I was talking with friends and everyone had a different idea about what the most important upgrade for the Blazers was. The Blazers need an upgrade at PG, C and shooting the long ball. Which is most important for the Blazers. Another way to look at it is that the Blazers have limitecd assets to use in any trade. If they are to use the bulk of those assets to improve one thing, what should it be.
I think there are 2 ways you can look at this. 1)Short-term, I'm talking next season, we need a dead-eye shooter. This was definitely what hurt us the most this season, as having one makes it that much easier for LMA downlow. 2) Long-term, our biggest need is definitely to get a PG that will be a starter in 2-3 years. This is definitely the draft to get one IMO. There are quite a few guys I feel have potential to be starting quality PG's. Selby, Reggie Jackson, Shumpert all have potential to be starters, especially playing behind 'Dre for a year or two.
In order of importance: 1. Closer 2. Size 3. Better defensive principles 4. Consistency from the bench
It all depends. If Oden can play a decent amount of minutes then I'd say back up PF to rest LA or a serious PG upgrade.
It really depends on who is playing where. Is Aldridge a center? Is Wallace the power forward? Which lineup are we going with? Is it Miller Matthews Batum Wallace Aldridge? Is it Miller Matthews Wallace Aldridge Camby Are we up tempo or halfcourt? In an uptempo I could see Wallace and Aldridge starting together in the frontcourt... but if we're halfcourt I don't see it happening. I like Miller's game a lot, and I think he could play at least another year at a high level, so I'd say center is the biggest question right now. I don't think Camby is a starter anymore. Oden is still questionable as well, so who plays center for us? Aldridge? If LMA is the center, who is power forward? Someone was talking about a trade idea that would net Bargs, Calderon and the 5th from Toronto. That would be interesting. Let's say we make that trade and draft a pointguard like Knight or Walker. We could slide Bargs to the power forward and start Aldridge at center. Knight/Calderon Matthews/Roy/Williams Wallace/Babbitt Bargnani Aldridge I don't know if I like that lineup in the short term, but it gives us some insurance in case Oden doesn't come back and we get a PGOTF in the process. I just don't know if it fits into PA's "win now" philosophy. I think we need a dynamic guard in the backcourt, whether at PG or SG. Right now we don't have a dynamic guard at either position. The current NBA is heavily centered around teams with dynamic guards... Rose, Wade, Paul, Williams, etc. Can Knight or Walker be that guy?
It is: Rookie PG (unless we trade Andre at the draft, he gets cut, and we resign him as a UFA. Then Rookie PG can be backup until he's better than Andre) Matthews/Roy Wallace LMA Oden Big needs: Greg's 32mpg for 70 games. Roy to channel his inner Korver/Miller/James Jones/Redick and become a 43% 3pt shooter. LMA to maintain LaMonster
If you can grab Knight I'd then turn and package him along with other assets/picks to Boston for Rondo and see if they bite.
Consistency. With 3 point shots, poise, commitment, everything. This means more veteran role players and less draft picks.
it's tough to magically make veterans appear on your team, especially when you're limited to the MLE and the burning desire of a player to come to Portland...where there aren't any Turkish restaurants. One way is to trade for them, but that's tough to do when you don't have cheap young players to give up in trade along with expiring contracts and the like. So, since young, cheap talent is the only currency we get to play with to bring veterans to the team, using the draft effectively is pretty dang important.
That's why it's tough to let guys like Miller, Camby, and even Juwan Howard last season leave the team. We just don't have enough of that veteran experience.
