Comparing the Spurs teams with the Blazers teams has only one flaw. The Blazers lack big time experience. I mean the Blazers never had a David Robinson to show Aldridge the way or any other player like that.
That's where we differ (well, one of many places!). I think it's a folly to replicate the Spurs system. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice it just doesn't work. Why? For the following reasons: (1) They have the best coach in modern NBA history. (2) They built around, arguably, the best PF to ever play the game. (3) They had two other players who, during their primes, were Top 3 for their position. (4) They have a talent evaluation team that is able to correctly identify average or below-average players who will work within their system. These players perform well above their pay grade. No team, other than the Heat, can claim to have one of those items let alone all four. The Spurs are a unique organization, due mostly to Pops. Until another coach like him comes along there won't even be a chance for there to be another team like the Spurs. But this is a massive derail - this thread is about trades. Of ANY sort - pie in the sky, realistic, rumors, etc.
Yep The big thing that gets overlooked is the fact the Spurs had one of the best centers in David Robinson when Tim Duncan was just a rookie. That's huge!
In all seriousness, we still need a guy who can score 10-12 points off the bench. I'm fine with Blake, I'm really happy with Kaman, but CJ has been a disappointment so far. It seems like Indy is going to tank. Maybe we could get Scola and Stuckey for a few of our young guys. Scola was huge last year for Indy, and Stuckey is a guy who has always been a pretty good scorer off the bench. I think Blake, Stuckey, Scola, and Kaman would be an extremely solid second unit.
I had hoped that CJ would show something so we could trade him for a player who would actually do our team some good. What a waste of our last lotto pick for the next few years...
With McCollum going down it may be time to try and get a big trade to happen. Portland Gets: Jeff Green Sacramento Gets: Rajon Rondo, Will Barton Boston Gets: Ben McLemore, Derrick Williams, Otto Porter Jr, Kings 2015 1st round pick, Blazers 2016 1st round pick (lottery protected). Washington Gets: Thomas Robinson, Dorrell Wright
I don't want that to happen. Helping to create a pairing of Rondo/Cousins would be detrimental to our cause. With health that's the best PG/C tandem in the league. And giving out a 1st rounder on top of Barton/Robinson/Wright is way too much.
Who cares what the Kings get? We need to worry about us and Jeff Green for Barton/Robinson/Wright and a future 1st is a win-now move that puts us top 3 in the west. Our playoff rotation would be dope... Lillard / Blake Wes Batum / Green (can also play 4) LA RoLo / Kaman
I think Boston wins the trade long term, they already have a shit ton of picks now so they can move up in the draft and get some impact players.
Without looking at contracts... Kevin Martin, Aaron Afflalo, Thadeus Young and Gerald Green are some players I would seriously look at coming off the bench for the Blazers. I think all of these guys will be moved to another team before deadline.
Not if Rondo is healthy. Sure, if you need some cold-blooded scoring Lillard is your guy. But Rondo is the best pure PG in the league - at both ends of the floor. We've all seen moderately good defensive efforts take Dame out of the game - Rondo is not just moderately good at defense.
Rondo is the Kevin Love of point guards, dude just pads his stats constantly. He also isn't as quick as he used to be on defense, Lillard would run him through so many screens and nail 3s right in his grill. Rondo at this point is like a prime Andre Miller, good not great.
