RAPS BOOST PG DEPTH WITH TELFAIR
The Toronto Raptors acquired point gaurd Sebastian Telfair from the Phoenix Suns for center Hamed Haddadi and a second-round draft pick.
What does it give the Toronto Raptors
Toronto needed a little more depth at point guard after recently moving {P Jose Calderon} to Detroit, and Telfair is an above-average backup. The Raptors are still in the 'bubble' playoff picture in the East, so adding a savvy playmaker like Telfair--who can both score and distribute--should help with the postseason push. Haddadi didn't seem to fit into the team's plans after they picked him up from Memphis in the {P Rudy Gay} deal, and they can also free up some cash this summer if Telfair doesn't stick with the team (as he's a pending free agent). Haddadi has another year after this on his contract.
What does it give the Phoenix Suns
The Suns are a team with a lot of intriguing pieces that don't seem to fit together ideally, and adding Haddadi to the mix doesn't change that. He is an underrated talent with above-average skills for a 7-footer, and the move to Phoenix might give him a much-needed opportunity to show off his abilities. His contract runs until the summer of 2014, so he may stick around with the Suns. Telfair became expendable with the recent emergence of backup point guard {P Kendall Marshall}.
Fantasy impact
Telfair was out of the Suns' rotation after Lindsey Hunter recently took over as bench boss, so he gets potential added value as Toronto's probable new top backup point guard. For the current Raptors, this move probably affects only {P John Lucas}, who may now shift back to third string. As for Haddadi, he goes from fantasy afterthought to super sleeper, depending on how much of a chance the Suns give him to play off their bench. We'll see.
