Zombie Summer of 2016 NBA Free Agency

It is tough to speculate since the players could opt out in 2017 and we have no idea if teams are going to be silly. My guess is that their will be some really bad contracts given out and just hope it is not us that does it. The four year limit on contracts does save the owners from themselves though.

 

I'd like Dellavedova or Chalmers. Delly could play with any of our guards, Chalmers is clutch and has rings. Would be good fits.

 

Do NOT over pay for a FA PF. Vonleh will be just fine. He is solid in every area of the game. And he will only get better.

Do not over pay for Barnes. He is a good player, I like him, but I really like Harkless and Crabbe and Aminu. Love our versatility more than paying for one guy.

 

I like Parsons a lot. I think he would fit in VERY well here. He would be my target.

 

We are one guy away, just one. I think we make a splash via trade not signing.

 

Sign and trade Meyers for whatever you can get. Vonleh is starting to look comfortable.

Sent from my SM-G900P

 

Parsons looked good tonight. I just don't think he is going anywhere. I think Cuban pays him

 

I think it will definitely be a case of makeup and personality over talent. One thing I hadn't figured till the last few months was just how serious Olshey was about team chemistry. After LMA skipped, I think he realized that Dame HAD to be on board with every move and build a foundation from the ground up. The way the league operates its like, "well get a couple of stars and work the rest out later." (But, hell, that can backfire, just look at Houston.) And that just doesn't work in Portland. You needed one CAPTAIN to build around and build a team that overachieves in many ways. Our only championship was achieved that way. Dame will convince the guys to stay and he'll convince FAs to come here.

 

You have to wonder though, if you're Parsons and you're 27 years old. Do you really want to commit to that team long term? Dirk is older than dirt. They don't have a good core to build around.

 

I was thinking about this on my walk home from work this evening. I think we are two solid players away. We're likely never going to have a Big 3 unless Vonleh develops into a superstar or by a major miracle KD decides to sign here. So how do we win? We just continue to add depth. I feel like we're building this team similar to the 2000 Blazers where you have a ton of good players and are deep at every position. Now, there are a couple of differences, most notably the 2000 team was filled with veterans and this version has the best player of the bunch (Lillard) and a legitimate go-to guy in the clutch (Lillard, again).

If we can keep Crabbe, Harkless, and Henderson and still find room to go after a Barnes/Parsons + Anderson ... now you're looking at a team that's a bonafide WCF contender.

 

If this team keeps exceeding expectations we might just try to keep all our own guys and skip adding anyone.

But who knows it's all just so hard to predict. Last March I would've thought our roster would be totally different than it was in July. Then Wes gets hurt and that team broke up. In July I thought our roster would've performed far worse than it has now. So what happens between now and this coming July? Might not be at all what we expect now.

Neil signs Kent Bazemore for the max and he becomes an all-star.

 

Lillard
McCollum
_______
Vonleh
Plumlee

This is the core.

The obvious hole is SF.

I'd try to package Cleveland's 1st with our 2018 first as a starter package for Middleton.

 

Crabbe should be involved in our core

 

I was mainly talking about starters.

 

I agree with you. But Cuban is a pretty good salesman. I think he can sell Parson's on the fact that he can lure FA's to Dallas.
Parson's is a Florida boy. Portland seems like a tough sell. Plus does he want to watch the Dame hightligh over and over of the winning shot againt him when he played for Houston ? It has to be a painful memory.

 

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

 

He might never start, but he often finishes. I know I keep repeating myself on Crabbe's length, but I bet his wingspan is on par with most SFs in the league. I would include him in the core.

 

A guy I"m thinking could be a good pickup for the Blazers: Festus Ezeli backup center for the Warriors.

He fits age wise, at 26. And look at his per 36 numbers this season. 15/12/2.5 blocks, he is a very good finisher inside at 70%. He just injured his knee

He's -8.5% defensively at the rim, and is actually negative from all over the court. As a comparison Mason is -4%

 

Center with a knee injury? Nah.

 

He's not supposed to be out all year, so we'd get to see him late in the season and in the playoffs. If it keeps him out all year, then maybe not.