sportsblogger

   At the end of the 2008 NBA Draft, there was a trade in the Eastern Conference that had everyone wondering how good the Toronto Raptors would actually be? The Raptors made a trade with the Indiana Pacers for F/C Jermaine O’Neal that was supposed to make the team an immediate contender.

   When the trade was made, I will admit that I loved it from the thought of putting two good post players on the same team, meaning O’Neal and Chris Bosh. Like any other NBA fan, when two big men are paired together you start thinking of the success of Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

   To be fair to O’Neal, he has been hurt for the beginning of this season, but to stay with being fair when isn’t O’Neal hurt? He is healthy now, but how long will he stay that way? O’Neal was once thought to be the future big man of the NBA and successor to Duncan once he retired.

   This season O’Neal has averaged 14.3 points per game with only 7.7 rebounds, which is far below the amount you would expect from a player of his caliber. Bosh has been averaging 23.3 points and 10 rebounds a game as the starting big man for the Raptors.

   Toronto needs to decide if the trade was infact a mistake by the February 19th trade deadline in which O’Neal might still be a hot item. The teaming up of Pau Gasol and Anrew Bynum has been working lately for the Los Angeles Lakers but it took some time for the two to get it working.

   If the Raptors give this experiment some time maybe they can turn this ship around, as of today Toronto currently sits in last place in the Atlantic Division and 13th out of 15 teams in the East Standings. Toronto has been rumored to be offering O’Neal but may just sit and let O’Neal and Bosh to continue to get it together.

J.M.Saucedo

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