Raptors Frontrunners For Flynn

[Built Ford Tough]

As @TheRocketGuy mention in today's article, the Toronto Raptors are currently the frontrunner to acquire Jonny Flynn.

 

 

I will be shocked if the Raptors don't acquire him. Colangelo really liked him prior to the draft and as history has shown, Colangelo eventually gets "his guys". He went out and acquired Belinelli, Bayless and Johnson within the past two years, all of which he was linked to at the times of their respective drafts and was known to be interested in.

 

I am willing to bet that after the draft Jonny Flynn is going to be a member of the Raptors.

 

(Even if Kennedy isn't all that reliable, which I don't think he is, I still fully believe Flynn will be a Raptor by the time draft night is over).

Edited June 2, 2011 by Built Ford Tough

[Check my Stats]

No harm in collecting past lottery picks I guess. Just really hoping we aren't giving them anything good for him.

[Dash]

He seemed to have lost all confidence after he came back from the ankle injury and played poorly for a few weeks. He had an okay rookie season though and got better as the season went along so the potential is definitely there. The guy desperately needs a change of scenery and a situation like Toronto wouldn't be that bad for him since the starting point guard spot isn't a lock (Rubio was coming in a year, might have played a role in his weak mentality).

 

Anyways, Flynn makes $3.2 million and I can't think of any deal that would work out unless Colangelo uses the Bosh trade exception, which I think he would prefer to preserve.

[Built Ford Tough]

Anyways, Flynn makes $3.2 million and I can't think of any deal that would work out unless Colangelo uses the Bosh trade exception, which I think he would prefer to preserve.

 

Minny has a crap load of cap room (don't they?), so I don't see why salary should be a problem.

 

I imagine the trade will be some sort of dual salary dump where the Raptors take on Flynn and a player who the Wolves would like to shed the salary of (like Webster or Pekovic or Ridnour) in exchange for somebody like Calderon to ease Rubio's transition. Calderon makes more money up front, but his contract is only for 2 more years and by trading Pekovic (or Webster) and Flynn, the Wolves are barely even spending anymore money despite Calderon's deal being larger considering it is expiring after next season (and who knows what will happen with a lockout). I think the Wolves would take on something like $1.5M more (closer to $1M if it is Webster instead of Pekovic) in salary, which is basically nothing considering how small of a payroll they are going to have for the next few years.

 

This is assuming that the Wolves would want Calderon to make Rubio's adjustment from Spain to the NBA easier, which I think is a fair assumption to make. I'm not saying that a trade exactly like this will occur, but is certainly seems likely to me.

 

Either way, getting a trade done wouldn't be a problem considering the flexibility that each team has at their disposal (Minny's cap space, Raptors TPE). It is more a matter of whether or not the Wolves want Calderon because that is who I see Colangelo wanting to move in a Flynn trade,

Edited June 3, 2011 by Built Ford Tough

[Dash]

Minny has a crap load of cap room (don't they?), so I don't see why salary should be a problem.

 

I imagine the trade will be some sort of dual salary dump where the Raptors take on Flynn and a player who the Wolves would like to shed the salary of (like Webster or Pekovic or Ridnour) in exchange for somebody like Calderon to ease Rubio's transition. Calderon makes more money up front, but his contract is only for 2 more years and by trading Pekovic (or Webster) and Flynn, the Wolves are barely even spending anymore money despite Calderon's deal being larger considering it is expiring after next season (and who knows what will happen with a lockout). I think the Wolves would take on something like $1.5M more (closer to $1M if it is Webster instead of Pekovic) in salary, which is basically nothing considering how small of a payroll they are going to have for the next few years.

 

This is assuming that the Wolves would want Calderon to make Rubio's adjustment from Spain to the NBA easier, which I think is a fair assumption to make. I'm not saying that a trade exactly like this will occur, but is certainly seems likely to me.

 

Either way, getting a trade done wouldn't be a problem considering the flexibility that each team has at their disposal (Minny's cap space, Raptors TPE). It is more a matter of whether or not the Wolves want Calderon because that is who I see Colangelo wanting to move in a Flynn trade,

 

Not really, they have $3.7 million in cap space and all of it is going to be used on signing their draft picks (assuming they stand pat). Instead of wasting it on a Flynn deal, I think they would rather keep the cap space intact in case a deal involving the #2 pick comes up and the Wolves end up absorbing a bigger contract.

 

Calderon could make sense but the Wolves don't view either one of Webster, Pekovic or Ridnour as bad contracts. Webster has actually been Minnesota most consistent shooter, Pekovic has struggled but Kahn likes him a lot and thinks he can improve and Ridnour has been decent but would probably be the man out in the event of a Calderon deal (no point in adding another point guard if Ridnour is on the roster).

 

Minnesota still is absorbing $1.8 million in a Flynn + Ridnour for Calderon deal and considering that they don't even have a trade exception (Kahn was so brilliant to let the massive Al Jefferson TPE expire at the deadline), it might be wiser to put off any trade until they are absolutely sure they won't be needing that cap space in a bigger deal. At least that is how I view it.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Dash