I find it easiest to return to sports whenever I write.

Toronto and Indiana have agreed to essentially swap TJ Ford for Jermaine O'Neal. The details are what make this a viable trade for Indiana. It'll enable them to build around youth and shed salary.

They'll have massive cap space come '09-'10. They'll get Ford + a draft pick + Rasho Nesterovic + another end-of-the-bench rotation player. Ford makes them younger if not healthier. He allows Larry Bird to also look for suitors for Jamal Tinsley and his burdensome contract. Rasho will fill the void in the middle. The Pacers will draft at 11 and get a player at 17 (Toronto will draft the player since the deal goes into effect after the salary cap decisions at the start of July). Essentially this makes the Pacers a project which will bear fruit in another year.

The reason I'm really excited about this trade though is that it makes Toronto a very exciting team to watch. They'll play killer defense with Bosh and O'Neal maning the middle. They'll have paint-protection like nobody's business. Jose Calderon will run point and create for Chris Bosh who can now comfortably move back to the 4. Jason Kapono will be a threat from beyond the arc and Toronto can play inside and out with the best of them. Above all, Andrea Bragnani can return to his position where he truly belongs: the pine.

Basketball in the Great White North is going to be fun! =D