I started the season thinking we needed a veteran defender at SF, specifically Shane Battier or Tayshaun Prince. I'm not so sure any more. Batum has been just about perfect in that role, and, if anything, outplayed the actual Tayshaun in the last game. I also thought we needed a real upgrade at PG. Again, not so sure. With our team it would be disruptive to have a traditional PG who would need the ball more. With Roy we need a PG who can bring the ball up under pressure, doesn't have a big ego, can defend the better PGs and hit 3-pointers. Blake's pretty dang good at the majority of those. Devin Harris is looking great right now, but would he be doing that on the Blazers? No. Of course it would be nice to have him, but mainly because of his defense and ability to penetrate, but it's the scoring binges that are getting him noticed these days. It seems to me that we are facing a minutes crunch as soon as Webster returns. Does that mean we need a trade? Not necessarily. I think we can ride out this year as is. After the season you're going to hear from a bunch of people (or rather their agents/surrogates) about how they need to get out of Portland to be appreciated. But for now, I think we're okay. So I would say the only trades we should do would fit these criteria: 1. They consolidate - that is, we give up multiple players for fewer in return. 2. They net players that are willing to sublimate their role and are either (a) genuine upgrades on any single player we have (e.g., Chris Bosh over LaMarcus - although given LA's youth and length, even that's debateable), and/or (b) veteran guys who have a steadying lockerroom impact (like Derek Fisher, Chauncey Billups, Sam Cassell) - who can lead without requiring the limelight or hogging the ball. 3. They DON'T involve the following (in order): Brandon Roy Greg Oden Nicolas Batum Rudy Fernandez Joel Przybilla Sergio Rodriguez
I think KP is as proactive as they come - he is not stupid and he knows that there is a short window of opportunity to upgrade thanks to Raef's expiring and he knows that there is a minutes crunch coming up. I still think we can upgrade at PG - not sure if he is going to get it or not. I also think that there is a need to upgrade in the backup PF spot looking for a better post player there - basically, what they were hoping Ike might have been able to give them - but have so far not shown to be able to. Another option is to simply move some of the lesser young players that cause the crunch time for a short-term expiring and future draft picks. KP loves the draft - and if he can give some team salary relief for a small upgrade at backup PF and some picks down the line - I would not be surprised to see him do it. Just my 2c.
I would have agreed about the PG position, except Blake and Sergio are playing very well right now with Bayless waiting in the wings. SF has Batum, Martell and Outlaw which seems pretty good to me. I think Portland requires a bruising backup power forward who can score in the post. Someone like Milsap, Bass or a young Kurt Thomas. Other then that, stand pat for the year and see how it goes. We will know alot more about who should stay or go in the playoffs.
Agreed, athough I'm not sure about scoring in the post, unless you mean by putbacks. I think the guys you list are more simple hustle players, and I like that about them. BUT: Utah and Dallas aren't going to give them up (and they earn too little for consolidation) and we don't have a time machine. (One player I've had my eye on since before the draft is Richard Hendrix, and when he was drafted by the Warriors I was amazed, because I can't see him ever playing Nellieball.) Here's another suggestion: Andrei Kirilenko. Now, he's not bruising, but he plays better at PF, and he earns enough so that it would be a consolidation trade. Utah probably don't want to trade him now because he's producing, but imagine him playing alongside Rudy, Sergio, Webster and Joel.
I like where your mind's at, Rasta. On both posts. In the last few days I've been intrigued by Okafor. He's making about 10M a year on a bad Bobcat team, and there've been small rumblings about playing time and usage and stuff, but here are the things that could make it work: 1) Frye likes Brown, and vice versa. 2) Okafor is from a winning college program. 3) There's a lot you could do with an Oden/LMA/Okafor/Joel rotation. Bring Freeland, and you may not need another big man on the roster. 4) Dunno if it would be worth it, but Blake's about as "Larry Brown PG" as you can get.
Now this is a trade I would love to see for the Blazers. I think we need another PF/Center before another PG or SF. That way if Joel or Oden get injured or Joel wants to be traded because of a lack of PT we would still be set. I would love a Oden/LMA/Okafor/Joel rotation.
the only thing we need is a great true PG. you said a it would be 'disruptive' to have a true PG cause he would have 'the ball more'?! a great PG moves the ball and doesnt hang onto it, if we had that there would be no need to change anything about this team for the next 8 years
so you think we should blow our cap space and any realistic chance at a star upgrade at PG or SF so we can commit 70 million + luxury tax over the next 6 years to a backup for aldridge? brilliant!
I didn't say Joel is asking for more PT and wanting to be traded. I do think by next year though if Oden is the man and playing 35+ minutes Joel at most would be getting 10-13 minutes and I just can't see Joel being happy with only getting 10 minutes per game. I love Joel and hope he is happy but I'm not sure he will be. I think when Joel or Oden go down we end up playing Frye as our backup center which IMO isn't very good. I think we need a PF/Center more then a PG or SF. Sure I would take a star pass first PG someone like CP3, Williams or D.Rose but that isn't going to happen and there are very few good true PG's that are available no matter what we offer to trade.
I think Milsap and Bass are capable of getting 8 to 10 points a night in the paint, which is all Portland would really need. My biggest issues with AK-47 would that he isn't a tough guy and he makes WAY too much money for what he can do. Really, we are talking about a player that will never, ever start. It just doesn't make sense to pay such a player max money. I agree that getting any of these folks is unlikely, though Bass is probably not untouchable. Maybe we could get Etan Thomas on the cheap? I guess what I would want Portland to get is a Charles Oakley type player who other teams fear. This would help with the one thing this team lacks, which is toughness. Oden may become that guy someday, but it would be cool if he had a mentor to help him along. Honestly though, I can't really think of any players that fit this description off hand.
I would rather get a project center/PF in the draft but I doubt it happens. Most any decent center goes in the first 15 picks sometimes and if we keep playing like we are we might have 20+ pick this year. If we lose Joel that is almost 7 million about 3 million less then Okafor. I'm not saying Okafor is the perfect fit but that BrianFromWA is now thinking the same as I have been thinking for the last couple weeks.
lemme ask you a question. What has changed from last year to now? 4 words: Interior defense and rebounding. If you need another thread started to explain that, I'll do that. As has been discussed ad nauseum: Which star PG do you think we're getting? I'll hold.... Which star SF are you talking about? Redd? Butler? I'll hold there, too... Ensuring that we always have a defensive presence on the floor (and no, LMA doesn't count) is what's going to win us championships. If you can get a PG like that? Great. We're not giving up on Roy or Rudy at SG. Batum looks like a Defensive Presence at 3. Joel and Greg (if healthy) get it done at the 5. Is it the "perfect choice?' Probably not. Will it help our team? You bet your bippy. What do you care about cash? PA's already said he's spending money to keep the team together if it's winning.
The Blazers need the best team Pritchard can build! What that is, remains to be seen. There are no clear holes. There are obviously places the team can upgrade. Currently at the top of my wishlist: a player who can defend point guards well while being an offensive plus. Which means that either Pritchard needs to hit the trade market...or Jerryd Bayless needs to get some playing time. Since the team has no clear needs to address, I just want Pritchard to cash LaFrentz and some of the bench pieces in for the best talent he can (as long as he feels that best player available won't disrupt the team dynamic).
