Come on. Look at the talent around them. PJ3 had flashes, was completely misused in the system, and had people that refused to make extra passes aka quincy miller. And against Kentucky he put up 17 and 8.
The system has nothing to do with boxing out and being flat out outhustled by Marcus Heemstra and Jordan Dykstra. For the most part he was a total non-factor this past March.
Is it really? You'd rather have Batum than fix our GLARING issue at C with a proven commodity? SFs come around frequently, the opportunity to possibly fix our center position for at least the next 5 years, probably more, while downgrading our SF position (most likely - pretty easy to find a decent role playing SF) is a risk that I would be willing to take. I'm tired of the Blazers severely over valuing and attaching themselves to players. I will admit it is rather boom bust, letting Batum go in hopes of enticing A solid center into joining our team along with teaching and developing Drummond, but it's better than having a our second best player being an overrated overpaid spot up shooter that isn't aggressive with somewhat overrated defense with questionable rebounding ability. Dragic / Wes / PJ3 / Aldridge / Kaman looks a lot better than Dragic / Wes / Batum / Aldridge / Joel ....
I'm still optimistic that no team with huge caproom will overpay Batum. But if he gets that 8 Million plus contract, I'd let him walk and pocket the savings. In that scenario I'd also look to trade Wes to a team that could absorb his contract and is desperate for a serviceable SG (Utah possibly?). If we could swing that we could sign a PG like Dragic and still have some cap next season to make a run at a better FA class (http://www.hoopsworld.com/2013-nba-free-agents).
Total non factor? He had TWO bad games. TWO. 10 pt 12 rb, 31/11, 18/7 (against T Rob), 16/11, 2/11 (bad game still rebounded), 7/4 (bad), 14/5, 17/8 (Kentucky). MKG had bad games too, WKY, Iowa State.
There is no reason to renounce Batum unless we have an immediate need for that cap space. If Deron Williams is ready to sign here and we need to renounce Batum sure go ahead and do it. But lets cross that bridge when we come to it. We can always renounce or opt to not match later. Renouncing Batum should be delayed as long as possible.
He said the system didn't matter. Talent is part of Kentuckys system. If you give pJ3 those players he is probably open more, used more effectively.
Title needs to be edited. I meant not match him at all (as I truly do believe he and his agent will accept the first offer they get that us around 10mill). In hopes of using his now void contract to benefit us in free agency.
I don't see a center out there (McGee, Hibbert, B.Lopez, Hawes at a reasonable price) that POR can realistically get that makes not matching Batum make sense? And IMO, there are very few centers anyway that LA couldn't match up with...and those guys (Howard, Bynum, ????) are a hard cover FOR ANYONE, Chris Kaman ain't going to help you more than LA would.... I think if POR is smart they should address center next year by comittee...a few vets, some youth and LA playing there against certain teams.... Something like: resigning Przybilla as a vet b\u, bringing Freeland over, using a late 1st or 2nd rounder on a guy like Kyle O'Quinn, Melo, Sacre, Sims or Watt...and leftover cap space after siging a FA PG of $-5mil to sign a banger like Humphries, Jordan Hill, Jeremy Evans, maybe a Robin Lopez, Asik or I even think POR could get Kaman for cheap ($4-5) based on all of his injury history...AND they could potentially offer Hickson a QFO and resign both him AND Batum, after they signed thier 2 FA.... So you could have a group of Hickson (at the 5 many nights and LA at the 4), Pryz, Jordan Hill, Freeland and O'Quinn....Some vets and some youth... I don't think the center position is as glaring of a need as you do...not with the state of the NBA today.... and I agree with you on Perry Jones...put him at the 3, Batum at the 2....You would have a 6'9 SG (Batum), 6'11 SF (Jones), 6'11 PF (LA) and 6'9 C (hickson) most nights...lot of size and athleticism making POR a tough matchup for most teams....
Batum is still really young. Cap space means nothing to me if we're already over the cap, so hopefully we can stall on Batum until after we've blown all our cap space.
I don't have time to respond to all of that right now but if we did that I'd love to have Nash as our PG at almost any cost (with a tall athletic lineup). However, I still think Kaman/Drummond is a much better proposition than Joel/center by committee. I think having a competent center is beneficial to everyone on the team. It forces a team to guard 2 people rather than 1. For instance, the Mavs playing Aldridge with Haywood and Chandler gave Dirk a break. If you have an offensively competent center, Dirk has to play D on Aldridge or Kaman, not on some offensively inept decrepit center. It allows our defense to be more efficient with a shit blocker as well. Spacing will be better and we won't have someone roaming off of the second big. That's why Oden and Akdridge was going to be so special. I'd prefer Hawes as he is a better shooter passer and is younger but probably not realistic. Kaman Aldridge PJ3 Wes Dragic That creates quite a few mismatches that could easily be exploited, especially by the time Drummond (hopefully develops - nut that's what this is - risk). Drummond, Aldridge, PJ3, Elliot (love his game - hope his injuries go away) Dragic is deadly. Great length, great athleticism, great rebounding, string D. Elliot and Dragic can provide the shooting/slashing. PJ3 can use his length to rebound and pull up above his man for midrange jumpers. Drummond Aldridge and PJ3 provide great O and D rebounding. Put Babbitt in for PJ3 if he doesn't develop a stronger 3pt game and you could have a spot up shooter for Dragic to find in both Babbitt and Elliott, or if pJ3 takes his guy off the dribble you have Dragic and Elliot/Wes. That's why I think this is a risk worth taking. Kaman buys us a couple years to have Drummond develop.
I just don't understand the Batum love. Every year is the break out year, and we are still yet to see it. Maybe with a new coach, but at some point talent is talent. I know he is young, but IMO just doesn't show the "it" factor on the offensive end of the floor to be worth 10 mill.
I am just saying that you may be able to get the best of both worlds.... Be able to sign a Kaman and Asik (and still get your PG), resign Batum and your choice at #6....Drummond (if he is there) or PJ3.... and I think there are some bigs that are projected late 1st\2nd that you could take a flyer on...
I don't think either renouncing or failing to match Batum makes the team better. In fact, I think it results in a lost asset, and makes the team worse. Even though some think that asset isn't much, it's worth a lot more than nothing. Batum is no all star, but he's better than what we are going to get for any extra free agent dollars such a move would free up. Also, I'm not too worried about other teams "overpaying" him. The market will dictate his value.
Where does Batum land in the free agent SF list? If we can't get anyone higher than him at the asking price for him, we basically should match regardless of price.
There was a list posted by someone showing the top 25 RFA/UFA under 25. Batum was #6 on the list . . . for whatever that is worth.
I would agree to this if the draft weren't full of solid SFs. I'd rather replace Batum with someone like Terrance Ross at #11 than cripple our salary cap for a role player.
And then go through the whole damn thing again when Ross is at the end of his contract, not quite as good as Batum became with his new team, and asking for his big contract? Fuck that. I'm tired of leasing talent. Lock him in. One in the hand, man.
