Could you imagine if you are able to use one of the picks + matthews to get Igs on draft night. Then on July 1st, you offer D Will max? Then you can resign hickson and Batum. D Will, Batum, Igs, Aldridge and Hickson is pretty sexy! D Will would look at that possible line-up; which should be better than any other team also able to offer max.
Look at the Jazz -- they built their Playoff team with an eye on the future with Favors/Kanter/Burks/Hayward. That's what Portland should be doing. But you have a former shoe executive playing a big part in player evaluations and a below average head scout as GM. Hell-bent? Well, they've been pretty good at it in the past few years with their drafts and player acquisitions (via trades).
When are people going to get over this idea that there's a one-size-fits all path to building a contending team in the NBA? When Utah dumped Williams before he could dump them, they went into full rebuild mode. That's a completely different situation than the Blazers are in, having a proven All-Star and some other valuable pieces in place. Draft picks are unproven and they take time to develop into effective NBA players. By the time guys taken at the 6th and 11th spots, assuming they do pan out, finally develop into real grown-up NBA players, LA will be on the downside of his career. Buchannan may have gotten some things wrong in the past, but I don't think he's wrong here. The key to this summer is doing whatever is necessary to add a proven All-Star to pair with LA. Once you have that in place, you can make other moves necessary to fill in around the core.
Some things wrong? I honestly can't think of one thing he's done right. This team is aging and lacks talent. Horrible combo. Use the cap to bring in established players, use the picks on players you can groom along so you can avoid another 2005-esque re-build.
You really ought to do the math before you get yourself all worked up. that scenario is not even close to possible.
Aging? Outside of Kurt Thomas, who may retire, there's nobody remaining on the Blazers' roster who's older than 26. Our two best players, LA and Batum [assuming he's re-signed] are just entering their peak years. Getting another All-Star, preferably at the PG spot, who's fully developed and ready to play with them is the primary objective. I'm not against keeping the picks if there's another way to get the All-Star via free agency, but I'm also realistic enough to know that Portland isn't the dream location most prime free agents want to go to. It may take using a player or two and a pick or two in an unbalanced trade to get the right guy.
What young players do you have outside Batum and Hickson worth keeping? LMA is going to be 27, DWill (for the sake of convo) will be 28. For a non-title contending team, you have to build with an eye on the future.
Who in this draft qualifies as one of those types of players? Beal? Rivers? hmm...... http://blogs.trailblazers.com/Broad...188/EntryID/3852/BroadcasterID/4/Default.aspx
I agree, POR would be STUPID to trade away one of thier draft picks in this particular draft unless the offer was just too good to be true.... Like John Wall...Rajon Rondo... All Star caliber or progressing towards All Star caliber player... and I don't see a lot of those types of guys being available for a draft pick, and if those teams are so willing to deal them. it should make you wonder why (see my post above)...
LMA, Batum & Hickson is a sufficient good nucleus if you add the right All-Star. The idea of building a contender through the draft is generally fools gold. Unless you luck into a Kevin Durant, you're much more likely to have a Timberwolves experience...in the lottery seven - edit- make that eight- straight years and counting.
Beal is undersized. His shit will get blocked. Rivers is OJ Mayo at best. Lamb still has the most potential to do it for my money.
You've admitted before you have no clue about the draft and that you wanted people to 'sell' you on players. Now you're making these bold predictions?
Another talent evaluator believes Barnes will have to reassess his place in the game. "I think he should be an adequate defender, but to be honest, he's got to get over the fact that he was the high school player of the year and the greatest thing going, and the fact that he's no longer that," said a Pacific Division scout. "I don't know where his head's at. But he's a quality kid. No reason he can't figure it out. When he came to college I expected someone who was ahead of Shane Battier at that developmental stage, and Shane's had a pretty good career ... I never saw Harrison Barnes as LeBron James or Kobe Bryant or Jerry Stackhouse. I just saw a nice, solid player." Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...rrison_Barnes_Will_Be_Solid_Pro#ixzz1tfYkynob
The scout alludes to the fact that he doesn't know Barnes personally but isn't what he is commenting on generally considered a plus for Barnes? He knew his role at UNC, he played off of Marshall, he wasn't selfish, he (and his UNC teammates) all played the game the way Roy Williams wanted him to play. Seems like a high character kid who is more than willing to play winning basketball and take any role to win. His uber-hype in HS didn't seem to effect his fitting into a defined role at UNC. When you watch highlight reels of him you do see why people like him though. That pull-up J is a shot he can get whenever he wants against anyone he wants, even in the NBA. That's mostly where the Paul Pierce comparisons come from. People who've seen him outside of games a lot claim hes got great handles that you don't see much of at UNC, this is why many think he'll be better in the NBA where he'll have more space to actually get all the way to the rack. I don't think anyone actually expects him to become Paul Pierce but maybe a Caron Butler type? Solid all-around SF with nice size and athleticism, not a star and doesn't make his teammates much better but does everything you want in an NBA SF.
All I think about when I hear trading picks for vets is the Wizards dealing the #5 pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye. :MARIS61: Fez hit the nail on the head in another thread, saying it would be like sac bunting instead of swinging for the fences. This team is NOT close to contending. Outside of Aldridge and Elliot, who else has star power on this team? And please don't say Batum. We need to rebuild the way we did in 2006. Draft wisely and it will come. Aldridge, Iggy (hypothetical player we'd get for trading both picks) and Dragic MAY get us past Round 1, but that's about it. I'm done with just trying to get past the First Round. I want to contend for championships, and the most sustainable way in doing so is through the draft. We could have two Top-11 picks in one of the best draft classes in recent years. There isn't a better way to start the re-building.
