Am curious, and also bored, what player, or combo of players from one team do you think would realistically put us over the top THIS season, and make us very real contenders for the championship. Maybe it's not possible at all, in your opinion. Please no Lebron James answers. Just curious if there was a deal or combo of deals, or players, rather, that could realistically push us into the talk o fbeing a legit title threat. I think we are definitely in the mix for the WCF, adn from there, anything can happen, so I'm not writing us off or something. The Prince thread got me thinking about possibilities of a move to push us into the LA, Boston, SA, Orlando discussion. Thoughts? rr7
I don't think we can get a player that puts us over the top this year. There are tons of players that would do that (Harris, CP3, LeBron, DWill, Caron, etc. etc.), but none of those guys are realistically available. The only two impact players I think we could reasonably trade for this year are Mike Conley Jr. and Gerald Wallace. Neither of them would be easy to obtain, but both are at least plausible unlike the above list. Conley wouldn't likely put us over the top this year, but I think he would cement a championship caliber core for years to come. Likewise Wallace is getable, his impact is debatable given our struggles to incorporate both Oden and Miller into our offensive schemes especially in the starting unit. I think that's the rub, our current team could potentially put us over the top, just not they way they are being used. We are arguably one of the best mid-range team's in league history and you see where that gets you in the playoffs. The mid-range game is fools gold. It kills in the regular season, because teams will give you that shot. McMillan is clearly obsessed with mid-range jumpers due to the fact they aren't defended well in the league...until the playoffs roll around that is. So to answer your question I don't think there is a realistically gettable guy that puts us over the top. I say this just because we haven't maximized our current rotation. Perhaps a massively consolidating trade would do that, but Roy would have to want to share the ball and Nate might have to change his coaching style. Currently I'm concerned about both of those. I hope Roy realizes that to take it to the next level we need a post presence and some opportunistic running ala' the Spurs. Roy can figure this out, it's becoming more and more clear that Nate never will.
I think there's a difference b/w us being contenders (personally, i already think we are) and being thought as legit by the national fan/media. To do that, I think that either Oden needs to blow up (doubtful with the offense we're running) or we need to trade for a "proven vet". I think if we got a "name" like Prince, Wallace, Vince, Battier, Nash, etc. then we'd move into that echelon. If we got someone young but pretty good (like the Conley- or Sessions-caliber player) then it wouldn't have the same effect, even if the team would be better.
Yeah, I meant primarily in the eyes of the media, where if we pulled off a trade this week, similar to what Denver did last season with Billups, if we pulled off a deal this week, and the media would immediately start saying well, now they have a legit shot of knocking off LA, a good path to the top seed, etc. I dunno if it is out there. Probably not, as I agree a lot of it isn't acquiring a player, but continuing our development. Was just curious. And, like I said, bored.
You think the addition of Conley and the subtraction of Joel makes us a legit title contender in the eyes of the media?
I don't know about whether the media would consider us a contender then, but MC would give a our young PG that knows how to feed GO and Marko would give us a badass three man rotation at PF/C.
Honestly, I don't think you could make a deal that would put this team over the top this season. There are players that will give you a better shot at the end. But in the end the team will come up short. Unless the lakers are hit with a significant injury. But one player that get's us closer to competing and beating the lakers is Caron Butler.
With Assclown as our coach, only a really quick defensive PG would put us over the top. Obviously Assclown has no idea how to use the talent on the roster to get deep into the playoffs. A new coach would get us there much quicker.
I agree. We have an unbelievable collection of players and Nate can't figure out how to use them. If we can get a good coach, we will succeed. At this point you can bring anyone you want, with this coach they will be wasted.
I'm guessing he meant Marc Gasol, but said Marko. Anyway, to answer the original poster's question, adding a player like Prince (still has a very good reputation, "proven playoff/championship vet," many people's idea of an underrated "star") would put Portland in the upper echelon in the eyes of the media, assuming that Portland didn't have to give up any of Roy, Aldridge, Oden, Miller or Fernandez. If Portland traded, for instance, Batum, Bayless and Outlaw for Prince, the media would probably chalk it up as a big win for Portland and an impact move. I wouldn't like such a move at all and I'm dubious that it would have a major effect on the team's ceiling.
I can't tell if some of you are joking or if you are really that young and naive. If you are not young, then replace naive with stupid.
From what I have read there are like 5 teams in the chase for Jackson, and so far the Prince thing is mostly just rumors. It's an amazing coincidence I guess that the teams included in going after Jackson include Cleveland, Dallas, San Antonio, Denver. Because you know, Portland is just to frackin cool and stocked with talent to need a player like Jackson
Idog1976: "Give it to us straight man, don't hold back! All I want to know is do we have a shot at being legitimate posters? Like 1 in a thousand? Come on give it to me straight!" Pinwheel1: "More like 1 in a Million." Idog1976: "So you're saying there's a chance!"
-Rodney Stuckey -Michael Beasley Stuckey is the perfect PG next to Roy. Detroit is in rebuilding mode but we'd still have to overpay for Rodney to pry him away. Bealsey is a tweener (SF/PF) but is a low post threat with a high ceiling. Getting him out of South Beach will be his turnaround, IMO. A pipedream: -Rajon Rondo
