RAPS, BLAZERS TRADE GUARDS
The Toronto Raptors acquired guard Juan Dixon from the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Fred Jones.
What does it give the Toronto Raptors
A very solid veteran scorer who can play both guard positions and start in a pinch. Dixon has always been sort of like a slightly less-athletic Steve Francis, in that he's a talented combo guard who played his college ball at Maryland and can provide sneaky-good defense. Jones was in Raptor head coach Sam Mitchell's doghouse all season long because of a lack of defensive effort, but Dixon probably won't be a problem in that area. This is a very solid move for the playoff-hungry Raps, adding even more depth to an already well-stocked team.
What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
A supreme athlete who can put up points in bunches. Jones is a former Slam Dunk contest winner who is a natural scorer. He can come off the bench and put up points in a hurry, something a struggling young squad like the Blazers can use. That said, they could get the same thing from Dixon, but Jones is a little younger and fits in a little better with their running, up-tempo aspirations. He doesn't bring the same defense as Dixon did, but that won't make a huge difference right now on a rebuilding team like Portland.
Fantasy impact
