5:42pm: The deal is official, according to a release from the Raptors (Twitter link).
2:21pm: The two picks heading to the Suns in the deal are the Raptors’ unprotected second-rounders in 2017 and 2018, tweets Gambadoro.
2:04pm: The Suns will trade P.J. Tucker to the Raptors, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. In return, Toronto will send Jared Sullinger and two future second-round draft picks to Phoenix (Twitter links).
Earlier today, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported Tucker’s asking price to be a first-round draft pick, which several teams balked at. Tucker fills an obvious defensive need for Toronto. According to Gambadoro, the team views him as an option to guard LeBron James in the postseason (Twitter link).
Phoenix’s return appears to fall short of their first-round pick expectations. Sullinger has struggled in 2016/17, making slow progress from a fractured right foot. The former Buckeye is signed through the season on a $5,628,000 deal, having received most of his playing time in the D-League. He looks like a buyout candidate.
As Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes, Tucker’s bird rights were a crucial element of this trade (Twitter link). Tucker, who is on the last season of a three-year, $16.5MM contract, presumably stands a chance of re-signing with Toronto following the season.
big pickup for the raps. they are focusing on defense to try and run with the cavs and celts. be interesting to see if it works out as I’m sure they gave up a pick in this trade and maybe one of their young backup pgs.
good to see they didn’t give up a pg but their dealing picks left and right.
more waiting to see what the Celtics are doing with those picks
No waiting. Deadline is over right?
Trades have to be completed by 3pm ET, that doesn’t mean information is released in real time.
Yeah technically but there are still probably lists of trades that have yet to have been approved by commish so keep waiting for like the next half hour or so
True. Can’t imagine something like a Butler trade wouldn’t slip out though.
God dang it first Patterson now Sullinger!
Nice way of Masai work to not give up a first draft pick.
Nice play.
I really like that the Raptors added 2 versitile forwards who made their bones on the defensive side of the basketball.
They can go small ball with Ibaka at 5 and PP at 4. Or a defensive unit for a few stops late game if you went Lowry, Powell, Carroll, Tucker and Ibaka
No derozen late in the game?
Sullinger is a solid player. Not sure that he fits into the Suns rotation really at all with all the bigs they already have but in my opinion him alone was an even swap. These second round picks usually don’t turn into anything but it is possible to land something
as a raptors fan, sully had looked completely lost and out of shape since coming back off the IR. not sure he’ll provide much of anything for the sun’s. may rebound and score well , but he’s a huge liability defensively.
I think the raptors have significantly improved. This is a really good deal for them
Still not sure the raptors have the spacing to beat a great team 4 times in a series. I rank them the 4th in the east this year. But their defense should be legit and give them a chance against both the Celtics and wizards
Also, they play a lot of iso in the playoffs
Ya I agree. I’m not sure where he fits into the rotation but is a proven role player for a guy who is a football player trying to play basketball haha
Sullinger has really fallen off the map since he was with the Celtics. He had a great few years and in his final year in Boston and this year he has become a no body in short order. Personally I hope he can turn his career around since I have always been a fan of him even when he was in college. But right now his career has just fallen off a cliff
Honestly he could hop back in Boston for the league min. because they need a rebounding big. They might have to waive a couple guys to add some playoff depth.
Who would the Celtics waive though? I agree they are in dire need of rebounding help and I could actually see this happening