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Thursday, February 8, 2018

Fans react to Toronto Raptors trade at deadline

The Toronto Raptors are reportedly finalizing a deal to trade 4th year forward Bruno Caboclo to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for second year shooting guard Malachi Richardson – and local NBA fans have mixed feelings about it.

Once hailed as the Brazilian Kevin Durant, Caboclo has proven somewhat of a disappointment among some Raps fans in recent years. I mean, he's barely played at all.

The fact that Caboclo is being traded comes as welcome news to those who believe that, as ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla famously put it in 2014, he's still "two years away from being two years away."

The 22-year-old baller has been in only 25 games for the Raptors since he was drafted four years ago, starting just one time and averaging 1.1 points over his career.

Richardson, on the other hand, has played 47 games for the Kings in two seasons with an average of 3.5 points per game.

But it's not gaining Richardson that fans are happy about, it's losing Caboclo – and freeing up around $1 million that could be put toward a buyout candidate.

While he didn't exactly sing for the Raptors during his time in Toronto, Caboclo does have a lot of local fans.

He always has (or maybe people just really like chanting the name "Bruno," I don't know.)

Many are pointing out today, in light of the trade, that Caboclo killed it in the G-League. He played 34 times for the Raptors 905 team this season, averaging 14.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Some believe that the athlete still holds promise with his massive 7'7" wingspan and 6'9" frame. 

Sadly for Caboclo and the Torontonians who love him, the time for banking on potential has passed.

"It is hard not to be a little disappointed that this is the end of the glorious Caboclo experiment," writes Raptors Republic blogger Blake Murphy.

"Drafted out of nowhere at No. 20 overall in 2014, Caboclo has been a complete original over four NBA years, a prospect so raw no other team would have dared to have him on the roster."

"Caboclo was the prototype of what a modern, multi-position 3-and-D player might be built like, just without any of the actual tools or software required installed yet," he continued.

"Whatever the case, it's the end of a grand experiment for now, and it’s worth pouring one out for."


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

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