Would any of the likely Amnesty players be a good match for the Blazers

So theorhetically we could get use the amnesty on Roy, and then go and sign Joe Johnson if Atlanta does the same.........How absurd is that? Not from a basketball perspective, that trade is fine for the Blazers, but in general what does that really accomplish for the owners? Again if you are paying the players then you should be forced to keep him. There should be an amnesty rule for the cap, but IMO the players should stay put.

 

I would think it's kind of humiliating to be amnestied. I mean all NBA players have two best case scenarios--win a championship, and be a max contract player. Would a guy with an ego like Roy really want to stay on a team that devalues him so drastically? He needs to go somewhere new where he can redefine himself without the constant reminder of how greatly he was once valued. Better for the Blazers and better for him.

I actually kind of like the idea of us waiving Roy and Atlanta waiving Johnson, and we each pick up the others' former star player on waivers. It'd be interesting to see if he could beat Wes Matthews for the starting job. With the blossoming of Batum, Matthews' far superior defense and more consistent outside shooting, and a coach like Nate, it's certainly no given that he'd be a starter in Portland.

 

Take Roy out of the equation for the moment. I think it is way more humiliating for a player to be told he is no longer part of their organization. "Sorry you need to go so we can fit under the salary cap".

I don't think it is nearly as humiliating if he stays with the same team but knows his salary does not count against the cap. Where is the humiliation in that? You are still paying him the same amount of money, but since his salary is the biggest on the team, it's simply the one being selected in order to take advantage of the new luxury tax rule.

I think the perception of "not being wanted anymore" would be way worse. The purpose of the rule is to set a cap that is attainable for each team. But if you choose to use the amnesty rule, I don't think you should be able to pick some one else's player that was cut for the same reason

 

Lewis plays McMillan style. Wonder why.