Assuming he wants to stay he is not restricted so if he signs the other contract no amount of pleading is going to keep him on the team.
Yeah, I'm sure that's what drives him every day. Meanwhile Paul found a more effective GM and has a team headed for the playoffs (and not the cracker jack prize Eastern Conference playoffs).
Phoenix is the last team that offers a pretty intriguing trade option for LMA. Two firsts tis year and either a sign and trade for Bledsoe or Dragic and we got a pretty solid package. Unfortunately, the team most likely interested out of the three I mentioned is Boston and their package is the least desirable of the three.
LA could cement his legend & Blazer for life status if he comes back and carries this team into the playoffs. So tired of hearing "he's soft", or "LaMarsha". But I fear that if he's not 100% that it will show in his play and he'll be (again) unfairly judged, especially if the team falls short. I don't care what "advanced stats" say about him. The guy I watched for the 1st half of the year was one of the best players in the league. He was clutch too. He made a lot of shots late in games (games like Hou on national TV, or the 3 he hit vs Bos to tie the game). He was also making FTs late in games, which in previous years was an issue. More recently he's missed some big shots/FT, as many are quick to point out. These next 10 games could force his critics to reassess their opinion of him, or it could be more fuel to the fire. This is the most pressure that he's been under in his career. His postseason appearances were during the Roy era. Right now, given the standings and the team's play w/o him, everybody is looking for him to be the savior . . . or the goat. Might not be fair given his health, but it's the reality. I'd love to see LeMonster bust out, and hear those "MVP! MVP!" chants at Moda again.
He seemed very positive about re-upping when we were winning early in the season, I have to wonder how he will feel if we don't make the playoffs?
Exactly. Especially if we miss the playoffs and he doesn't play well, or even if he goes 30/15 but misses shots down the stretch of a close loss in a deciding game. He'll get roasted, and they won't care about how his back or his groin felt. If that happens, he may want to bolt.
Couldn't agree more. Just getting to the post season, even if they get swept is a building block. We go into the summer looking to add some pieces . . . look forward to next year. Miss the playoffs after 31-9 start? Who knows what will come out when the media starts finger-pointing & demanding answers? Hard to imagine everyone just moves on and breezes into next year with optimism without any major changes.
Preseason Aldridge was asked what he thought about this season and he predicted 6th-7th seed, hopefully 2nd round but then said next season we should be contending. He's not far off the mark.
They're progressing a little more than I thought they would this season. Great start at the beginning and currently sputtering. We'll see what they have left for the remaining 10 games.
So you're trading away an All-Star to a conference rival, and in return getting a draft pick (not a very good one) and another PG. What a horrendous idea.
Trading away an all star for someone who should have been an all star in Dragic who happens to be a combo guard and estimated pick 14 and 18. Vs. the idea of losing him for nothing.
Do you really think Dragic/Dame could work? Dragic is a ball-dominant guard. He learned from Steve Nash.
I do because Dragic does what Lillard cannot, he finishes well in traffic and is a better passer, Lillard on the other hand is a much better shooter from deep (although Dragic has been great from deep) so he could provide the spacing we lose without Matthews at SG. Plus the model already worked for the Thunder with Westbrook, and Harden both being ball dominant and they had to share with Durant as well.
A foolish idea would be to get nothing if he chooses to leave, either resign him or deal him this summer.
He doesn't want to leave, he's already said he'll sign an extension. He'll be resigned. You've read this before meese, it's old news at this point. I know you like trade scenarios but really...this is a foolish one
I think the right matchup could go very well for us in the playoffs. I would MUCH rather face the Spurs or the Clippers over the Rockets.
