Imho, if (by some miracle) Kobe opted out and signed in Portland (and it didn't end up costing us Rudy, Greg, LaMarcus or Rudy), the three things would be true. 1. KP would be a freaking genius. 2. A vocal minority of fans would bitch very loudly 3. We'd win the title next year. But it won't happen. Kobe would never leave LA.
I couldn't come up with five players off the top of my head, so I looked at ESPN's lists for the next two years and sorted them by position: C Robert Swift Aaron Gray Marcin Gortat Kyrylo Fesenko Zaza Pachulia PF Channing Frye SF Grant Hill Ron Artest Hedo Turkoglu Shawn Marion Devean George Wally Szczerbiak SG Dahntay Jones Keith Bogans Desmond Mason Anthony Parker Ronnie Price Mario West Josh Childress Trenton Hassell Kareem Rush Morris Almond Devin Brown Alex Acker PG Andre Miller Stephon Marbury Mike Bibby Jason Kidd Anthony Carter Jason Hart Jacque Vaughn Anthony Johnson Tyronn Lue Kevin Ollie PF is the easiest choice for me. I am very happy with Aldridge/Outlaw/Frye there, I want Frye back. I could accept other players at PF, but I like the skills Frye brings and his sense of humor is a bonus and he likes Portland so he might sign cheaper than other players. I would let Blake go at PG and bring in another veteran for a year or two. I think Andre Miller is my favorite there right now, but, unlike others here, I wouldn't be against Marbury either. I also want a veteran to mentor Batum and Webster, Grant Hill is my first choice there, then Artest. At the other two positions, our greatest needs IMO are a defensive specialist at SG and a raw center, especially on defense. We can fill at least one of those through the draft, Gerald Henderson and BJ Mullens respectively are my favorite draft prospects at those two positions. If we don't get Mullens, I remember thinking that Robert Swift was a decent player when he was healthy and we might be able to get him cheap. I like a number of defensive specialist SG free agents, hopefully we can get one for cheap if we draft Mullens.
This is the most unexpected paragraph I have ever read on here. You're definitely in the minority on wanting to keep Frye, but that overall idea is odd.
The way I see it, our current depth chart is: Blake/Rodriguez/Bayless Roy/Fernandez Batum/Webster (or Webster/Batum if you prefer) Aldridge/Outlaw/Frye/Randolph/Ruffin/LaFrentz Przybilla/Oden (soon to be Oden/Przybilla until Przybilla leaves) I like the idea of being three deep at each position, right now we have way more depth than we need at PF and could use a bit more elsewhere. Letting Randolph, Ruffin and LaFrentz go is the obvious part. The question is who do we get to replace them. As I said in my other post, I still like Frye, and I see Outlaw as a PF, so that position is still covered. I don't think we need a C to replace Pryzbilla or Oden in the rotation, or a SF to replace Batum or Webster or a SG to replace Roy or Fernandez, so I looked for players that would be satisfied with a very small contract, playing just a few minutes off the bench and filling a specific role for us for those few minutes. Those roles are a defensive SG, a mentor for Batum and Webster and a raw play at C who might be ready to take Przybilla's place if he leaves for more playing time and/or more money in a year or two. I also want to replace Blake, and that is where I think we should spend most of our cap space to get the player we want. I suppose we could also look for a cheap PG and spend our money on a SF like Artest, or Prince in a trade if we can pull it off, but I think it would be easier to give the older PGs a shorter contract, and would therefore make the transition to our young players easier than it would be at SF.
1. KP would be breaking his pledge about character guys 2. true 3. Roy would have to go because Bryant is not going to back up anyone 4. I would never root for this team again 5. They would not win because Bryant would be too disgruntled and everyone else required to kiss his butt 6. Fortunately it does not have a snowball's chance in hell of happening.
You dont think that they would just throw them both out there at the 2 and the 3 and make other teams adjust to us?
Um, no, because that deal is not going to happen. The only time they will play on the same team is at all star games and maybe on the Olympics.
I agree that its not gonna happen but I was referring more to the fact that you said Roy would have to leave.. as if there wouldnt be room for 2 all-star talents.
Two all stars in the same position can cause problems. At any rate, not something I am losing sleep over. Back to the topic, the needs IMO are: a banger as backup PF, possibly starting point guard, and small forward is open - we really don't know how Webster will play or how Batum will pan out. If I were listing in order of need that is how I would put it and if I were a betting woman that is how I'd wager KP would work. I base that on the Blazers do not have a banger at all so that is biggest need. They do have a point guard rotation although it could use an upgrade. KP might wait on the small forward to see how Webster and Batum fare. But who knows.
I think you are dead on for what it's worth. This off season might go a little ways into showing us which direction the team really wants to go. If they settle for Blake and add some beef then Nate will get his way and we will play slow. If KP adds a player like Felton, Kidd, Nash, etc. then KP is truly sending a message to Nate saying he wants to run. Just like he has told all of us he has wanted to since he got here.
I think we can see pretty positively that Kidd and Nash are not targets, because of age if nothing else. If the team goes for a starting point guard they will go for a relatively younger one. However, we are all speculating.
