It could be Aldridge is in on the trick play. Who knows, maybe he stays quiet until July 9th rolls around? Or maybe today we see some blockbuster that sends us Boogie and emergence of Woj detailing this trade and how Aldridge and Matthews are coming back?
If rumor mills like a Dallas cheerleader make folks think he's leaving...Olshey probably started them so they'd leave him alone until the 1st then Olshey can stop answering phone calls about him and make phone calls about players we're adding around him
That contradict what Woj reported. The only reporter worth listening to. And one most connected with the blazers.
That dealing batum wasn't the first step in rebuilding and that aldridge was aware of the trade before it was announced.
Let's say LMA is staying. We just traded our starting SF for bench guys. Wes' future is very much in doubt (due to both health and financial demands). The RoLo situation is a mystery. That's 3/5ths of our starting lineup looking at a change. Saying that isn't a rebuild seems like semantics. No matter what you call it, drastic changes have already started.
Unless the players we obtained for Batum, with a couple players and draft pick, net a marquee player.
There aren't any marquee free agents (and the closest approximation are players that won't be leaving their current teams: Kawhi/Gasol). The only marquee player that's rumored to be moved is Cousins, and as badly as I hope we get him I just don't see us pursuing him, let alone obtaining him (but huge kudos to Neil if he closes that deal!). What other marquee players are there that we have a chance at getting?
That doesn't really contradict anything Woj said. Woj said LA knew about the deal, but he really didn't say anything about LA's status with the team. I think you're making an inference there.
It is what Woj HASN'T said which still gives me pause. Trust me, if LMA was gone and Woj knew it then he would say so. Until I hear it from Woj or LMA himself then I not believing it one way or another.
That's why I delved into the bit about Cousins as the only marquee player under contract whose been rumored to be moved. Generally when marquee players are being moved you know ahead of time: Melo, LBJ, Bosh, Howard, Cousins. That level of player lets it be known that they want to be moved - teams don't surprise-trade away marquee players...unless said player just forced Utah's coach into early retirement!
I seem to recall reading a while back that Woj didn't have any traction with the Blazers, as far as getting intel or knowing what's going on with the team. We're one of the teams that has been able to effectively stonewall him.
That's interesting considering he's been the first to break almost every blazer move the past few years. First to break batum too
