Wes

I've said this before but will repeat it here. Wes is going to get an offer we probably won't match. If he took a 2 year deal for a good paycheck to stay, I'd be thrilled.

 

If another team is willing to pay him why dont we? whats the difference?

 

We may just do it, don't get me wrong, I want Wes to be a Blazer but there is a serious risk considering his injury and his age. If he can produce at his previous level for 2 years, he'll get another extension when there is more cap space. We have to build a competitive roster this coming season and Lamarcus is going to get a huge contract. Dame wants a max extension. On paper, it doesn't look promising to give Wes a max deal that he thinks he's earned now. Maybe later. The ball is in Wesleys court and if he wants to be the focus of a team's offense, this may not be the place he gets to do that.

 

Wes has gotten pretty good at posting guys up, but he needs to understand his main strengths- playing off the ball and being a outside threat, playing great defense and just being the heart of the team with his toughness and grit. If he's afraid teams don't value that and that the only way to a lucrative deal is by scoring more, he's very mistaken.

 

I did and have serious doubts that we'll give him what he wants but the Knicks or Lakers probably will...hence my using the "if" in my post

 

I hope I'm wrong about this but my gut has been leaning towards him moving on based on what he's stated. Lamarcus and Dame are going to get those end game shots whether Wes wants them or not

 

I think it's sort of like Grant Hill going to Phoenix...great piece but not the alpha male when playing there. Orlando paid Grant a fortune to rehab and wear a suit..Phoenix didn't and gave him a role that suited his skillset post injury.

 

ACL injuries are scary based on what has happened to careers after them - hard to imagine a 5-year deal being given.

 

totally agree and because of his Achilles injury that makes it even less likely he can become one who creates shots for himself and others, at 29 yrs old I think he needs to realize he is what he is, I wish him the best but after reading that and him wanting a longer contract I can only think good bye Wes and best of luck.

 

If Wes could create more or has a better handle, he's had plenty of opportunity to showcase that by now. Has he secretly been holding out?

 

He doesn't have the handle, but that's not the only way for him to be featured more in the offense. I'm sure he's looking at LMA's 10 jumpers per game from 15'+ and thinking "I could do more with those 10 shots. Throw it to ME in the post and I'll score the ball or pass to an open shooter. Run some screens for me and I'll can the shot."

 

Even though I am the guilty party here who posted his quotes, we probably should acknowledge that some of it might have been taken out of context. I think Quick wrote a nice piece, but there is a lot of information and although I am sure Wes may have said all of those things, a few things may have not been as important as was portrayed, or he may have meant them in a slightly different way.

My point is Wes may come back and correct a few things. I would not take everything literal.

 

To me Wes has been the perfect 3 and D guy..sort of our version of Bruce Bowen. Watched some film of him post injury shooting 3s and noticed he's still dribbling the ball chest high way too often. This is one of his weaknesses with the handles. Wes has also had shooting slumps each of the last two years and shot himself out of them. It's defense that he excells at and being a vocal floor general. I hope defense is where he hangs his hat

 

agree completely

 

yeah, but how often is it Wes that's looking to LA to get the ball to? More often than not, Wes prefers feeding LA or Dame to taking the shot

 

He wants Nic gone.

 

There may be a lot of that going on between free agents and the front office. I got the impression LA was giving Nic the cold shoulder at the end of the season too