LA gone before or on draft day

The thing about conversations like this is that we're all on the outside guessing about what people's thinking about the future may be. Do you really think that LMA and NO haven't had some pretty extensive conversations about this and that is factored in when making decisions about the draft and prospective trades? It sounded pretty clear to me in an interview that LMA gave during this season that he had been told that the Blazers weren't going to trade him, that the plan was to make moves this summer to be decent and to finish up next summer, after which the Blazers plan on being "good" going forward. I don't have a link to the interview, but it sure sounded to me like LMA was on board with the program. Obviously, things can change quickly in the NBA, but I don't think that the "trade LMA" discussions are much more than messageboard fodder at this point.

 

I disagree with this so strongly I couldn't overstate it - especially the bolded section. The PF position is probably the deepest position in the league, and is absolutely the worst position to build around.
Name 14 better SGs than Wes.
Name 14 better SFs than Nic.

 

This is an easy one for me. I'd pick Utah EASILY

 

Nowhere near my favorite player.

I just don't see a "collection of assets" putting us over the top unless you want to atttribute their absolute best case scenarios for them, and worst case for everything else, which is what you do. It seems, especially getting half those assets from this draft, that you're landing 3-4 players that seems AT BEST a 2nd or 3rd banana on a contender. All the while hoping for that true stud next year.

 

define "better"

 

So...he just wants to play for a team close to where he grew up?

 

We focus way too much on positional depth in the whole NBA. It's more of a question of where the players rank overall regardless of position. We're looking for stars here. Who cares if PF is really deep? LA still is top 20 player in the league overall.

I'd rather have the 20th and 70th best players rather than the 40th and 50th.

 

Ha! Um, better at playing team-oriented basketball. My own preferences have fundamentals and intelligence trumping athleticism, but feel free to put athletic ability over skills and intelligence.
Personally, I'd also leave off players like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen who are on their way out the door. The idea is to have players who'll play at a high level for several years.

 

I love your ability to have a discussion. Did I say he's 100% staying, like you insist he is 100% going? No. Again, you're free to present things however you like if you feel it somehow makes your presentation here better.

 

Like was mentioned above, Neil knows LA's feelings on this much better than we do. Aldridge has no reason to lie to Neil just to be able to leave on his own, when that option is still there.
I think what happened with Utah, where they held onto Deron until the deadline, and moved him for what was by then certain to be a good pick would be better than using him for picks in a crappy draft. I'd like my odds better at getting to the deadline and hoping that a struggling team would want to add him for their pick(ala Brooklyn for Deron) to increase the odds of it being a decent pick in a draft where there might actually be a superstar, over getting a pick where a guy would have to exceed all reasonable expectations to be that true superstar to get us to a title.

 

And to be clear, I'm not against or for trading LMA. It would depend on the proposed trade. But using the assumption that he's leaving in 2 years pushes in the direction of making an unfavorably lopsided trade out of fear.

 

15 guys not too old I'd take over Wes

Harden
Hayward
Chandler
Henderson
Thornton
L Williams
Mayo
Iggy
DeRozen
Redick
Beal
Brooks
Thompson
Ross
Lamb


and Nic
James
Durant
Anthony
Gay
Smith
George
Gallinari
Parsons
Young
Faried
Kidd-Gilchrist
Copeland
K Leonard
Ilyasova
Harris

Not all for the same reason, some are better, some are better defenders, some just have a far better contract for what they produce.

 

I'm in the same boat. Aldridge is obviously one of my favorite players, but if the deal is good, then I'm fine with the deal.

 

The Jazz have been an irrelevant franchise since trading Deron Williams. Their roster couldn't excite my any less.

You never win when trading a star player. Trading Aldridge, a guy who has 5-6 more great years in him, is a terrible idea.

 

This is where your argument is flawed. Nobody else is making an assumption either way with regard to knowing he's leaving or staying. You're the one making an assumption and it would lead to making a bad trade out of fear of a faulty assumption.

Unless, of course, you have insider knowledge, which hopefully our GM does.

How many UFA All-stars have left Portland in the last half-decade?