What you see is what you get. A guy with explosive talent who brings it some nights and disappears too many other nights. A solid defender. A good slasher. But potential is just that, and I have to say, the expiration date on his has expired. Yes, he has a broken finger. Cry me a river. He is a B- basketball player, which is really sad because on the nights when he plays great, the team is great. But mostly he doesn't, and so we aren't.
Honestly, I'd be fine with Nic if it wasn't for his salary. I think he's a good player. I think he does a lot of things. He's an inconsistent scorer, but not many guys can do what he can. I just don't think he's worth 11 million a year.
I don't think Dame is worth the max right now. His 19 PER should make him in the 12-14 mil range if he doesn't bring it higher the next couple of seasons under his rookie deal.
I love Lillard but he's not worth the max. In fact if the right deal were to surface I would find him expendable. I see no Blazer untouchable. Had Boston, for example offered us Rondo and a 2014 1st round pick - no brainier.
You guys are talking about Rookie of the Year, All-Star Damian Lillard, right? He's going to get the max. It's a done deal.
Max deals aren't based on just production on the floor, but money they can bring in from other avenues...
As for Nico, kills me how under appreciated he is. So many teams would love to have a player who can defend PGs effectively, rebound, assist and score. He is not a scoring machine and posters want him to be more aggressive on offense, but that's not Nic. He sucks when he tries to force the issue. He has to let the game come to him which is frustrating when you depend on him for points. But he is an an all around player who isn't selfish or goes around with an ego (yes I know his European demeanor can be seen as arrogant or aloof, but has a player or coach ever complained about him). He is the exact player you want around a couple of stars. Point is to have Nico on the team at 11 mil yr locked up for a couple more years, at age 25, is a good thing for the Blazers.
A 15PER/108 DRtg @ $10m/per - who also has long stretches of disappearing? He's turning into Hedo Turkaglu.
Batum is 25. Yes his contract is huge and he is inconsistent but the "grass is greener" around here is getting ridiculous. Almost everyone has a few off nights or nights where they mail it in, its not like Batum is the only player who does it. In fact he isn't even the worst of our starters nor would he be the most easily replaceable. Sure we could trade him, and Olshey should be constantly gauging everyones trade value even LMA/Lillard, but realistically the situation we are in right now is if we trade a starter we would have to get back a person of the same position, we are hand cuffed by few assets and no who can come off the bench and play the 3 and replace what Batum brings to the table. I would assume Olshey figures out what we need in the off season based off of what happens towards the end of the year not what is happening now, and if its the best option to trade Batum for X and Sign someone a FA to take Batums place so be it but I have enough faith in Olshey to get it done.
