Andrea Bargnani Trade Rumor: Raptors Approach Sixers about Spencer Hawes

In today's edition of Do You Want Our Crap?, the Raptors dangle Andrea Bargnani in front of Doug Collins' mouth in exchange for this new Mullet Swag t-shirt (absolutely shameless), Spencer Hawes, and some other vagueness. Toronto has been trying to trade Bargs since the Mesozoic Era and have been repeatedly laughed at through the Dark Ages, the Enlightenment, and the Andy Reid tenure.

But wait!

Chicago and Philadelphia are two under-the-radar teams sources suspect will become more aggressive on the day before the deadline. Both the Bulls and 76ers have started being more active just this past week.

The Raptors have also engaged the Sixers in conversations centered on Bargnani, sources said. No word on what the Sixers would need to offer in return, although a Western Conference executive suspects it would involve center Spencer Hawes.

This from an NBA Trade Buzz post from Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico. Take it for what it is: a rumor and a source or two. We're not here to provide any validity to these claims, but I suppose I'll take a look at what a Bargs/Hawes trade would entail aside from an uproar from the SPENCER HAWES IS AMERICA Group, LLC.

Andrea Bargnani has spent a career disappointing people and taking mostly bad shots. The Sixers are filled with guys like that, so even though most of them don't know Italian, they speak the romantic language of the long two. Andrea's awful rebounding is surpassed only by his awful defense, He can't cover forwards, he can't cover centers, and he can't rebound over either of them.

He is most certainly not Dirk Nowitzki. But he does have a decent midrange jumpshot, even if he does take it too much. While he's been wide right on three's the past two years (both sub 30%, bringing down his career 3PT% to 36%), he's pretty money from 10-23, hovering in the mid-40's from there for the past few seasons. Obviously those shots aren't great, but stretch the floor it does, in his own inefficient way.

Bargs has two years left on his deal after this one, worth $11M and $12M. Spencer has one year at $6.5M after this one (WHY GOD WHY), so they can not be dealt for each other straight up. But Toronto has enough space where even throwing in Royal Ivey's $850K with Spencer does the trick.

What would it take to interest me in Bargnani? Hm. Well I'd probably rather have him than Josh Smith. I wouldn't argue that Bargs is the better player (he's not), but turning him into a Ryan Anderson-esque stretch 4 to the hypothetical post presence of Andrew Bynum is really enticing. Then for the next two years your big man rotation is the two of them and Thaddeus Young -- a very versatile group.

To me, trading for Smith would be indicative of the team going away from a long-term contract for Bynum. That may be the case regardless of their actions at the trade deadline. But Bargnani fits kinda perfectly while Smith duplicates a lot of what Thad does. The contract, the shot selection, and the defense notwithstanding, I think he'd be pretty choice as a team's 4th best player.

Every potential move the Sixers make has to be figured into the Andrew Bynum Fiasco. What direction are they going in? Will they sign him to a long-term deal? Does he have anything left in his knees? Does he have knees? What are knees? All of those questions have to be considered. And if Amico is to be believed, some Sixersing is expected before the nearing deadline.

Would the Raptors part with a draft pick for the Sixers to swallow that extra year? To answer that question, I direct you to a picture of Ed Stefanski. Hawes/Ivey for Bargs/future 1st? Yeah, I'm in. Though a starting 5 of Jrue/Evan/Thad/Bargs/Bynum or Jrue/Evan/SF/Thad/Bynum with Bargs off the bench is weird as hell, I think that presents a lot of matchup problems for other teams. An awful lot.

Even Spencer Hawes deals come down to Bynum.

Watch this fantastic Raptors HQ video about Bargnani to learn much, much more.