OT: Bulls looking to move Noah? ('Tone called this one last week)

I don't think the Blazers are going to extend JJ Hickson. If the draft position works out as the odds say, they'll take a back-up PF with one of the two picks, or maybe even a center like Zeller.

Actually, I'll go out on a limb and guess the Blazers don't re-sign Hickson if he gets much of an offer from another team.

I can see him accepting the Q.O. at some point, though, because I'm not sure which team is going to blow a few days of the FA period over him.

 

He played so well though... you think they'll just let him walk for nothing? I'm not super sold on the guy because he seemed pretty one-dimensional, but he has talent. I hate to see talented players walk away for nothing.

 

OK, that's fair at a minimal contract for Miller. I'd start Marshall right away if he's a lottery pick, though. Portland wasn't a playoff team, and I see no reason to start a guy who is a proven failure when it matters over a lottery PG.

 

I hate seeing players put up stats on a bad team in a contract year, after another bad team waived them, and then get a big contract from the team that claimed them off of waivers.

 

That team is still without a real go-to guy who can create their own offense. It's like we'd be a lesser version of the current Indiana Pacers.

I think I know talent well enough and the current landscape of who can be had -- Get DeMarcus Cousins before it's too late!

 

I'm just looking at that list of free agent point guards, and if we don't end up signing someone like Dragic and we don't have any cap space left, I could see someone like Miller or maybe even Billups taking less money to start again. But I could also see them signing with a team like the Heat or Knicks. Miller would actually be pretty good on the Heat.

 

Why are you so convinced that we could get Cousins?

 

He's been on the block since last summer but they want a lot in return. With two lotto picks and some other assets I think we could put together a respectable offer. They have to separate DeMarcus and Tyreke -- Their egos are too much alike.

 

So you're assuming that Cousins is a #1 option?

 

Its so easy to criticize when you never take a hard stance on anything.

 

He can be with the right coach.

 

The team fired a coach over DeMarcus Cousins inability to get along with him. I think Cousin's is their future.

 

This team needs a player(s) that can put the ball on the floor and score, creating for themselves and others. That was our biggest downfall this year. The only players that could put the rock down and create either only looked for a shot themselves (Crawford), or absolutely sucked (Felton).

I'd rather see us go hard after Harden, Gordon, or hell even Dragic than Noah, or Deng.

 

I think it would take A TON to get Harden. I thought Gordon was an option until they found a new owner for the Hornets, and I don't see that guy letting their only real star player go. Dragic is a real possibility though. There just aren't that many players available in free agency that fit that description. Maybe Beal drops to us and we sign Dragic, or maybe pull off some trade that we aren't considering.

 

Also, if your theory is that they need to move one of Evans or Cousins, I think it's Tyreke that goes. Without a doubt.

 

They should just amnesty Boozer.

 

Does that make them better though? It doesn't get them under the cap, does it?

 

About 8 mil under the cap, so it should allow them to sign both Asik and Gibson and stay under the luxury tax.