(idea from Blazer_Guy @ blazersedge) So there were rumors this summer we were going after a rugged backup PF, and Bass was one of the names mentioned. But as we spent time going after Turkoglu and then Milsap he had already signed in Orlando, looking for more playing time. Well he's not getting it, or much playing time at all now. They prefer 4's who can shoot three's and now Bass is the third string C and PF, getting almost no minutes. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-orlando-magic-notes-1123-20091122,0,7972219.story Even logging a couple of DNP's lately. He's very athletic, quick laterally, and slightly undersized (which is a knock), while being a ferocious energy guy and a decent mid-range shot. The big knocks on him are that he can be overly aggressive (O and D) and isn't a tremendous rebounder due to size. However, he'd be much less aggressive (offensively) than Outlaw, and is a much better rebounder than Outlaw, and is much less undersized than Outlaw. Plus having Bass next to Joel or Greg they wouldn't be left on an island underneath giving up a bunch of fouls while Bass is out at the three point line (and never following his misses). I think he could make a ton of sense, and his contract is 3 year, only 4 million a year. We couldn't offer him the playing time he wanted this offseason but we could do a lot better than Orlando is now and probably get him 15-20 mpg at least now w/Outlaw out. So what could we give up? Orlando is loaded and we don't have any clear upgrades to their guys that we'd want to give up, that's the problem. HOWEVER they do now need a short-term PG who can shoot the ball with Jameer out. I'd really love to give them a Florida native (Blake) who can shoot extremely well and will plug in short term as the starter or main back up. Blake for Bass works contract wise (we could maybe throw in Pendergraph too), the big questions would be how badly is Jameer hurt, when will he come back. how much does Nate love Blake and would we be willing to give him up? What does KP think about the Roy/Blake/Nate love triangle and does he want his offseason signing to start in Miller. I personally think this is a great rotation: Miller/Bayless Roy/Fernandez Webster/Bass/Cunningham Aldridge/Bass Oden/Pryzbilla with next year Batum coming back at 3, Koponen coming in to play some 1, and Freeland possibly coming over. We'd get a lot tougher for sure, and finally get to see what Bayless is really made of, hopefully at least raising his trade value as I don't necesarily think he'd be a great fit long term. Fernandez likely gets some minutes at 1 and 3.
I wonder if Orlando would be interested in Andre Miller. I don't hold any illusions that the Blazers team will be handing the starting PG spot to Miller any time soon... Ed O.
Stan Van likes shooters, but I I also wonder if he'd take a flier on Miller. That team has so many guys who are better off the ball anyway, maybe they'd welcome a true pass first guy who likes to push tempo and throw lobs? It is kind of sad to me that we're sitting here talking about trading Andre Miller for Brandon Bass simply because the Blazers Coach and star player don't really know how to integrate him or play with him.
exactly, but on a fan level would you welcome a Blake for Bass swap (mostly to get Miller in the starting lineup?)
Miller has been traded away from teams that had a player like Melo, and was not resigned by a Philly team that now plays Lou Williams as their PG after playing next to Iggy... Quite frankly, he is a good PG - but it is not the first time in his career where a team has problems to really take a step to the next level when he plays next to star players. The year before he was traded from Denver they finished with 44 wins (last time a team he was one finished over .500) - it's not like he is really that great next to other star players. Maybe, it's time accept that Miller is a great individual player - but he is not the franchise transformer we expected him to be... The ability to score the ball from a distance is a much bigger deal, in today's NBA, than it was even a decade ago. Heck, you have had to be a transcendental PG like Jason Kidd in his prime - to really take an NBA team go to the finals without being a good outside shooter - and Jason Kidd was a much better 3P shooter than Miller ever was, even before his latest shooting improvement (Miller has yet to post a season where he shot better than .300 from the 3, Jason Kidd had only 2 years in a longer career where he did not shoot at least .300 from the field)
No way in hell they do it. Orlando was even more of a jump-shooting/3P shooting team then us. They would not touch him because he fits their system even less than ours...
outlaw for bass straight up? hes a shooter? btw bass would maybe get 10-15 minutes depending on foul trouble is he going to like that any better than his situation in orlando? id be afraid of trading for him because situation would be a little bit better for him but not by much seeing as aldridge plays 35-40 minutes a night in some cases when hes not in foul trouble
I think (this year at least) Bass could log some minutes at 3 and maybe every once in a while him next to Aldridge at 4. I think 15 mpg automatically and then an extra five or so gets him to twenty. Not ideal for him but around the same as in Dallas.
I would love for Portland to get Bass since he was one of the guys I thought Portland should have targeted in the off season. The dream of using Blanky in a trade is just that, a pipe dream. Blake is going to end his career in Portland and he will be a starter for as long as Nate is the head coach. After all, Nate really did show his hand in the preseason when he said Blake would be the starter before the team even had one practice. Nate loves Blanky and nothing Blake does is going to change that.
Adjusted +/- based on data since 2005-2006 season. Rating is points generated per 100 possesions. Code: Player Name Rating O-Rtg D-Rtg StdErr Minutes Raw +/- Per 48 Aldridge, La +5.0 +2.2 [COLOR="red"]-2.9[/COLOR] 2.4 7,350 +3.1 Howard, Juwan [COLOR="Red"]-7.3 -3.5[/COLOR] +3.8 2.4 5,501 -2.8 Bass, Brandon [COLOR="red"]-7.6 -3.4[/COLOR] +4.3 2.6 3,742 -0.8 (Negative defense is good)
