Article on Sessions

[Rastapopoulos]

On TrueHoop (but by Arnovitz, not Abbott, so more content, less touchy-feely stuff):

The Best Free Agent Nobody is Talking About

There's too much good stuff there - go read (and watch - there's an interview with Dan D'Antoni (Mike's brother) who coached him as a youngster). And if we DO make David Lee an offer, while this guy goes somewhere for somebody's MLE, I shall be PISSED.

 

[Wheels]

DO IT KP

 

[Sheldon Shape]

It's absolutely driving me nuts not hearing anything about Ramon Sessions on the Blazers front. It's such a no brainer I don't know what's going on.

 

[illmatic99]

Mind boggling as to why we'd extend Millsap and Hedo offers, but balk on Sessions.

Max we can offer him (if we don't renounce Petko/Free:

year 1- $5.8 mil (MLE; league avg)
year 2- $6.3 mil (MLE + 8% raise)
year 3- $8.8 mil
year 4- $8.8 mil
year 5- $8.8 mil

Total: $38.5mil/ 5 years. That's less than what Hinrich makes, and it would seriously dampen Milwaukee's will to retain him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I thought we had more than that even if we didn't renounce the Euros. I thought around $7M?

Is this refusal to get a real PG an attempt to keep Roy happy? Here's a thought - keep him happy BY GIVING HIM A FIFTH YEAR. AND then, when he's happy, go get a proper PG.

If we DID get Sessions, I would cheer lustily for Hedo (and his wife) when he came to town. Or at least, in spirit, not in fact living in Oregon.

 

[illmatic99]

I thought we had more than that even if we didn't renounce the Euros. I thought around $7M?

We have about $7.7 mil, but the max Sessions can get from anyone is MLE for years one and two due to the Arenas provision. However, the deal can be backloaded to increase the offer to make it average whatever capspace we have now. (38.5/5= 7.7)

Edit: if we do renounce the Euros, we'd get about $8.9 mil of space.So 8.9*5 = 44.5 for 5 years is absolute max we can offer. In addition to any signing bonuses, of course.

 

[B-Roy]

For some reason or another, the FO seems to balk at any PG without three point shooting abilities, so you'll just have to live with us not making Sessions an offer.

 

[ebott]

I think the blazers front office and coaching staff are dead set on having a pointguard that's a threat from three point range. That means no interest in Ramon Sessions. I think it's a damn shame. Ramon is a hell of a pointguard. He'd be a big improvement in our game pace and defense.

What boggles my mind us how they can be so high on Bayless and completely uninterested in Sessions.

 

[Idog1976]

It's stupid to not get a PG sans 3pt% if that is the only issue. 3pt shooting is one of the easiest NBA skills to learn. Much easier then say dribbling (Rudy/Martell/Outlaw) or court vision (Bayless).

There must be something else going on. Or the silence is part of the plan. Maybe we knew Utah would match and are waiting for Memphis or OKC to blow their cap space in a 3 way trade with Utah before we make an offer. I'm reaching here but I can't believe Sessions isn't even on the radar!

 

[Idog1976]

Mind boggling as to why we'd extend Millsap and Hedo offers, but balk on Sessions.

Max we can offer him (if we don't renounce Petko/Free:

year 1- $5.8 mil (MLE; league avg)
year 2- $6.3 mil (MLE + 8% raise)
year 3- $8.8 mil
year 4- $8.8 mil
year 5- $8.8 mil

Total: $38.5mil/ 5 years. That's less than what Hinrich makes, and it would seriously dampen Milwaukee's will to retain him.

can't they increase the last two years?

Ptld Platypus came up with a great salary structure to offer him.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Since apparently we are happy with two below average PG's at this point, this should be OT. It's apparent that KP has decided we don't need an upgrade to our statistiacally worse possition by far.

 

[B-Roy]

It's stupid to not get a PG sans 3pt% if that is the only issue. 3pt shooting is one of the easiest NBA skills to learn. Much easier then say dribbling (Rudy/Martell/Outlaw) or court vision (Bayless).

There must be something else going on. Or the silence is part of the plan. Maybe we knew Utah would match and are waiting for Memphis or OKC to blow their cap space in a 3 way trade with Utah before we make an offer. I'm reaching here but I can't believe Sessions isn't even on the radar!

The bolded part makes no sense. If Sessions signs an offer sheet, Memphis/OKC aren't going to be able to make an offer to him.

 

[illmatic99]

can't they increase the last two years?

Sure, but the total has to be 38.5 for 5. I just made it simple, without any raises. What did PP have in mind?

 

[Idog1976]

The bolded part makes no sense. If Sessions signs an offer sheet, Memphis/OKC aren't going to be able to make an offer to him.

OK I didn't know it worked that way. I thought he could keep getting offers Hedo style. That must be one of the differences between RFA and UFA.

 

[Idog1976]

Seriously though everyone. It CAN'T be 3pt shooting. I mean Blake wasn't even that great until last year. Yes much better then Sessions but the difference is minor compared to how much better Sessions is at every aspect of the game then Blake aside from 3pt shooting. Why no offers? Can someone provide a link showing he isn't a character fit?

I'm disturbed by Pritchards lack of lack of faith in Bayless as a PG. Oh yes that IS a double negative baby!

 

[B-Roy]

Seriously though everyone. It CAN'T be 3pt shooting. I mean Blake wasn't even that great until last year. Yes much better then Sessions but the difference is minor compared to how much better Sessions is at every aspect of the game then Blake aside from 3pt shooting. Why no offers? Can someone provide a link showing he isn't a character fit?

I'm disturbed by Pritchards lack of lack of faith in Bayless as a PG. Oh yes that IS a double negative baby!

What are you talking about?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/blakest01.html

Steve Blake is a career 39% three point shooter.

 

[Minstrel]

Sure, but the total has to be 38.5 for 5. I just made it simple, without any raises. What did PP have in mind?

I don't think the total has to be 38.5 for 5. He can only get the MLE plus raise for the first two years, due to the Gilbert Arenas provision, but after that he can receive MUCH more (balloon raises) because those would be the normal FA years even for a first round pick, so the MLE cap on his salary disappears.

 

[illmatic99]

I don't think the total has to be 38.5 for 5. He can only get the MLE plus raise for the first two years, due to the Gilbert Arenas provision, but after that he can receive MUCH more (balloon raises) because those would be the normal FA years even for a first round pick, so the MLE cap on his salary disappears.

Sure, but according to this, we can't offer a deal that averages more per year than the space we have now.

From that page:

Putting this all together, if a team is $11 million under the cap, wants to submit a five year offer sheet, and wants to provide a large raise in the third season, they can offer a total of $55 million. If the average salary is $5 million, then the second year salary will be $5.4 million (8% raise). This leaves $44.6 million to be distributed over the final three seasons.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Anyone have contacts to KP? We need to flood him about getting Sessions. There's no excuse for not making him an offer. If the Bucks were going to match, we could offer Outlaw and Bayless for him, does anyone think the Bucks would reject that offer? I don't.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Anyone have contacts to KP? We need to flood him about getting Sessions. There's no excuse for not making him an offer. If the Bucks were going to match, we could offer Outlaw and Bayless for him, does anyone think the Bucks would reject that offer? I don't.

kevin.pritchard@blazers.com

 

[Sheldon Shape]

kevin.pritchard@blazers.com

Is everyone willing to flood it with Ramon Sessions as the subject?

 

[LittleAlex]

Anyone have contacts to KP? We need to flood him about getting Sessions. There's no excuse for not making him an offer. If the Bucks were going to match, we could offer Outlaw and Bayless for him, does anyone think the Bucks would reject that offer? I don't.

Perhaps KP knows something about Blake that no one else does.

Like Blake has a set of pictures showing KP in a compromising situation.

Or Blake makes the best cookies on the team.

It sure as hell can't be a pure basketball decision because Sessions so far superior to Blake that it isn't funny.


Maybe Nate is the one opposed to the move. After all, Sessions does like to push the pace and we all know how much Nate enjoys a fast paced team.

 

[LittleAlex]

Is everyone willing to flood it with Ramon Sessions as the subject?

I would if I thought it would make a damn bit of difference.

But I don't think it would.

 

[Minstrel]

Getting Sessions would make this off-season a big-time win to me (assuming Roy and Aldridge do, eventually, get their extensions as I expect).

I really hope Pritchard has intentions to pursue Sessions at some point this summer.

 

[number 10]

I agree, it's really odd how there isn't even a whisper about Sessions. A Blake/Sessions PG rotation would be great, their styles complement each other perfectly. Sadly, KP wants a PG that fits well with Roy instead of with our bigs (props to whoever first made that point), which means a 3 point shooter.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Sessions would be the best thing to happen for both Oden and Aldridge.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Maybe KP sees something in Bayless (over Sessions) much like he saw in Freeland (over Millsap)?

The guy is a perfect fit and is actually a PG who's only 22.

The apparent lack of interest is baffling.

Whiffing on Turkoglu/Millsap, pissing off Roy, passing on Sessions, Steve Blake is still our projected starter, can this summer get any worse?

 

[bobf]

I agree, it's really odd how there isn't even a whisper about Sessions. A Blake/Sessions PG rotation would be great, their styles complement each other perfectly. Sadly, KP wants a PG that fits well with Roy instead of with our bigs (props to whoever first made that point), which means a 3 point shooter.

And what the heck happened to BPA!

 

[Idog1976]

What are you talking about?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/blakest01.html

Steve Blake is a career 39% three point shooter.

Man if you aren't 100% accurate on these forums your entire point is ignored. Fine Blake is awesome at the 3 ball. That still doesn't explain why we aren't going after Sessions when he is really only bad at three point shooting but is otherwise superior to all of our pg options.

 

[tester551]

For some reason or another, the FO seems to balk at any PG without three point shooting abilities, so you'll just have to live with us not making Sessions an offer.

I think that is the issue... But between Roy, Webster, Rudy, Blake, LMA, & Outlaw - Portland has enough players who have a decent outside shot to be able to afford to have a PG who doesn't.

I also think Sessions will dramatically improve his outside shooting this year. The last year at Nevada he shot around 38% from 3 and his first year with the Bucks he shot around 42% from three (granted it was only 17 games). He defenately has the ablity to be competent shooting from outside.