I like Larry Miller as well. It can't be easy dealing with Paul Allen. I am sure he would prefer to have an excellent GM in the organization as much as we do.
Not dealing Crawford and not waiving Felton are mistakes.... I get that you couldn't get anything for Felton, he has been a bowl full of suck all year...but with 22 or so game left why even waste ANY minutes on that pile of crap? Cut him, let Nolan Smith and Johnny Flynn get those minutes..... Crawford could have gotten a 1st round pick, if POR was willing to take a little salary on, which they should have.....They could have traded him for Fisher and the Lakers pick, Fisher had a player option and I am sure they could have worked out a buyout like they are with Shawne Williams...to minimze the salary ramifications. I have l;ittle faith that POR will optimize the cap space they are so proud of cultivating....Instead they will fuck it up and overpay middling players.... Kepping both of those players, still leaves some malcontents in the lockeroom (Felton in particular) and probably costs POR 2-4 slots in the lottery of a potentially strong draft, and that matters this year..... They needed to go ALL the way (at minimum: Felton, Crawford gone.. perfect would have been Matthews gone as well)...not 1/2 way..... There is no "A" for 1/2 way.....
Crawford could have gotten a 1st round pick, but the fact is nobody would trade one for him. And as far as waiving Felton, he's our only experienced PG, and with fans paying thousands of dollars in tickets this year you simply cannot tank on purpose. It's a tough business, but you must do right by the fans in the near and far term.
How does keeping Felton cost us draft position? How could anyone possibly play any worse? If we want to suck we play Felton. Simple as that. Of course now that we have committed to tanking he will probably play the best basketball of his career.
Honestly, I'm not sure Flynn can be any worse than Felton has been. Give him reasonable minutes as an audition, and he will at least play hard. If you are forced to choose between 2 guys who suck, at least go with the one who works hard!
Dude, that is what Felton has been doing all year (tanking), and he is a malcontent...If you are going to lose, then lose with players you can evaluate along the way not with players (Felton\Crawford) whom you have no interest in seeing ever again.... That IS doing right by the fans....
Last time we "evaluated" Telfair we decided to pass on Deron Williams and Chris Paul. I'm not too eager to give Babbitt and Nolan Smith 40mpg.
lol that is a scouting and drafting problem.....playing\not playing Felton\Crawford isn't going to help with that....
