95.5 reported a possible option on a deal

[Crimson the Cat]

We do this deal and we go into "win now" mode. Andre Miller makes a lot of sense though.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

By the way, this was not a reported deal on the table. Terry Foster from the Detroit News was on in the 6 o'clock hour, and Gavin asked him if that package would get it done. That is all.

-Pop

Well great. Way to bring me down man.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

You do this yesterday if it's on the table. I love Rudy but he's not the solution at the 3 or the 1.

Exactly. Rudy also isn't a guy who will be Roy's career backup... once his rookie contract is up, he's going to play hardball with us. Prince is a starting quality SF who will mentor Batum. Plus, Prince is old enough that once Batum is ready for primetime, Prince can either go to the bench gracefully or be traded for a backup SF.

I'd do this move.

 

[Shapecity]

Seems like an awful lot to give up for Tayshaun Prince. He's not the same player he was two years ago and there's been a drop off in his effectiveness on the defensive end. If Prince is the one guy to take the Blazers a step up into championship contenders then it would make sense, but I don't think he's guy.

 

[Minstrel]

I will say that if this deal went down (and hey, if Maxiell were added to it, I might not be as down on it), this would be a fun lineup to see:

PG: Nicolas Batum
SG: Brandon Roy
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Greg Oden

Batum would man the point for defensive purposes, Roy would be the quarterback and Prince would add a little passing. The lineup would be long, quick and potentially a defensive monster without losing any offense.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

Exactly. Rudy also isn't a guy who will be Roy's career backup... once his rookie contract is up, he's going to play hardball with us. Prince is a starting quality SF who will mentor Batum. Plus, Prince is old enough that once Batum is ready for primetime, Prince can either go to the bench gracefully or be traded for a backup SF.

I'd do this move.

Right. And I'd get the feeling that Prince could contribute at relatively high level until his mid-30s, sort of like Pippen did for us. This would just be a perfect move on so many levels.

 

[Peaceman]

I'm a little surprised. Tayshaun seems like a great team guy, a great vet, another option who brings a element we don't have in being able to post up smaller guys, can handle the ball and playoff experience. Rudy IMO is very inconsistant and may become a deadly shooter more consistantly. Fans really seem to value Rudy a ton. I like him, but Martel should be able to fill in for some of the gap Rudy leaves. We also keep our cap space to add another good addition.

 

[BlazersBlood]

I will say that if this deal went down (and hey, if Maxiell were added to it, I might not be as down on it), this would be a fun lineup to see:

PG: Nicolas Batum
SG: Brandon Roy
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Greg Oden

Batum would man the point for defensive purposes, Roy would be the quarterback and Prince would add a little passing. The lineup would be long, quick and potentially a defensive monster without losing any offense.

A Pippen-esque move there for Batum? I love it! With Batum at the top and Prince on the wing, that would make our perimeter defense very formidable. Now would McMillan have the balls to put a lineup like that out there, or is that "too outside the box" for him?

 

[mook]

The 24th pick is really not worth that much. So this is really Rudy+Outlaw for Prince. I think that is fair and would fit well in so many ways.

In the back of your mind you have to also wonder if Rudy will stay in Portland long term or bolt for Spain at some point. It especially makes sense if you are shipping Sergio out too.

Some things to consider though:
Prince just turned 29
Prince got lit up by LeBron (who doesn't), but dropped from 14 PPG down to less that 4 PPG during the Cleveland series. His assists and rebounds also dropped by almost half. Trading Rudy and Outlaw for a SF who gives you 4 pts, 3.5 reb and 1 asst in the playoffs, and can't slow down LeBron doesn't sound that great all the sudden. I think Batum could have done better than that.

Really nice post. Of the two, I'd rather just go after Artest than Prince. That guy shows up for the playoffs, plays hard physical defense, and the Rockets were more effective at containing LeBron than any other team in the league. The only thing Prince gives you is sanity, but I tend to think that's overrated, especially on a goody-two-shoes team like ours. We could use a nutty bastard like Ron Ron.

I agree that we have to think about shopping Fernandez. It's going to be tough--there are probably more Rudy jerseys in the stands than any other (except of course Roy). He's fun to watch play, and let's face it, the women ticket buyers like him. It's amazing that he's a much more marketable player than a guy like Aldridge, who is clearly the better talent.

But there's no fire drill to trade Fernandez. Next summer he might start grousing some, but for now he seems content. We can pick and choose deals for him, and I think his marketability and his talent will eventually net us much more value than Prince.

 

[Wheels]

I'm a little surprised. Tayshaun seems like a great team guy, a great vet, another option who brings a element we don't have in being able to post up smaller guys, can handle the ball and playoff experience. Rudy IMO is very inconsistant and may become a deadly shooter more consistantly. Fans really seem to value Rudy a ton. I like him, but Martel should be able to fill in for some of the gap Rudy leaves. We also keep our cap space to add another good addition.

except Rudy already has shown more than Martell in the NBA.. and I'm a fan of Martell.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Maybe this has already been brought up. Gavin was saying that there was a report that Portland could get Tayshaun Prince for the 24th pick, Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez. I would put a link but I didn't catch the who conversation. Would you pull the trigger of that deal?

NO WAY! I've been a huge Prince fan for a while, but:
1. His defense has regressed
2. He has a lot of miles on him for his age with all those playoff games
3. Batum is Prince v.2.

That said: if you take Rudy out of there, then I probably would. This needs to be a Poll!

 

[Minstrel]

Poll

That said: if you take Rudy out of there, then I probably would. This needs to be a Poll!

Good idea! Done.

 

[Uther TheGardener]

I wwould do it for outlaw cash sergio and 24th.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Prince got lit up by LeBron (who doesn't), but dropped from 14 PPG down to less that 4 PPG during the Cleveland series. His assists and rebounds also dropped by almost half. Trading Rudy and Outlaw for a SF who gives you 4 pts, 3.5 reb and 1 asst in the playoffs, and can't slow down LeBron doesn't sound that great all the sudden. I think Batum could have done better than that.

If you put any stock in PER, then check this out. Travis had a pretty brutal postseason, and is 20th in the list of SFs in the playoffs. But Prince isn't even on the list! And in case you object that the playoffs is too small a sample size, weirdly it's the same for the regular season. Prince looks a lot better by "EWA", but any stat that rewards Kevin Durant that much is suspicious to me.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I don't like giving up Rudy right now.

Prince would be a good addition, but IDK if he's the "over the top" guy.

I liked and agreed with much of Reep's post

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

won't do it even for Rudy straight up. Love Tayshaun but he sucked in the playoffs....and is kind of leveling off. he's a solid guy...but kind of streaky.....I'll take my gamble....for TROUT and #24 by itself, I'd do it.

 

[OddEnormous]

Portland could get Tayshaun Prince for the 24th pick, Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez.

No.

 

[LittleAlex]

Rudy isn't going to be on the team long term. He is going to want to start and get paid, neither of which is going to happen here. I love Rudy, but it really isn't in his best interest to stay with the team after his rookie contract is up.

Outlaw isn't all that great, so no big loss there.

The 24th pick in this year's draft is probably a d-league all-star at best.

Really, what you would be missing out on is 3 years of Rudy. That would suck.

Prince is right now is just a little under what I think Batum's ceiling is as a player. He starts for the next couple of years during his decline, while Batum gets better. The natural process would put Batum in the starting role in 3 years and the team doesn't really go through any growing pains during his maturation process. I don't see a real downside here.

In addition to all this, we get a guy who has been to the Eastern Conference Finals 5 years in a row AND has a championship ring.

I am a huge Prince fan, though. I have wanted him in a Blazer uni for the last 3 years.

 

[RickyRubio]

No way in hell I would trade Rudy. I would hate to see Webster go, but I would do Outlaw, Webster and 24 for Prince.

Blake\Bayless
Roy\Rudy
Prince\Batum
LMA\Whoever
Oden\Joel

I like how that looks.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

Looking at the poll, this thread turns into another forum for the Martell bashers.

Webster is going to be *THE* answer at the SF, and mark my words, if he's traded, he'll come back to bite the Blazers in the ass ala Jermaine O'Neal.

 

[alex42083]

Give up Rudy? F that.

 

[Minstrel]

Poll is kind of misleading. I think most would rather keep Rudy and trade Martell. The problem is, I think Detroit would rather have Rudy, too.

How is the poll misleading? I thought in these types of polls, it's understood that it's asking how high you'd go, not what you'd most like to trade. If you vote for the first option, you're saying that you'd be willing to trade Rudy, Outlaw and #24 pick if it was impossible to get him for less.

 

[Ed O]

except Rudy already has shown more than Martell in the NBA.. and I'm a fan of Martell.

"Already"? Rudy is a year and a half older than Martell.

It's true that Rudy had a better season than any Webster has had, but Webster won't turn 24 until his sixth season... which is the year after next. Rudy turned 24 in April.

Comparing a 18 or 19 or 20 year-old's production to that of a 23 year-old just doesn't strike me as very fair or terribly productive.

Ed O.

 

[Wheels]

"Already"? Rudy is a year and a half older than Martell.

It's true that Rudy had a better season than any Webster has had, but Webster won't turn 24 until his sixth season... which is the year after next. Rudy turned 24 in April.

Comparing a 18 or 19 or 20 year-old's production to that of a 23 year-old just doesn't strike me as very fair or terribly productive.

Ed O.

when I said already I meant more of the abilty to make the perfect extra pass to someone who is open. Rudy while not consistently showed some ability to create for others. And offered more help defense in the passing lanes. Wasnt really comparing their ceilings in the nba etc.

 

[Minstrel]

Well, I understood it differently. I'd rather trade Martell, of course, but I'd trade Rudy if Detroit demanded him (which I think they would).

Right, so that's option 1. You would go as high as giving up Rudy if that's what they demanded. If you'd go even higher, if that's what it took, then option 2.

 

[Rodolfo]

No go if Rodolfo is involved!

 

[Minstrel]

Yeah, that's what I figured and picked option #1. Still was a little confusing with the options between Martell and Rudy.

The "Martell option" is for people who would not trade Rudy, even if Detroit demanded him, but would deal Webster.

 

[Ed O]

when I said already I meant more of the abilty to make the perfect extra pass to someone who is open. Rudy while not consistently showed some ability to create for others. And offered more help defense in the passing lanes. Wasnt really comparing their ceilings in the nba etc.

Makes sense. I agree, in that case!

Ed O.

 

[Wheels]

Makes sense. I agree, in that case!

Ed O.

haha yeah I guess I COULD have elaborated more, to make more sense. Damn you all for not reading my mind!

 

[RR7]

Rudy isn't going to be on the team long term. He is going to want to start and get paid, neither of which is going to happen here. I love Rudy, but it really isn't in his best interest to stay with the team after his rookie contract is up.

Why did he bother coming to Portland then? He had some rather large offers on the table to stay in Europe. He would not only be the starter on his team there, but arguably the best player both on his team AND in the league. And make more money than he will probably ever make in the NBA. If his true motivation was money and playing time, he would not be here right now.