Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free agent."

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by chris_in_pdx, Jul 9, 2013.

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  1. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Pippen asked to be traded to Portland as well.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #21
  2. chris_in_pdx

    chris_in_pdx OLD MAN

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Yes it is. Aldridge is not a franchise future HOF'er like Duncan. Yes, SAS was lucky to get him, and their success has been directly tied to him. If Portland had lucked out in drafting Duncan, we might be talking about Portland's multiple championships. But to say "well, SAS drafted Duncan and look what they did, we can do the same with LaMarcus!" is ridiculous.
     
    chris_in_pdx, Jul 9, 2013
    #22
  3. Boise Blazer

    Boise Blazer Thread Lightly

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    So if OKC had 25 mil in cap space then no elite player would consider playing with Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka? Bullshit. Yes, it would have to be the perfect scenario but I dont buy the never, ever, ever theory.
     
    Boise Blazer, Jul 9, 2013
    #23
  4. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    You are completely missing the reply. The concept was having the ability to lose games for an opportunity to get a high pick. Did we purposely lose games to obtain high picks? Yes... We got #2 and #6. We aren't talking about players. We are talking about high picks. Pay attention! LMAO!
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #24
  5. Blaze01

    Blaze01 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Yes this is true, miracles can happen, but I don't think you don't plan on building a championship team with that as one of your strategies...

    But before we all succumb to doom and gloom, remember that POR has done this before by building thier core through the draft and WON a championship...injuries derailed a potential dynasty (or at least another championship)....

    and injuires derailed a very promising triumvarate in Roy\Oden\LA....

    That is why when I look at the 2014 draft, a draft that certainly appears to be shaping up to be rich in premium talent....and the fact that POR will likely NOT have thier pick...will NOT have any relevant cap space and if they hold onto to LA too long, will NOT be able to recoup significant assets in return for him....that to me is very problematic....

    I am not conviced that POR could necessarily trade LA for a top 5 pick in next years' draft...
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2013
    Blaze01, Jul 9, 2013
    #25
  6. chris_in_pdx

    chris_in_pdx OLD MAN

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    The OP writer was talking about Portland, not OKC and other "small market" teams. He was talking about Portland specifically.
     
    chris_in_pdx, Jul 9, 2013
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  7. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Don't mind the "sky is falling" chain gang. They forgot that Pippen and Barkley asked to be traded to Portland when they were relevant.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #27
  8. The_Lillard_King

    The_Lillard_King Westside

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    The city isn't big enough and the franchise history isn't rich enough to land a big-name free agent.

    Guess I don't know what he means by big-name free agent. He starts out with the Blazers have almost 12 million to spend and ends with the Blazers can't land a big-name free agent. The Blazers could have signed one of the "big-named" free agents for 12 million a yr, but choose a different direction. He makes it sound like the Blazers could not have signed a big name free agent this summer( (12 million dollar contract type player).

    Anyways, if marquee means Lebron, then I agree. But the odds of getting Lebron in the draft is only a hair higher than impossible to sign as FA.
     
    The_Lillard_King, Jul 9, 2013
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  9. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Or build enough assets to trade for a star, like Bob Whitsitt.
     
    BBert, Jul 9, 2013
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  10. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    How do you supposed we will be in the running for the 2014 lotto? Our team doesn't suck enough, even if we trade away Aldridge.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
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  11. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Huge difference than signing as a FA, also was 10-20 years ago. Players, the game and money has changed
     
    Mediocre Man, Jul 9, 2013
    #31
  12. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Not true, our team was under the cap when we made the WCF in 1998-99. After we contended; players wanted to come to us. Funny how that works.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #32
  13. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    It will just take some luck and the right combination of players.

    For example if Portland would have selected Durant instead of Oden we would have had the Big Two of the needed big three. PA would have been willing to go over the cap and sign a big time FA. Portland would have made a huge push to get Howard. But now what is the point? We are not a big time FA away from being a champion. I trust Olshey and if we get to the point where we are one away from possible championship glory then I see PA and Olshey making the move.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Jul 9, 2013
    #33
    magnifier661 likes this.
  14. chris_in_pdx

    chris_in_pdx OLD MAN

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    I still fail to see what "high picks" have to do with attracting marquee free agents. Yes, if Portland lucked into a core three-four players through high draft picks that ended up being supermen and propelling the team into the late rounds of the playoffs, bigger ticket FAs would be tempted to come here, as Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen were. But that's what it would be: luck. It would have nothing to do with cap space, or the fact that Portland is an attractive place to play professional basketball. It's not. It rains. It's cold. The fans are demanding and the local media is intrusive. If the Blazers were successful, as they have been occasionally, that changes the scenario somewhat. Players who want to play deep into May and June might look over the negatives to play in Rip City. But as the Blazers stand now, and usually stand? Fuck no. Dwight Howard would never consider playing here. LeBron James would never consider playing here. Kevin Durant would never consider playing here. Go down the list of the top 20 players in the NBA, and given the choice between Portland and any other "have" team in the league, given the same amount of money offered, the "have" team would be chosen. End of story. That's the truth.
     
    chris_in_pdx, Jul 9, 2013
    #34
  15. Blaze01

    Blaze01 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    You don't have to have the worst record...and they don't necessarily have to have the #1 pick either....there are at least 4-5 premium players that people are talking about....

    Obviously Wiggins is the prize...but there are some other potential players like Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Andrew Harrison...
     
    Blaze01, Jul 9, 2013
    #35
  16. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Do you think a Marquee Free Agent wouldn't mind playing with Durant and Westbrook in OKC?
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #36
  17. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    What I'm trying to tell you is that we will get return for Aldridge. WE won't just trade him for a draft pick and cap relief. Any talent that comes back will still be talent. AND I believe Lillard, Stotts, Matthews and even Batum won't want to lose; so we will be middle of the pack. WE may even still lose our draft pick as well.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #37
  18. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    Well said (repp'd). If we picked Durant instead of Oden; I have no doubt that Howard would like to be traded to Portland.

    Our problem was we had bad management. That management couldn't see the forest through the trees. In just one true off-season, Olshey really put us in a good position. I have faith OLshey will get the right players and make the right choice if he needs to.
     
    magnifier661, Jul 9, 2013
    #38
  19. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    If the owners of OKC weren't so financially fucked the Thunder could have had a Big 3. Instead they traded Harden away because they couldn't handle the penalties for going over the cap. Paul Allen would not have those problems.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Jul 9, 2013
    #39
  20. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    Re: Bitter Truth: "Portland will never, ever, ever be able to sign a marquee free age

    We didn't tank for Oden. If we had, we would've thrown the Black Saturday game against Seattle, ended up with their lotto numbers instead of ours, and drafted Durant. Instead, we tried to win every game. And just sucked at it, for most of the year.
     
    BrianFromWA, Jul 9, 2013
    #40
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