OT: NJ interested in Boozer? Can we pry away Harris?

Something like this maybe or do you think they want more?

 

82games.com has him playing 4x as many minutes at PG than they do at SF, with the majority of his minutes coming at SG. That's where I got my information from as well. To say he could start at the 3 for a title contender seems like a huge stretch to me.

19'9" < 23'9"

Batum is already a decent 3 pt shooter, plus he looks on the path to being a top-level defender.

Batum was a rookie. Started at SF on a 54 win team. He's nearly two years younger than Roberts. He'll get better.

If he reminds you of Brandon Roy, that's probably because he is a SG, as is Brandon Roy. After that, I see no similarities that are worth mentioning.

Players like Douglas Roberts are a dime a dozen. A meaningless aquisition.

 

Closer, but now I don't think that Utah would be too interested in having half their team be wings.

What I was trying to figure out but was unsuccessful was a way to send NJ the package you listed, Rudy, Bayless and Boozer as their prizes, but somehow take AK off of Utahs hands to save them even more money and make their package too good to pass up from a financial standpoint. Sending out Boozer and AK in the same deal would revitalize their financial outlook and allow them to do a lot in the future. But, alas, I could not come up with anything that was workable.

 

At this point, I don't see us as being contenders yet, not with the moves that Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, Los Angeles (I believe they'll re-sign Odom), and San Antonio have made. My state-of-mind would be different if we'd made a similar splash.

The moves that I was still hoping for I fear aren't happening. I believe Marvin Williams and David Lee are too expensive. Nate Robinson might be headed to Greece. Adding someone through trade, such as Kirk Hinrich, doesn't seem likely now.

At this point, I'm hoping Pritchard is keeping an open mind. A player such as CDR may be young, but he can play, and he plays in a way that would fit in perfectly here. I know it doesn't follow conventional wisdom, but neither did starting Nic at the 3.

CDR's versatility and all-around skills next to Aldridge, Oden, and Roy would only be a step back if we couldn't find a solid defending 1. I could be off in my assessments, but man CDR would compliment our guys. I'm sort of running out of ways improving the club, but this is one of the remaining options left that I'd be excited about. If we could sign Miller, acquire CDR, and replace Outlaw with Batum, we'd be an improved team IMO. Still not contenders, but close, and even better in another season.

Solid college shooters generally become solid NBA shooters.

Agreed. My wanting to bring Batum off the bench is not at all a knock on him. If Nate feels he needs to keep Batum in the starting line-up, CDR could come off the bench, but then we'd need a banger at the 4.

You haven't watched him play, have you?

 

You know, it's funny. There was probably only two other posters that I remember, along with me, that wanted to bring Mike Conley over early last season. This was before he blew up and put together a string of overly impressive games to end the season.

Mike Conley would be fucking awesome now. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts with a player. I see something pretty special in CDR.

 

I saw him play a lot at Memphis. Seemed like the type that was a very good college player but would struggle in the NBA.

Obviously the NBA felt the same way about him considering where he was drafted. The Nets apparently felt that way last year as well considering how little he played, and they needed help anywhere they could find it.

I just don't see what you see, I guess. Perhaps Douglas Roberts is a sleeper, but I certainly would not put Batum on the bench over him, nor would I give up a player on the roster for him.

 

You're validating your belief in Conley and Roberts by imagining how awesome Conley would be on the Blazers?

 

No, I'm validating my opinion of Conley by the player he became this season in Memphis.

 

Conley's last five games of the season.

12.8 ppg
4.8 apg
2.2 TOpg
3.6 rpg

26-58 FG
7-23 3PT FG
5-7 FT

 

Conley had a slightly worse season statistically than Steve Blake, a lower PER, and they have roughly the same usage rate.

Either Blake was much better than you gave him credit for, or Conley didn't quite have the season you thought he did.

 

Conley:

Code:

 Situation  	G  	Min   	M 	A 	Pct 	 	M 	A 	Pct 	 	M 	A 	Pct 	 	Off 	Def 	Tot 	 	Ast 	TO 	Stl 	Blk 	PF 	PPG 	 
 Pre All-Star 	52 	27:18  	3.1 	7.4 	42.3 	 	0.7 	2.0 	37.3 	 	1.9 	2.4 	80.3 	 	0.3 	2.9 	3.2 	 	3.6 	1.5 	0.8 	0.1 	1.5 	8.9 	 
 Post All-Star 	30 	36:17  	5.4 	11.6 	46.4 	 	1.7 	3.8 	43.5 	 	2.1 	2.5 	84.0 	 	0.4 	3.4 	3.7 	 	5.6 	2.2 	1.7 	0.2 	2.2 	14.5

Blake:

Code:

 Situation  	G  	Min   	M 	A 	Pct 	 	M 	A 	Pct 	 	M 	A 	Pct 	 	Off 	Def 	Tot 	 	Ast 	TO 	Stl 	Blk 	PF 	PPG 	 
 Pre All-Star 	39 	30:23  	4.1 	9.3 	43.4 	 	2.1 	4.9 	43.4 	 	1.1 	1.3 	85.7 	 	0.3 	2.0 	2.3 	 	4.7 	1.5 	1.1 	0.0 	1.8 	11.3 	 
 Post All-Star 	30 	33:23  	4.0 	9.4 	42.1 	 	1.9 	4.6 	41.7 	 	0.7 	0.9 	80.8 	 	0.5 	2.3 	2.8 	 	5.5 	1.6 	0.9 	0.1 	1.9 	10.6

 

How about this then?

NJ gets: AK, Boozer and Rudy for Harris, Hassell and CDR. That's a big enough package to pry Harris away.

PG: Alston
SG: Rudy
SF: Ak47
PF: Boozer
C: Lopez

I think that team is better then the Harris version. If they can't resign Boozer then you move AK47 to PF.

PG: Alston/?
SG: Rudy
SF: LBJ
PF: AK47
C: Lopez

That team competes for rings.

Utah gets: B. Simmons (Massive cap relief next summer), Bayless (1/2), Webster (2/3) and Outlaw (3/4/cap relief).

Portland gets: D. Harris. T. Hassell and CDR

PG Harris/Blake
SG Roy/CDR
SF Batum/Hassell
PF LMA/Cunningham
C Oden/Przybilla

I would try and get Lee and Battier per the usual methods

 

I didn't mean the last five games of the season. I was more meaning the stretch from the All Star game to the end of the year. Longer stretch.

Even with those stats you selected, I'd take that in a heart beat over Steve Blake. And, I like Steve Blake. What those numbers don't show you is Conley's ability to breakdown an offense and enter the paint, playmake for others (especially Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge), or contain perimeter offenders.

 

Um. Blake is in his prime. Conley hasn't even reached his prime, by quite a few years.

Blake is what 29. Conley is 21.

I'll take Conley. You take Blake. Have fun with that.

 

I'm not against Mike Conley. I think he'll end up being an average-to-good PG. Probably wasn't worth where he was drafted, but a solid player who will always give up some size. I was just confused by you using your support of an imaginary trade, and in what imaginary way the imaginary trade would impact the Blazers, as validation for your logic/assessment of Douglas Roberts.

 

Conley, at 21, IMO, would already be a better fit, than Blake is at 29.

I maintain, if we had Conley on our team, last season, we beat Houston. No question in my mind.

 

Another thing. Conley will be due an extension the same time as Batum, Rudy, Oden, and Bayless (unless Bayless is traded hypothetically for Conley, which won't happen but would be the only way to make a deal). So, Batum, Rudy, Oden, Conley, all up for veteran contracts at the same time.

You'd be paying Conley a large amount of money, because somebody would offer him a decent contract if he isn't extended. I'm also not "taking" Blake. I was only questioning your logic.

 

I maintain, if the Blazers had Conley last season, they would have been seeded lower going into the playoffs. No question in my mind. I'm right. Prove I'm not!

 

I'd love to structure the team around Conley ($10M), Roy ($14M), Aldridge ($12M), and Oden ($14M). Rudy, by that time, I'd expect to moved. Batum would not be up for a veteran contract.

 

Agreed, can't see Memphis dealing him though.