...I still can't quite decide within this pea brain of mine if it's in the Blazers immediate plans to acquire a SF or a PG? All the talks seem to indicate KP's going after a SF, but would this potentially mean that he's then looking at Blake or Bayless (or, God-forbid, Sergio) to lead this team through the rest of the season.....or beyond? Or, might he be looking at next summer's draft or FA marketplace to fill this need? Anyone else have these same questions? Or, perhaps, KP's gonna swing for the fences and bring in BOTH positions in one deal. MAN, would I love to be a fly on KP's war-room wall! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............................
A Blake/Bayless PG position is really not bad, imo. Blake is a very good PG with the team because of his style of play... I wouldn't want a PG unless it was going to be a young budding star, which we already have in Bayless, imo... so meh... Of course i'd offer to amputate my leg and put it in the trade if New Jersey would accept a trade for Devin Harris.
I think he may envision Brandon Roy playing more PG. The ball is in Roy's hands 90% of the time in the four quarter anyways. If Roy was in Phil Jackson's triangle system he'd be the primary PG. In fact, did anyone notice Phil played Roy at the point for a majority of his P/T in the second half of the All-Star game? He's what you call a quasi PG. Sergio is a brick or turnover waiting to happen. If we had to rely on him in the playoffs it would be an absolute disaster.
I get the feeling that it's easier to get an impact small forward. Hopefully next year we can get Bibby with the midlevel exception. But, in any case, we don't need a stud at every position. A big four with, say, Blake/Rodriguez at the 1 should be good enough- I'm assuming we lose Bayless in the trade.
We don't need a stud at every position but we are lacking a true second option. This is why I think Butler would vault Portland into the elite in the West. LaMarcus is a good 3rd option. He just isn't assertive. He's so much like Rasheed it's scary. Please, KP, get us Butler!
Everything else being equal, I think the Blazers would rather get a top PG, but there are some top SF's available and not really any top PG's. I do think that if possible though they will try to upgrade at the PG position now.
I dont think they want an elite PG; I think it would destroy any chemistry blake and bayless have and i really think they are wanting bayless to take over once Blake is older and gone. Blake/Bayless combo is perfect for this team, specially if we upgraded SF and moved T-law and RLEC.
There aren't that many elite PG in the NBA, and none of them are available. So you would have to assume they are going to make a run at a small forward if they do anything at all. If they can get an elite young PG they should pull the trigger. Potential is the most over-valued commodity in the NBA. How many players really reach their potential? Bayless seems like he will be good someday, but what is his ceiling? If you can get a Chris Paul, you do it and to hell with Bayless.
Roy averages 5 assists/game. Butler averages 4.5 assists/game. If you can get nearly 10 assists/game out of two starters who AREN'T the point guard, you don't need a great passer for a PG. Man, I'm starting to actually believe we could get Butler.
If we have to deal Bayless in a package for Butler and don't recieve a backup PG in return, a Sergio/Blake combo heading into the playoffs kinda scares me.
The rotation would be more Blake/Roy at PG then Blake/Sergio. I would guess Sergio gets to have the best seats in the house for the playoffs, but nothing more then that.
2 of KP's favorite players are Sergio and Travis, and neither will be traded. He also seems content with our depth at those 2 positions. It's clear Bayless will not be a major factor for our team this year, unless Blake is traded, which I don't see happenning. Backup PF is our weak link, as it has been for 2 years now. Any trade would be to improve at that spot.
Good thing KP doesn't own the team. Paul Allen watches basketball too, so I'm sure he has no delusions of grandeur about Sergio or Travis.
Travis fits the mold of Paul's previous favorites, Drexler and Miles, and he has always liked athletic uptempo guys who get up and down the court, so I assume he loves their play.
Except Travis isn't an "uptempo guy who gets up and down the court." He's a "halfcourt guy who likes to creat his own shot."
