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TSN Basketball Analyst

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FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS:      

1. NBA TRADE DEADLINE: This Thursday at 3pm ET is the NBA's Trade Deadline. This is the first deadline with the new labour agreement in place. It will be interesting to see how general managers navigate the new cap and financial climate under the updated rules. The league is flush with cash, so I think folks have the ability to be more bold and aggressive than in past years.              

2. ADAM SILVER (Age Limit): I think he's handled this issue properly. You don't pick battles, particularly secondary ones, that you can't get major improvement on or get into a drawn out fight. The agents and players want the rule to remain as is. All you need to know. Pick the issues worth a logical consensus otherwise find solutions to the most significant issues.              

3. ALL STAR SATURDAY NIGHT: It was a dull evening. I'd love to see the league try to spice up this night. If you don't have high level dunkers, it really takes away from the evening. Aaron Gordon was disappointing after a superlative showing in Toronto last year. The three point shootout is fun with some of the best involved and the Skills Challenge is adequate. For folks to pay big money to attend the event, they should get greater return on their investment. 

4. JIMMY BUTLER (Bulls): If I were GM Gar Forman, I would strongly consider moving my best asset at a time where it appears their time has come and gone. The idea to add Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade hasn't worked out. It’s time to restructure and rebuild rather than trying to be a 40 win seventh or eighth seed.       

5. RAPTORS (25 games): They'll hit the ground running hard with a huge game to open the closing stretch against the Celtics on Friday night at home. Upcoming games against the Wizards (two games-back/back) and the Hawks in the next few weeks will set the stage for the all important seeding arrangement in the East. I'm still a big advocate that they need to try to add another wing player, considering you only have three of them on the roster in DeMar DeRozan, Norman Powell and DeMarre Carroll. They need veteran insurance, depth, experience, defensive and shooting ability if at all possible. The luxury of having four point guards, four power forwards and three centres is nice, but in the playoffs you need really good play and depth from your two and three spots. Serge Ibaka is an excellent pickup. You give him and his teammates a little more pop and toughness on the wing and this team will be ready for April 15th and beyond. Would be a huge boost if it can happen.