I know I titled it dream lineup, but I just wrote that to get you in this thread. I actually would like to see people's best imagined lineup given the possibilities still available. Trades are fine, but be realistic: 1) assume no top 10 player will be moved or 2) Western Conference rival will trade us one of its top two players. So, for instance, no LBJ due to the first rule and no Deron (I don't consider Deron quite top 10 in the league) due to the second rule. Kobe would not qualify as a trade target under both rules. I have assumptions here about what I think other teams are willing to do, but I will explain my thinking about that below. One has to imagine motives a bit to play armchair GM. Considering what I think are realistic possibilities at this point, I have narrowed it down to three guys I would like to see picked up this off season. Renounce any euros that can come off the cap that you aren't super high on (Freeland, Koponen), then sign Paul Millsap if possible leave a million, Kirk Hinrich for Blake + Outlaw + picks + $, and Shane Battier in a trade for Przybilla. Utah doesn't stop us because we sign Millsap to a huge contract and they don't want to go into luxury tax hell. Chicago no longer needs Hinrich and his contract is an anchor around their neck as they are struggling to define themselves and build around Rose. Houston is desperate for a man over 6'9", and now that they have signed Ariza and lost Yao to injury, Battier is available for the right price. As an aside, I would actually be just as happy to try and get Ramon Sessions and Kurt Thomas from Milwaukie and then trade Joel for Battier. I said stick to one lineup though, so I'm going with the former; I also think it is a possible outcome of current rumors (substituting Lee for Millsap below is a strong possibility as well). The lineup then would be: PG Hinrich/Bayless/Mills SG Roy/Rudy SF Battier/Batum/Webster PF LMA/Millsap/Cunningham C Oden/LMA/Pendegraph We leave one spot open. That team is deep and has an amazing 9 man rotation. Excellent BBIQ almost throughout the lineup, good defense, and amazing offense. With some growth from Rudy, Batum, Bayless and Oden that team challenges LA for the Western Conference crown next season. So then, tell us your realistic dream lineup and how you would get it. Of course we won't all agree on what is realistic, so please try to stick to the rules. Rule #1: No top 10 player is realistic as a trade target. (I will base top 10 off of PER) Rule #2: No Western Conference rival will trade one of their top two players to us. e.g. Utah will not trade us Boozer or Williams. (In fact you can see rule #2 this in action right now. Utah won't trade us Boozer, but they will work with us to send Boozer to the Eastern Conference.) So let's hear it. What's your lineup and how do you achieve it?
Acquiring three 10 million dollar guys in one off season when we have trouble with extending our own guys is realistic?
I thought Battier made something like 6.5 million? As for the lineup, if KP somehow pulls that off he'll have completely reversed his recent pattern of impotence (or at least the impression of it) and will have completely transformed this roster into a balanced unit with both offensive chops, toughness, veteran savvy and a true championship pedigree ... I certainly don't expect anything even close to that, but I'll be pretty satisfied if gets even one of those guys and ecstatic if he can manage two (Hinrich and Battier would be my first two choices).
Honestly, a lineup like that is about ideal as you can get. Millsap is a good PF who can start if needed, and could be part of future 3-big rotation of LMA/Oden/Millsap if/when Pryzbilla leaves. Great depth. Battier is one of the most intelligent players in the game (if you don't think so, see how he uses data to break down player consistencies) and would be great for Batum to learn from (and I agree...that since Ariza has been guaranteed a starting role, he's probably more available...especially for Pryzbilla if needed). AND, I do like Miller...I have for years, and even though he's declined slower than I thought he would, he'll continue to lose a step. Honestly, Kirk is already, what 29 as well? However, I like that Kirk can hit a 3 when needed, and think he'd probably be a better complimentary guard (or play at a higher level) for the next few years while Bayless comes into his own. This is really an ideal lineup, I don't think there's much that could top it. And it's give us the chance to win any playoff series we entered. That's excellent defense and enough offense to win it all, even against Lakers/Spurs/Cavs/Orlando/Boston.
My lineup? PG- Ramon Sessions/Jerryd Bayless SG- Brandon Roy/ Rudy Fernandez SF- Nic Batum/Martell Webster PF- LaMarcus Aldridge/Tyrus Thomas C- Greg Oden/ Joel Przybilla
Yeah he makes 6.8 mill next year, 7.3 the year after that (when he's an expiring). Very reasonable, and could be traded 1-for-1 with Pryzbilla if we chose to do so. I still am worried about Oden's health, and ability to stay out of foul trouble, to where it'd be difficult to trade him. But then again, if Battier is slated to come off the bench next year...(or what, start at SG?).
I meant more like 3 guys that are basically worth 10 mil. If Battier was a free agent today, I'm positive he would get those figures.
PG: Chris Paul / Steve Blake SG: Brandon Roy / Martell Webster SF: Nicolas Batum / Dante Cunningham PF: Paul Millsap / Jeff Pendergraph C: Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla Dream big
Hinrich \ Bayless \ Mills Roy \ Rudy Batum \ Webster \ Claver Aldridge \ Millsap \ Pendergraph Oden \ Przybilla Trade Blake and Outlaw for Hinrich. Sign Millsap with cap space. Bring Claver over.
Sessions and Millsap would be a dream off-season. I'm not big on trying to imagine up trades, because it's nearly impossible to gauge how other teams value Portland players like Outlaw or Blake or Przybilla. But those are the two perhaps-reasonably-attainable players that I'd be really excited to see Portland get. Millsap and Hinrich would be quite nice, too. Gerald Wallace always lurks as a favourite that I'd like to see Portland reel in, if it didn't cost any of the Big Three or Batum/Bayless.
This. I support any "super lineup" that doesn't revolve around the concept of hinrich, l but this one in particular is nice. I would also accept keeping aldridge and instead grabbing williams for pg.
Of all the names thrown around...realistically or semi-realistically (I don't consider Paul in that group) PG: Harris/Bayless SG: Roy/Fernandez C: Oden/Pryzbilla PF: Aldridge/Millsap SF: Wallace/Batum I know we wouldn't be able to get all 3 of these guys, but I didn't know who else to put. (probably will just end up with Hinrich)
PG: Harris | Blake SG: Roy | Rudy SF: Battier | Batum PF: Aldridge | Millsap C: Oden | Aldridge (In other words I traded Joel for Battier after we signed Millsap not only to get Battier, which would be awesome, but to open up mroe time for Millsap... Oh an I somehow landed Devin Harris! Looks like Bayless, Outlaw, Webster, cash, picks for Harris and a bad contract... yes I know its not realistic.)
For a realistic dream line-up I think you can only count on one real move being made. So, I would assume the move made would return Hinrich and Deng (this is possible, I think) that would include Outlaw, Blake and Rudy. I would have Portland sign Kurt Thomas for a couple of years. Further, this assumes that all of the returning players improve their games in the way Portland wants them to. PG: Hinrich/Bayless/Mills SG: Roy/Bayless/Deng SF: Deng/Batum/Martell PF: LA/Thomas/Pendergraph C: Oden/Joel/Thomas/Pendergraph
Hinrich/Bayless/Mills Roy/Fernandez Prince/Batum/Cunningham Aldridge/Bass/Pendergraph Oden/Przybilla/Pendergraph That is 13, which is the number pf players KP had talked about early in the year. My guess is one of the three rookies would always be on the reserve roster unless there was an injury.
Hinrich/Bayless Roy/Rudy Deng/Batum LMA/Millsap Oden Sign Millsap, then trade Blake, Outlaw, Martell and Pryz for Hinrch+Deng Theres really quite a few scenarios I'd be happy with; giving Millsap a big offer is a good first step.
Trade Joel for Battier. Sign Millsap. Trade Blake and Outlaw for Hinrich. Bring back Ha. --- Hinrich \ Bayless \ Mills Roy \ Rudy \ Webster Battier \ Batum \ Cunningham Aldridge \ Millsap \ Pendergraph Oden \ Ha
