Where KP's head is at: Today is not the day.

http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/ArticleDisplayPlaceholder/tabid/192/ItemID/1122/Default.aspx

I'm sure many of you already saw that interview but two passages bear analysis:

"I’ve had players come to me and say ‘Listen, I know you guys could be looking to do things.’ I’ve had guys come to me and say ‘Let’s keep this team together. Let’s look at what this team can do. We’re playing as hard as we can, so don’t we deserve the benefit of the doubt?’ I’ve got to take that into account."

So who are those players? I'm thinking Juwan Howard and maybe Brandon Roy.

"We don’t know what Brandon, Oden, LaMarcus looks like after 50 games. It takes 50 games, in my mind, to get even a comfort level. Then you throw Andre in there and now Bayless, who has really played well, and now we have Batum back. What are we with our full complement? I don’t think anybody knows. No one could even predict that."

Interesting. So there's your core in KP's mind. No mention of Travis, Rudy, or Martell.

 

rudy cant even hit a three as of late.

websters too streaky

outlaw wont be resigned

 

The short answer: no, you don't get the benefit of the doubt - this is a business. No, you don't know what the team would look like if everybody was healthy. I don't know how fast my one dog could run if he had 4 legs instead of 3. What's your point?

 

Conversely, based upon past performances, I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt.............unless/until he proves me otherwise. To me, it's the prudent/reasonable thing to do.

 

I think you misread the original quote. It is the *players* who are asking KP for the benefit of the doubt. Outside of Roy, which of them have actually earned it?

 

They haven't yet received the benefit of playing together as an entire team.............the way it was envisioned when pieced together. I can agree with their laments.

 

I wonder if KP thinks his cock is still going to grow at his age?

KPs view of the Blazers can be summed up in one word: Potential. This can work out really well, or it never develops.

 

KP strikes me as an emotional thinker, hearing stuff like this only reinforces that suspicion. Making moves (or not) based on player input tells me he's either too close to them, or too emotionally attached to step back and look at the bigger picture -- which for an NBA GM should ALWAYS be about the ultimate goal of winning a championship, not creating a basketball family -- I don't have a problem if he's holding onto his players because he legitimately thinks they are part of that puzzle, but when people say stuff like,

I think it's fair to start questioning his objectivity and decision making process.

 

If he's going to 'just talk' wouldn't it make more sense to say, "There just haven't been any good offers?"

 

If you read the entire interview, it's clear that KP is looking at the bigger picture. He's looking at winning a title and he knows that this is not the year that's going to happen. The team has too many injuries to key players and not enough experience to have a realistic shot at winning this year. Couple that with the fact that the contracts of his younger players are too small to make a trade for a name player viable without giving up 3-4 players, he's apparently making the decision that this is not the time to look for the homerun trade. That doesn't mean that he won't make a deal, just that it won't be the blockbuster that it seems so many people around here are expecting. Something along the lines of getting someone like Bass or Thomas for Blake or Outlaw may be a reasonable move to add another big body and thin out the guard/SF logjam. I think there's a good chance he'll pull something like that off.

It seems to me that KP is pretty well grounded in his thinking. The nonsense that I read here so often about him being afraid to make a move or too much in love with his players is just that...total nonsense. Like all things in life, the timing has to be right and it just isn't right now for the Blazers.

 

WHERES KPEES HEAD AT????????????

THATS EASY.... UP TOM PENNS ASS

 

you have strange fantasies.

 

I think KP has numerous ways he could equivocate over possible trade action. The most important thing to do, like in any negotiation, is not to let the other person know what your boundaries are. All he's telling anyone else is that he's happy with what he has. Whether that's because of the players' opinions, or something else, doesn't really matter. He's simply trying to reinforce a strong negotiating position. If he truly does want to make a move, there's still no harm in waxing lyrical about your players.

Much ado about nada, if you ask me.

How do you know when KP is lying? His lips are moving. How do you know beyond a doubt that he's lying? His lips are moving, and so is a reporter's pen.

 

Fair question, actually.

No, I am not going to trade my dog. He is my companion, not a business asset. NBA players, OTOH, are business assets.

To put it another way - I am allowed to be attached to my dog. An NBA GM isn't allowed to get emotionally attached to individual players.