Yeah...because basketball players play all 48 minutes of the game! Come on Rasta...if LAC had the big man depth POR has they could afford to schedule the stints DeAndre plays to minimize the amount of time Hack-A-Jordan could be used effectively. It's not rocket science, Doc is just hampered because of his failures as a GM and the Clippers lack of depth. If DeAndre is gone, LAC is going to be open to a S&T, and a deal centered around Batum/filler would save PDX cap space and potentially not have to renounce Wes.
Okay look we survived Travis Outlaw, but do we really want a player who MIGHT FORGET to dunk in a game winner?
Greg Monroe has just as big of a body, with 10 times the talent. But he doesn't carry the Olshey connection advantage.
Draco I'm gonna piggy back off your idea and try to prupose something even more plausible -Trade Batum, Kaman, and Blake to LAC for DeAndre Jordan and Matt Barnes -If Afflalo opts in he'll be backup SF..... If he opts out or we trade him, then trade two future 2nd round picks and cash to Philadelphia for Robert Covington. -Resign LMA, Wes, Rolo, Freeland, Wright -Draft Upshaw 23rd, Diagne 47th (Stash) -Sign CJ Watson 2yrs/$9M (Team Option) Lillard(35)/Watson(14)/Frazier Matthews(26)/McCollum(26)/Crabbe Barnes(24)/Afflalo(20)/Wright Aldridge(33)/Leonard(16)/Freeland Jordan(27)/Lopez(18)/Upshaw -OR- Lillard(36)/Watson(16)/Frazier Matthews(29)/McCollum(26)/Crabbe Barnes(27)/Covington(10)/Wright Aldridge(34)/Leonard(16)/Freeland Jordan(28)/Lopez(18)/Upshaw
Jordan's ceiling is Kevin Duckworth. He might have a couple of peak years coming, but he's not worth what our other starters are.
Why's what exactly. You're seeing some blue chip talent on the level of Aldridge, Lillard, Batum, and Matthews? He's peaking on a good team. On a bad team you think he'd be a leader? His current teammates make him look good.
Batum is better than Jordan??? HAH Jordans insane athleticism makes him the best Pick N Roll option there is He's the best rebounder in the league And one of if not the best defensive big man in the game He's not "blue-chip", it's actually the people around him? He's not blue-chip compared to Nic Batum? Cmon man.
The theme of this article is of Doc Rivers making an ass out of himself as usual, but the article is really all about criticizing DeAndre Jordan. It summarizes an Insider article by Tom Haberstroh, and you get to read it for free. http://deadspin.com/doc-rivers-is-the-worst-kind-of-internet-commenter-1691338367
Jordan is a better version of McGee. They both have the potential to be transformative defensive players, but need the right system and coach to harness their skills. In a vacuum neither is game-changing.
the argument has little substance. In high school I played next to guy that was 6'8. Im 6'5. If a rebound came off in my direction but he was close, I'd let him have it and run the court. Now if he was smaller and not as good of a rebounder, I would just get it myself. I think it's the same scenario, and the fact that he gets so many offensive boards when those are the hard kind, shows how good of a reminder he is. Also acording to analytics, Anything Davis is a bad rim protected giving up 48% contested shooting at the rim. But do we actually think he's only an average defender?? There's so many variables, suck as the Clippers being bad perimeter defenders, where shooting outside shots is better for the other team. When Jordan's in they decide to shoot more 3s and shoot outside, which may end up being better for them. Then when he goes out they try and take advantage by gettting to the rim, where they force up shots, missing most. Basically saying there's too many variables to consider to say he's not a great defender based on one stat like that
It's useless continuing to argue with the people in this thread. The majority has decided that DeAndre is a complete dumbass, hack of a center who steals rebounds and can't play defense. How quickly have people forgotten the month Blake Griffin was out and everyone though the Clippers were fucked? CP3 stepped up for sure, but DeAndre became an absolute MONSTER: http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2015/03...griffins-shadow-this-is-deandre-jordans-time/ Is the guy a superstar? No. But he is a Top 5 center in this league and an UNRESTRICTED free agent. If the Blazers want to remain a constant candidate to keep getting knocked out in the first two rounds, then by all means resign the middling RoLo and keep disappointing the fan base year-in and year-out.
Is he worth the Max? Because the Clippers will offer it to him. The whole thread is moot because he is not leaving LA for Portland just because of Neil.
In a perfect world we orchestrate a s&t sending Kaman (partial Gurantee or Center fill in) and Batum to the Clippers for Jordan. In doing so we don't have to renounce anyone. Hopefully in the draft we will have added a SF similar to Hollis-Jefferson. We manage to retain Rolo and Wes. We should then still have a MLE to spend on a SF, or we could simply bring back Dorrell Wright, or Crabbe looked good as a starter before getting banged up PG Lillard/Frazier/Blake SG Wes/CJ/Crabbe SF Wright/Crabbe/? PF Aldridge/Leonard C Jordan/ ROLO Then in looking at this, there are so many other possibilities too. Example we could renounce Robin for example and still pursue a better FA SF, or a simpler one like Dunleavy or Singler. Lots of options if we use Batum and Kaman to upgrade the roster, it's almost like having an additional $22mil in cap space.
In the CBA of years past, probably not. But everyone is so conservative with contracts like it is their own money. It's Paul Allen's and he has plenty of it. The only thing that has held him back from spending on the Blazers again was the fact we hadn't been a contender and that the salary cap had held us back....With the influx of TV money and the likely increase again in a couple years with the sports betting money, the Blazers are going to be in as strong of a position as any with regards to money to spend. I don't think you understand the kind of contracts that will be given out both this summer and next. Next summer will be crazy because of the fact everyone will have cap space...this summer will be ridiculous because many teams will be giving out "max" contracts they will be fairly reasonable deals under the new cap. DeAndre also isn't guaranteed to take a max 4/80 deal this summer, he is a prime candidate to take a two-year max deal with a PO after 1 and cash in next offseason. Would allow him to test out and see how PDX would be a fit and if it works out re-up under the new cap and make even more. He's made nearly $50M already, so he has the stability to use such a strategy....but then again that is called "looking ahead" and isn't something many on this board are good at doing.
