Jason Smith is another one of those not very good players that Blazer fans seem to be obsessed with. Isn't' he really injury prone too?
Okafor would be my first choice if his physical checks out ok. Jason Smith is a good option and the Pelicans will have to cut him to complete the Asik trade. Ekpe Udoh would be great but I think he goes for more than the BAE. I think we'll probably target someone with our MLE first and that could impact who we target with the BAE. Obviously we'd love to get Pau Gasol for the MLE if for some odd reason that is possible. Spencer Hawes is probably in that boat. But then we fall the the more realistic Marvin Williams, Shawn Marion, Avery Bradley options at the MLE. Grabbing one of those players effects the position we need for the BAE. If there aren't any great BAE options available we can just use that roster spot on a minimum salary guy and roll the BAE over to next year. Hence the name "BI-annual exception" Unless we can pick up a difference maker at PG I'd target other positions first with our MLE and BAE. There are so many great free agent PG's we will find solid options for even the minimum. Next season if we have another stretch with big man injuries I don't want to have to play Victor Calvier at backup center as we did last year.
I think the obvious choice now is Brian Roberts. He can shoot and was more than serviceable when he started.
So if Mo signs with Dallas, I bet we're going to sign Steve Blake. At times last year I wished we had a backup more like Blake. There's also -Ridnour -Hinrich -Brooks
Yeah I'd be happy with Ridnour or Blake. I like Hinrich's game but not sure if he'd accept the role well and I'd rather have a slightly inferior player if he totally buys into the roll as a backup or 3rd string PG. Our good chemistry was critical last season. For the same reason I hope we can reach a buyout with Clavier; I don't think he'll be happy here.
Given our roster size limitations, I hope we keep him, and allow him to supplant Wright as our backup SF.
Do any of you that want guys like Ridnour want to win in the playoffs? Knocking down shots is awesome, but defense wins in the playoffs
D is something we lack but I cant think of a PG we can afford who can run a team play D and hit the three. if I have to eliminate one of those attributes to be able to afford a backup PG D is the least important of those to me.
Brian Roberts shouldn't be considered if that's what we're looking for in a backup - he's absolutely putrid on D. But he can shoot and run a team reasonably well. Seeing what we ended up with I would actually prefer Chalmers now.
