Aldridge paired with Batum is not a good combo. Both of them are afraid to take it to the paint. So, one needs to go for sure.
Batum at SG and Aldridge at center would work out great. We need a low post scorer either at SF or PF that can rebound. I think that's our missing piece.
Except for defense and rebounding - LMA can't protect the paint and can't rebound. That's not ideal for a C...
You don't have to be a C to protect the rim. A good example of this is Clifford Robinson averaged 1.3 bpg for us in 91-92 (championship contender) Duck only averaged .5. Drexler and Kersey both averaged more than that
Actually he does a much better job with help defense and post defense. In fact; the games I've seen him play center; he rebounds with much better efficiency and tends to be more agressive at the rim.
Protecting the paint/rim is about more than BPG. I love blocked shots - but they are the "dunk" of the defense...flashy, but not necessarily an indicator. Sound defensive principles are better than blocked shots - especially if your swat sends the ball out of bounds...that just gives the ball back to the opponent with a chance to reset for a better shot. And mags - you're crazy. LMA is terrible at help/team defense. He's far better (not great, but far better) as a post defender. He's incapable of sliding over to protect the paint - he doesn't understand defensive rotations at all. Occasionally he'll get a weak side block, but he doesn't make sound defensive rotations or understand how to position himself with regards to the ball and other players.
If that deal were to for whatever reason happen, Portland would have a line up of Lillard Beal Batum Saraphin Noel (#1 pick in the draft) Poythress (#6ish pick in the draft) Okafor Leonard Freeland Babbitt Barton Pretty damn good upside there Edit: We would still have a lot of cash for FA as well or a lopsided trade
I know everyone has a fascination with rookies, but it just seems like an odd way to build a team to me. When extensions come due, you'll have Batum, Lillard, Leonard and Beal all expiring at the same time. With Noel and Poythress looming a year away. And I don't think the team would be all that good until you got to the time they were getting extensions, or a year before, so you sit there not really knowing whether you have a contender, but needing to open the pocket books to guess on it.
Offensively, Seraphin and Hickson are very similar. Noel has no post game at all. This duo wouldn't work IMO. Would much rather have Zeller than Noel.
Totes. It's much more fun to fantasize about how your 3 new rookies are going to be DA BOMB in just a "couple more years" instead of getting actual, real, good players.
There's a built in excuse. They're young, they'll only get better. And then when they don't, or only marginally, you can be sold on the next batch.
