestly Raps fans you're not offereing much for JO at all, if this deal doesn't go through its going to be because they weren't sold on you're package. You have to remember there will probably be at least 2-3 teams out there interested in JO, and to think you're offering some home-run deal when the best player you're offereing could retire anyday is crazy.

[Soundwave]

Raps should do it.

O'Neal is a risk, but they're not going to get a can't miss PF/C with O'Neal's skill level without taking a bit of a risk.

They should have just drafted Aldridge over Bargnani to begin with.

[i seen hippos]

I'd do this in a sec. even though I'd try to keep a first round pick any way possible.

However, the thing that stuck out in this thread is Skywalker saying he'd rather swap Ford for Diaw....what the **** are you smoking dude? I'd take JO even if he had a 50/50 chance of playing sub-50 games rather than giving up a top 10 pg when healthy for an above average sf who doesn't fit what we need at the wing position (scoring, scoring and more scoring).

[crisoner]

JO and Bosh would be hard....lots of good shooters on that team as well.

I like this.....hope it happens.

[kaiteng]

Good deal, but I'd rather keep the pick though.

[Trax416]

Love the deal, but wish we could keep the 17th pick.

Is JO is healthy, he is an all-star quality player. He just got surgery on his knees and played the final games of the season. He now has another entire off season to keep his knee's feeling good. A new team will give him a fresh start, and hopefully a new city will get him back to his old ways.

If he doesn't work out, we will have a gigantic amount of salary room by 2010 when his contract expires. 2010 is going to be one of the best free agent markets ever, and I see Toronto landing an all-star for Bosh to play with.

If we could keep our pick, that means we could draft someone like Brandon Rush or CDR, to go with Jose, Bosh and Jermaine.

I think it's a win win on the Raptors end. Best deal I have heard so far.

[ZHAKIDD532]

Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that the Pacers and the Raptors have agreed to a deal that, pending review of medical information, would send Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto in exchange for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic and the No. 17 pick in Thursday's NBA draft.

There will have to be another player or players added to the deal to make the salaries match, according to the rules of the collective bargaining agreement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3461029

[Qwyjibo]

Now onto a Bargnani for RJ deal once New Jersey drafts Gallinari as their new SF.

[kurupt]

Now onto a Bargnani for RJ deal once New Jersey drafts Gallinari as their new SF.

never happening