There is a real chance Utah will match our offer. So who would plan-C be? Lamar Odom is the most talented player left but his $10m demand wont be attractive to an all-of-a-sudden-penny-pinching Paul Allen. David Lee is looking for $10-12m per/year. Andre Miller is a player KP and Co. apparently have littler to no interest in due to his age, lack of a jumpshot, and contract demands. Ramon Sessions is an upgrade but will McMillan let a 22 year old PG lead this team? Ramond Felton is a player I think is a darkhorse candidate to actually be in a Blazer uni this season. Slim pickings and as each FA passes/signs with another team, not trading RLEC is looking worse and worse.
He's not being sarcastic. He's trying to find a good home for Roy because Portland has proven they don't deserve him.
Since we're talking hypotheticals, if Plan-B works, Ray Felton would be a decent pickup in a S&T. His per is nearly identical to Blake but he has room to improve. I like his defense, ability to create his own shot, court vision. The only drawback is his atrocious 3pt shooting (29%).
Sessions would be my ideal target. I don't believe he can be signed directly, as I don't see any way in which Milwaukee doesn't match. However, considering they drafted Brandon Jennings, they may be willing to do a sign-and-trade, if Portland can make it worth their while. So I'd explore that, and nothing is tied up in the meantime. Odom would be a reasonably nice player to add as a free agent, but I expect LA to match any offer he gets and Odom definitely seems to prefer to be a Laker. Beyond those two, there's no obvious target I'm extremely interested in. Miller wouldn't be bad on a 2/3 year deal, but I'd rather Pritchard continued to talk to Chicago about Hinrich and looked for useful players on other teams that might be attainable with cap space and maybe a spare part from Portland.
A lopsided trade has always been the most likely use of the capspace... I'm sure they'll get quite a few offers. STOMP
And if nothing really good is there, there is the additional opportunity of a trade during the season before the trade deadline. Injuries and poor new player fit with teams, are likely to make some potential playoff teams non-contenders by the trade deadline. A long shot, but better to wait on it, than to bring in someone who really won't help that much, just because the money is here now.
I think we're on plan c now, aren't we? A was Hedo, B was a trade, C is Millsap. I have no interest in any of the players, except for David Lee. Lee, would be just as good of a pickup as Millsap. Perhaps even better. Plan E, is to eat the cap space and hope some team come's knocking on our door.
They should just go down the line with RFAs, making the same offer they have to Millsap. Sessions. Marvin Williams. David Lee. Make the teams pay the guys, rather than skating by because no one is putting out offer sheets. I'm not a fan of Raymond Felton at all. I don't like him when I watch him, and looking at his usage (shoot-first PG) and his offensive rating (bad shoot-first PG) the advanced stats seem to support my eyeballs. Ed O.
That has been my #1 choice all along. None of the free agents did much for me and now we have many players to look at.
I actually think that plan A when we made the Zach trade was Chris Paul. I think that plan B was Deron Williams. Perhaps that gives everyone a sense of which plan we're on.
I love this idea. Utah does not want to play nice? Hit 'em hard! If they take the hit, then move on down the list. We'd like any of the above in Portland for Millsap-like dollars. KP should be absolutely ruthless. The exact same scenario with Sessions could be worth a shot -- tell Milwaukee that we'd love a S&T... if they won't do one for Sessions, then we'll make a toxic offer. If we get Sessions - GREAT! If not, then Milwaukee pays. Ed O, you are sometimes very, very right. iWatas
I'd probably be for making the offer to Sessions next, but I don't know about the next two on Ed's list. At that point I might be for just looking on the lopsided trade front. STOMP
Sessions should have been our #1 target, but if we can end up getting him with our cap space, I'd rather the Jazz match on Millsap.
I'm good with this idea! Sessions, then Lee, followed by Williams (just in my opinion) Reasoning: Because for Lee over Williams; LEE opens up greater possibilities at the 2010 Trade Deadline
Where's the love for Sessions around the league? Even Jarrett was offered a contract first over him. Doesn't seem like he's getting any pub or no one is really caring what he's doing. Same with David Lee. Looks like those guys might not get the money they want.
