Is there a player worth trading Lillard for?

Dude.... acquiring Durant is not "replicating or core". We do not have a Kevin Durant on this team. If you can acquire KD, you fucking trade Batum. Either that or you try Batum at SG.

 

We're a rebuilding team. Our core has proven nothing, so I'm not sure we can even call it a core. KD is going to end up as a top 10 player of all time. And he's 24. You're going to pass up on him because of Batum?

 

I knew I'd take heat for KD thing, I think he is a really, really good scorer that is borderline unstoppable, but I'm not sold on him being the "second best" NBA player. I'm not worried about injuries or anything, I just don't think that he would fit this team. We would have no one at PG, once again, with no playmaker on the roster. That isn't the best recipe for winning. Now, if we could do package deals and we could flip Batum into a PG, then I'd be willing to do Lillard for KD.

 

I'm going to pass on him because:

Price/Nolan
Wes/Barton
Durant/Batum
Aldridge
Hickson

Is going to do nothing in the playoffs, at all. And we'd have literally no salary cap space for a half decent PG.

Sorry that I don't believe Nolan Smith and Ronnie Price are going to help us win championships.

 

I'm not sure you're understanding what I'm saying. If it was Batum for Durant I'd do that. Or if we were allowed to, in this hypothetical scenario, do a package deal where we could trade Batum immediately for a PG, I'd do it. But in this trade where it is STRAIGHT UP / NO OTHER CHANGES I would not do Lillard/KD.

I'd be more inclined to do LMA for KD anyways.

Once gain

Nolan/Price
Batum/Wes
KD/Batum
Aldridge
Hickson

Not.
Winning.
Shit.

 

if you can get KD, you take him - im high on the Dame buzz like everyone else, but fuck me... cmon son, you giddy.

 

Here is a list, which excludes obvious superstars (including Kyrie Irving) who wouldn't be a remote possibility. Some of these are pretty far-fetched, as it is.

1. Rubio (pre-injury, for sure, although I might want to wait a bit to see he's recovered)
Yeah, Rubio can't shoot. I don't care. He makes everyone better, and he also forces the coach to play a more attractive style to make best use of him.

2. Rondo.
He's going to wear down earlier than most, I'm sure, because of his breakneck style. But Boston would never trade him. However, he would make the Blazers must-watch-TV.

3. Stephen Curry.
Lillard is a good shooter. Curry is a GREAT shooter. Curry is also a better passer. Both are terrible defenders. Lillard will probably end up being a "poor man's Curry."

4. MKG
I don't care that he's going to be beaten handily by Lillard in the ROY voting - he's only 19 and he's a truly great all-round player.

5. Jrue Holliday
Lillard might also be known as "A smaller Holliday with worse defense."

6. James Harden
He's probably in the "obvious superstar" category at this point.

7. Anthony Davis
Of course NO wouldn't do this.

8. Marc Gasol
Best young center.

Now I look at this list, though, I can't imagine any of the other teams agreeing to the trade.

 

Lillard's contract makes him almost impossible to trade for value without shipping out a large contract with him. He's much like Brandon Roy, who was playing at a level that was way above his rookie contract.

NBA teams wait decades for a decent PG, and the Blazers now have one. He's the only untouchable player on the roster, IMO, with LMA and Batum being almost at that level barring getting an MVP-type player in return as a part of a package for one of them.

 

Minnesota would trade Rubio for Lillard in a heartbeat. LOL

He was a 14 PER rookie last year during his "breakout" season who shot 25% the last 10 years before he was injured.

 

You crazy LOL

Wow, you got hold of his middle school stats? That's thorough, dude!

 

He is right. I don't think Rubio is garbage like some others but he is certainly not the player of Lillard (and I am not even a Lillard homer). Rubio's advanced stats are really bad. MIN plays better without him.

 

Rubio - No

Rondo - maybe, if he has his head on straight.

Steph Curry - I don't think I would, simply because I think Lillard is a way better point guard.

MKG - no, because we have Batum and I think Nic could be just as good, if not better.

Jrue - the defense thing is getting annoying because he's a rookie and he hasn't even played half of a season. Give the guy a break.

Harden - I don't think I'd trade a really good point guard for a really good shooting guard. I like Harden, but shooting guards are much easier to find.

Davis - yeah, I would probably do this trade, but having Aldridge makes Davis more of a luxury, while Lillard is a need.

Gasol - again, I don't think I would do it because we have some decent bigs. I like Gasol, but this league is built around wings and perimeter players. Having a Lillard is crucial.

 

Regardless, I highly, highly doubt they'd trade him for Lillard.

 

Disagree with this. I'd say the list of quality PGs is a lot deeper than the list of quality SGs.

 

Yep. Better than average SGs are really hard to find right now. One of the reasons why I try not to give Big Game a hard time because I could see POR move Batum to SG at some point and just get another SF. SF's are much easier to find.

 

Just like buses - you wait decades and then 30 come along at once. Y'know, like:
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose
Russell Westbrook
Rajon Rondo
Tony Parker
Kyrie Irving
Deron Williams
Stephen Curry
Jrue Holiday
John Wall
Kyle Lowry
Ricky Rubio
Mike Conley
Jeremy Lin
Goran Dragic
Ty Lawson
Eric Bledsoe
Brandon Knight (who pwned Lillard in the Pistons game)
Brandon Jennings
Jeff Teague

 

Notice that I said "pre-injury". If you count +/- as an "advanced stat" (it's certainly an indication of how well the team plays with or without him) then your statement is obviously false.

 

These are the advanced stats I am speaking of. Lillard this year vs Rubio last year (since has has been injured and hasn't played much this year):
http://www.basketball-reference.com...1&y1=2013&p2=rubiori01&y2=2012#advanced::none

Win shares per 48 takes into account how a player helps his team.

 

As the most important job of the PG is getting the team to run well (rather than padding his own personal stats), please tell me which of those measures that?

 

I think you responded before my edit was in there. "Win shares per 48 takes into account how a player helps his team." 1.00 is an average player in the NBA. Last year Rubio was at .70