highly unlikely Hickson will be granted a $4.4 million qualifying offer

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2012/06/blazers_insider_gm_neil_olsheys_enthusiam_is_convi.html

 

No need when we got Meyers Leonard!!!! lol

 

Declining Hicksons offer, sign Claver/Freeland grab Nash and cry as were 9th and lose our pick to the bobcats, okay worst case scenario there for me.

 

I think this is a mistake if we're actually trying to win games in as big of a way as possible this year. I don't see us finding someone cheaper to round out our big man rotation. Aldridge-Hickson-Leonard (Freeland-Pryz) could be solid. Throw in an FA if Freeland doesn't work out and you're in a good spot.

 

Portland still needs some bigs, so not signing Hickson is a risk, IMO

 

agree but I think Freeland is probably in the cards and maybe Claver, my guess is Freeland will be a good bit cheaper than Hickson, we'll see

 

Yes. I think it's going to be important for fans to realize and try very hard to see, the extended vision the team seems to have

 

More importantly, to me, is whether Freeland will be a good bit better than Hickson.

Go Blazers

 

I see no way that happens, personally.

But I think the real question is whether Freeland fits into the whatever system Olshey envisions us running. He seems pretty set on building around Aldridge, Batum and Lillard. What do all these players have in common? Pick and roll/pop. Freeland does as well, so does Cooney. Vision is going to be key

 

I am

 

The key to this decision is the cap hold. They think the free agents they will sign by having the extra money will be significant in helping them get who they want to target. That is their plan and a plan that a lot of you have wished for.

Personally I am more of a "one -in-the hand" type of guy, but I suppose what they are trying to do makes sense.

 

If they renounce Hickson, and are able to sign Freeland and Claver as well as Batum, they could have a 11 or so left for FA's

They should easily be able to fill a vet C and PG with that. Probably landing in the lottery once again next season for the last time for the forseeable future

 

I take your point, but I'm not sure I can remember Nic ever setting a pick since he's been here. Maybe it's just a hangover induced brain fart.

Go Blazers

 

for me it's the "correct vision" given where we are, I think Olshey is so far doing what he said, whethr one agrees with the plan is of course another story

 

also having some available capspace for amnestied players I think is a good idea, with the new CbA there could yet be a few decent and cheap pickups from the amnesty side of things, when can a will teams likely amnesyt guys - July 1?

 

I'm torn.... I think with the selection of Lillard we will not be going after a point guard. Signing Dragic makes no sense at this point. I would like to see us throw our cap space at a center, but most of the good ones are RFAs. It's almost better to just try to use the cap space to facilitate a trade and then sign Batum/Hickson/Freeland.

Lillard/Smith
Matthews/Williams
Batum/Babbitt/Claver
Aldridge/Hickson
Przybilla/Leonard/Freeland

 

In my underwhelming experience with the pick and roll you need shooters, and guys that can slash

If the pick and roll is set with Lillard and LA, the defense has to make a decision, right now.

Trap the dribbler and go over the screen.
Hard show and go over.
Pinch, squeeze, or push up and under or through.
Trap and aggressively switch the rescreen.
Show and go under.
Stop the dribbler and go over.
Jump out to stop the ball and go through.
Hug the screener and go under.
Jump and trap the dribbler early before the screen can be set.
Defend the roll man with a big-to-big rotation.
Switch pick and roll - you can always switch equal size players.

With most of those, there will be great opportunities to set a man in a corner for an open three as the defense collapses, as well as a man on the wing who can drive if the PG kicks to him when the defense collapses.

 

Exactly

 

I am more of a "two-in-the-hand" guy. [Insert Mrs. HCP punchline here]

Hickson's decent and did a good job for the Blazers, but I am not going to be incredibly heart broken if he ends up somewhere else. I suspect his first choice would be to resign with the Blazers and so if someone outbids us for him then fine... not going to worry about it.