If you expect the economy to get better by draft day - I can understand it - but if not - a lot of these owners that took a hard-stand would feel a lot worse by draft day and the deals would be done for none-free-agents they want to dump for salary-reasons - and with Portland under the cap they would be able to take the big deal for lesser talent. This is not a binary situation of 0s and 1s.
Remember that Blazers are not limited to a FA this Summer. With the economic issues, there is more value (and opportunity) to pick up a contract via trade. I would be interested to see a list of 2009-2010 contracts that fall between $7-12M. Couldn't they throw in a contract to make it even higher? Outlaw + $7M cap space + 3M TE = $14M player in return? Or Outlaw + $7M cap space + 3M TE = Bad contract + Young good player?
1. You can't combine a TE with a player in a trade 2. Raef + Outlaw right now gives the Blazers 16 million. So why wait?
Josh Smith 10.8M Gerald Wallace 9M Kirk 9.5M Deng 10.3M Josh Howard 10.8M Prince 10.3M Rip 11.3M Mags 8.9M SJax 7.6M Battier 6.8M Granger 9.9M Miller 9.7M David West 9M Calderon 8.2M Jamison 11.6M Butler 9.7M
The deals may get better? You may not have to give up Batum? You may not have to take Nazr? Not making a deal now still keeps the Blazers in the hunt through the Summer. There is no need to rush when you are in a buyer's market.
To me we ware already struggling. We have not played good basketball for a while. We have proven our defense is not good and we can barely beat these weak teams. The only quality road win this year against the west is NO, and that was only because they lost CP3 in the game. So KP, start explaining.
Not making a deal now handcuffs the Blazers this summer. There is no time like right now when the Blazers will have as many assets to deal.
Actually, that's not true. Assuming they don't make a deal by the deadline, the Blazers can use the exact same assets they have right now from the time their season ends up until June 30.
Channing Frye is a nice expiring contract. We won't be able to trade him without re-signing him after the deadline... Further, part of the value of RLEC is that it's insured. The value created by those real-dollar savings are lost after the deadline. We do NOT have the same assets after the deadline as I see it. Ed O.
Ryan (Portland): After a week of dealing with the Blazers, if a deal doesn't get done does, Pritchard run the risk of hurting their ability to talk to teams in the future. Do they look like they are just collecting information? SportsNation Chad Ford: (1:01 PM ET ) I think that's a nice way of saving face. They were trying to do a deal. Didn't get what they want. Talked up the value of Raef LaFrentz relentlessly. Then don't do a deal. I love Kevin Pritchard. But all of the deals he's made so far have been low risk/high reward for the Blazers. This was the first time he had to stick his neck out there. Adding Vince Carter or Richard Jefferson was a higher risk scenario. I sounds like he didn't want to roll the dice.
Yes but that is a little bit late to get help now. The Blazers have been playing like hell lately, barely beating league bottom feeders at home, losing to them on the road. Do you want to make the playoffs this year? I do. I also would like to start building chemistry for down the road, now. Secondly, the Blazers need to recognize the ramifications on passing on such players. Other suitors, such as Houston and San Antonio and Dallas are looking to upgrade their talent. Right now. If they dig down and upgrade, then now we have to face that player on an already very good squad, for the next several years.
Exactly. I'm tired of people saying bake it, and/or don't hurt the team's chemistry, because I really see no reason not to tamper with the team right now. It's very highly unlikely that we make it out of the first round, so I think this is as good a time as any to make a move if it fits our team concept. We aren't playing that well, we haven't been playing that well for a while now, and we have exposed some real holes in our lineup (i.e. point guard and small forward). If we can address those holes, we should do it. With that said, I thought what Chad Ford said was interesting. I get the same feeling, that KP might be unwilling to make a trade that is straight across, rather than a pritchslap.
Jeff (MD): Isn't Pritchard starting to get Paxson syndrome? A few years ago, Chicago had all the young talent and were reluctant to make a trade. Seems Portland is following the same path. SportsNation Chad Ford: (1:09 PM ET ) It's an issue in one sense. GMs have a way of falling in love with their young players. That leads them to overvalue their own talent. They become afraid to let them go because they think they may just be another year away from stardom. Thus ... you see the Blazers reluctant to include Nicolas Batum in a deal even though he's given them little sign that he can be a great NBA player. It's tough when you're so close to the situation.
I'm remaining relaxed about whether or not we trade until a few hours after the deadline. Getting pre-emptively angry doesn't seem to serve much of a purpose.
It's understandable I guess. I don't think there's anyone else that pours more resources into the draft than KP and his staff, and this team is basically hand-picked by him so I could understand the reluctance to part with your babies.
From what I have read...you cannot use that $3 million TE with available cap space to get a player...apparently you cannot use it AT ALL if you are under the cap.... Secondly...Where is this assumption of $7 million in cap space coming from? Who does POR have to renounce to get to that number? Does it take into account the NBA's recent statement that willl be REDUCING the salaray cap for next year? Are you SURE that the economic factors that are driving owners to make deals now, will be the same or worse this summer? I don't see the "golden opportunity" that POR may have this summer.... If someone does, then by all means please enlighten me....
