Exclusive Woj - Anthony Davis has Requested a Trade.

correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the narrative of 'Aldridge wanting to stay, pledging to stay' a concoction of spin that Olshey got Aldridge to say the summer before he walked?

 

Portland could do it, but it would come at a high cost. If NO wants to start winning now, but have prospects too then a package of CJ and their choice of Nurkic or Collins plus pics could give them that. The Boston deal doesn't do that as it is made up of a small guard and wings. Unless you believe Okafor is their center of the future, they would need some size. I can't see how they wouldn't like Holiday, Randle and Mirotic grouped with CJ and the center of their choice, plus some picks and maybe a good SF (Aminu) for depth. That would give them a solid team now and for the next several years. I think Tatum would be the best piece they could get, but I'm not as enamored with the rest of the Boston trade fodder.

I don't know if Blazers would do CJ and Nurkic or Collins plus prospects (Simons) and picks, but if you want to win a title with Dame, then you have to take chances. Personally would love to see:

Dame
Trent
Harkless, Layman, Aminu
Davis
Nurkic/Collins (whichever doesn't get traded)

As that could be a defensive nightmare in a year or two. And you could live with less scoring from Collins as there are plenty of other options.

 

Both. Aldridge said publicly on his own that he wanted to stay. Toward the end when it was too late to do anything he changed his mind and Olshey didn't let it out.

 

all that is fine but Rich Paul is going on record making these comments to every reporter out there. Keep it in house. All this does is reduce trade value

 

Yeah, you're wrong. That was a made up story by Blazers Edge because Dave hates Olshey.

 

he's AD's agent. I'll bet the Pels will receive more offers in the 3 days after his announcement than in the 3 months before the announcement. He and AD may also have privately said this to the Pels but were feeling the Pels were slow-walking or even stalling any market for AD. In fact, I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case

 

No, and why would Olshey want that if he knew Aldridge would end up leaving? That would be a bad plan to follow so the logic to begin with is flawed..

 

I just googled and I don't think that's true, at least not the origin of the story. The original story came from The Columbian and Erik Gunderson:

https://www.columbian.com/news/2015/jun/25/sources-aldridge-tells-blazers-he-wont-be-back/

he was claiming sources were telling him Aldridge was gone, and I'm sure Dave wasn't the source. He also had sources predicting that Portland was going to trade their 1st round pick right after the draft, so it sure looks like Gunderson's sources were good since Aldridge left and Portland traded their pick

Dave may very well hate Olshey, just like a lot of the Portland media and blog-o-sphere does.

I seem to recall that Aldridge himself implied that his re-signing intentions had bee exaggerated by Portland's FO but maybe I have it wrong, as I said

 

that very well may be, but if the Pels were operating as if AD would re-sign when he wasn't going to, maybe informing them of this was a good thing?

 

This is a chance for the Blazers to get out of NBA Purgatory. And please, on one talk to me about how they were 3rd last year and currently 4th in the West this year. They are no were close to being a contender and to me that means at least making the Conference Finals.

I don't care if it is a risk. Risk/Reward is part of life. Playing it safe with this contract inflated roster will only result in Dame being stuck here being 1st round cannon fodder and occasionally getting to the 2nd round but not being close to being a contender. Give Dame a chance while he is in his prime. Any less than a full out legitimate attempt to do this is an epic fail on Olshey's part.

And from an ownership standpoint, I don't see how this franchise isn't even more attractive to a new owner with Davis combined with Dame/Nurk.

 

You are talking about two different things. The one I was responding to is your comment that before that season Olshey told Aldridge to say he was going to stay. The article you posted is after the season whether or not he would leave.

Edit: It was also no secret that the Blazers were trying to move their pick that year so that proves nothing about Aldridge or sources.

 

Here's something that should tempt both sides:

 

Of course this is the case, but that still doesn't mean that New Orleans would trade him to us.

 

Of course not.....which is why is states, "a full out legitimate attempt". Nothing is guaranteed but I'd like to hear that Portland made a a serious attempt and if they are beaten out but something even better, then that is life. What I don't want to hear later is that Portland wouldn't include CJ, Collins, Simons etc.

 

If Hayward is healthy they would. Otherwise I see Hayward being gone down the road as he cant be happy with his roll as it currently is. Sure he will say the right things this season as he's coming back from the injury. I don't see him wanting to be a bench player next year.

 

You do have Aldridge's intentions wrong too. The dude changes his mind all the time. At one point he wanted off the Spurs too. It's really quite simple what happened in my best estimation. After the excitement of the 2014 playoffs, Aldridge was on a high and thought that maybe they could contend in Portland. He probably even thought he was going to stay up until the point Wes got hurt. The season ended in a thud and left such a bad taste that he decided to go elsewhere. He says he almost had a change of heart again after free agency started and stayed in Portland but who knows if that was just trying to save face or not, probably.