Just goes to show that GMs shouldn't kowtow to players who think they know better. And that was a very pot/kettle statement from LMA. I really hope Neil didn't trade Nic as a way of placating LMA - if so that's yet another strike against him as a GM.
I'm always kind of surprised when fans, here and elsewhere, seem to think batum has improved this year over the years he was "held back"in Portland. I guess people maybe just look and see a scoring increase and assume as much? Across the board, a good majority of his numbers are at or below his career averages. I still like him, and I'd take him back, but I don't see a need to spend max money on a sf. Especially a sf we've had here previously who is the same player he was. If we're going to overpay, I'd at least like potential upside. Otherwise, not worth it.
I always felt that Lamarcus wanted him gone and Olshey wanted a contingency plan at 2 positions...I think it was a great trade
You seriously think that this team is better with Aminu rather than Batum? That's... a bold assertion.
I don't think Klay is as good as CJ at running the offense. He is mostly catching and shooting. Similar to Wes last year. So letting Draymond run the offense works as it did with Batum without CJ starting. Plus GS is a master at the moving pick. We don't get a way with it. And Draymond attacks the basket way more than Batum does. That is what is hard to math up with. He shoots three's and attacks. And Green also sets screens better than Batum. Draymond is much more versatile than Batum IMO.
Assuming that Aminu has replaced Batum and they (i.e., Aminu and Harkless) are starting together, how'd'you figure? We wouldn't be seeing that if Leonard stayed healthy, more like. Or if Vonleh was any use at all.
Thing is, Batum is a free agent, so possibly you could end up with Henderson, Vonleh, Aminu and Batum next season if Stotts wanted him. I think Stotts knows what he wants pretty much. We didn't let Batum walk for nothing...big plus Aminu is on a real friendly contract..a fraction of Nic's and he's a lot younger than Nic too.
Batum was my fave Blazer. I was (as some might recall) VIOLENTLY opposed to the trade at the time. This wore off a little as the ENTIRE TEAM EXPLODED shortly thereafter, but as the team actually did better than expected it returned to rankling, because we could be even better with Batum, and as we're missing out on a draft pick by creeping into the playoffs, why not try to excel?
What are the others? For a guy up for GM of the year, This statement is somewhat puzzling... And if he was, Why is that a strike? You have to pay attention to your best players and their wants/needs. If LMA would have stayed, would you still consider it a strike?
Well duh. So is LeBron. What's your point? Being not as good as the actual MVP of the winningest regular season team in NBA history is not exactly a slur.
http://www.basketball-reference.com...atumni01&y2=2016&p2=aminual01&p3=&p4=&p5=&p6= Not arguing that Aminu > Nic, but he's been as good if not better than Nic at shooting the 3 this year. That is definitely a surprise.
Where are Aminu's stats? AMINU GP MPG FG% RPG APG BLKPG STPG PFPG PPG 10 30.2 .470 7.2 1.9 1.0 1.2 1.7 13.9 NIC GP MPG FG% RPG APG BLKPG STPG PFPG PPG 8 31.6 .442 5.3 6.4 0.1 0.8 1.8 15.6 So your right, he hasn't outperformed Nic, but is pretty much on par. So Vonleh was basically a freebie. This was a great trade.
If we knew then what we know now; that this is a playoff team, we didn't tank for a lottery pick, we didn't need the salary cap space, and Vonleh didn't significantly improve this season; than it's a bad trade. We know all those things now, we didn't know them at the time. If we could redo the trade we'd be better off having kept Nic. Overall it was a bad trade. Neil seems to have great acumen at the draft and acquiring value players in free agency or trades. His track record with big free agent targets is bad; Hibbert, Hawes, Monroe, Kanter. His big trades are bad; Afflalo, Barton, Batum. Neil should focus on avenues he's had success with.
I like Olshey and don't want to see us chase after a different GM - so don't take this as being similar to my disdain for Stotts. But he's made a lot of decisions that I didn't think were particularly good. 1 - Signing Hibbert to a MAX. I understood it, but I didn't like it. Good thing it didn't work out (like much of what he's tried). 2 - Targeting Hawes as his #1 free agent option. Thought it was an awful idea - good think it didn't work out. 3 - Signing Dorrel Wright. Maybe it was the best he could do, but Wright was awful. 4 - Monroe/Kanter targets. 5 - Not getting value for LMA. 6 - Afflalo trade. Like Hibbert I understood the move, but I didn't like who we targeted. 7 - Nic for Henderson. 8 - Hiring Stotts. I'm hoping that this will be the year Stotts proves me wrong, but I don't think he's cut out for the Playoffs. Good regular season coach, but that's all.
The question was why it works for GS. My point was it works because of Green. He and Batum are not the same type of player.
That was my interpretation at the time as well. It seemed LaMarCooch wanted Nico traded because of his effort. Ironic, since it was LaMarCooch who visibly quit on the team during the playoffs.
Yeah I think that as well; LMA wanted Nic gone. But I think Neil wanted him gone if we were rebuilding and a likely lottery team too as Neil expected were our two roads. Turns out neither happened.
