Aldridge speaks out again about wanting a real center

Yeah it's pretty bad. He really lacks the awareness to help out defensively.

 

Rookies averaging over 15 mpg and with a PER >12.

http://www.basketball-reference.com...at=&c5comp=gt&c6mult=1.0&c6stat=&order_by=per

 

Leonard had some pretty good stretches on defense last night where he really confounded the Jazz. Truth is though he has a long, long way to go. I'm too lazy to look it up but I think he played two years of college? If he had put in his four years would he have ended up a top 5 pick? I think probably yes. The Blazers will just have to pay him for those two critical years of development, in exchange for getting him at no. 11. I think in 2 years or so he should be good enough to compliment the starters we already have. For next year though, a real starting center would be nice.

 

He's third on the team in Drtg (106), and first on the team in Ortg (117).

Get the man more minutes! To say he's "horrible" overall, or "abysmal" defensively, seems excessive.

Next we'll hear he's in the "Rondo mold".

 

If he had been a different race, he'd have been a Top 5 pick this season.

 

That's fine and I won't argue that. I just know what I've seen on the court. There were times when I've seen him so late on the switch outs and help. I just want more awareness is all. He just seems to be slow to react in that regard.

 

Leonard for the most part is unimpressive in most of the games he plays in. He consistently doesn't know what to do on both ends of the court and looks lost.

He'll be a serviceable big for the better part of his career, but I don't see much more than that. His post game sucks and he gets overpowered a lot.

 

This says that Hickson is the biggest nerd on the team!

https://www.numberfire.com/nba/teams/portland-trail-blazers
Scroll down!

 

And disappointing a team and fan base tremendously

 

Leonard's doing fine. He'll get better defensively with experience.

 

Worse than Thomas Robinson is disappointing Sacto fans? A tweener is always a tweener.

 

At 20 years of age its a bit premature to be determining his ceiling.

Furthermore if anyone is disappointed in his performance thus far, its their own fault for getting their hopes up for an NBA ready player in the first place.

 

Ya, I really thought he would be better. Kind of another Corliss Williamson (Haha. also drafted by the Kings) Corliss turned out to be a decent NBA player. Only time will tell I guess. Same with Leonard of course. I just think Leonard has gotten worse as the season has gone on

 

JJ for Dalembert would work

Samuel Dalembert drops a career-best game, and is immediately put on the trading block

Now That's what I'm talking about

 

This is the first hypothetical trade I've seen in a month that I immediately did not dismiss out of hand. The downside is that Dalembert is expiring as well, so he's not a guarantee to be a Blazer next season. Still, it would make sense for both teams.

 

Hickson for Dalembert would be OK with me; pretty much no risk. I just wonder if Hickson fits into Milwaukee's plans or if JJ wants to spend the rest of the winter in Wisconsin?

 

It would seem like an unlikely place for him to want to go.
As for Milwaukee, they have Ilyasova, Henson, Gooden, and Sanders up front. Sanders really the only C of the bunch. Why move Dalembert for another PF?

 

Yep. We have to remember that JJ has to want (or at the very least agree) to go.

 

Now we just need

1. Hickson to agree to go to Milwaukee
2. Milwaukee to agree to add a PF with Ilyasova and Henson on the roster already
3. Milwaukee to agree to trade Dalembert for Hickson

 

Speaking of...

The Spurs are offering Splitter/Jackson/Mills/rights to Euro for Al Jefferson.