NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Amusing Trade Ideas for the Raptors

Today, basketball fans like you and I have found ourselves twiddling our fingers and waiting for something to get excited about, but there hasn't been much going on in the league.

With that being said, there's always good ol' trade speculation to keep us fans entertained. At this point, it's understandable that everybody is probably tired of the same old "Iggy for Ellis" rumors, so here I've approached some rather crazy but cool trade ideas which could be intriguing to some of you.

I did something like this before, but now, Toronto's situation as far as needs/wants in the open market is different. It also seems Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo wants to leave the G.M duties to somebody else, which could mean a different approach towards building the roster.

Here are 10 trade ideas which will rock your socks!

Getting Bigger in a Big Way

Andrea Bargnani for Emeka Okafor + 2012 First-round pick

Toronto: The Raptors receive a double double big man who might be overpaid, but isn't that much worse than Bargnani in the salary department. This will get us a legit 5, and the 28-year-old will be good for a double-double for at least the duration of his contract.

The Raptors' real prize within this trade is the first round pick NO will have to give up. There's a good chance the guys down there wouldn't want to hand it over, but if Toronto can get the Hornets first rounder, this trade will be a total steal.

The Hornets will be a bad team next year. Management will try once again to improve the roster in any way, and I'm positive the possibility of adding a 20-point scorer like Bargnani to the team will be enticing for NO. The reality is that with or without Bargnani, if the Hornets lose David West and Carl Landry, they'll be a worse team. If the Hornets are not looking like a solid playoff team by mid-season, they'll be smart to deal Paul for picks and young players. A move like that will send him to the bottom of the standings, and Toronto will instantly have a lottery pick in next years stacked draft class.

A move like this can ensure Toronto makes the playoffs AND doesn't miss out on a star rookie.

New Orleans: The Hornets need to upgrade. They tried their best last season by trading for Trevor Ariza, but that has proven out to be a bad move. The Hornets have plenty of overpaid players on their team. It was rumored that the Hornets would not trade Chris Paul to any team last summer unless that team took Okafor's large contract. In this trade, the Hornets receive a more talented player in Bargnani, and could make one last push at keeping Chris Paul.

Overall: The trade is good for Toronto, but the Hornets will probably decline such a deal, which will leave them without a, center.

Sixth Man for Sixth Man?

Leandro Barbosa for Lou Williams

Toronto: The Raptors get Lou Williams a very underrated scorer. Williams only averaged 23.3 minutes per game last season and still managed to score 13.7 PPG. Per 36 minutes, that's close to 22 points a game for Williams.

Barbosa is a similar player who is more proven, but he's an expiring contract and has probably reached his ceiling as a player, whereas Williams has shown flashes of brilliance and has two years left on his decent contract.

Philadelphia: The Sixers receive a more consistent and proven player in Barbosa. Barbosa is also more versatile and can play the 1 and 2 position better than Williams, who is undersized when playing as a shooting guard.

Overall: It's a gamble and no team really improves greatly from the trade, but it has the potential to be a steal for Toronto.

Junkyard Dog V.2?

Linas Kleiza for Jared Dudley

Toronto: The Raptors receive a hard nosed hustle guy in Jared Dudley. Dudley is a great three-point shooter and an important player for the Suns. Dudley could finally get a starting role with the Raptors, and would be better utilized than Linas Kleiza under Dwane Casey's system.

Phoenix: The Suns get a solid SF. Pietrus, Hill and Carter, are all free agents this offseason, and Linas Kleiza could be a very solid starting forward for the Suns. Kleiza scores in bunches and is a fearless player with a lot of heart. Kleiza had suffered throughout last season with nagging injuries, but if he comes back at 100 percent, this deal could be a good deal for PHX. Per 36 minutes: Dudley scored 14.6 PPG, while Kleiza scored 15.2 PPG.

Overall: The Suns will probably pass on such an offer, but both players have had similar numbers last season in scoring and minutes per game, and they're both 26 years of age with plenty of good years ahead of them. The trade could go either way, but it seems the Raptors will be the beneficiary of the deal because Dudley fits Toronto's needs much better than Kleiza.

From Istan-Bull to Turkey Raptor?

Omer Asik for Reggie Evans plus second-round pick

Toronto: Omer Asik is a fan favorite on the Bulls, and for good reason too. Asik came off the bench and logged only 12.1 minutes per game, but in that time, his impact was felt. Asik was a great rebounder and hustle player, and the 25-year-old sophomore has a lot ahead of him. Per 36 minutes, Asik would have scored eight points and grabbed 11 boards nightly. There's no reason why we couldn't fit him in our starting lineup, and it will be at a very low cost.

Reggie Evans is likely to leave Toronto, and while he was probably the best PF on the team before his injury, Evans will likely want to go to a contender before he's past him prime rather than playing in such a crowded front court. Last year, we saw a back-up center in Marcin Gortat become a top 10 center in the league after being given a starting spot, and this trade could become a similar story. A sign and trade sending Evans over to the Bulls would be a great bargain for Toronto.

Chicago: The Bulls get what every contender needs in Reggie Evans. Evans is a hard worker, and his average of 11.5 rebounds per game last season shows that. What's even crazier about Evans is that per 36 minutes, he would have grabbed 15.6 rebounds nightly! Asik is much loved by Chicago, but he will likely require a pay increase at season's end, and that's something Chicago might not be able to give him depending on the next CBA. It's a pretty good deal for the Bulls.

Overall: Win-Win situation for both sides, but Toronto has nothing to lose from such a deal.

Granger to T.O

Andrea Bargnani for Danny Granger

Toronto: Raptors fill the need at the SF slot while making room for Ed Davis/Amir Johnson. Granger is an all-star who put up 25 PPG not to long ago, but has seen his numbers drop recently due to a better roster around him.

Indiana: Some Indiana fans feel it's time to move past the Danny Granger era, and make room for Paul George, who is almost guaranteed to improve starting next season. Andrea Bargnani brings everything which Granger brings on offense, but better fills the Pacers needs.

Overall: Indiana is unlikely to do such a trade, but depending on how much they expect out of George, a trade involving Granger could go down. Toronto would do this in an instant.

Package for Jefferson

Linas Kleiza + James Johnson + Leandro Barbosa for Al Jefferson

Toronto: Toronto receives Al Jefferson a superb player who played very well as a center last season. Jefferson will be moving from one crowded front court to another, but his arrival will position Toronto to make further trades involving a PF in order to land a good small forward. Trading for Jefferson in a deal like this will be much better than overpaying for a center in free agency. If Jonas Valanciunas comes over and is ready to start at the 5 spot, Jefferson can slide down his natural Power Forward position.

Utah: The Jazz currently need a shooting guard, and Leandro Barbosa is a very good one. Barbosa also holds an expiring contract, which will give the Jazz more options for next summer. The Jazz also get good prospect in James Johnson might be unknown to most, but any Raptors fan will tell you what great upside he has. The X-factor to this trade could be Linas Kleiza and how Utah looks at him.

Kleiza showed he could dominate against some of the big name players in the FIBA tournament last season and continued to impress in the preseason. Unfortunately, Kleiza fell off from there on after his nagging injuries just wouldn't go away. A healthy Kleiza could be a valuable trade chip.

Overall: The Jazz are not likely to do this trade because they can probably find a much better deal somewhere else. With players like Iguodala, Ellis, and Granger possibly available on the trade market, the Jazz would be better off looking for a better package.

G-Force Crash Lands in Toronto

Andrea Bargnani for Gerald Wallace

Toronto: The Raptors get what every coach would love to have in Gerald Wallace. On the court, he's a gritty defender and a hard working hustle-machine. Wallace is an all-star caliber player and will be a perfect piece for Dwane Casey's schemes.

Portland: The Blazers are crowded at the three spot, with Wallace, Batum and Babbit ready to play some small forward next season. Though everybody over in Portland loves Wallace, a trade for Bargnani could make sense for Portland. Last season, Lamarcus Aldridge played a lot of center because the 37-year-old Marcus Camby just can't stay on the court for as long as he used to.

With Bargnani, Portland adds a versatile front-court option. Portland is one of the slowest paced teams on offense, and Bargnani's lights-out shooting and scoring ability will be great for Portland. The Blazers have a very good defensive squad who are more than capable of covering Bargnani's flaws on the defensive end.

Overall: The Blazers organization arguably values a player's character more than any other, and from what I've read, everybody loves Gerald Wallace. The Blazers are way over the cap, and things will look even worse after a new CBA is agreed to, so taking Bargnani's contract over Wallace is also another down side to this trade. If, however, something like this does go down, the Raptors will see a huge overall improvement.

Pau Gasol to T.O

Andrea Bargnani plus Jose Calderon for Pau Gasol

Toronto: Toronto receives an all-star starting Center who can always slide over to the PF spot if Valanciunas is ready to be the starting C. Gasol will be a upgrade over Bargnani, and though Jose Calderon is serviceable, it doesn't look like he's in the future plans for Toronto.

Los Angeles: The Lakers get a solid double-double man in Jose Calderon, and they also receive Andrea Bargnani, who can be a surprisingly good power forward for them. Bargnani is capable of scoring more than Gasol, and if he turns out to be a below average defender rather than a terrible defender, this could be great for L.A. Pau Gasol is 31 years old and is owed $19 million a year over the next three seasons. It's highly unlikely the Lakers will get their money's worth towards the end of the deal, and this trade will make them younger.

Overall: Would have been an interesting scenario if Andrew Bynum didn't have the tendency to get injured so often. Without Bynum, the Lakers will have no chance at a title playing Bargnani at the 5. Toronto might need to overpay Gasol for a few more years, but Calderon and Bargnani aren't quite underpaid, either. Overall, I don't think this trade is likely at all; it's too much of a gamble.

Potential to Land More Potential

Ed Davis plus Jerryd Bayless for Greg Monroe

Toronto: Greg Monroe is expected to become a very good player in the NBA and is likely have a better career than Davis. In his rookie season, Greg Monroe's unique game is helping us understand why he was compared to stars like Chris Webber/Pau Gasol/Brad Miller (primed). The Raptors will end up giving Bayless in this trade, but Bayless will have to be resigned next season, and Toronto could replace him for similar players available this offseason (Stuckey, Brooks, etc).

Monroe has a great size being 6'11" and 250 pounds. He can play both power forward and center, and he can play in whichever position best compliments Valanciunas.

Detroit: Though Greg Monroe is Detroit's only real building block for the future right now, Ed Davis isn't really that much worse. In their rookie seasons Ed Davis averaged: 7.7 PPG, 7.1 rebounds, one block, 58 percent shooting from the field and 24.6 minutes per game, while Greg Monroe averaged: 9.4 PPG, 7.5 rebounds, one steal, 55 percent shooting from the field and in 27.8 minutes per game. Looking at their numbers, the two are both promising and Detroit gets Bayless who can replace Stuckey and could be the cheaper option at PG for the future.

Overall: Detroit will be hesitant to trade their young star, but there is no way of telling who wins out on a deal like this, as all players involved need more time before becoming impact players.

Here's a cool article from last season debating which of the two players will have a better career.

Sideshow Bob to Toronto

Amir Johnson plus second-round pick for Anderson Varejao

Toronto: The Raptors receive a solid double-double center and a high energy hustle player. The former all-defensive big man is widely underrated and would be a great addition to the Raptors, especially if we're not looking to spend huge on free agency. Varejao can play center and power forward and can also be used as a high energy option off the bench. He's got a decent contract, and he'll be a perfect fit for what Toronto is looking for in the trade market.

Cleveland: Amir Johnson is a hell of a player. You could have made 100 excuses for this guy last season, but he still managed to do great. Amir Johnson is ready and capable of doing 15 and 10 on a nightly basis and is arguably the more talented player than Varejao (he's cheaper too). Right now, the Cavs need to stockpile talent. Amir Johnson has played some center and held his own for stretches, but some people feel Tristan Thompson would be better off playing small forward next season. If that's the case, Amir Johnson will fit perfectly for the Cavs.

Overall: I'd love to see this trade go down; it's pretty fair for both sides. The biggest obstacle to this trade scenario is Tristan Thompson's most comfortable position. If he's truly a Power Forward, the Cavs would be better off sticking with Varejao.

Conclusion

In conclusion, anything could happen. Sometimes I try to make a trade as even for both sides as possible, but then you see actual NBA trades go down, which just make you shake your head (Sacramento traded down to land John Salmons' bad contract?).

Hopefully for us, plenty of those trades happen but in Toronto's favor. It seems Bryan Colangelo is looking for some front office help. Hopefully, the Raptors' next GM will take a proactive approach to improving this team.

So guys, tell me what you think: Would you do any of these deals? Is there a great trade idea which I totally forgot to add on here? Have I used incorrect punctuation again?

Please comment and let us all know. As always, thanks for reading!