These are my Toronto Raptors Linkage links for May 31st from 07:26 to 14:39:

• Should The Suns Trade Amare Now? | LayupDrill.com – Another interesting irony to this whole story would be if Stoudemire, who told ESPN Radio in New York he was “better than Chris Bosh”, wound up getting dealt for him. The Raptors still feel confident they can, and will come to terms with Bosh this summer. However, if they are not able to, rather than see him leave and get nothing in return, do you do a blockbuster deal with the Raptors and bring in STAT for CB4? If you were the Suns, what would you do?

  There will be teams interested in Amare this summer, whether its the Pistons, Hawks, Grizzlies, or the two teams I mentioned above. Phoenix has to decide whether they want to gamble for the sake of winning now, or start establishing the future.

• Doug Smith’s Toronto Raptors blog – I fully expect news in the next 24-48 hours, specifically about coaches but I also think that now that I’ll have a day or so to work the phones, we might find out what transpired in Chicago and how they’re their draft plans are shaking out.

  We are getting down to the time they need to start developing a list of candidates in order, hopefully we can shed some light on that before the finals begin.

• Mock Draft 2.0 | The Knicks FanBlog – 9. Toronto Raptors – Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis. Evans had been sliding down the board a bit in recent days as rumors swirled that he was contemplating pulling out of the draft. Then, this week, two things happened: (1) he hired an agent, putting those rumors to rest and (2) he measured 6′5 1/4 at the combine with longer arms than Blake Griffin. We have him two spots lower than we did in our first mock, but only because this time we’re projecting the Warriors to take Clark instead of adding yet another ball-needing guard to their backcourt. He’s a perfect fit for the Raptors, though, as they’re in dire need of a 2 that can create his own shot and take some pressure off Chris Bosh. DeRozan will get serious consideration here as well but Evans’ shot creation skills make him the better fit. And we’ve seen the DeJuan Blair rumors. They make some sense but we don’t believe them just yet.
• 2009 NBA Mock Draft – Version 2.0 « Boston Celtics: The Big Green Machine – 9. Toronto Raptors – Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis

  Evans fills the void at shooting guard that the Raptors desperately need to fill. By drafting Evans, they can let Anthony Parker walk and give this kid all the minutes he can handle. If the Raptors choose to bring back Shawn Marion, the Raptors would look poised to be a very good up-tempo basketball team.

  Pick Change: previously Earl Clark

• Deng to Toronto ? – Although Carlos Boozer could be headed to Detroit in a free-agent deal in July, there's a chance he'll end up going to Toronto in a package for Chris Bosh. The Bulls remain interested in Bosh, but Luol Deng would have to be part of a package going to the Raptors. The Raptors, privately, are acknowledging for the first time that they might need to trade Bosh, rather than risk losing him to free agency in 2010.
• Sunday Thought – What’s Andrea Bargnani’s Ceiling? – RaptorsHQ.com – Does this then mean that I think Andrea is the second coming of Rashard?

  Not quite, as obviously Andrea still has some work to do to get to that level, but not only that, with his height advantage and what I believe eventually will be superior low-post play, it’s not impossible that he becomes Lewis version 2.0.

  That’s not a bad building block if you are a Toronto Raptors’ fan, one that providing the team doesn’t overpay, could be a major force in the Eastern Conference. The hope is that this off-season he puts in the same amount of work on improving his game as he did last summer, in order to get to this level and beyond.

• An early look at NBA draft board | ajc.com – 9. Toronto

  • Tyreke Evans, 6-6, 215, point guard, Memphis

  • The skinny: Evans bolted from Memphis just time to join a Raptors team trying to retool in time to keep Chris Bosh.

• NBA Draft – Projecting the top 30 picks in the 2009 NBA Draft – 9. Toronto Raptors – DeMar Derozan (SG/SF – USC)
  With both Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion likely to leave the team, a swingman makes sense for the Raptors. So would a point guard, to provide insurance for Jose Calderon.
• The Top 10 Players the Raptors Should Target in the 2009 NBA Draft | Bleacher Report – The following is a listing of ten prospects the Raptors should give a very good look at, and where they'll likely be drafted.

  Some of these players will be drafted ahead of the ninth spot and the Raptors would have to trade up a few spots to nab them.

  Others will be available later in the first round and could be had by utilizing the money acquired in the Jermaine O'Neal trade to buy a draft pick as team's prepare for a declining economy.

• Which Teams Might be Interested in Glen Davis? | Comcast SportsNet New England – Toronto Raptors

  $47.9 mil

  With Chris Bosh, Andre Bargnani, and possibly Shawn Marion, an offer is not likely. They need a defensive stopper in the middle for back up. Yes, even with Patrick O’Bryant on the roster.

• 2009 NBA Free Agents? Tempting and Troublesome for Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz « Straight to the League – The Raptors must decide whether or not to offer a no doubt huge contract to an unsettled Shawn Marion.

  If they decide to abandon Marion to pursue his quest for respect/money/star status elsewhere, they simply must look to sign another superstar. Why? If they don’t Chris Bosh is leaving in 2010.

• Common agent, common bond for Wade, Bosh? — South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com – "I think more emphasis has been put on us meeting than is necessary," Colangelo told the Canada-based Globe and Mail. "It's very routine. It's not like I'm going to be coming out of the weekend with plans to trade or start drawing up an agreement for a contract extension."

  Yet nothing is routine when a single agent holds the key to two teams' futures. It is why Heat President Pat Riley acknowledged "other business" in Chicago last week beyond the combine, while declining to go into specifics.

Remember to log on to our forums: Click here

Related posts:

1. Toronto Raptors Linkage for January 31st from 07:23 to 17:05
2. Toronto Raptors Linkage for December 31st from 13:14 to 16:31
3. Toronto Raptors Linkage for December 31st from 12:01 to 12:13
4. Toronto Raptors Linkage for January 30th through January 31st
5. Toronto Raptors Linkage for December 30th through December 31st