So who do we go after now since the Memphis grizzlies have resigned Darius Miles? It looks like we will be $7.5 under the cap for the 2009 summer. Will it be enough to lure someone to our team? Do we go after Shaun Livingston the same team who just waived him but just re-took Miles?
I think we can land a better player, via trade, by trading Raef's contract than we could in the FA market.
If you renounce Frye and Diogu it gives you another 7+ million or so It puts them where they need to be to do pretty much what they want. It causes PA to go into the luxury tax land though sooner than later. Blake and Travis can also be moved off the books if need be.
The 15-17 million requires the 8 or so million owed to Blake and Outlaw to be declined (next years options).
I think you are right. With Miles' salary on the books and retaining everyone else including Blake and Outlaw the Blazers are right at about 50 million. Assuming we stay the same in cap space we are looking at 8-9 million Travis and Blake get that up to 15 million
So if it comes down to "Cap Space Survivor" who do you keep and who do you let go? Would you keep one or the other, both or neither? I think it all comes down to who KP's target is, but personally I'd be a lot happier with the production Blake gives us than trying to stick with "Big Shot" Trav and then operate with about 11 million of cap room -- plenty to sign Josh Childress and a decent backup power forward.
A Josh Childress and a Brandon Bass signing would be good - but keep in mind Atlanta can still match Josh Childress's contract offers from other NBA teams.
There's so much bad blood between he and the Hawks, that I'm sure he'd just go back to Greece if the hawks tried to use any leverage ... there could always be a sign and trade agreement worked out however, and considering how little leverage they have over Childress it could be for a fairly minor player (like Sergio or a draft pick) and salaries wouldn't have to match since the Hawks and Blazers are both going to be under the cap. It will be interesting to see what happens.
He's really an underrated player and I'd be happy to have him here. Him and Batum would be a very nice rotation.
If KP turns the cap space into Josh Childress, I'd be more than satisfied. A good backup power forward would just be gravy.
We can't have a team of five all-stars; we're going to need some solid complimentary players who are able to get by on hustle plays, garbage points and defense, Josh Childress is that player to a "T"
Sure if we could manage to swing a Butler or a Wallace. But if neither of those can be done getting Josh Childress on the free agent market as well as a Brandon Bass would be a good deal for Portland. Childress is a veteran who is a do-it-all dirty work kind of player who can handle the ball and takes good shots. Brandon Bass as a banger backup for LMA would be good times. Childress would also enable us to package Outlaw and Martell together for perhaps another veteran and some future picks.
