KP has done a good job with the draft, but with the Chad Ford rumors saying we are trying to get the #4 pick from Minn, doesn't seem really possible. Why would Minn deal this pick to us in the same division unless we are giving up someone great they need. Who would that be? IMO, I don't see us trading Roy, Aldridge, Nic or Oden for that pick, so what would Minn take we would have left? The #22, Rudy and Bayless? Not sure what we have that would carry that much value to get us that pick. interested to hear other opinions on you all think it would take. I can't think of many trades from the 20's to the top 5 I can remember and the value it would take to move up.
As far as I know, it was Adrian Wojnarowski, not Ford. http://sportstwo.com/threads/159670-AWOJ-tweets-...
I just hope it's not for another wing player. B-Edge thinks Wesley Johnson makes the most sense. Over Favors and Cousins? I disagree.
I see a little Danny Granger in Wesley, but he isn't nearly as big as Granger, nor do I think he's quite that level. Haven't really put my finger on a good comparison for him yet.
I'm not sure Batum would be enough to get a top 4 pick, if so I think you have to consider it. I could see us including Aldridge in a package depending on what we got in return. Aldridge for Love makes some sense as LA could probably co-exist much better with Jefferson. If indeed we are targeting Minny and New Jersey for a trade my first thought is they have the cap space to absorb LaMarcus' poision pill contract.
I think that LMA fits well as a centerpiece with both MIN and PHI. For MIN, he can play a legit stretch 5 for them with Al Jefferson on the block. He has value to them b/c you can start your two best bigs (last year they were stuck with starting Darko b/c of that, and bringing a very efficient K. Love off the bench). If they stay at 4, they're going to get the scrap of Cousins or Favors (both of whom semi-duplicate both Love and Jefferson) or reaching for an unsure thing in Wes Johnson. Whereas for us, Love can play inside or midrange, so he can work well with Camby or Oden (he's even been working on a 3pt shot). He's a pretty high-level rebounder, and his defensive shortcomings can be masked a bit with either of the centers coming from the weak side. NJN is a tougher sell. Brook Lopez is versatile enough that either LMA or someone like Cousins or Favors could step right in. So they're not nearly as desperate to unload as MIN. They might just be looking for Godfather-deal value to give up picking BPA, or maybe thinking they still have a shot with Harris, Lee, LMA and Lopez to get a big-name Free Agent and making the playoffs next year. PHI, I think, is where we can make our move. They want to get rid of Brand's contract pretty badly, not jsut b/c he's old, unproductive or expensive (two of the three, though), but that he doesn't fit in with their best game--which is running and being aggressive with the tempo. LMA would be like a duck in water there. Cousins and Favors wouldn't, and Turner kind of duplicates AI2, without having the effect it'd have here where he could play right next to Roy as a hybrid guard. I think getting Turner would be an amazing Grab, and if it means giving up LMA for Brand to get him (there are other minor parts that'd have to be involved on their end, but nothing that's too hard to get around) then that's a sweet deal. And it may be that giving them relief with something like Joel, Miller and Claver or Freeland's rights (since they have Young and Speights and Smith already and are probably over the lux tax if keeping the #2) is enough.
If the Blazers trade Aldridge they better get a guy that can score the basketball. As much as people rag on Aldridge he still has averaged 18ppg the last 3 seasons and is a big part of the offense. He can get his own shot most of the times as well. Love is one of those garbage pts guys and not a guy you want to depend on to score.
wing isn't a high priority. Getting talent in the form of a sweet-shooting, ball-handling, "best defensive guard in the draft" is. Or should be.
I think the reason we COULD pull of a trade with Minnesota is their salary cap situation and the FA's that are available. I know this might sound ridiculous but they have a decent amount of cap room but not enough to offer close to a max deal. If they get rid of that lotto pick and take on a later pick or two and a euro along with a guy like Rudy...they can free up a few million to make a run at a guy like Joe Johnson or get a couple impact players that would add immediate experience to such a young team...If they pick Favors or really anybody else available at that spot...they are back in the lottery next year without a doubt because they really don't have any leadership on that team...
Here is the problem with high draft picks for the Blazers.....at this point. Most high draft picks are high draft picks because they are very good. They are very good because they have the ball in their hands a lot. Portland can't really have a player like that because Brandon Roy doesn't like playing with those types of players. So picking a very good PG, for example wouldn't be good. Picking a very good SF wouldn't be good either. What Portland needs to be looking for in the draft is role players because their star and their coach can't seem to figure out that Brandon can't do it by himself.
Miller, but Brandon didn't like playing with Miller, and Nate didn't want to start Miller. The backcourt was really good with Miller and Bayless as the starters.
In answer to the thread title: Two ways: 1. Take Elton Brand of Philly's hands. 2. Get Minny's #4 pick I have a feeling that if there's anything to these rumors, it's option #2, and it's because (a) the obvious pick at #4 is Cousins, and (b) Minny already has Cousins, and he's called Al Jefferson. (If I were Minny I would TRADE Al Jefferson, but that's another story.) [The next most obvious pick is Wesley Johnson, but is he any better than the New Improved Corey Brewer?] I think getting the #4 pick is not worth either Batum or LaMarcus, and furthermore, shouldn't require that. Remember, Minny acquired the #5 pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller, both solidly average NBA players. And that was in a much better draft. Some combination of Rudy, Bayless, Martell, rights to Freeland and/or Claver is perfectly fair. But that's only if you really want Cousins. And Cousins is a HUGE risk. He could be Zach Randolph with Derek Coleman's personality and Oliver Miller's conditioning. Or he could be a better Al Jefferson. Maybe with his job on the line Pritchard is ready to gamble.
Minnesota already has Cousins and his name is Al Jefferson? Al Jefferson is about 6'9" tall. Cousins is 6'11" tall and has a legimately huge frame for his size. How is that remotely similar?
