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On the surface, Telfair’s would be an example that proves there is some merit to the insistence on a year of college. For all of his gifts with the ball, he has never developed a jump shot, connecting just 39% from the floor for his career. Accordingly, he has now bounced around the league, playing for eight different teams. “I definitely don’t regret it in any kind of way,” Telfair said. “I wish I could go back and have that experience, because I know, the older that I get, that experiences mean a lot. They define who you are at the end of the day. But I know a couple of guys who were in my same position who went to school and never got to the NBA. I’m here, and this is the ultimate goal, no matter what route you take, especially if you’ve played as long as I’ve been playing.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, NCAA, Sebastian Telfair 

In 2006, the Blazers fined Telfair after he left a loaded gun on the team's plane. One year later, at the end of his season with the Celtics, he was arrested on a gun possession charge in the early morning after he was pulled over for speeding on a suspended license. Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics' managing partner, removed Telfair's nameplate from his locker and all but promised that the team would cut ties with him. Telfair admits that he couldn't begin to understand the mistake he had made. "I was stupid," he says. "I was thinking, I'm not trying to hurt nobody, I'm not going to kill nobody, rob no bank ... you don't understand what you're doing wrong, and as a basketball player, certain things are just not accepted. Certain things society is not going to accept from a basketball player. So if you can't take that, you can't be a pro. I really haven't had any trouble with the law, and then I got in that situation. And it put me in a bad situation. It took a lot for me to dig myself out of that." Why did he have the gun? "For no particular reason or particular situation," he says. "Just having it, being dumb. ... If I was thinking about, I want to make sure I'm getting a contract and be an All-Star, [then] for no reason would I have a weapon, at no point in time." SI.com

Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Wyc Grousbeck, Sebastian Telfair 

Did the arrest have a meaningful impact on his life? "I learned a lot from it, but I could have done without it," he says. "I didn't get much out of that, other than playing for a lot less money than I should have, and ending up not getting in better situations as far as teams that would want you. "It follows me around. I kind of ruined my career with that. It was a bad move all around. But I don't beat myself up about it too much. If I was beating myself up about it too much, I wouldn't be sitting here right now." SI.com

Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Sebastian Telfair 

At the same time, the alternative universe is impossible to ignore. "I look at situations like that," Telfair says as he thinks about not having the gun, and not behaving as if he'd achieved success already. "And maybe it's Rondo that goes in that trade instead of me. And I would have had a chance to play with Paul [Pierce], Ray Allen, and KG. I look at situations like that also." SI.com

Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair 

Throughout his career it has been as if he was playing off the wrong foot -- too young to be the star he was supposed to be. At 6 feet, he needed to become a better shooter, and over these last three seasons he has converted a respectable 34.3 percent of his three-pointers. "I wanted to get a simple situation where I'm a part of a team, I'm helping them win every night," he says. "I just wanted to be part of a team that achieves something." That's why he signed with the Suns to be Steve Nash's backup for $1.5 million last season. "Getting an opportunity to be around him, seeing how he prepares for the games, seeing how serious you have to take it -- I think last year for the first time I was being consistent on how I prepare for the games," Telfair says. "My approach changed last season. Last year was my first time in the NBA when I wasn't on a rebuilding team or a young team." SI.com

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Steve Nash, Sebastian Telfair 

Well, Sebastian Telfair, acquired before Thursday’s trade deadline, is happy to be a Raptor. He has already seen dysfunction this season. “This is my ninth year in the league so I definitely don’t want to go through anything like we were going through in Phoenix,” Telfair, who will suit up for his first game as a Raptor on Monday against Washington, said. “You’ve got a goal to win and if you’re not winning you at least want to be out there competing at the highest level. We weren’t doing that over there in Phoenix this year. I’m happy to be a part of a team that got a goal for themselves and night in and night out they’ve got something to achieve.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Sebastian Telfair 

Chris Broussard: In addition to Haddadi, Phoenix also gets 2nd round pick from Toronto for Telfair Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair, Hamed Haddadi 

Arash Markazi: Haddadi had hoped a trade to Phoenix would work. He'll have to hit up the Persian Room in Scottsdale when he gets there. Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair, Hamed Haddadi 

Chris Broussard: Sebastian Telfair to Toronto For Hamed Haddadi deal done, source says Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair, Hamed Haddadi 

Shams Charania: Raptors appear close to landing Sebastian Telfair, who'll provide depth but isn't expected to immediately supplant John Lucas III as backup. Twitter @ShamsCharania

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Sebastian Telfair, John Lucas III, Trae 

Marc Stein: Rumbles persist that Hamed Haddadi & second-rounder to Phoenix to bring Bassy Telfair to Toronto is likely outcome in final hour of deadline Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair, Hamed Haddadi 

Alex Kennedy: Sebastian Telfair to TOR makes sense. He's close with Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gay and Alan Anderson. They train together every summer in Las Vegas. Twitter @AlexKennedyNBA

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, Las Vegas, Sebastian Telfair, Alan Anderson, Hamed Haddadi 

Doug Smith: Woj has Raps in Telfair talks, totally logical; Raps called about Maynor. If there's a PG to be moved, they will have an interest. Twitter @SmithRaps

Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Eric Maynor, Sebastian Telfair 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Toronto has emerged as the frontrunner to land Suns guard Sebastian Telfair in a trade, league sources tell Y! Sports. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair 

Other rumors involving Suns players have included the Toronto Raptors having interest in reserve point guard Sebastian Telfair, the Knicks sniffing around center Jermaine O'Neal and reports that the Suns are dangling center Marcin Gortat and swingman Jared Dudley in potential deals. Babby threw cold water on most of the existing rumors. "The high likelihood is we don't do anything," he said. The Suns president did say, however, that he's been involved in the game long enough to realize that things can change quickly. "Everything can change with one phone call," he said. "I don't know whether that phone call is going to come. Arizona's Sports Page

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley, Jermaine O'Neal, Sebastian Telfair 

Chris Broussard: Phx also talking w/Toronto about moving Sebastian Telfair Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Sebastian Telfair 

Veterans who remain available in trade talks this week include San Antonio's DeJuan Blair, Cleveland's Omri Casspi, Charlotte's Ben Gordon, Brooklyn's Kris Humphries, Oklahoma City's Eric Maynor, Minnesota's Luke Ridnour, Phoenix's Sebastian Telfair and Washington's Jordan Crawford. ESPN.com

Trade, Eric Maynor, DeJuan Blair, Kris Humphries, Luke Ridnour, Ben Gordon, Omri Casspi, Sebastian Telfair, Jordan Crawford 

For Telfair, he already has been relegated to a non-rotation role to make way for first-round draft pick Kendall Marshall at backup point guard. Telfair came to Phoenix two years ago in hopes of playing in the playoffs for the first time. “If they’re a contender, and I’m going to get an opportunity to go compete in the playoffs and for the championship, then definitely, absolutely, right away,” Telfair said. “But other than that, I’d rather stay with my guys that I’m with right now.... I ain’t counting myself (out) as a Phoenix Sun yet.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Trade, Sebastian Telfair 

Sebastian Telfair: "Playing with the Nets or the Knicks, that would be a dream come true (...) If the opportunity comes up I would definitely jump to it." YouTube

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Sebastian Telfair 

The Suns are not among the NBA’s worst defenses because of Telfair and Tucker, the Suns’ TNT bench dynamite. “With how I play and how he plays, you can’t do anything but take your game up another level as far as intensity and energy and making it tough for people,” Tucker said. “Bassy (Telfair) works so hard on guards to turn them over. When you see a guy working like that, you can’t do anything but work as hard to match his energy. It’s a monkey-see, monkey-do thing.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Sebastian Telfair, PJ Tucker