We learned that we have one star, Wallace. We learned that Aldridge isn't focused enough to be a playoff star and never will be. And then there's what we already knew, that McMillan needs to go.
Marc Gasol is a restricted free agent, Tyson Chandler is an unrestricted free agent, Nene is an unrestricted free agent, DeAndre Jordan is a restricted free agent, Zbo is an Unrestricted free agent, Carl Landry is an Unrestricted free agent, Aaron brooks is a restricted free agent, Spencer Hawes is a restricted free Agent, Eddie House is an unrestricted free agent, Rodney Stuckey is a restricted free agent, Ray Allen is an unrestricted free agent No idea if we have enough cap space or even how we could get any of these guys, but I would especially like the guys I put in bold.
Wallace is a star but Aldridge isn't? Where was he Games 1-5? Aldridge was our most consistent player and had a pretty great game tonight actually.
Keep Wallace, Aldridge, Greg & Batum. All others ship them out in trades and rebuild. (Rebuild the Training/Medical staff too) The biggest key? Get rid of Nate and his machinations.
I wish the Blazers would have won. Camby isn't much younger than Shaq. He's REALLY old. I watch Blazers games and see videos of their play and I see a really old guy who stands around the basket on defense and can grab boards still, but not much else. In pick and roll situations, he is just terrible on defense. If it's a choice between Dre and Roy, I'd go with Roy every time. Even if it meant missing the playoffs. One of the two theoretically has a long future with the team and has played at a near elite level. I like Miller as a player fine, but you really need both a SG and a SF who can spot up and make threes. Ideally you get 3pt shooting from your PG, but you don't with Miller. I don't see a team with LMA as featured player is going to be a contender. Nothing against LMA, but I think it's true for Pau Gasol, Garnett, Howard, Nowitzki, and other top bigs. Even Duncan wouldn't be a winner without guys like Parker and Manu and a lot of quality role players around him. Wallace was a score. They guy can handle the ball like a guard and play the PF position. It would have been nice to see the Blazers get him before the season so they'd have time to design plays to take advantage of his skills. He was the goto guy on an NBA team for several seasons. He's got a few years left in the tank, too. The ability to score Wallace via trade (and even Camby) after decimating the Blazers' bench strength (previous trades) indicates that the Blazers can't be counted out, even with Roy's big contract on the books. Despite all the negative articles about Roy and his knees, he looks pretty good to me, just rusty. I bet he's back next season at a high level.
I think you are way too optimistic on Roy, he's not "rusty" this is the way he now is, he'll have a few good games once in a while them most of the time he'll be an average bench player. If there is a decent amnesty clause in a new CBA IMO POR uses it.
Upgrade at PG is really the big key. We have a guard on the bench that might be that "elliot williams" but were not a team in the "wait and see" mode. We need an outside shooter who can shoot consistently, Wes is one of our threats from there (as much bitching about his inconsistency at there is he was top 10 in three point FG% at over 42%) but we need another real threat from there. I was hoping Batum or Rudy can step up but neither one really did, I might rather have Batum spend all summer working on his three shot then try and add one of the FA or UFA this summer because none of the SG/SF really intrigue me. We also have Babbit who is supposed to be a shooter but again we can't wait and see on him. As for Center/PF Oden coming back is really the only answer to making it really deep into the playoffs and no center out there are we going to be able to nab that would have nearly as much impact as him. The only players out there at the C position that would be nice are NeNe/Gasol and I doubt we get either one without giving up to much. A banger type PF to give us 15/20M at the PF/C position would be nice but there really aren't that many of them in the league anymore. For us I really think the only things to look at are a new PG or a new C. Since we have Oden and there is no way we give him up for nothing and packaging him and a few others for a PG really doesn't answer our problems at the C I think we keep him. I would much rather have a good C then a good PG and fixing one leaves us in serious problems in the other. Howard/Nelson for Camby/Miller/Batum/Rudy/Babbit this is the answer!
Hobbled Roy is the only player who can consistently create his own offense. He is no more to blame than the rest of the bunch, and was largely responsible for the only 2 wins of the series. Without Roy, I think this series is a 4 game sweep.
Well thank god Paul Allen decided to push "all in" on a Gerald Wallace trade in an attempt to win now, instead of letting Cho tear it down to the studs by acquring picks and flexibility to come out on the other side of the lockout with at least a shot at improving. I'm not exactly angry that the team decided to try and win now, but their ceiling felt (then and now) pretty low even with the acquisition of Wallace. So now we look a little bit like the Minnesota Vikings in their last year with with Brett Favre, with no real succession plan at point guard, huge roster imbalances, no real size, huge question marks at center, no shooting and a ton of guys who wilt when the temperature gets turned up. Bleh.
