Reason Why The Raptors Should Trade Bosh

The topic on every Raptor fans mind is "What is going to happen with Chris Bosh?"  I have thought about this since I realized that the Raptors were not going to make the playoffs (about November).  Its a very difficult question, but I believe that there is an answer out there that will work out for the Raptors, but which one will it be? 

This must be answered this off-season.  We all (Raptors fans) know what happens if we wait.  Bosh will pull a McGrady and bolt for nothing.  So I have put together the three main reasons why Bosh must go this off-season. 

1.  Bosh is not worth the maximum (or close to it) 

Jalen Rose, Allen Houston, Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Jermaine O'Neal.  What do these players have in common?  They re-signed with their teams for HUGE contracts, that became immovable stones for their franchise and nearly impossible to trade. I look and Gilbert Arenas now and just laugh to myself.  

I can understand the pressure to sign these players.  The team is winning and they were all big parts of that.  You want to show it to your fans that your dedicated to winning and you give the player the money.  But in every case, the decision to sign players to these huge contracts crippled the franchise for many years. 

Is this what we want with Chris Bosh?  Now Chris has been a good player, with a great attitude, and hasn't been injury prone.  But whenever you give a guy a huge contract, you have to be extremely confident in the player and direction of the franchise.  Colangelo should trade Bosh now while he still has some worth.

2. Can they win now (or very soon)?

 I believe fundamental question which relates to whether the Raptors keep Bosh is whether we can put a team together that can win.  If we can put a solid team together that can win for five years then sign him.  If not, get rid of him and rebuild.

Lets look at the scenario of signing him.  So his contract is going to be in the neighborhood of six years 100 million.  For Colangelo to do this he MUST believe the team has a good chance of at least making the playoffs for the duration of that contract. 

As the roster is right now, that is highly doubtful.  But I will say, this off-season the market enables some  to sign a few guys for a reasonable price.  If they could add two players like Ariza and Gortat, that would fill the needs of a athletic swingman and hard nosed center they are in desperate need of.  And with the economy the way it is, it could happen.  But the players desire to play in Toronto is a whole other issue. 

So what I'm trying to say is if the roster stays the way it is now, I believe you gotta trade Bosh and move on.  The only way he can stay is if Colangelo puts a couple moves together to significantly improve the team. Whether he can will remain to be seen.

3. Bosh and Bargnani don't fit. 

 For me, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani just don't fit together offensively.  Offensively, Andrea plays like a small forward, not even close to a PF or C.  Bosh does have a decent post game and will go inside, but spends the majority of his time facing up and playing too far away from the hoop. 

So basically, we have one pg and four wing players on at once.  It just doesn't work.  So you can trade Bargnani and keep Bosh, but he will not command near the salary, nor the value in a trade Bosh can demand.  So you gotta trade Bosh.