highly unlikely Hickson will be granted a $4.4 million qualifying offer

And who is this "high ticket free agent" that they're talking about? Deron Williams? Steve Nash? Hibbert? Gordon?

 

My source tells me Greg Oden

 

Oh, well that's a horse of a different color! Why didn't you say so!?!

 

imagination!

 

The never ending stooooooooooooooooooooory.... woah woahhhh woah woaaaaaah woah woaaaaaaaah.

 

Not signing Hickson is ridiculous. Freeland isn't close to his talent & we're not going to get an elite FA. Gordon & Hibbert aren't going anywhere. Just sign Hickson & Batum, bring Claver & Freeland over, maybe sign a veteran PG for the minimum, and then save your cap room for next year.

 

It doesn't make sense to me either. It's like there is something we don't know about JJ for 3 teams to basically give up on him. Does he rub people the wrong way?

 

Hickson seems like fools gold to me. Every time he played his ass off in a game last year blowing up I couldn't shake the feeling that he was only motivated by a payday. I'm fine with letting him walk.

 

So your argument for letting him walk is, "You had a feeling"?

 

Mediocrity is thine enemy. I say we develop the youngin's, hit the lottery again, and spend the cap next year not this. I don't think Hickson changes any of that dymanic either way.

 

I like the idea of going for a major free agent and if it doesn't happen just use the cap space to get draft picks, amnesty players, 1 year deals, and try again next offseason. Better then using space on mediocre guys like Hickson or OJ Mayo. The Pistons panicked and signed Vilanueva and Gordon years ago because they were the best free agents left in a week class. The Pistons would've been better off doing nothing.

 

Yeah sure, why not? I don't have any inside information or anything and I don't think he's exactly a building block player, so what do I care?

 

I say we keep Hickson. I was very impressed with his play last spring. To let him walk would be a mistake.

 

+1, especially with the new CBA, cap mgmt is huge

 

Fair enough, just asking. I thought he played very well for us and looked good when he played next to Aldridge. He was the type of guy who always seemed to be working for offensive rebounds, etc and I think his price would be pretty good for what he brings. Didn't strike me as the type who'd get lazy after payday but I could be wrong.

Portland doesn't have a great track record of luring big time building blocks with all our capspace.

 

Mike Tokito: NBA/union settle on Bird/waiver dispute. Players claimed off waivers can get early Bird, but not full Bird. Limits J.J.Hickson/#Blazers. about 21 minutes ago

 

Anyone know of the cap implications of full bird vs early bird? The difference could be the reason why they may let him walk.

 

I think that signing Hickson limits future cap space, and I assume Portland thinks that Leonard/LMA/Batum are going to be their front court of the future. Maybe not this year for Leonard, but signing Hickson doesn't really make much sense to me, at least as a long-term solution. Hell, don't offer him the Q.O., and he still may be available on the cheap. There is a reason that two teams have given up on him, isn't there?

Or, just put in another waiver claim for him next year after another team dumps him for nothing.