Despite the many differnt opinions on how to attack this off season, I think one this is very obvious, and is something we can all agree with. It will be very exciting with a lot of player movement regarding Portland The only players Portland officially has under fully guaranteed contract next season are Aldridge Batum Lillard Leonard Matthews Barton Freeland Claver With Hickson they would have about 7 mm in cap space, and without him around 15.5. They might have a lottery pick The front office absolutely knows it has to add a bench, so expect major a overhaul to the roster, and fun times this summer.
15 million isn't a while lot to the fix the issues with this roster. We obviously need a legit defensive center, backup PG and another scorer. I'm also believer in that we need to upgrade the SG spot in order to get to the next level.
Yes, we will see how good of shopper, Olshey is. How he decides to use the money will be interesting. All of it on a guy like Smoove? Break it up on guys like Pachulia and Tyreke Evans? Make a major trade involving S&T Hickson and our pick? Trade Matthews and our Pick? Good stuff, can't wait
Could it depend on who gets what pick? I mean that maybe a team in the lotto that has an older center (late 20's) but stud young playing wings (24 and under); gets a pick that lands a potential big man; be more adapt in trading their older center? I mean it could be better for them to get younger so the core can grow with each other. We may be able to take advantage of that situation. I'm rooting for Phoenix to get the lakers pick (obviously lakers not making the playoffs would need to happen); then winning the lotto with their lotto pick and grabbing a big. Then they could give us that pick and gortat for Leonard and a sign and trade hickson. The draft pick may be solid pick of 10th or 11th. Then we could use our 7 million free to offer reddick 6-7 million; possibly front loaded. We could have gortat, reddick, 10-11th pick and maybe use out mid mle for another backup big. It's a big risk because Leonard could develop into a decent center; but that's 2-3 years away. Gortat could help us immediately; which helps with the lma window.
I really hate the idea of letting Hickson walk away for nothing. I hope we can get something for him.
I think we will retain him so we can still offer him something. I think the cap space available is less valuable then retaining hickson and either finding another center and offering hickson 6-7 mil; or sign and trading hickson for a draft pick and a player.
I don't know if this is possible, but I decided to post it here. http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ark8ths Phoenix trades Gortat for Meyers Leonard, Freeland and Jeffries. The only reason why I think Phoenix may jump is this will shave 2 million off their books. They get a young center that can grow with the team on a nice 2 mil per rookie contract. Freeland is just to make it work. That maybe the deal breaker though since he has 2 more years on his contract. Personally I think Phoenix would be the best trading partner. They are in full rebuild mode and need youth to go along with their picks. They aren't concerned about winning, since it only helps their rebuild having better chances to win the lotto. If we could somehow manage to pull this off before the deadline; then keeping Hickson isn't such a bad idea. Having him be the first big to back up the center or PF position ain't bad and would immediately increase our bench productivity. Gortat would immediately give us that 7 footer we desperately need. He blocks shots, rebounds and actually has a decent mid range and post up game. He's really good at setting picks (how well he worked with Nash last season). If we can manage this, then I think we really have a good shot at grabbing Reddick or another guard free agent for 6-7 mil per this summer. We would be in really good position to make some nice moves this off-season.
That is the worst idea I've ever seen. Get off the hate on Aldridge already. It will never happen unless Aldridge wants out in Portland.
Really? The worst? Let's keep this about the trade, and not anyone's personal feelings about a player. GREG FREAKING MONROE. Plus an actual back-up PG. Plus a back-up SG. We get 3 rotation players for 1 - solves some of our depth problems, solves the C problem. How is this the worst idea you've ever seen?
Well at least keep it real man. LOL and it's pretty obvious that you are proposing this trade via personal reasons. Your hatred of Aldridge reeks throughout this forum. You have 258 posts; and about 70% of them are your posts talking about how terrible Aldridge is. If you want to be realistic; then this is more the route you should take. http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=bz92wml
Just remember folks that in addition to the cap room we will have (whether that's 15.5 or somewhere South of that) there's also a cap room exception worth about 2.5 million and players can signed to the veteran's minimum; these can be used to fill out the roster if the Blazers sign a player up to the cap with cap space. All I know is that win or lose, Babbitt is gone and this is a good thing.
Yeah, I hate LMA. But fuck dude, this is basketball - it's not personal. I've got no "personal reasons" - I don't personally benefit from trading LMA, or anyone else. You're the one who's taking shit personally, getting all bent out of shape over someone suggesting trading the one player who would bring us the most value back - thus improving our team the most. Talk basketball man. Address the content.
And it's pretty evident that Aldridge is the Blazer's franchise player. They would never trade Aldridge unless the deal is too good to pass up.
Like for Greg Monroe and bench depth! And no, I don't think it's that evident that LMA is the franchise player. Seems to me Lillard is. And Nic is proving to be better too.
Monroe is a beast Singler looks to be a solid player Stuckey is not good, but better than what we have now I don't think it is good enough value for Aldridge, but not at all the worst ever. I'd rather do a deal where we could get Monroe, Singler and an expiring along with a pick http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=a569m4j That trade opens up an additional $9mm in cap space this summer. renouncing Hickson and we would have $25 mm in cap space. Let's say we can sign guys, by overpaying a tad and get Smoove ($13mm), Milsap ($10mm) and a mle type player at PG Monroe/Leonard Milsap/Freeland Smith/Singler/Claver Batum/Matthews/Barton Lillard/MLE Plus two firsts, at least one in the lottery
That'd be great too. I was trying to address the C and back-up PG position. I think Stuckey would be a fine back-up...but maybe that's just how low my expectations have fallen. And I'm all aboard going after Millsap if we did indeed trade LMA!
