If Martel is healthy, I think it's time to trade Outlaw and Bayless to the Wolves for Rubio and Songaila.
I think it depends on the team. Travis probably has a pretty high trade value to teams that like to get up and down, and don't rely on playing really tough defense. Phoenix, NY, GS, Memphis all come to mind right away. At the same time, he probably has less trade value to teams that run a lot of set and play unselfish basketball.
Well I personally DON'T think Bayless will turn out, at least in Portland with Roy and Rudy. I think Bayless at best is a combo guard who plays well with a true point guard. Kinda like summer league 08. Is Bayless better than Jarret Jack ?? At this point I'd say no. What has Bayless done that makes people over-value him so much. Remember, he never worked out for KP before the draft. I think that says a lot since most of KP's diamond in the rough drafting strategy has been when he has brought someone in and interview them and have coach Nate talk with him, etc. I think they drafted Bayless because he was BPA and thought he maybe a PG. He is Jack 2.0 and he still isn't there yet. I don't know why there is any reason Bayless has any trade value at this point. He had a poor rookie year. He doesn't have a defined position and if he can't play point then that makes him an Off guard who is short and has a very suspect perimeter game. I almost fell out of my chair when someone compared him to Vinnie Johnson
Bayless could very well turn out. I hope the kid does. But right now, we can only go by the facts he has put forth to us. The fact is right now, he is not a point guard. Not even close to being one. He is more of undersized two. Something this team does not need. There is glaring issue at the power forward position just behind LMA. And if it's fortified, I feel this team is ready to contend to right now. Outlaw is not going to cut it.
I could be wrong, but when Bayless was drafted, I remember Roy saying Bayless was the perfect type of player to play alongside him. I don't understand how people are ready to give up on the kid after two summer leagues and 1 season in which he played 53 games, with most of his time coming in garbage time. When he got consistent minutes, he produced, albeit inconsistently, but that's expected from a rookie. His PER 36 stats aren't really that far off from Parker's, Harris's and Monta Ellis's rookie years: Code: Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS Bayless: 2008-09 20 POR NBA 53 0 655 3.8 10.4 .365 0.4 1.5 .259 4.6 5.7 .806 0.4 2.7 3.1 4.3 0.9 0.1 3.1 4.5 12.5 Ellis: 2005-06 20 GSW NBA 49 3 886 5.4 12.9 .415 1.1 3.3 .341 1.7 2.4 .712 0.9 3.4 4.3 3.2 1.3 0.4 2.4 2.8 13.6 Parker: 2001-02 19 SAS NBA 77 72 2267 4.3 10.1 .419 1.0 3.0 .323 1.7 2.5 .675 0.5 2.6 3.1 5.3 1.4 0.1 2.4 2.6 11.2 Harris: 2004-05 21 DAL NBA 76 19 1173 4.8 11.2 .429 1.4 4.0 .336 2.4 3.2 .757 0.9 2.3 3.1 5.2 2.4 0.6 2.5 4.3 13.4 (I selected those players because they are the type of PG I think he could become, as in, shoot first.) I guess I just don't understand how people are ready to ship him out since he "isn't producing" but a player like Webster (who HAS had ample time to show what he is capable of and has been below average) is given a pass or looked at as a key acquisition over last year. For the sake of argument, here are Martell's per 36 numbers from 07-08, his THIRD year in the league: Code: Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2007-08 21 POR NBA 75 70 2132 4.7 11.1 .422 2.1 5.4 .388 2.1 2.8 .735 0.9 4.1 5.0 1.5 0.7 0.5 1.4 2.7 13.5 As I said before, I'm not even sold on Bayless being the answer, however I see no reason to move him now. His trade value if low. Our PG rotation is pretty well set (barring injuries) for this year. Why not let him develop under Miller (a real PG for him to learn from)? He is still not even 21 for a few more days. Like I said before, we could do a lot worse for an 11th/12th man.
The kid scored 19.7 PPG as a FRESHMAN in what was one of the most loaded Pac-10 Conferences of the past 20 years. What exactly are you basing your judgments on? One season of sporadic playing time as a 20-year-old on a 54-win team? Put Bayless on a bottom dweller and he's scoring 15+ a game as a rookie. Watch college basketball more often and you might be able to understand why Bayless DOES have value around the league and why it's fans like you who are, in fact, undervaluing him.
I'll ask again, what does it make Bayless when he's guarding the other team's PG, if not a PG? Even if he's a hybrid two/PG on offense, he's still playing the PG position on defense and at a very reasonable height/weight ratio.
How bout this. Let's see him actually guard the other teams starting point with consistancy and then we can come back to chat about this specific situation.
I give you that consistency was an issue on defense, but he also had many moments where he was far and away the best PG defender on the Blazers last year. Considering that with rookies, most of us expect inconsistencies, I think that him showing flashes of brilliance on the defensive end gives me real hope that he will become a very good PG defender as time goes on. Steve Blake is a better defender than one would think from his athleticism because he is an intense guy who takes everything personally, and he is a big time gym rat who will work on his deficiencies. Bayless has those same characteristics but is also a great athlete. This combo of traits will hopefully lead to Bayless being an elite defender in a few years. I am not confident that Bayless will ever learn to be a good (ie, traditional) PG on the offensive end, but I am confident that Bayless will be an excellent defender. So, that is why I think that even if he does not become a good offensive PG, he will be a good player next to Roy, who can take the lead on offense but needs good defender to take care of the opposing PG. Does this mean that Bayless WILL be great, certainly not, but I see plenty of potential and a willingness to develop that potential that makes me want to hold onto him for a while longer.
Or how about this trade reuniting Rubio and Rudy (believe me, it's good karma) - Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez to the timberwolves for Al Jefferson. I'll be rooting for the t-wolves after that, of course, but still - a solid trade.
Only if Portland can trade Aldridge and Batum to get back Love and Roy for Flynn. Finally, I'll get my desired Oden/Roy/Aldridge/Rubio/Batum/Rudy core. It'll just be in Minnesota. Sweet!
Why are we trading for Jefferson? A player who had MF surgery earlier this year and will be out for some of the regular season because of it?
