Going all in would be trading away other pieces, I suppose, like Batum for a vet, signing older guys in free agency to try to win it all now. Those that want to keep Aldridge seem to want to see what a core of Lillard/Aldridge/Batum can do when given hopefully a good defender at C and a solid bench. We had one of the better starting lineups in the league this season when healthy. Look at a team like GS compared to us. Lillard had a comparable season to Curry. Aldridge had a comparable season to David Lee. Wes and Klay Thompson had comparable seasons. Batum had a better season than Barnes did. They had a very good bench, and we didn't have one at all. They could have traded away David Lee, not signed Jack and Landry, maybe got cap space or a pick for Ellis, and tanked for a few more years, building around Curry and Klay "the right way". Instead, even though most write them off as a one and done team, they're in the second round of the playoffs, they're tied 1 game a piece, have home court advantage now, and really, who knows what can happen. David Lee's 30. Curry's 25. Similar age split as Lillard and Aldridge. Are they doing it wrong? Did they go "all in" on David Lee, like we would be with Aldridge? Or realize that you can win now and later, because of the talent of their PG?
I think I have really improved my trolling skills. Okay from now on I will post serious, non-trolling conversation. People that actually remember my posting from years ago; I was arguably on of the biggest Roy supporters. Still my favorite player!
I think very few of our fans are patient regarding whether they want to trade LMA or not. Those who bitch and bitch and bitch, are going to continue regardless. As for me personally (And I think most of us) I am open to go in either direction, as long it makes sense. But the scenario's I read are either too good to happen or not attractive enough. Most of us would prefer the Blazers not to gamble with LMA. The trade needs to be a no lose situation, other wise the "patience" needs to be with those who want to deal him.
GSW traded away their 26y/o 21.9ppg leading scorer with two years left on his (reasonable) contract before he hit UFA. Granted, they didn't get back draft picks...
I disagree. I'm obviously one the people who see rebuilding as a crapshoot that you have to get really really lucky or really really suck just to get a shot at a player with LMAs potential. This team was a reliable bench away from making the playoffs, but to win and do well in the playoffs we will go as far as LMA/Lillard/Batum take us. If you assume LA won't get better and is only in for a decline and the same with Batum/lillard then you blow it up but that's not the case. We have assets and cap room to make improvements and become a very good team. Is it enough to win a championship or contend for one? Maybe not it really depends on the moves made and we need to see the team make the playoffs before any of the other talk really matters. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
I'm not saying to dump him Z-bo style. I don't think anyone is. But getting (for instance) the #3/#19 and Thompson (and an additional 6M or so in space) and having control over them for the next 7+ years is far better than going all-in in the next two and having LMA leave. If CLE hadn't lucked into LAC trading them Mo Williams for Kyrie Irving, that team (which LBJ took to the 2nd round) would have been uber-horrible for a while. As opposed to, say, DEN's haul for Melo or UTH's for Deron.
I guess we will see what kind of "magic" Olshey can conjure up this summer, but I think fantasizing that a team whose starting 5 played a ton of minutes last year (Lillard\Matthews\Batum\LA) and didn't even make the playoffs...is suddenly with the addition of a middling center like McGee/Jordan/Hawes/R.Lopez or even Gortat or Asik and a bench player or 2 like J O'Neal and Tony Allen going to be a significant playoff team (let alone title contender) is wishful thinking at its' best...... But all this discussion doesn't matter anyway, because that is EXACTLY how Allen and POR mgmt see it. Just like they saw the additions of Crawford, Felton, Wallace, Camby & Thomas as propelling them to a playoff team for nothing more than a reason to make more money off thier fans I guess? Because that roster was not going anywhere.... So while I agree with Canzano for once that POR should at least EXPLORE what the market for LA is because this is the year where they are likely to get more for him than the subsequent years', and I am not convinced that LA will stay here hell or high water... I don't think Allen and company will do that because they seem to be as delusional as part of thier own fanbase.... So I guess I'll just sit back and see if Olshey can back up all that slick talk of his....b\c if he doesn't, Allen is just going to fire him anyway....
Dude even with our lineup with the worst bench in the nba had a shot until the last 10 games to make the playoffs. You act as though that core actually had a supporting cast. Christ!!!!
I don't think it is...Ibaka is not Aldridge, but he is only 23 and locked in for another 4 years, both Lamb & Jones are some rookies with some potential. OKC also has TOR and DAL 1st round picks to potentially add to a deal as well...POR would also have thier own pick this year and still have some cap space remaining to go after some young free agents (or use in a trade). and OKC may be a lot more willing to make such a deal this year if they get bounced out of the playoffs before they reach the finals (a distinct possibility)...For POR they would be stockpiling young talent and building for a run a few years down the road....
Westbrook, Durant and Aldridge would be an upgraded version of the Miami heat. If we were to get all the first rounders then I would really consider it.
You know, it would be interesting to talk about a scenario where the Blazers pulled a Celtics and traded away all their young guys (with the exception of Lillard) for old veteran All-Stars. Aldridge and Freeland for Dirk http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=d3nsnjz Batum and Matthews for Pierce http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=btdv353 Leonard / Claver / draft pick / Cap space for Varejao Use the rest of our cap space to sign Iggy (roughly 10 million per year I would think) Lillard Iggy Pierce Dirk Varejao Sign whatever we can for our bench. That's would be a Celtics blow-em-up to win now scenario I would think.
But that was my point, where was it going? Let's say they didn't all quit on thier coach, and they made the playoffs? Towards what purpose? To make some more money for Allen? Because that team wasn't going anywhere THAT year and the outlook for each year beyond that would look worse.... I am just not a believer in building a team that can battle for that fringe of the playoffs, but go nowhere once they get there....That type of situation is ok if you are a younger team on the way up, but on a team laden with a lot of OLDER vets (like that team was), that is a waste of time...nothing but feeding Allen's ego\pocket....
I guess we will see next year... You think adding a McGee\Jordan\Hawes\Gortat and a J.O'Neal and T.Allen makes this team a 4 or 5 seed? I don't think so....
But that's what we're currently doing, building towards that fringe of the playoffs as a younger team with a lot of room for improvement, and you seem to think that is a waste of time as well.
