What won't happen...

I love playing armchair GM as much as anyone. However, even though this is one of the more unpredictable drafts in recent memory and we have a motivated GM with options, there are just some things that cannot happen.

1) We won't be trading Meyers Leonard.
While Olshey is clear that players are "assets", ML was drafted by NO. NOs ego is way too large to give up on a player he just drafted and has been touting unless we get a top 30 player. Secondly, I don't think MLs trade value is very high. He did not show enough to get me excited and I am a blazers fanatic. Rival GMs are likely less excited than me.

2) We won't be "holding on to our cap space."
Both Paul Allen's health and patience are not very good right now. PA wants to win and is tired of being of not even making the playoffs. Holding on to cap space would get NO fired. NO knows this.

3) We won't be getting Andrew Wiggins.
Most likely we won't even have our own draft pick next year. The chances of us getting Wiggins (or a top pick of any sort) next year is astronomically low.

 

We wont trade Aldridge, Leonard, Batum, Matthews or Lillard

We won't find a trade for a center and will spend our entire cap space and draft pick on one

We won't use all of our 2nd round picks

 

Here's a sure bet: We won't have RipCity2 consensus that the Blazers make the right choices.

 

Paul's health is fine right now.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i..._owner_paul_discusses_season_offseason_h.html

 

I pretty much agree with all three points. I don't think we're sitting on our cap space, and I don't think we'll be in the lottery next year unless we completely tank, which I'm not convinced we well.

 

Way to go out an a limb, haha.

 

Wizard, I also agree with most of what you said, but can we please not use NO for Olshey, if you just say Neil or Olshey, it will be much less confusing than NO.

 

Yeah, I think of New Orleans when I see "NO"

 

Ha, ha. I've been thinking this for days. It throws me off every time.

 

"NO" is just a downer - - negative - - how about Neil?

that's YES spelled backwards...I think?

 

God, NO!

I really think NO will go to NO and say NO is a NO NO.

just kidding, I'll be more clear next time.

 

Thanks for the link.

However, I still think Paul wants to win now.

 

He might. But hasn't it also been reported that the draft is one of his favorite things? Maybe the excitement of the draft, and the changes that it brings, mingles with doubt that we can "win now" and we see something major happen.
I don't think we can analyze Paul Allen and come up with things that WILL or WON'T happen (other than trading Lillard...which really isn't based on Allen's thoughts).

 

While it seems unlikely, remember he did draft Aminu then turn around and trade him the next year. (Of course, it was to get CHRIS PAUL.) And his success with Lillard gives him cover.