I'd really like to see Haywood here, but not at that price. Steve Blake or Outlaw would be a good starting point, IMO. Washington needs to clean house and everyone knows it. Plus, the Blazers have been just fine without a true center.
This is where it starts to make more sense. The wizards (assuming they void Arenas' contract) would be left with the following for the remainder of the year and would have some decent pieces moving forward (including what will likely be their very high draft pick) Blake/Boykins Foye/Rudy Miller/Nic/McGuire Jamison/Blatche/Travis McGee/Joel Green=Expiring Contract Red=Injured Who knows where they go from here, but I think a backcourt rotation that includes Rudy, Foye and likely one true point guard (John Wall if they get lucky?) would be pretty formidable. If they kept Miller I imagine he'd start over Nic for awhile, otherwise they'd need some more depth there eventually and once Joel is healthy he and McGee as their one-two punch at center isn't bad and it at least gives Javale a defensive minded pivot to learn the game from.
I wouldn't trade either one of those guys straight up for Haywood. Oden will be back and Howard/Pendergraph/Aldridge can get backup minutes at center.
So you're plan going forward counts on a healthy Oden I take it? That might happen, but planning accordingly would be foolish beyond belief for a GM.
I hope Kevin Pritchard laughed then hang up. Haywood is a decent player but not worth both Rudy and Batum.
i love how everyone thinks greg and joel will be ok for next season. joel might not play till 2011. oden is always hurt (see redd) and yet you want to pass on a solid starting center for batum? a guy who cant hit a jumper to save his life? oden playing 82 games in a season..... no chance in hell. you have oden... you better have a better then average backup.
Why can't all this be addressed this summer? I'm not against trading for a Center right now, but not at the expense if disrupting this sweet chemistry the team is displaying.
I'd be willing to let Rudy go in a deal for Haywood, but not Batum. Rudy will never have a big role in Portland backing-up Roy. He's basically a scorer off the bench here, and I can see Bayless filling that role (and Outlaw when we get him back). With all of our guards, I just don't see Rudy getting the minutes or playing the role he wants. Now that he's back, he's going to be taking minutes from Bayless, which will slow Jerryd's growth. I know a lot of fans love Rudy, but I see him as the odd man out in our backcourt. BNM
My plan just doesn't include trading either Rudy or Batum for Haywood. I would be shocked if KP was not in agreement with me.
It's not that difficult to look up a guy's statistics you know. Give it a shot, you'll notice that this "can't hit a jumper to save his life" crap is just that -- crap.
This. If the Blazers are even semi-serious about trying to be a contender, they need to find a young(ish) and reasonably healthy center. Haywood is not the optimal solution, but he may be the best solution available.
You would trade one or the other for Heywood? Wow. What can Heywood do that Pendergraph cannot, that is worth losing Rudy or Batum!? You are crazy man. Rudy for Heywood. Unbelievable! I try not to post anymore, but I had to say something. Some of you just have no clue.
I'm wondering why everyone thinks Wheels has the hot poop on the scoop now, but when actual deals are flying, mum's the word. Where's the offer from NYK? GSW? NJN? HOU? All teams that other writers have reported are calling around the league being "active". What was our counteroffer to WAS? I call B.S. on all of this. First, the OP trade doesn't work out legally...we're not stupid and can read the CBA. Second, why when "KP doesn't talk about trades" do we all of a sudden we hear about this garbage deal? Why can ESPN reports not be used as anything more than "rumor" ("even though it was in ESPN, you can't believe that they'd give up Harris for Jack, Frye and Outlaw") but Wheels on a radio show with no source can say something like this... Whatever. Meh.
2 words for you dude - "position scarcity". Haywood is a competent 7'. Rudy is a competent SG. The latter is *much* easier to replace. It wouldn't be much of an exageration to call Rudy a "throw in" on a Batum-for-Haywood deal. (as Batum has at least a *chance* to be an "all defensive team" type player)
Or we could just sign Haywood this summer and not lose a player. Not like Haywood would be the difference between Portland winning and not winning the division.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yf6w3mv I would do it. Miller/Bayless Roy/Bayless/Martell Butler/Martell LMA/Pendergraph/Cunningham Haywood/Howard/Oden
