I agree with him; that Portland really doesn't have any NBA ready centers, and this was the first time it really showed up
Sounds about right to me. Portland is young and will really struggle this year. Anyone who thinks or thought differently needs to brace for disappointment
Who says we're NOT looking into trading Aldridge? Here's hoping Aldridge isn't already trying to force a trade, because with his play so far, he's kind of giving that impression. Who could we get for him, anyway? Realistically?
If Portland decided to trade Aldridge, and go with a complete youth movement, they would need to not only find a team that is a player away from "competing", but also one with good young assets and draft picks.
James Harden. OKC would kill to have an all-star big man around Durant. Don't see why we shouldn't keep Aldridge though. He's got a good 7 years in his engine. I mean, unless, we want to tank alllll the way.
I don't see the point in trading LA at the moment. If Lillard looks NBA ready by the end of the season, you have a Max contract and most likely a good lottery pick which can be turned into a good playable person to turn this team from Bottom of the Barrel to playoffs in the off season. There are a lot of trade scenarios in the air if teams suck. For instance what if Memphis blows up and misses the playoffs, a top 10 lottery pick and Meyers Leonard looks pretty good for Marc Gasol. I think we will surprise teams next year but we won't win more then Vegas has us winning, the real question is the off season. To me its all about next off season, If we can't turn that Max into a very good good player and our lottery pick into something, or Lillard and our Euros look far from NBA ready, then you have to start to think of moving LA.
Just relax, pour yourself a nice stiff cocktail ... I mean cocktails ... and brace for turbulence. It's going to be a really rough start to the season; hopefully by around February or March we'll start to see signs of cohesion and growth.
Yes, let's give OKC (a team that will be our direct competition in the west even after our rebuild) their missing piece. Exactly.
I don't see why not to be honest. We just need some talent upgrades around him. I mean if we were able to get Hibbert, we'd be a legit playoff team. We're one player away and we have good cap space position. Half our team are rookies...basically we need to find some players teams want to dump for young contacts either at the trade deadline or next year and we should be good.
Other teams doubling teaming and scheming LMA means that he is the best player on our team. It doesn't mean he is a "number 1" in the way that many of us talk about on here.
I remember K*be saying something about that this summer. "Eff that, I'm a #1, we don't need any other #1's, bring in guys that fit around me. Forget Howard, forget Nash, forget Gasol from 2008...give me role players like Blanky, Fisher and guys the Sacramento Kings waived!"
I think he is probably top 2 PF in the league, after Kevin Love. If he was more of a focus and posted more, he'd be #1. We just have to get that legit 2nd option, and right now it looks to be Lillard. Not impressed with Batum/Matthews and we have a definite hole in the middle in terms of experience, size and defense.
Agreed. I hope he's just easing back into things during this pre-season and hopefully we'll see him actually get in the post and dominate down low again.
Exactly my take. And no way was LMA a #4 option at the time. Oden never had plays run for him, and Miller was as pass-first as they come. That's some serious revisionist history to think that LMA was anything less than the #2 option. That said, I agree with EL PRESIDENTE that he's near the top of the league in PF rankings. Totally different matter, though.
