You had said that you partners were so disgusted with the Obama economy that you were dissolving the company. Months later, you say it's still going.
We decided not to raise another fund. We are unwinding the company and closing our other funds. The process will take another six years. Nice try, though.
Hickson started 52 games in Denver, until the Nuggets finally figured out how much he sucked on defense and went with Mozgov instead. Hickson wanted a big contract and Portland wasn't willing to give it to him. Turns out, no one else would either. So, he settled for $5 million/year for 3 years with Denver, started 52 games, played his usual shitty, non-existent defense, lost his starting job and then tore his ACL. Sounds like we dodged a bullet to me. BNM
To answer the urban myths: Hickson proved that he very much wanted to remain a Blazer when he delayed checking other teams until after the usual early-July signings. Hickson proved that he wasn't demanding to start when out of 30 teams, he signed to play with Faried, a similar Energy Bunny. But he was so good, they made room at Center for him to start 52 games, out of position. Hickson proved he wasn't demanding the big contract that everyone on this board speculated he would get ($8-9M/yr) when he signed for $5M, which shocked the board at how cheaply we could have kept him. (Just dump a couple of bottomfeeder contracts. His critics became alarmed at the thought. "Oh no, Olshey signed 15 contracts and needs Freeland or Leonard or Wright more than last year's starting Center.")
I don't think you understand the difference between demanded and received. Hickson took the only offer he received, which was much lower than his expectations. He wanted to explore the free agent market to see what he was worth. The market spoke and its answer was much less than Hickson's expectations. Hickson didn't delay checking with other teams for anything. Here's a quote from his agent from April 9, 2013: “All I know is JJ has earned the right to test the market,’’ Miller said. “He has put in the time and the effort to show that his game and body of work has matured. I know he has enjoyed his time in Portland, but now he gets a chance to see what else is out there.’’ So, before the season was even over, his agent was already testing the free agent waters. What you call Hickson delaying checking with other teams, was in fact, other teams delaying showing any interest in the free agent Hickson. He wasn't anyone's first, or second, or likely third choice. He fell to the only team willing to give him an offer. He only started because JaVale McGee was injured and then lost his starting job to Timofey Mozgov. Hardly a stellar campaign for Hickson, and I cant' believe you're still butt hurt about losing him. We won 54 games without him. It's not like he was missed (by anyone but you). And now he's injured AND suspended - and you still inexplicably want him back... BNM
But all that is evidence against your side, not in favor of it. When you argue that we could have had him for half of what you critics had forecast, you shoot yourself in the foot. His critics posted here that since he would get $8-9M, we had to let him go. After you critics were shocked that he'd signed for a very affordable $5M, instead of crawling under a rock you hid your embarrassment by crowing, "See? This proves that you overrated him." No, it was you critics, not us, who fabricated the ridicuous number to justify dumping a hard-to-find PF-C who's now started on 3 out of his 4 teams. (Your next step is to bring up his half-season in Sacramento. Go ahead.) You don't seem to know the difference between many teams being interested in him, when only one team at a time is allowed to make an official offer. You imply that if not for the Denver offer, Hickson would be out of the NBA. No other teams would have lined up with offers. Hokay... Yet you earlier implied that his starting 52 games backed up the contention by you critics that Hickson would have been a Blazer behavior problem had he not started. Now you admit that he knowingly signed with a team where he was expected to substitute (you even remind us that the Nuggets had Mozgov and McGee). You say that since starting ⅔ of the entire season was not stellar, he wouldn't have been worth $5M to us (i.e. Freeland + Wright). Your conclusions don't follow from your premises. But at least your butt feels better with two bottomfeeders than with Hickson. You should get on your knees and apologize to him and all true Blazer fans.
WRONG! No one knew what Hickson would fetch on the open market, UNTIL he became a free agent. Hickson's own expectations were for a significant pay raise based on his inflated individual stats (use $8 - $9 million, or whatever number you want to pull out of the air). The Blazers weren't willing to overpay him and Hickson knew that. That's why his agent was talking about testing the free agent market way back on April 9. He knew the Blazers weren't willing to overpay his client, but was hoping someone else would. No one did. Which justifies the Blazers stance of not offering him a huge extension. If the Blazers would have offered him a $5 million/year extension before he became a free agent, there in no way in hell Hickson would have accepted that. Signing with Denver for that amount was a last resort wen no one else expressed interest. WTF???? Where did you ever hear this. Every team in the league can make an offer (within the limits of the salary cap) to an unrestricted free agent at 12:00am on July 1. The player can only sign one offer sheet at a time, but for any desirable free agent, GMs around the league will have their cell phone and their agent's cell phone on speed dial starting at 12:01 on 7/1. Shit, Neil Olshey made a play for LeBron James back before he made "The Decision" to sign with The Heat. Your understanding of how free agency works is absurd. What's the point of being a free agent of you can only talk to one team at a time? Ultimately, it doesn't matter when, why, or how much Hickson signed for with Denver. I don't miss his selfish, stat padding, no defense ass one little tiny bit. BNM
Your obstacle to winning the argument is that when you say we couldn't afford Hickson because it appeared he would be paid too much, I point to what we could have had him for. When you try to disparage him for being worth less than a big contract, same comeback...I point to what we could have had him for. Hickson had said that he obviously preferred the certainty of staying a Blazer to the unknown of a new team. Before Hickson signed Denver's offer sheet, his agent told Olshey it was $5M, to see whether the Blazers would match. He was willing to wait a few days. Olshey could have later dumped or traded a low-ender to make room. Trying to fool people with semantic nitpicking. Okay, there can be only one "offer sheet" at a time, which is preceded by more than one "offer." Sheesh. I loosely said one "offer" at a time. Are you related to the actor James Harden?
Quote please? Way back in early April, Hickson and his agent were talking to the press about testing the free agent market. Doesn't sound like someone who obviously wanted to stay with the Blazers. Not that it mattered. The Blazers didn't want to keep him and he didn't want to be here. Both got what they wanted. You seem to be the only one disappointed with the way things worked out. We won 32 games with Hickson, 54 without him. I know which I prefer. BNM
You confuse Hickson with message board posters. They estimated he was worth $8-9M, and a couple of local reporters copied their guess, but we have no idea of the amount Hickson himself expected. All we know is that he wanted to find out his market value. But he also said in local media that he would like an offer from Portland. Obviously it was logical to stay where he had been very successful, if Portland made a solid offer. And you seem to be the only one happy about it. Usually Hickson threads have a few posters on each side, but this time it's you and me. You'll never show you're right by claiming to outnumber the other side (which in this thread you don't). Link? Your claim that if not for the Denver offer, he'd be out of the league, is ridiculous. He has started with 3 of his 4 teams.
These sports owners need to toughen up and get mean like Dana White if they really want all these rules to make an impact but they wont because then they can't protect there stars.
I don't think they copied the message board posters, but rather his agent. But you are right, who knows what Hickson thought. But if he wanted to stay his agent should have been smarter.
