How exactly do you expect the Blazers to get better? Noah and Deng are both good, young players who will improve the team. It's not like we are going to be competing for a championship anytime soon. The goal should be to get better, and this would be a good way to do that. No it doesn't make us a contender by itself, but it's definitely a start.
Under the new CBA, the right way: smart drafting. Noah and Deng are role players who make star money under the new CBA. Deng is definitely not worth his contract, either. For a player making the money he gets per year I'd sure as hell expect a better PER than what he has put up in the last two seasons: 14.1 and 15.5; they also don't get any better in the playoffs: 14.3 and 15.4. He's a decent role player but vastly overpaid. I can see why the Bulls are trying to get out of his contract.
Noah is arguably a top 5 center in the league and is only 27. Is a nearly 20 PER a measly role player?
If we could turn #11 and other pieces (Freeland? Claver? 2nds?) for Noah, I would do it. I think Aldridge, Noah and Batum would give us a good core moving forward. We would just need to find that point guard somehow. Lillard at 6 and hope for the best?
Yeah, I'm going to have to disagree. The big three, contract wise, of Batum/Aldridge/Noah is still a first-round and out team. Is this team better than the healthy Roy teams of 08-10? I don't think so, not even close.
What is the alternative offseason? Meyers Leonard and a 8-9 million Goran Dragic? No thanks. I'd take Joakim Noah for the unknown pick #11 and possible free agent signing anyday. Batum, Aldridge and Noah would be about $35 million next year between the three of them. That's not too bad. Not to mention if you changed your mind in a year or two, I'm sure you could find a trade partner for Noah.
I'd Disagree, even the 08 team only really had Roy as a all-star level player Noah/LA are both all-star level players and add Batum/Mathews/Ewill/6th(Whoever we keep after the trade) and you have pieces that could be great. The big problem with this and EVERYTHING else is we require that lottery pick to become what we need, in this situation a good point guard. No matter how you look at it were relying on these lottery picks to become great players for us for anything to pan out. Noah for the 11 is a steal esp because he is a talented big on not a massively overpaid contract. Those are always movable esp to some team that considers themselves contenders.
A healthy Roy was a top-10 player in the NBA and was a legit #1 option. LMA has proven to be more of a second option while Batum/Noah are clearly 3rd/4th options. How do you expect to score or go to during crunch time? IMO, those teams were clearly better and were bounced early. With OKC looking like a powerhouse/potential dynasty, this trio just wont cut it. But going by some who totally disregard the new CBA... it's better than nothing!
Again, how does this hurt the new CBA? That trio is going to combine for $35 million. You have Lillard at #6 on a cheap four year deal as your starting point guard, and Mathews on a reasonable deal as your starting SG. The starting lineup would cost $45 million. The salary cap is around $58.5 million. The lux tax level is around $70 million. If you can't fill out your roster at less than $25 million, I don't know what to tell you. Noah can be traded in a year or two if you decide it isn't going to work very easily. How does this screw us in the new cba sir?
Yeah I agree, this is at best a sideways move, worst case a backwards move....Batum can't even prove he is a #3 choice on a team, same with Noah, great rotation player, but go to guy? come on now....
It seems to me the Blazers need to stop straddling the fence. There are two choices here: 1. Trade Aldridge for draft picks and consider a sign and trade of Batum for draft picks (although he is so young they could consider keeping him). Seems they could end up with 6-8 first round picks for this year and next. And we would be bad enough to stay in the bottom 12 and not have to give our own 2013 draft pick to Charlotte (good job, Cho!) 2. If they are going to keep Aldridge, then they need a team ready to compete right now; so I would trade the draft picks for Noah and Lowry. If Chicago doesn't want to take contracts back, then they might be willing to take the 11th. Houston gets the 6th but has to take back contracts of Shawne Williams and Kurt Thomas. If they can't make those trades and can't sign Deron Williams, then I think they should be prepared to go with option 1.
Don't think anyone claimed Noah would be a go-to-guy? You'd have Batum a 17 PER player, Noah a near 20 PER player, and Aldridge a near 23 PER player. You'd have Wesley at the 2 as the team leader, and Lillard at pick 6, hoping he turned into an elite scorer and the PGOTF. Never said it was the best of all options, but I like it a hell of a lot more than some of the other scenarios. It would just bank on if the Blazers thought Lillard would be a great player.
I can agree with this. I think it is evident Paul doesn't want to do option 1. I think they go option 2, and if you can get Noah with pick 11, I'd do it. This team needs talent.
I think they're going to want more than just the 11 for Noah, but if you can make that happen without giving up anything major, you do it in a heartbeat! I'd also be happy to get Deng (not necessarily instead though). He's better than Batum by a bigger gap than people will give him credit for as we're all so high on Batum's potential for the 18th year in a row.
This board is so funny, half of us overvalue Batum/LMA and the other half undervalue them. Makes for extremes on both sides, a lot of fun to read the debates. Pretty much everything Jfizzle has said I agree with.
Well who would be then? PER's don't win championships...great players do.... Do you really think Lillard\LA & Batum can match up and best Durant\Westbrook\Harden or Lebron\Wade\Bosh? Seriously?????
