Which former all-star will Blazers trade for?

In the 12/29, Trail Blazer Courtside, Mike Barrett predicted:

• Trail Blazers will make a blockbuster deal right before the trade deadline using Raef LaFrenz’s contract to land a "former" all-star

• I assume any blockbuster will not involve Roy, Aldridge and Oden.
• It will not be someone 30 and over so they can grow with the big three.
• It will fill a PG or SF position.

I took 57 all-stars from 2003-2008 (i.e. 2002 and later you get into 30+ yr old players) and went through the process of elimination:

• Current All Stars (24 players)
• 30 and over (20 players)
• Big three (i.e. PGs & SFs) - any blockbuster would fill a position not occupied by Roy, LaMarcus or Greg - (5 players)
• Playoff bound teams - these stars would probably require giving up one of the big three (5 players)
• Team Culture and Position Preferences - (e.g. PGs - pass first, shoot second) (2 players)

Best Guess Final Result:

• Caron Butler

Four best guess trade scenarios:

• Portland & Washington
  • Outgoing: LaFrenz, Outlaw & Rodriguez - Incoming: Butler, Thomas, Crittenton
• Portland - Golden State - Washington
  • Outgoing: LaFrenz, Outlaw & Randolph - Incoming: Butler, Turiaf & Randolph
• Portland - Charlotte - Washington
  • Outgoing: LaFrenz & Outlaw - Incoming: Butler & Thomas
• Portland - Sacramento - Charlotte - Washington
  • Outgoing: Raef LaFrenz - Incoming: Caron Butler

For details you can see the following link or just ignore it:
http://www.clubblazers.com/blazer-blogs/what-former-all-star-will-portland-trade-for-t1503.html

 

I'd be all over getting Caron Butler if he's willing to accept being a role player here. He can play a little point forward, bring the ball up and ease the pressure off of Roy a bit. He's only 28, he can shoot and defend, does a little bit of everything. He can be a slasher too which is what we need. And he's one of those fallen stars on a bad team that KP always said he targets.

 

I don't know that you can immediately exclude current All Stars just because Rice says it's a "former All Star." Rice isn't exactly a surgeon with the English language, and he might have just meant, "A guy who is normally an All Star but likely wouldn't be on our team." So next year the guy might be a former All Star, although this year he isn't.

You exclude Rashard Lewis because we wouldn't want a PF, SG or Center. But Lewis is really a natural SF, and you could argue he could fit in here. (I don't think it's likely, though.)

Also, I'm not really sure "former all-star" excludes guys over 30. LaFrentz' contract is going to go away anyhow. If you could trade him for, say, Steve Nash or Tracy McGrady, is it really such a bad thing? You ride him for a year or two, and when their contract is eventually due for renewal, you use that expiring contract to trade that guy again for another over-30 All Star.

I don't know that I'd target McGrady or Nash specifically. I just don't see why we shouldn't parlay a completely broken down overpaid vet (LaFrentz) for an overpaid vet on the downside of his career, but with still a lot left in the tank and a lot of playoff experience.

Obviously, I'd prefer Butler or somebody more in our long-term window.

Anyway, it's an interesting thought experiment, and it's cool you put it together. I'm sniping a bit at your thinking, but I'll admit I could be equally wrong with my points.

I hope you are right, though. I'd love to add Caron to this team.

 

I like the fact that Outlaw is part of the deal in 3 of your scenarios. The team's basketball I.Q. goes way up the moment he leaves.

 

ive said it since pre season...if we wanna make the playoffs..we need a scoring/vet at the SF spot.

webster can backup at the SF spot. Batum will become a DNP

 

Richard Hamilton and Shawn Marion may also fit your criteria.

 

Very curious! I cannot wait to see who we get.

 

Nevermind -- I clicked the link and saw the process of elimination.

 

Nice work--thanks for the interesting read! I'd be very happy with Butler!

 

I don't see the Wizards parting with Butler (even though they just won a big game with him out) - with Gilbert Arenas perpetually out with injury he's their only relatively young star. No, I see them wanting to move Antawn Jamison.

Here's a trade that works:

Wizards give up:
Jamison ($9.9M, 4yrs)
DeShawn Stevenson ($3.6M, 2yrs)
Etan Thomas ($6.9M, 2yrs)

Blazers give up Raef's contract, Channing and Outlaw.

It's actually easier to work this without Raef's contract, and this isn't obviously in the Blazers' favor. But Jamison makes a lot more sense to the Wiz than Butler.

PROS:
Consolidation for Portland: instead of 3 young SFs, we now have one and a backup (Martell and Batum)
Improved backup PF: Jamison (who is a former all-star) > Channing
Jamison is a better "featured scorer" with the second team because he's famous for not holding up the ball.
Stevenson is a tough, strong guy with a reputation for defense to put on the chunkier swingmen in the league (LeBron, Bryant).
Thomas, the NBA's foremost anti-war poet, comes to his spiritual home.

CONS:
Jamison is not as good as Outlaw at creating his own shot
Outlaw is everybody's buddy and brings the team together
Jamison sulked when a backup with Dallas

Alternatively, I can see us targeting Kirilenko:

Here's the trade:

Raef, Channing, Ike and Outlaw or Webster
for
Kirilenko and Harpring (as a salary dump)

I really think Kirilenko would be perfect off the bench with the Spaniards as part of a scrambling, pressing squad, and also plays better at PF, replicating some of the advantages of the previous suggestion. He's already moved into a backup role for Utah, and his game has rebounded as a result.

[Edit: I just read your expanded reasoning, and I see you rule out Jamison because he's over 30 and Kirilenko because he's playoff-bound. I think the Jazz are more likely to make a move simply because they know they're going to be shaken up by Boozer opting out, and I also think the Blazers can afford to take on an older player as a sort of "transition" guy: taking us to a higher level until Aldridge is a solid all-star and Batum is older and wiser. I think my reason for ruling out Butler (that is: what else have the Wizards got? You have to assume that they're just giving up on the NBA) is at least as compelling.]

 

Mook, no problem, I looked at Rashard Lewis, but seriously if you are a playoff team like Orlando would you be making a trade before the deadline with one of your big three.

I'm a newbie on this site, but some of you know who I am from other sites. Anyway....

My inside source told me the Blazers will be a better team then they are now after the trade deadline, but wouldn't tell me who (i.e. cost them their job), but did tell me all the clues I need are already out there.

If you put all the clues together:
- Mike Rice said earlier this year Blazers are looking for a 28 years or younger veteran who has playoff experience.
- Pritchard said he is looking for a player that will fit team culture and be that 3rd or 4th team scorer that will take pressure off of Roy and Aldridge.
- Top three franchise players - Roy, Aldridge & Oden - that would mean a PG or SF
- Nate wants his point guards to be "pass first, shoot second", so it will mean a SF is targeted
- Barratt predicts former all-star

Caron Butler is my guess

 

Marbury!!!!!!!!!

 

Rastapopoulos, Jamison would be interesting, but isn't he more of a PF than SF?

Kirilenko would be good, but I don't see Utah making a trade with a division rival right now (maybe the summer time) especially when both Portland and Utah could very well be competing for the last playoff spot.

 

Maybe that's because we'll be at full strength again by then. Butler would be awesome, though.

Does anyone have a link to a podcast of that Courtside?

 

That's not a bad guess based on your selection criteria. I'm still holding out hope for Gerald Wallace myself, but I guess we'll see what happens.

 

Blockbuster implies getting a much better player than is mentioned in this thread so far.

I disagree with all 3 assumptions made by the OP.

Blockbuster also implies we lose someone very good, which I'd hate to see.

JUST BAKE IT!

 

My guess, if it happens, would be we get a PF in his 30's.