Merged: Chad Ford's Blog: Blake could be the Blazer dealt

Re: ESPN insider: Blake most likely to be traded

That and he's likely the easiest to fit in to a new team. because he doesn't demand the ball, minutes, or opportunities, he can slide in easily as a backup PG< or not rock the boat if traded strictly as an expiring.

 

Re: ESPN insider: Blake most likely to be traded

Absolutely RR7.

There are a lot of reasons to believe Blake is the most likely to be traded.

 

Re: ESPN insider: Blake most likely to be traded

He's also likely to be included in a Miami deal because his forte is also playing off a 2 guard that likes the ball in his hands and standing at the 3 point line waiting for that guard to kick out after a drive...(examples: BRoy, Wade). Maybe a change of scenery would help Blake find his shot...

 

So I was reading over hoopshype today that the Magic have been less than thrilled with Jason Williams play the last few games. Is it possible that Williams, being as old as dirt and not having played a year, is hitting something similar to the rookie wall? If so they might need a PG, but one who will not get in the way when Nelson comes back. Blake fits that bill. They have multiple backup forwards who would strengthen this team. Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson.

 

It depends on whether they're worried about Blake's shooting slump. I think Blake is generally a very solid reserve point guard and would be a good stop-gap for a team like Orlando...if he's hitting open shots. When he's not shooting open jumpers at a very high clip, he loses a lot of value. I think the expectations should be that he recovers to career norms going forward, but a team like Orlando may not be willing to risk games waiting for that.

I'd love to deal Blake for one of their unused front court players (especially Gortat, but Bass would be fine too). The timing, however, may not be in Portland's favour.

 

We have one advantage that I have seen help the team over the years. We are west coast, and we are small market, so a lot of those GM's out east don't see us a bunch. Steve Blakes shooting might not matter so much. I often feel it was that advantage that allowed us to trade Zbo, but that is just an assumption.

 

Many posters didn't want the Blazers to pick up Blake's option . . . and all of sudden he is our best trading asset.

Good thing posters don't make roster decisions . . .

 

Wrong. If they hadn't picked him up, maybe we would have just skipped this whole period of having to endure the playing time problems and jelling issues, and we would have skipped straight to the point of having our talented guards learn on the fly. IMO last year I wanted them to just throw Rudy and Bayless into the fire early in the year with the hope they jell by playoff time. We haven't traded Blake for anything worth a damn yet, and the last time we moved him, I believe he was just a salary throw in to get a draft pick and clear a roster spot. I don't expect to get much, if anything for him now. Most of the things I throw out there for a trade possibility, I view as pipe dreams at best.

 

Well, their complaint with Williams is that he is passive. So if they don't want that out of their PG, I can'timagine they'll like adding Blake.

And I highly doubt being small market, and on the west coast limits our exposure to opposing GMs. That seems a little laughable to me.


As for fans making decisions on Blake, most when talking about him in trades are mentioning him as purely an expiring contract. Had we not picked up his option, we would have had that same cap space to make a move with, but giving a team instant relief as opposed to having to add a player. I didn't like the idea of doing that, personally, but I wouldn't see it as limiting our ability to get something done in trade.

 

I think if we didn't pick up his option, we would likely have an issue at the PG spot, because we probably would have thrown a few extra million towards Hedo, and likely not had enough leftover to sign a PG. Or, maybe Sessions would be aour starting PG right now?

 

If a GM is targeting Blake for a possible trade, he will do his homework on Blake. This is the job they're paid to do...they're not going to trade for a player blindly. Especially for as important a role as manning the starting point guard position, for a title contender, until Nelson returns. GMs will look at all the performance metrics they compile on all players, have scouts watch film on Blake, etc. Fans around the nation may have less familiarity with Blake, but any GM thinking about dealing for Blake will probably come to know him better than any of us do.

 

Wrong that Blake is an asset?

I thought that was what this thread was about.

What is wrong were the posters who thought the Blazers shouldn't pick him up.

 

How is there any way to determine that they were right or wrong in that desire? That doesn't make sense. You have no way of knowing what would have transpired had his option not been picked up, so I can't see how you can say they were wrong for wanting that.

 

So is there any way to detemine if it was right or wrong to give Aldridge that much money, or to re-sign Roy or to sign Miller? We have no way to determined what would have transpired if Blazers didn't sign Miller . . . does that mean we can't have an opinion as to whether the Miller signing was a wrong or right decision?

Maybe you didn't like I said wrong instead of saying IMO. I was simply responding to the previous posters saying wrong . . .

 

I assumed you were talking about Blake, and the Blazers picking up his option, but now am not so sure.

 

The free agency last summer wasn't with some big names and the names dealt aren't doing as well as they did when they came. I think we were wise to pick their options up. I know Blake is struggling now, but he is still a quality back up and for 4.5 mil, it's not a big chunk. Outlaw is needed. We need that scoring off the bench and no one knew he would be injured. Just think on how valuable he is now? We are so thin at PF, it's not even funny.

 

I was another one who was totally against guaranteeing their contracts. It made no sense at the time because I felt there were better players out there in free agency that we could have signed. Neither Blake nor Outlaw have ever been high on my list of quality NBA basketball players, so that is why I thought it was dumb at the time.

 

They aren;t on my list as well, but no one could tell that Roy was so enamored with Blake like he has been this season. Blake is what he is, and his money is worth his weight. As far as Outlaw is concerned, I hate that he doesn't rebound and pass the ball. Neither one gave me this feeling that our season is lost if they leave. They are just role players in my mind.

 

9 million dollars Mags. That's basically what it ammounts to, and I have a feeling we could have added another big time FA for that. Maybe somoene who has a concept of defense?