Welcome, Primoz

Bryan Colangelo made a seemingly inconsequential move at yesterday's trade deadline, sending Juan Dixon to Detroit for Primoz Brezec and "cash considerations." But I like this move for reasons outside of basketball.

If, like me, you can remember when the Raptors were freshly hatched from the NBA's womb in the mid-to-late 90s, you'll remember a time when no one wanted to play in Canada. There were many reasons for this. It was a benighted period in the league's history; a period when players weren't required to spend a year in a post-secondary institution before joining the NBA; a largely pre-European period; and a period when Steve Francis could refuse to join the Vancouver Grizzlies because of something he called "God's will." Even when the Raptors seemed poised for success, Antonio Davis grudgingly accepted a huge, long-term deal to play centre for Toronto, whining about it - and Canada's insistence on using the metric system - whenever he had the chance.

But you don't hear that anymore, thanks largely to the nous of Bryan Colangelo. Like BC said after dealing Dixon: "It's important to have players that want to be here. Juan and his representatives made it pretty clear that he wasn't content with his role."

And the gorgeous thing about a move like yesterday's is that it gives the illusion that the player (Dixon) is getting what he wants. There's about as many player agents managing NBAers as there are banks in Toronto. As sad as it sounds, you've got to keep the agents happy and Colangelo did that by granting Dixon's request for a change of address. In future, the same agent, or one of Dixon's pals, might get some kind words recommending the Raptors. And this isn't smokescreeing, it's honest god-damn business.

Colangelo managed the same trick last year while rectifying his own pre-season boner by trading a disgruntled and thoroughly horrible Fred Jones FOR Juan Dixon. "The circle of life...the wheel of fortune."

So join me in welcoming another Slovenian centre to the Raptors. But more importantly, join me in welcoming a high-profile free agent in the future thanks to Bryan Colangelo's alleged benevolence.

Side note: The link to the Star's story on the Ben Wallace three-team deal reads "LeBron finally got some help to win an NBA title." "Finally"? James is 23 years old. And I love how Seattle just snuck in on that deal, dumping Szczerbiak's contract on Cleveland. The Sonics' management turned Ray Allen into three first-round draft picks and their roster is set for grotesque cap space in just two years. Too bad they won't be in Seattle.