So, BC’s gonna trade TJ before the draft. So go the rumours. But the deals we’re hearing are underwhelming at best, and full-blown mistakes at worst.

Here’re the options that are being discussed:

• Toronto sends TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, the 17th pick and a filler player to Indiana for the right to pay Jermaine O’Neal $44 million over the next two years. The same Jermaine O’Neal who hasn’t played more than 69 games over the last 4 seasons. The same Jermaine O’Neal who is widely considered to have an attitude problem and a legacy of losing. My grade: F.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford and the 17th pick to Phoenix for Boris Diaw. Umm, no. Unless you’ve got D’Antoni coaching, I don’t see Diaw being an offensive force. My grade: F.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to New York for someone not named Jamal Crawford. My grade: F.

OK, then there are these options that, for some reason, are not being discussed.

• Toronto sends TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, the 17th pick, and cash to Denver for Carmelo Anthony. Denver needs a true point guard. Check. Denver needs a reliable big. Check. Toronto needs someone who can create their own shots and get to the rim. Umm…check. So…yeah, pull the trigger. My grade: A++.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to the Clippers for Corey Maggette, straight up. Their salaries match, LA needs a point guard and is close to getting Barbosa for Maggette, Toronto needs a reliable slasher – an anti-Fred Jones, if you will – and can sign Maggette to an extension. So what’s holding this up? COME ON! My grade: A+.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to Chicago for Ben Gordon. This would allow Chicago to draft Beasley and still get a Kirk Hinrich replacement, and give Toronto a slasher/scorer. My grade: A.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to Dallas for Josh Howard. Dallas needs a young point guard after shipping Devin Harris to New Jersey, and Kidd could use a back-up. They also want to get rid of Howard…although I have no idea why. Too much pot use? Maybe. Too open pot use? Probably. Toronto, as you may have heard, could use a reliable slasher, someone who could create their own shot. My grade: B+.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to Seattle for Chris Wilcox. Durant needs a point to run with, just like Lebron does, and Toronto could use a bruiser that instills fear in the souls of men. My grade: B.
• Toronto sends TJ Ford to Charlotte for Gerald Wallace. Their contracts are close enough, Charlotte could use a veteran point guard for Larry Brown to decimate, and although Wallace isn’t an offensive force, he can fill up the stat sheet and provide some crazy toughness on defense…with extra crazy. My grade: C+.

OK. That’s it. Marvel at my genius.

Related posts:
Breaking down the rumoured Heat-Bulls trade
On the other hand, keep TJ.
I’m already getting nostalgic.
Wild.
Trade TJ.