NBA Trade Deadline 2012: The One Trade the Toronto Raptors Must Make

RAPTORS TRADE: Jose Calderon

LAKERS TRADE: Steve Blake, Luke Walton and the Lakers and Mavs' 2012 No. 1 Picks

The Toronto Raptors are a bad team, but they are a bad team with some solid young talent. There is no reason why, if they are wise with their assets, cap dollars and draft picks, they can't build a great team through the draft just like the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder did.

One of the Raptors' top trade chips is Spanish sensation Jose Calderon.

Jose Calderon is one of the most efficient offensive players in the NBA, one of the best passers in the league and quite possibly the best ball-handler on the planet. He turns the ball over about as many times in a game as Vince Carter receives cheers from Raptors fans when he plays in the Air Canada Center, which is almost zero.

Calderon is also on a relatively expensive contract. The Raptors could receive a great deal for him in a trade this season, something that could not be said as recently as last season. If the Raptors are wise, they will strike while the demand is high and trade Calderon immediately.

The above trade is a very solid one for both teams, and while taking back the contract of Luke Walton is not ideal for the Raptors, if they can manage to pry away both of the Lakers' first-round picks in this year's deep draft, paying Walton would be well worth it.

The Raptors would be taking back around $3.5 million in additional salary over the length of Blake's contract, which Blake alone is worth. Throw in the two first round draft picks and this becomes a no-brainer trade for the Raptors, as it would give them three first-round picks in this year's upcoming draft.

One of those picks could be used on a stud small forward like North Carolina's Harrison Barnes and the other two could perhaps be combined to trade up and draft Calderon's replacement in North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall.

A starting five of Marshall, DeRozan, Barnes, Davis and Bargnani would thrill Raptors fans.

As for the Lakers, I believe they would jump at the opportunity to acquire Jose Calderon and team him with his Spanish Olympic team running-mate Pau Gasol. Calderon would be the missing piece to propel the Lakers back to the NBA Finals for the fourth time in five seasons.

I believe this is a trade that should be proposed and that both teams would agree to.