Raptors Trade Matt Bonner For Spurs’ Centre
Posted June 21, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Matt Bonner will be heading down south to play for the San Antonio Spurs along with fellow forward Eric Williams. The Raptors got seven-foot, 255-pound Slovenian centre Rasho Nesterovic and some cash considerations in exchange.
Toronto also gave up a 2009 second-round draft pick in the deal.
“Acquiring Rasho brings us an experienced presence at the centre position while not affecting our cap situation,” Raptors President and G.M. Bryan Colangelo said in a statement. “He’s a smart basketball player who will help address our needs, particularly on the defensive end of the floor.”
Bonner, also known as the Red Rocket, came to Toronto in 2003 and averaged 7.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in his two seasons with the Raptors.
The Raps acquired Williams from the New Jersey Nets in the 2004 Vince Carter deal and he had $4.3 million (U.S.) coming to him next season.
Williams also wasn’t shy in voicing his unhappiness about being in Toronto and had publicly demanded to be traded several times. In his two seasons as a Raptor he averaged 4.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 15.1 minutes.
Nesterovic debuted in the N.B.A. in 1998 with the Minnesota Timerwolves. He then signed with San Antonio in 2003 – he was a member of the Texas team’s 2005 NBA Championship team.
He’s averaged 7.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 24.1 minutes in 548 career games – 456 of them as a starter.
