No, Travis and Martel can then be traded with stuff for Rubio. It gives Rubio time to develop for a few years before he becomes our premier playmaker. KP is a friggin genius.
Not if we ship out Outlaw and Martell can't play. Sombody needs to be our number 1 scoring option off the bench. Sounds like the perfect role for Rudy, IMHO. Gerald Wallace is my preferred option at SF, but I doubt we can get him. Larry Brown seems to really like him, but Charlotte ownership is extremely cash strapped - and with Diaw and Vlad Rad they have players on their roster than can absorb Wallace's minutes (especially, if we send them Outlaw). So, a lopsided sign and trade of Wallace, plus a bad contract, for Outlaw and Blake, may not be completely out of the question. If it is, Hedo wouldn't be a bad fall back plan - if the contract isn't too long. BNM
Most of them, but I can see running an occasional three guard line-up with Roy, Rudy and Bayless. Depending on the match-up, they could also go small with Turk at the 4 and Rudy at the 3. Lot's of possibilities. BNM
So Rudy can count on 10-12 minutes behind Brandon, and 'occasional' minutes in a 3 guard lineup. Turk at the 4 and Rudy at the three gets Rudy minutes at Nic's expense. Nic was told at the end of the season that the starting spot was his to loose. I doubt that he will be happy sitting to make Rudy happy. Doesn't seem like lots of possibilities to me. Guess we'll agree to disagree. I still believe that Rudy needs (and will want) to go if the Blazers bring in a starting quality SF.
We would have to trade a fair amount to get Rubio. More like Blake, Outlaw, Martell (would they take him?) and one of Rudy, Batum or Bayless. Bayless or Rudy would be the logical choice there unless you want to ship Batum (NOOOOO!) and bring over Claver? If you include Batum you have to keep Outlaw (NOOO!!!!) or Martell (might not play). That's quite a lot of caveats to consider. Do you really think we have the horses to get Rubio? I think we do but we will have to give up some talent either Rudy or Bayless plus Outlaw and Blake might get it done. Not sure if Minnie has any interest in Przybilla.
If we pick up Hedo I think you have to assume that either Rudy or Batum are gone probably in exchange for a PG of some sort. If you pick up Hedo you have Outlaw, Martell, Przybilla (maybe), Bayless, Blake and one of Rudy or Batum to trade for a PG. That's alot of ammo. If you do the trade first then you can pull off a lopsided trade like Harris and a 2010 expiring.
Isn't a greater worry that Batum will now have many fewer minutes? And thus our defense goes from bad to very bad. Batum is actually somebody you can stick on a guard. I doubt that's a good idea with Turkoglu (Kobe on that one shot excepted).
I don't disagree, Rasta. I think Nic is going to be a stud, and I'm not at all convinced that Turk will be better than Nic, when D is factored in. I'm not big on the idea of getting a SF, but if that's the direction, I assume that the new SF will have to beat out Nic for the starting spot. At least, that's what management said at the end of last season. My point was that Rudy gets much of his PT at SF, and SF minutes will be used up by the SF's, if we bring in a quality 3.
I'm not convinced Batum is going to become this special player. I think he's a hustle type role player who's ceiling is Ariza. If that happens, then great, but he's really not as good as everyone makes him out to be. I'd be happy with an upgrade at SF.
As I have posted many other place, Portland isn't going to do a trade. Further, Orlando doesn't want to take an salary back, so a straight up trade is out of the question even if the salary goes down. Blake and Outlaw aren't going anywhere.
Now for the bright side of the news. It was announced today that New Orleans has the higheset salary of any team in the league at 87.5 million. What do you want to bet they are going to start cleaning house?
For all of the other free agents this might be true. Hedo, unlike the rest, was a main player on a team that went to finals. That alone will get him paid.
Interesting. I see his ceiling as Tayshaun Prince. I also think that out of Rudy, Bayless and Batum he is the best shot to be a real impact player for this team. If Rudy didn't have Roy in front of him you could make a case there. Batum had so many godlike breakaway dunk attempts that he blocked it was astounding. He reminded me of the rundown man "Jerome Kersey" in fact that's who I think Batum could be like with less athleticism but vastly more length.
I never worry about someone not getting enough minutes. I have heard it re: David Lee and now regarding Hedo/any other SF. We should get as many good players as possible and let the coach work it out. Injuries happen and players like Roy and Hedo and Aldridge and Lee can play multiple positions... there will be plenty of minutes to go around. I just don't want to have any Frye- or Sergio-level players getting ANY minutes. Ed O.
That's the thing. I feel like he's becoming overrated (well, he already was) because he made a ton of highlight reel plays.
Batum won't be 21 until December... I think it's hard to overrate him at this point as a prospect. His PER was not stellar, but it wasn't bad at all. Where he adds real value, of course, is in his defense and that's not captured in his PER. I don't know that Batum will ever be an all-star--I don't know that he'll ever score enough--but I expect him to have a very good chance to be an all-star level player. Ed O.
