I've gotta think that we have an agreement in place with Houston should Howard elect to become a Rocket. Signing TRob lowered our cap space but helped the Rockets - and now with Houston hoping to sign Howard I see Asik coming our way. But there may be something even larger looming - like a three-team deal with LMA heading to Houston with Asik, Josh Smith and some picks coming back to Portland and Lin and filler going to Atl.
I like your optimism. Personally I do not want any part of Josh Smith. He does seem to waiting on Dwight. Sounds like the Rockets are interested in signing and keeping him. I would prefer to see him just sign with someone immediately, because right now if he does end up in Houston with Dwight, we don't get Asik. Atlanta would get him in a sign and trade. Bottom line: root for Smith to sign somewhere else as soon as possible. Not in Houston
I think it would be Josh Smith going to Houston not LA. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/e...ursuing-josh-smith-to-pair-with-dwight-howard
Fair enough. I'm just thinking that if Neil was going to make this huge, aggressive splash in free agency - it better be with Houston or I'm calling it "free agency fizzle."
The draft builds us long-term; free agency does immediately. To keep Aldridge, we can't tank next year. So whatever Olshey did in the draft doesn't compensate, if he fails this month. June and July are two separate things.
We dropped from .424 to .402. McCollum won't make as much difference as Lillard because we have SGs, but did not have a PG. And the posts I answered were as much about Olshey's picks other than those two.
I think One Center Court will start getting pretty exciting on the 11th, or after Dwight decides where to go
If anybody thought that the Blazers would be serious players for the top tier free agents then they let themselves be lead astray by promises generated by a marketing pitch. The best avenue for improving a small market team with impact players (outside of the draft) is via trades and those aren't likely to happen in great number until the big dominoes start to fall in free agency -- namely Dwight Howard and Josh Smith.
I heard that Chris Paul wanted to sign here until he heard that John Canzano demands to go on a date with all new acquisitions.
Yes, it's possible Olshey is vacationing in the Bahamas, stroking his fiddle, while One Center Court burns. Wait. No it's not. He's doing his job. Whether he cons some other GM into giving him a deal that makes the Blazers better is yet to be seen. But he's working on it. Christ.
