Report: Spurs might get a free agent meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge

Yeah, tampering rules prevent coaches, owners, GMs, etc. from talking about free agent targets and destinations until the actual free agency period starts. But that doesn't stop our local media from causing a distraction during the playoffs by talking about stuff no one else will be allowed to talk about for months.

Hey dipshits, we're in the middle of a playoff series, why not write something about what we need to do to win Game 2 and get back in this series? Let's save the rampant, unfounded off season speculation for the actual off season.

BNM

 

Because I'm sure they think the Blazers are about to get swept out of the playoffs, so it's much more fun to talk about LA leaving.

 

Seriously! As much as I like talking about potential roster moves and trades, now that the POs have started I'm waiting to launch into those discussions after Game 4, er, I mean when the series is over, um, I mean, er, when our season is over.

 

So when is the article about shopping for power forwards coming out?

 

Does Pop really want to coach until he is 70? He will be 67 next season. Maybe he does, but be does not seem like the type who would. Didn't he say he would retire when Duncan did?

SA is 4 1/2 hours away from Dallas. It's not like he will be close enough to see his kid every night unless they move there.
Other than the River Walk, not much to SA. I would be surprised if SA was a threat. Dallas maybe, LA maybe, but SA?

 

Not New York?

 

I think he would hate the media in NY. That .....and they suck

 

Yeah, not New York.

 

At one point he said he wouldn't stop until he brought a championship to Cleveland but leading up to 2010, he never said he would definitely sign with Cleveland like Aldridge did with the Blazers. Quick is an asshole.

 

I don't believe that

Do you realize Nic was called a 'pillar' just three years ago in the mold of 'Chris Paul and Blake Griffin' and at the time was paid as such?

I know you're a Nic fan. And I agree with much of what you said. I never said that he needed to carry this team. I agree this is on Damian and LA. And while I haven't been happy with D's performance, I'm going to give him pass because he is younger and still learning and adapting. IMO, Nic has spent the year dogging it. He acts like a guy that really doesn't care. Even after LA very courageously decided to forego the surgery on his thumb so all wouldn't be lost for the team on the season. Nic still acted like he didn't care. Why should LA want to come back to a team with players that don't care? Especially with what he was willing to sacrifice for the good of those same teammates?

 

Quick and Canzano are probably getting paid under the table by someone to tamper for them.

 

Nobody was saying that. Three years ago most Blazer fans thought Nic was worth maybe $7 million a year and the team would let him walk if they had to match a $10+ million contract.

 

Trail Blazers are the only team that can go to the playoffs and lose before they win. PSU gets better press coverage.

 

Does Neil count as nobody? It was him that stated it. It tells you this organization values Nic Batum

Btw...they did match at 10 mil plus a year.

 

Batum has had a frustrating year, even he agrees on that part. But ask yourself this - why would a guy that doesn't care or is dogging it continue to play hurt rather than sit out? He played all 82 games with nagging injuries last season, & there were a number of times he was "Questionable", but he answered the bell every time. This season he played 71 games through an assortment of wrist, knee, back issues (+ he fell on his head . . . did I miss any others?). He was playing some of the worst basketball he's ever played during the first half of the season. He was getting called out by the media/fans, yet he didn't sit out. A lot of "me first guys" won't play through injuries if it means their stats are going to take a hit. There were a string of games in January when Nic's wrist was so bad he couldn't hit anything, scoring less than 10 points in 10 out of 13 games. I think it's fair to criticize Nic's decision to play for France in the summers after the season he's had. Clearly his play has suffered from it. But I don't question his heart, effort, or dedication. He's aloof, which can be mistaken for lazy, but he's a team first guy that wants to win. I'm ok with his contract if he were playing like he did last year. I don't expect him to be Scotty Pippen anymore. He is what he is. I'm not disappointed he never lived up to whatever expectations we put on him years ago. I just want to see the guy we've already seen in past years reappear.

 

Liar. Neil never said Batum was the same to our team as CP3 or Blake Griffin.

Yes the team later ended up paying a few million a year more than most thought Batum was worth. That's far different than him being a max level franchise cornerstone which nobody proclaimed.

 

In Sunday's game, the team came out like a bunch of scared little girls in their first recital. Dame and LaMarcus were rushing and forcing everything. Their form was terrible. The first Blazers player to settle down, relax and start stroking shots was Batum. What some people perceive as Batum not caring, I perceive as him "playing within himself". Sure, sometimes we think he has more room within himself to do more, but I prefer his demeanor to multiple players I've seen in this year's playoffs trying to go hero ball, and fucking up any chance their team had to win the game.

One of my top 2 all time favorite Blazers was Bobby Gross. Nicolas Batum = Bobby Gross. And I'm happy with that.

 

I'm not really so sure of that. Tim Duncan plays an awful lot of center for the spurs . Also does anyone really want to try to move into Tim Duncan's position on a team like that? Aldridge is already in that position here. If he does not measure up it could go really really bad quick. And really is there chance at all that people will not compare him to Duncan? Would you want that?