Only among fans who want to be back in the lotto next season. Even if Rubio lives up to the hype, he is years away from helping the team more than LMA is right now. Meanwhile, who replaces LMA - Frye?
Just as an aside, does anybody remember a year ago, when some Blazer fans wanted to trade LMA to Miami for Beasley? Does anybody still think that would have been a good idea?
He is going to be a very interesting player, young, experienced and very talented.....I just don't see Portland being able to get him. but he would be a nice pick up in the draft if Portland could obtain him with out giving up a testicle to be named later. Portland seriously needs both of them!!!!
I've given this more thought than it deserves, and I think that our biggest friend might be the terrible economy. Remember also that the Clippers have traded a #2 pick (McDyess) and some moron team traded a #2 pick when Chris Paul and Deron Williams were on the table. Here are the teams picking high, in order of crappiest record: Kings Remember, this team is in deep financial shit and might move. It was odd that they picked up Nocioni, but they might decide that his long contract isn't going to be worth the scant reward. They also have Kenny Thomas and Beno Udrih that they're happy to unload. Bear in mind also that a #2 pick gets a healthy salary too, and a package that unloads all their nasty contracts (something we can absorb instead of signing a FA - this is a strength that we have that precious few other teams have) and brings in the usual $3M in couch change that PA uses to buy draft picks, plus a bunch of prospects (including Freeland and even Koponen) might actually do it. It sort of helps that Rubio is a big risk pick, and not a high-flyin' dunk machine (unlike, say, Bayless, who would probably be top 5 if he'd stayed one more year) who'd put arses in seats. Wizards Also a team in financial jeopardy, and a team that has committed HUGE sums to Arenas, who insists he is a PG. They would only want Rubio if they could offload Arenas. The trouble is, they don't have many nasty contracts that we could eat and would be more interested in an actual good player to make a run, so other teams might be able to offer more. Clippers Ah, the wild card. Can they unload Baron Davis? Because if they can't, they don't want Rubio. Do they actually think they can win? They have a TON of bad contracts that they might be happy to unload. Who even knows if Dunleavy will still be there? I would actually take Baron Davis, because I think he's got plenty of game left if he thinks he's in a position to succeed, and he's smart enough to know how to scale back on ballhoggery for "ubuntu". But I'm guessing that's not exactly the majority view. Thunder Here's the thing with the Thunder. Rich Bucher thinks they've got a brighter future than the Blazers because they've got a "superstar" (Durant) and... they've got their point guard (Westbrook). If that's so, then what would they want with Rubio? Would they try to make Westbrook a SG? I dunno. (Of course, the thought is that they get Griffin, but I really doubt that makes them great. That gives them two all-O, very little D forwards, and it means fewer minutes for Jeff Green. Their biggest needs seem to me at C (although Krstic is better than average) and SG. James Harden? BUT: even though they don't need Rubio, I can see them trading picks at the top of the draft or just picking the player they want a little high, as they did with Westbrook. They won't trade with us. T'Wolves How committed is McHale to Telfair? Not very, I'll bet. I think they would snap up Rubio. We don't want them picking second. Grizzlies If they want Rubio, we'll take Conley off their hands. They do want to dump Jaric and Milicic I bet, but given the whole Miles thing, would they deal with us? To sum up: if the Clippers or the Kings or possibly the Grizzlies end up picking second, then we've got a chance of either shooting for Rubio or getting an upgrade on Blake. If the Wolves or the "Thunder" are picking, I think we have less chance: with the former because I think they'd love to have him, and the latter because I don't think they want what we'd offer. But I'm saying there is a chance....
I don't get it. That's Sven Goran Ericksson, isn't it? That is, a Swede? Is there a quote of his I don't know about?
#3 Bucher didn't include Blazer comparisons in his recent article on the Thunder and I don't think he has much say in their personnel moves. Westbrook can play on or off the ball and can guard either backcourt spot very well... I don't see a problem (size or positionally) with a Rubio/Westbrook backcourt. I'd put the odds of the Blazers moving up and getting him at about the same of them winning the championship this year. Really looking forward to seeing him in the league though STOMP