RAPTORS DEAL AGAIN: NESTEROVIC
The Toronto Raptors acquired center Rasho Nesterovic and cash from the San Antonio Spurs for forwards Matt Bonner and Eric Williams and a 2009 second-round draft pick.
What does it give the Toronto Raptors
A legitimate shot-blocking seven-footer who won't hurt their salary cap. This is a highly curious move by new GM Bryan Colangelo, and it may be just the first step in a bigger deal down the road. Despite what the Raps may say, Nesterovic doesn't fit into their new team philosophy (at least not as a regular). It's widely known that under Colangelo, the Raps want to run, run, run (like his previous team, the Suns). Nesterovic is a classic half-court player, so he's not appropriate for that run-first approach. He may stick around as insurance off the bench, but Bonner was a much, much better fit because of his mobility and shooting range. Don't be surprised if Nesterovic is part of a future trade to bring a more mobile big man to Toronto, especially with the NBA draft coming up. If Nesterovic does stay in Toronto, he's really not a good fit as a regular for a Colangelo-style team.
What does it give the San Antonio Spurs
A sweet-shooting big man in Bonner and a gritty role player in Williams. The Spurs had obviously given up on Nesterovic, as he played sparingly for them this past season and postseason. The playoffs showed that San Antonio is sorely in need of a dependable big man who can hit the three, and that's Bonner. Robert Horry seems a bit too old to play major minutes so there's a good chance Bonner will be a starter next season because of his ability to hit the trey and rebound. Williams is better than the playing time he got in Toronto, a hard worker and strong defender off the bench. The second-rounder throw-in might eventually be valuable because the Spurs have had excellent success scouting sleepers.
Fantasy impact
