Post by Toronto on Dec 14, 2006 13:58:58 GMT -5
Raptors Acquire C Shawn Kemp from 76ers
[/b]Kemp looking to help young team make playoffs[/i]
[/center]Toronto AP- For the first in a long time, their maybe excitement back in the Toronto Raptors organization with the acquisition of C Shawn Kemp. General Manager Ed Rodriguez announced Thursday afternoon that the club has traded F Derek Anderson and a 2007 2nd Round Draft Pick to the Sixers in exchange for C Shawn Kemp who will look to help the team make a playoff push with Dwayne Wade coming back from injury in a couple of days. Sure it would be good to to get another lottery draft pick but chances are it was going to be much of value since this team has really been better than alot of people have given credit for. Now with the acquisition Kemp, Many Raptor fans think they actually have a shot at that elusive 8th playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will finally give the faithful something to look forward early in the summer instead of reading what will they do in the offseason. This means that Desagna Diop will most probably be bumped to the bench making Shawn Kemp the starting center for the team, Now the Raptors would have to look for someone to help play at the Starting Forward position, they would really prefer to use someone else than Jonathan Bender or a Kareem Rush for that role. The club has expressed interest in F Andres Nocioni from the Los Angeles Clippers and it has been rumored around Toronto for quite a while.
General Manager Ed Rodriguez has only made two moves since joining the team, Trading their #4 overall draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks for F Zach Randolph who has proved to be a pretty good trade so far and now getting C Shawn Kemp from the Sixers for basically nothing. "We will see what happens and what this trades leads us to do, Hopefully we step up our play, we want to be able to attract free agents in the offseason. Kemp will be formally introduced to the media tommorow morning and will most likely suit up for that same game which is going to be in Toronto.
