[ official ] 2016 summer moves

Just too small. I don't think it would work much against any good teams.

 

Bledsoe plays a lot of SG. He's short but has a long wingspan and is strong and athletic. He can guard SGs.

 

That may well be true for some SGs, but then CJ can't guard SFs. It's probably not a good idea to always think about Golden State, but I don't think Bledsoe could guard Thompson. Lillard/Bledsoe/CJ would get eaten alive by any GS line up because even when they play small ball they still have good length.

 

Well if you can play your 3 together at times you do it. Against Golden State? No. But in situations where you there's a 2nd string SF in (Roberson, Ross, Josh Richardson, MKG, Bazemore, Solomon Hill, Matt Barnes, etc), or the other team goes small, you can get away with playing CJ at SF.

Bledsoe would do a decent job on Thompson. He's athletic and strong. He'd give Portland the third ball handler/scoring that that they need)

I think he can be had. They like Knight, Bledsoe is coming off an injury and they wanna make room for Butler.

I think that it'd be possible to get one of their picks as well.

 

Since there has been so little interest in my bold and beautiful post, I guess I will need to add some more of my own thoughts.

Plan 1. This plan may seem too disruptive to some of you; too many people going away who we are attached to. But as I see it this is probably Portland's last chance in this cycle to make a big splash; it has to be done this year. I used to think we could just collect assets and wait for that Chris Paul type trade to materialize, but now I realize that it was such a special circumstance and so rare (only other example would be Kevin
Garnett trade) that it most likely is not a good course of action.

More about plan 1: Obviously this works far better if Durant is one of the two. Whiteside and Horford together would be fine offensively but not so great defensively; although maybe it could be made to work somehow.

Plan 2: Only done if management is sure that Howard is buying in; at a minimum would want a promise from him to come to Portland this summer and work with the rest of the team. If they pulled this off; I would want to pay Andre Miller as a special consultant to come in during the summer and teach Portland guards how to throw a lob pass. I also want to say I think Howard can still be an offensive force. I think people can remember how he was killing us in the playoffs a couple years ago; we had to focus a lot of attention on him; we were able to get away with that because they didn't have much other offense besides Harden. But think how it could help Portland's offense overall.

Plan 3. The more I think about this plan, the less enthusiastic I am about it. Mahimni is 29 and not an impactful player. The only other option is to try to get a couple more young guys to basically use as assets, or guys to grow with the team. But are there any unrestricted? I don't think so, except Biyombo. Restricted that are interesting and young would just be Barnes and Ezeli. Would it be better to overpay for young guys than get an older Mahimi at a decent price?

 

OK, I forgot one guy, who might be included on Plan 3, or even any of the plans since I think he would come cheap. Did anyone realize that Jerryd Bayless, age 27, was the fifth best 3pt shooter in the league last year at .427 and that he has always shot .395 or better when he had at least three attempts a game? Not a good defender and of course he has those alligator arms, but he would be intriguing as our backup PG.

 

I'm kind of waffling on Plan 3; as I keep saying this is Portland's only chance to do something big, so I am a little hesitant about signing a couple 29 year olds. I think I would make offers to both Ezeli and Barnes and see what Golden State does.

 

OK, I'm not waffling anymore; have no interest in Barnes or Ezeli.

 

Barnes has his moments but no way do you give him a max deal when you have Aminu - who is similarly productive.

 

Barnes is super inconsistent like nic batum.

No thanks. Aminu will be almost a third of the cost of those dudes.

 

Can't believe it but someone will pay Barnes the max. If he can't score with all the open looks he gets in GS, what is going to do when he is more of the focus of the opponents defense?

 

I think the Sixers will sign Barnes to a max contract. Simmons and Barnes will be their forwards.

 

I know I come up with a lot of 3/4 team trades, but oh well.

Tell me who wouldn't do this deal:

Portland Gets:
6th Pick (NOP)

Boston Gets:
Kevin Love (CLE)
2018 CLE 1st (from POR)

Cleveland Gets:
Al-Farouq Aminu (POR)
Mason Plumlee (POR)
Jae Crowder (BOS)
Tyreke Evans (NOP)

New Orleans Gets:
3rd Pick (BOS)
23rd Pick (BOS)
31st Pick (BOS)
Iman Shumpert (CLE)

-Portland clears cap space while getting a good young piece from the pick
-Boston gets their go to player while only giving up one rotation player
-Cleveland gets pieces that fit their rotation perfectly (Irving/Evans/James/Aminu/Thompson with Delly/Smith/Crowder/Plumlee off the bench)
-New Orleans trades up and gets extra picks, they need the depth.

 

Because we can sign someone better to replace them.

Keep 2 guys, or trade for a pick them upgrade the 2 guys...

 

Aminu, Plumlee and a future 1st for the #6 pick in a Draft that is considered mostly a 2-player draft?

Two starters and a pick for a guy who wouldn't start seems over the top.

 

Same type of thing was being said with Lillards and McCollums draft. We have the chance to get a future star and we clear up cap space to upgrade their positions regardless.

 

Portland.

BNM