So a couple of quick observations in the absence of any (new) news.
1. I like the Turkoglu move for the same reason I liked the thrust to sign Marion and Kleiza etc. The Raptors have long made the call they're not in a rebuilding frame of mind, So if you're not rebuilding you might as well be decent, win some games, have a chance at some playoff gates and maybe get lucky. Not sure if it gets you a championship -- in fact, no it doesn't -- but it does make the winter more interesting. And the more I think about it, the Raptors have a chance to be better with Turkoglu than with Marion and the added depth the Raptors would have with him in the lineup. Havng two legit playmakers on the floor -- Calderon is the other -- will make the most of Bosh and Bargnani, plain and simple. Even with Marion, Kleiza and Delfino, the Raptors would still be a team full of finishers. Now they have two really good playmakers and I think everyone on the roster will benefit.
2. I also buy the 'not for the money' argument. At five years and $53-million, Turkoglu came to Toronto for an extra $600,000 a year. On a $10-million base, that's like a guy making $100,000 taking a different job in a different city for $106,000. I think it's reasonable to believe a guy would take lifestyle over a six-per-cent pay bump, especially when taxes probably make the difference effectively zero.
3. By the same token I do have some concerns that a guy left an NBA finalist and balked at signing with an up-and-coming Finals contender (Brandon Roy and Hedo running pick-and-roll? That would be very, very tough) for a team that will be touch-and-go to win 45 games. Is that a guy who will grind it out to provide full value at 33, 34 and 35 years old? Too early to judge that.
4. Depth is depth. By definition it's the easiest commodity to get. The NBA is so full of good players that the key is having really good players to bring out their best qualities. If Turkoglu, Calderon, Bosh and Bargnani are at their best, it should't be too hard to find two or three affordable guys for the second unit, but we'll see.