What’s going on with the second-most-sought-after free agent on the market? Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Chicago: I got a call. ‘Look, something has come up. Something is in the mix. Melo is having second thoughts. I don’t know what’s going on, but this is what it is.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ They said, ‘Chicago.’ Suddenly, Chicago is on the mind. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve got to be kidding me.’ And this is somebody that is incredibly close to Carmelo Anthony who I completely trust as a source. This is what he was telling me. Couldn’t explain why, but just said, ‘Chicago is not out of the mix.’ NBCSports.com But Bulls can't get Melo . . . they don't have cap space.
I honestly think the Blazers are a better team with Batum than Melo. I think Melo would take shots from LMA and Lillard. I don't like his game at all. I'm not saying that Batum is a better player but he fits better with the roster the Blazers have.
I would love for Marc Gasol to be a Blazer. But everyone would hate it because that means lopez would go byebye.
False. The players union has never allowed players under contract to take pay reduction and stay on their current team. The Heat players agreed to reductions before signing their contracts.
I think you might be reading too much into their statements. I'm sure among the good vibes going around all the all-star players, some things are said to the effect of, "Maybe some day we could play together." Anyhow that's how I interpreted their statements. I doubt Lebron or Durant walked up to Damian and said, "hey I want to be a Blazer, talk to your boss and get it done." I don't care if we get another star. Maybe next year. This year it's all about shoring up the bench and I think Neil has done a good job filling our needs.
The all-star Lillard and Aldridge recruited to come to portland is roy Hibbert. The organization has wanted him, and he has wanted to be here ever since Indiana matched. He will exercise his player option to become an UFA next year. Aldridge knows Hibbert is commuted to coming to portland which is the only reason he came out and committed to retiring as a Blazer. It's going to be an amazing defensive front and back court when you consider that Lillard will have another complete season and offseason of work on his defense. Lillard Matthews (if he will take cut) Batum Aldridge Hibbert If we can keep robin we would have 2 of he top 10 centers in the league, imagine the defensive possibilities with a Rolo Hibbert lineup... I can't wait to see Dame, LA, and Hibbert play together. I wasn't sure this was going to happen until I saw how they structured the contracts and approached FA. I'm 100% convinced of it. You heard it here first. My custom #55 Hibbert Blazer jersey is in the mail.
Interesting theory. Will keep that possibility in mind. But Aldridge and Lillard said there was more than one all-star who approached them about coming to Portland. Who were the others?
I don't think I can stomach reading this entire ridiculous thread. So I won't. My apologies for responding, nevertheless. The fact that the Blazers didn't acquire an "all star" this off season is proof that none would be interested in playing with Aldridge and Lillard, or none may have commented to them they'd like to? Problems with logic and rational thought, much? There are so many reasons why something like that is unlikely to actually come to fruition, even when true, I couldn't possibly list them all. I hope at least in the three pages in this thread, some have been. Some possible reasons: the mythical players are currently under contract with another team; the players, while thinking it would be grand to play with Lillard and Aldridge, are also in a good situation with their current team and are not compelled to "force" their way to Portland; the Blazers didn't have cap space or exceptions in the current market to acquire more than aging retreads; the Blazers didn't have enough movable parts, that other teams with space wanted to absorb, to give the Blazers enough cap space to acquire said players; the "all star" free agents the Blazers might have been interested in are not the ones who are presumably interested in the Blazers; the Blazers are not interested in the "all star" players who expressed an interest in playing with Lillard and Aldridge; the Blazers are not willing to trade the assets it would require to obtain the subject players; once trading the assets it would require to obtain the subject players, the team would be so gutted that those players would no longer want to leave their current situation to play in Portland; the teams who currently have the right to those players do not want to trade them for anything the Blazers could offer; I could go on.... Christ, how often does a player pick ONE team out of the entire NBA and force his team to trade him there? And why the fuck would a player pick Portland to make that kind of power play? If he doesn't, it doesn't mean he wouldn't "like to" join up with Lillard and Aldridge, to create a nice little big three of their own. If things worked out. Which they probably won't. I'm pretty sure Lillard/Aldridge didn't say: "Player X said they are going to force their way to Portland, and force their team to take back crap in the process." They said a couple of guys said they'd be interested in playing with them, you know, among other options and situations they'd also be interested in. Did the OP really think that the choices are either: (1) one or more all star players are going to force their way to the Blazers without the Blazers having to gut the team; or (2) Aldridge and Lillard are liars; or (3) Olshey is incompetent? Hell, maybe Olshey has a plan to make a move for one of these players NEXT YEAR. Jesus H Flipping Christ.
I assume they are under contract with another team so I doubt Lillard/LMA are going to create issues for them by telling us their names. Nor would I want them to. As long as they told Neil who they are.....
Whitsitt loaded this team with talent, and really "went for it". Problem is when those things didn't work out they had gutted the roster of young talent (Jermaine O'neal) and brought in older guys not willing to accept their roles (Detlef and Kemp, Dale Davis to some extent). He killed cap space for a very long time, and sent this team in to a decade long tailspin. For sure, Portland is not a destination. How many teams in the league are? They have gone the smart route as far as I'm concerned and are trying to build from within around two all-stars and a very good starting unit.
You do realize most of the all-stars are under contract right? Even if they wanted to be here it's not like we can magically trade Claver and Dorell Wright for them...
One of the best franchises in the NBA, San Antonio, isn't exactly a hot bed for free agent signings either.
First, this is not a simple question for LMA & Dame. If it were, Shooter would have sent them an email or posted on the team's site. This is intended as a provocation and insult. Second, as others have said, there could be players who said they'd like to play with those two but not "I'll demand my team trade me to Portland or I quit". And the players in question might not be FA's this year. Third, comparison with Cleveland is not apt. LeBron pretty much made it clear he'd either stay in Miami or go home to Cleveland, and the Cavs gutted their team to get him back. That's a special, unique situation. You really think if there was a chance the Blazers could land LeBron without giving up LMA or Dame they would not have done so? I think it's just another case of "waaaaaaaambulance".
In hindsight this Shooter guy looks pretty smart. Six years later and Portland still has not made a significant free agent acquisition. This summer was another off-season where it really needed to happen, but didn’t.
That you Shooter? We got Norm of the now True NorthW. Player who Dame wasn't even certain we'd sign. Highly significant to have a SG that can send CJ to the bench and play solid D.
Right after Olshey got here they did a $4 million renovation on the practice facility. At the time i always felt Paul Allen went cheap on that. He could have built the very best facility in the league. Currently it is considered that the Clippers, Cavs and Pistons have the best practice facilities.
