If you could sign Paul Milsap, would you deal Aldridge for Harris? I probably would. I think Aldridge is significantly more talented than Milsap, but I think Harris/Milsap is superior to Blake (or Miller)/Aldridge. I like Bayless' talent, but until he does something, I wouldn't want to count on him in terms of team-building. A long-term starting five of: PG: Devin Harris SG: Brandon Roy SF: Nicolas Batum PF: Paul Milsap C: Greg Oden Seems pretty fantastic. If Bayless does develop into a quality player, he'll either make the team that much better as a great reserve or he can be traded if he proves to be far too good for a reserve role.
No, I wouldn't deal Aldridge for Harris. The combo of Aldridge and Oden could be one of the best 4/5 combo's of all time and I won't break that up unless it's a Chris Paul level of talent in return. Aldridge has a shot at becoming the best PF, or more likely a top 3 PF in the NBA. While Harris is a great player, there are more young talents at his position, I don't think he quite has the same ceiling. Blake has significant deficiencies as a starter and while the potential lineup you list may be better in the short term it is not the process I would follow to assemble a franchise over the long term. There will be opportunities to upgrade the PG position down the road, just because it is has been a weakness in recent times doesn't mean we should severely weaken a strong position. I'd rather have one excellent starter paired with a bad starter than two good but less than excellent starters. There are many opportunities to add good players, but finding an excellent player is extremely difficult.
I would work with NY to sign-and-trade David Lee to Charlotte so that we could receive Gerald Wallace. I would move Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez to NY. In the next move, I'd trade Steve Blake and either Dante Cunningham or a future 2nd rounder to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich. I'm just not sold on any of the free agent point guards, even Sessions.
JEEZUS! Do you people even read any of my posts??? You guys are driving me effing crazy! Our biggest need is at backup POWER FORWARD! How many times do I have to tell you that?
I agree, but Harris is an excellent starter. Millsap is a very good starter. In fact, he's the same age as Aldridge and has produced comparably. I think Aldridge's ceiling is higher, but I think you are either overrating Aldridge or significantly underrating Harris and Millsap. Harris is currently a better player than Aldridge and while Aldridge is likely to catch him and may even surpass him, he's very unlikely to surpass Harris by a lot. This isn't dealing a prime Duncan for a young Andre Miller and Brian Grant as you imply with "one excellent starter and two good starters." The three players in question are of pretty similar ability level. Harris a bit better but also a bit older. I think Aldridge is likely to be the best of the three, but the difference between Aldridge and Millsap is not massive. The difference between Harris and Blake is pretty huge.
How would you deal Aldridge for Harris anyways? If you deal him unextended, I doubt the Nets do it. If you do extend him, he becomes PPP and his contract becomes difficult to trade.
I was speaking conceptually. I haven't thought through the specific cap issues and how/whether it is possible.
BUCKS AS TRADE PARTNER (thread started two days ago - received lots of laughs!) Pryz + Outlaw + Blake + Picks to the Bucks for Bogut & Sessions (S&T) Saves Bucks serious coin, paying Bogut 12M per year for 4 years. Gives us a "scoring center" which we do not have in Pryz or Oden.
I want to keep the best player. In your scenario we first sign Millsap to the roster, I'd put him in a big man rotation with LMA and Oden. Make Pryz the 4th big man or an insurance policy. If I traded for a 1 I'd consolidate Bayless/Rudy/Batum/Travis/Pryz for an upgrade. I wouldn't try to balance the roster by trading LaMarcus, our second best player, for someone I project to be inferior even if its a very small step down.
Devin Harris is nowhere near the player that LaMarcus Aldridge is. I get so irritated at how much people overvalue point guards. If you look at NBA champions over the past 20 years you will see very few top level point guards on the teams.
For all of you that would trade LMA... you need to check your heads. I chose other option and all I would want to do this off-season is sign Bass. I will go to war with our team + Bass.
I selected lop sided trade. And the guy I want is.... Actually, there are a couple. Devin Harris would be sweet, but I don't think it is possible. Another guy who fits in with what Portland is looking for (except for a shaky past) is Capt. Jack. The guy actually handles the ball for Golden State more then their point guards do. You can see a comparison of the two players here. It seems to me Jackson is the better player. Is he the better person? Who knows. Perhaps he has learned from his mistakes. He defensive stats look terrible last year, but that may have more to do with the team then just him. His contract is for 4 years and less then what Portland would have offered Hedo. Frankly, I think Jackson is a better player for less money. I haven't the slightest idea if he is available. I do know GS has about 7 small forwards. Perhaps Portland could take this one off their hands.
Why would we need another SF? We got lucky and Turk turned his back on us. Thank God because we do not need another SF.
I am specifying a small forward because that is what the team is indicating they are going to pursue. I am trying to find the best possible player that Portland would actually attempt to get. Also, I really don't think any good young point guards are available. That is a resource that teams pretty much have to grow on their own. Further, Jackson has pretty much played point guard for GS all of last year. It wasn't optimal, but he can handle the ball and distribute. I don't have access to any stats telling me if he is good at passing into the post, unfortunately.
Losing out on Turkoglu is unfortunate but not devastating by any means like some on this board and others are implying...POR still has avenues to improve their team via Free Agency, and bring a player or two in while losing nothing.... I think the next move should be signing Andre Miller to a 3yr $8-9 mil per deal....If not Miller then Bibby, but I like Miller better because I think he is a good pick and roll player, better than Blake in that aspect by far...and even though his 3pt shooting and outside shooting in general is relatively poor, he is very good at getting to the rim, which POR is lacking other than Roy it seems... I like Miller over a guy like Sessions, b\c if POR mgmt believes in Bayless like they supposedly do, then signing Sessions IMO potentially stunts that development....I guess you could let the two battle it out and trade the loser of the two, but I'd rather see POR bring in an upgrade over Blake, which Miller definitely is, and give Bayless a chance to show he can handle the back-up role and hopefully take the reins as a starter down the road... I hear the complaints about Miller's outside shooting and while I understand, I don't think it is such a crucial concern as some people make it...POR has PLENTY of outside shooters...Rudy, Webster, Outlaw, Aldridge and of course Roy...I don't think the team is lacking in that area...I think where the team is lacking is in players who can break down a defense and create mismatch situations, which Miller can do, and we hope that Bayless will be able to do....Too many times in the HOU series I saw Roy having to carry the load all by himself and make the play, either for himself or for a dish to another player...If POR wants to be a contender for an NBA title they need more players that have that ability...Hedo IMO, would have helped in that area greatly, I think Miller can help there as well...and then you hope that LA keeps developing, that Rudy becomes less 1-dimensional (outside shotoing) and of course Oden's game develops.... Miller is certainly not the answer all by himself, but he is an improvement over what we have currently, and in areas that we need improvement (slashing to the basket, pick & roll)....Not a great move, but a solid move IMO... Move #2, should be looking to trade Blake (if they sign Miller...possibly in the deal for Miller) and easing the logjam at SF, likely by trading Outlaw...Maybe addressing the b\u PF spot through such a trade...What about a guy like Tyson Chandler? He is 3yrs younger than Przybilla, and opens up the possibility of POR dealing Przybilla, who IMO has good trade value to add another vet, maybe like a Battier? Here is another option, what about Tracy McGrady? It appears HOU wants to dump him, he is 30 yrs old...I know he has a history of injuries, but it is not like POR wouldn't have a nice stable of back-ups (Batum, Webster) to fill in, and with our back-ups you could limit his minutes much of the year, to help limit wear & tear injuries and "preserve" him for the playoffs.....I don't think McGrady is finished as a player yet....and his large ($22+ million) salary expires next year as well...
Exactly how do you folks think you are going to keep the cap space when Aldridge and Roy need extended?
It's nothing to do with him being a point guard. His production beats Aldridge's. Harris had a higher PER (which is adjusted for pace, so it wasn't a matter of Aldridge playing in a slow system). Plus, as an individual defender, he's at least highly-regarded as Aldridge. As I said, Aldridge's team defense makes it close, but I'd still give the edge to Harris, for now.
Miles, Outlaw and Blake coming off the payroll essentially make it a wash. In another thread, all of Portland's salary commitments for next year (including Roy at an estimated $14 million max deal and Aldridge at an estimated $12 million deal) were added up, and it seemed that they could have $7-8 million under the cap.
