Rumor: Markieff and Tucker to the Raptors

[DefenseWinsChamps]

As a Celtics fan, this is not ideal. This is the trade I think they make:

Raptors trade: Patterson, Ross, and Cabloco
Suns trade: Markieff and Tucker

This gives the Suns a stretch four to replace 75% of good Markieff Morris. It also gives them two interesting prospects to build around with Len, Tucker, Booker, Bledsoe, and Knight.

The Raptors finally get a scoring stretch 4. They also double down on Lowry's strength and toughness on defense by adding Tucker on the Wing.

Valancunas-Markieff-Carroll-DeRozan-Lowry, with Tucker, Joseph, Scola, Biyombo, Nogueira, and Wright off the bench.

That is a tough matchup. That is a team with the versatility to play anyone. Honestly, if that team could gel well, they could beat the Cavs in a seven game series because of their matchup ability and versatility.

And it would improve an Eastern Conference rival, which is bad for the Celtics.

Edit: Source of rumor is ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/post/_/id/36855/nba-rumor-roundup-205

[Who]

Terrific trade for Toronto. Big boost for them.

Clear separation from the rest of the trailing pack in the East -- which I do not believe they as currently constituted have. I could see Toronto losing in the 1st round just as easily as making the Conference Finals in their current state.

A starting five of Lowry, Derozan, Carroll, Markieff and Valanciunas is near Championship level.

[TheSundanceKid]

I'd argue it's good for the Celtics in that it increases the chance of the Suns picking up wins

[BudweiserCeltic]

Source of rumor would be nice.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Source of rumor would be nice.

ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/post/_/id/36855/nba-rumor-roundup-205

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'd argue it's good for the Celtics in that it increases the chance of the Suns picking up wins

I didn't think about that. It may help our Brooklyn pick this year, but that is a tough team to contend with for the next 3-4 years.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Source of rumor would be nice.

ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/post/_/id/36855/nba-rumor-roundup-205

OK, so the rumor is Toronto's interest in Tucker and potentially on Morris as well.

The idea mentioned is a potential idea you came up with.

Those are a good target for Toronto to contemplate no doubt.

[apc]

I am not a Morris fan. I went to the Cavs-Suns game and was not impressed with him.

[Smartacus]

https://youtu.be/b7Hk-08zkRw

He tore it up the other night against the Raptors for 30, 11, and 6 assists. Not a bad audition, used the Jonas Jerebko torch a team into trading for you method.

[Al91]

I wouldn't mind it.

Thinking this is a bad trade for the Cs also assumes that the Cs are at, or near, the level to seriously compete with CLE. Unfortunately we're not there yet.

Let Toronto get itself into thinking it will upset CLE come playoffs. They're only a few games back from CLE, but then again, the eighth place team in the east is only ten games back from CLE right now. Very close conference.

[slamtheking]

I'd argue it's good for the Celtics in that it increases the chance of the Suns picking up wins

funny, I thought just the opposite that Phx gets worse this season after that deal.  I don't see any of those 3 incoming players providing what the 2 outgoing players provide.  If this trade happens, I hope I'm wrong about that

[colincb]

I would say that TOR is clearly a step ahead of us before the trade. Look at the expanded standings at ESPN and you'll see that they have a very good record against teams above 500. We have a losing one. Part of that is that we're still learning how to win close games and we're one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. Using the predictive method at basketball-reference,com, we should have 4 more wins (clearly an outlier for underperformance). We're getting there, but we're not even a pretender yet. They are and they should end up with 50-55 wins.

[The One]

Hmmm...I wouldn't mind if the Celtics picked up Markieff on the cheap.

I think a change of scenery would do him wonders.

[gift]

I'd argue it's good for the Celtics in that it increases the chance of the Suns picking up wins

funny, I thought just the opposite that Phx gets worse this season after that deal.  I don't see any of those 3 incoming players providing what the 2 outgoing players provide.  If this trade happens, I hope I'm wrong about that

You're right that Phoenix gets worse in the immediate future on paper. I think the hope is that somehow Morris is responsible for the team chemistry issues and maybe they gel a little better following the trade. I'm not optimistic about Phoenix either way.

[Forza Juventus]

If that trade happens it's good for Toronto and Phoenix imo. I would like Markieff in Boston but it sounds like Danny doesn't want to take on any contracts beyond this year unless it's a star player so we have cap space this summer