Maybe or perfect timing for a team to trade a star player that they don't think will resign with them. I know it's a long shot but you never know.
If Oden turns into the center we all hope he will be and Roy keeps being Roy, many players will want to be on that championship train. Money is fine, but rings give your career distinction. It's damn hard to find a great center and a great allstar to play along with. I see Orlando, Portland being the new great NBA finals in two years.
When's the last time a marquee free agent actually walked and signed a deal with another team? Nash in 2004? Shaq in 1996? Seems like most of these guys either stay with their current team or leave in a sign-and-trade. Personally I'm excited about our salary flexibility because we can sign guys to supplement what we have, not to sign superstars. -Pop
are or aren't? : ) hedo = overrated waste of cap space for us. we can do better. we may already have better if batum improves much. bibby would be an improvement over blake, but perhaps not enough of one to make it worth blowing all our cap space. don't see us paying a lot for senior citizens like kidd, iverson, or marion. don't see anyone else at all that would start for us, just roll players. in terms of our needs the 09 FA market will be pretty unexciting. hopefully we will be patient and wait for the right opportunity.
For the most part the players that really thrill me on that list besides James, are players that play the same position as Broy or LMA. Other than Chris Paul (which looked pretty "iffy" to become a free agent)there were no SF or PG's. So if we realy wanted to replace LMA or Roy, we could certainly entertain a sign and trade with a team that would be losing their star player. But then why would the star player want to come to the Blazers if he was replacing one of our big three? He would want to come to be part of the big 4. IMO
paul looks really good to become a FA in 2012. maybe that's when we'll finally make up for the 2005 draft : ) i dunno. imagine bosh at SF here
It wouldn't suck. But I wouldn't hold off on making other moves just to keep our cap space. (Or in this case making moves to create cap space) The second tier players are more of an option and I think we will have space for them.
only when he shoots a lot. his scoring efficiency per shot is terrible - his eFG% is one of the worst in the entire league for a starter.
