The Bonzi Wells trade was a result of 5 years of overspending. What do I mean? Well, lets look a it. Paul Allen began the all out spending campaign 5-6 years ago in an attempt to bring a title to Portland. Since then, he has signed players to bloated contracts, took on bloated contracts, and furthered himself into the luxury tax oblivion, known as 'hell on an owner's pocket.' He had to have lost tens of millions of dollars. But then something happened this offseason. He learned. He learned something his critics have been saying for years; you cannot buy a championship. No truer words have been spoken. So what has he done? Reduced payroll. And quietly too, I might add. This year, Portlan's payroll figures to be at around $87 million. The team cap is set at around $49 million. Thats a mere $38 million over the luxury cap. Now double that, since every penny over is doubled. Thats $76 million just for luxury tax. Add in the team's $49 in salary cap, and that comes to be a total of $125 million. AND THATS JUST IN SALARY EXPENSES! Would you spend that much for a team that cannot win a ring? Didn't think so. But thats what Paul Allen has been doing for the past few years. So the Bonzi trade was basically made to not only save cap, but acquire cheap talent(1st rounder), and expiring salary(Person) while adding a good veteran shooter. Bonzi has a one year guaranteed deal. But he has a team option on the 2nd year. Portland would have never exercised it, due to the problems between him, his teammates, coaching staff, and management. As a result, Portland would have let him opt out, and he'd be a FA. Meanwhile, Portland wouldn't be compenstated. This way, Portland still has an expiring contract and a 1st rounder to boot. For those who don't think Portland is reducing payroll, why didn't Portland use there MLE? They didn't offer it to Pippen to keep him, didn't offer it to Zo, didn't offer it to S. Jackson..... They didn't use it. And the reason is bec. that would cost another $9.8 million for Paul Allen ($4.9 million, doubled). Fact is, if any of those players were good enough to push Portland deep into contention, they would have demanded bigger contracts. Portland let Pippen go. Cap decision. Daniels wasn't brought back. Cap decision. MLE wasn't used. Cap decision. So where does Portland go from here? Rebuild mode. They already have there PF for the future in Randolph. Woods figures to man the SG spot. It remains to be seen if Outlaw can be an NBA caliber 3. With that 1st rounder, Portland could go after the PG they desperately need. Portland had 2 choices. Let Bonzi walk after this year, or get some compensation. They chose the latter, and smartly so.
Portland got the best of this trade .. Wesly person is one of the game's most pure shooters .. and a conditional future first round pick ( Not Top 3 ) which might result into a big time player .. for Bonzi Wells who so far this year .. hasn't done or shown anything
The blazers just have made some bad moves altogether, but lets hope they get it together after Sheed is gone...I don't even know how they are making money right now...do people still go to games? <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Vintage:</div><div class="quote_post">The Bonzi Wells trade was a result of 5 years of overspending. What do I mean? Well, lets look a it. Paul Allen began the all out spending campaign 5-6 years ago in an attempt to bring a title to Portland. Since then, he has signed players to bloated contracts, took on bloated contracts, and furthered himself into the luxury tax oblivion, known as 'hell on an owner's pocket.' He had to have lost tens of millions of dollars. But then something happened this offseason. He learned. He learned something his critics have been saying for years; you cannot buy a championship. No truer words have been spoken. So what has he done? Reduced payroll. And quietly too, I might add. This year, Portlan's payroll figures to be at around $87 million. The team cap is set at around $49 million. Thats a mere $38 million over the luxury cap. Now double that, since every penny over is doubled. Thats $76 million just for luxury tax. Add in the team's $49 in salary cap, and that comes to be a total of $125 million. AND THATS JUST IN SALARY EXPENSES! Would you spend that much for a team that cannot win a ring? Didn't think so. But thats what Paul Allen has been doing for the past few years. So the Bonzi trade was basically made to not only save cap, but acquire cheap talent(1st rounder), and expiring salary(Person) while adding a good veteran shooter. Bonzi has a one year guaranteed deal. But he has a team option on the 2nd year. Portland would have never exercised it, due to the problems between him, his teammates, coaching staff, and management. As a result, Portland would have let him opt out, and he'd be a FA. Meanwhile, Portland wouldn't be compenstated. This way, Portland still has an expiring contract and a 1st rounder to boot. For those who don't think Portland is reducing payroll, why didn't Portland use there MLE? They didn't offer it to Pippen to keep him, didn't offer it to Zo, didn't offer it to S. Jackson..... They didn't use it. And the reason is bec. that would cost another $9.8 million for Paul Allen ($4.9 million, doubled). Fact is, if any of those players were good enough to push Portland deep into contention, they would have demanded bigger contracts. Portland let Pippen go. Cap decision. Daniels wasn't brought back. Cap decision. MLE wasn't used. Cap decision. So where does Portland go from here? Rebuild mode. They already have there PF for the future in Randolph. Woods figures to man the SG spot. It remains to be seen if Outlaw can be an NBA caliber 3. With that 1st rounder, Portland could go after the PG they desperately need. Portland had 2 choices. Let Bonzi walk after this year, or get some compensation. They chose the latter, and smartly so.</div>
Also, Wallace's contract expires after this year. Do you think they'll let him go elsewhere? From this season alone it looks like the Blazers are willing to say goodbye to Wallace.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sunsfan1357:</div><div class="quote_post">Also, Wallace's contract expires after this year. Do you think they'll let him go elsewhere? From this season alone it looks like the Blazers are willing to say goodbye to Wallace.</div> Yep. I highly doubt Wallace will be ther by the start of next season, Court Vision is right, they have just made some bad moves overall. Always have had a solid team over the years, but can't beat the elite. However, if Lakers didn't make a incredible comeback in the Western Conference Finals a few years back, Portland could have went on to beat Indiana in the Finals, and we could be looking at a whole different picture right now.
Trading away Jermaine O'Neal was one of the biggest mistakes in Blazers history.Which set all this up.Now they have to try and re-build their team to become a force.Randolph is their center piece.Cleaning house by building around him is the best way to go.
Yes, I don't think Wallace will be here next year either. I am not sure who they will go after, but make sure to spend money wisely. Just don't go out and buy a 2nd rate player just because you didn't get top quality, just to please the fans. We saw this in Chicago with Eddie Robinson.
Bonzi Wells being gone is a thumbs up to the Blazers, the Blazers are nothing but all kinds of criminals cept for murdering, they disgust me with their actions off the court............... drug addicts, wife beaters etc. Bob Whisitt is a stupid GM and should be fired immediately, he turned a once used to be a team full of potential into a team wit a bunch of losers that are criminals...... ever since Paul Allen and his little worm Bob Whisitt controlled the team things start going down... tats some idiots in superior rank, Paul Allen should stay in Microsoft, instead of buying a NBA team and pissing on the league with criminals on their team. Bob Whitsitt i just cant stand this guy, first he judge guys based on statistics from 6 years ago which are from Pippens Chicago years now everyone here knows tat Pippen is a lazy, no good player hes always behind the shadows of Michael Jordan, and tats the main reason why he won the 6 rings backin chicago...... 'holy crap, pippens available, quick guys offer him our deal before someone snaps him' They traded for Scotty Pippen who has proven nothing but to be the most Over-rated player in NBA history since Michael Jordan's retirement. How many 50 greatest players of all time would be laughing about fouling at the end of a game when you are losing by 19 points. Or even worse, throw the ball away with less than a minute in the game with the score tied!??!?!??!?!? and he lets rookies goes before they hit their prime time...... Jermaine O'Neal anyone??? anyone wanna take him? and trade the good players away like Brian Grant??? And dont even get me started on him passing out Jordan..... And still the rest of the whole team is dumb, and 1 gone, 8 more to go so lets get the huge trush truck to ship the rest outta there another reason tat The Blazers suck because Rasheed Wallace is a little bitch that cries and cries after every call
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Trading away Jermaine O'Neal was one of the biggest mistakes in Blazers history.Which set all this up.Now they have to try and re-build their team to become a force.Randolph is their center piece.Cleaning house by building around him is the best way to go.</div> Trading away Jermaine isnt the biggest mistake, PASSING AWAY Michael Jordan was the dumbest MISTAKE EVER HAPPENED im so pissed at them for doing that, they used to be my fav team Jordan and Drexler would make a great team, plus some talented players in there besides Jordan and Drexler theyll certainly woulda won a championship or more if they didnt pass away Jordan
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheHitman:</div><div class="quote_post">Trading away Jermaine isnt the biggest mistake, PASSING AWAY Michael Jordan was the dumbest MISTAKE EVER HAPPENED im so pissed at them for doing that, they used to be my fav team Jordan and Drexler would make a great team, plus some talented players in there besides Jordan and Drexler theyll certainly woulda won a championship or more if they didnt pass away Jordan</div> I said one of the biggest mistakes not the complete biggest..but at the time they needed a big man..They had a shooting guard and a damn good one so at the time it seemed like a good move.Trading JO never really was...
And what about Memphis? They are growing up and they had bonzi wells for Person (he played only 15 minutes) and a first round pick, and if with bonzi they go into the playoffs or they finish the season up, the first round pick won?t be a high pick. Jerry West in 2 years has got Bonzi Wells x Nick Anderson and a first round pick.
