Asik, Lin, Prospects & Picks for LMA almost happened?

[glazeduck]

At work, so I can't listen to the whole podcast but a buddy of mine who is a Rockets' fan sent me this link - apparently the Rockets' version of BlazersEdge where the scuttlebutt around the Howard introduction press conference was that a deal of Asik, Lin, either Terrance Jones or Donatus Motiejunus and a bunch of picks for Aldridge nearly went down...

Tough to know the timeframe of exactly when this was (since Lin and Asik are similar players to newly acquired McCollum and Lopez), but potentially interesting...

I could see a move like this at the deadline if we're set on moving LA where Asik and Lin go to a 3rd team looking to make a stretch run...

I know the optimal is to not trade LA, but if we're getting picks and young/cheap prospects from multiple teams, it might not be the worst way to go...

Read into it what you may...

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Outside of Lin being in that deal I would take it. Would prefer to sub him out for someone else. Seems like a good deal though if you feel you have to move LMA.

 

[BBert]

I know Lin is out of favor, as many predicted he would be, but we need a backup PG (McCollum isn't a PG). Lin is a pretty good one (although overpaid, I guess).

 

[B-Roy]

I remember reading something on the Rockets board saying a deal for LMA was almost done until Neil was able to get Robin Lopez for nothing.

 

[ebott]

I know the Rockets would like that deal. But why would the Blazers want to do that?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

As an aside, interesting how the Rockets fans in the comments just generally accept that Batum is clearly better than Parsons, while it seems many around here believe the opposite.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I know the Rockets would like that deal. But why would the Blazers want to do that?

Hypothetically

1. Cap space
2. Rebuilding through the very good draft class next year
3. Adding young players like Jones and Asik as well as picks

 

[Sedatedfork]

@ebott -- I think that they would want different pieces at this point so glazeduck's hypothesis of a third team in the mix later in the year makes sense.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I don't think it is all that bad of a deal for POR but HOU is the very last team that I would want to send LMA to.

 

[blue9]

I'd do it. Gives us a lot of assets to make further moves. Lin would be a tremendous back-up PG. We would be a much better team THIS season should this trade happen. Wonder what sort of draft picks we'd be looking at. Assuming 2nds, but if there's a future 1st in there - like maybe 3-4 years down the road - that'd be terrific!

 

[e_blazer]

Hypothetically

1. Cap space
2. Rebuilding through the very good draft class next year
3. Adding young players like Jones and Asik as well as picks

Realistically

1. There wouldn't be any cap space advantage since Lin and Asik make more than LMA and their contracts run out the same year as his.
2. The top 8 picks or so in next year's draft look pretty good, but the Blazers wouldn't be bad enough to get one of those picks.
3. Asik may be better than Lopez, but Lopez didn't cost us much of anything. Jones is okay and the picks are unknowns.

Glad it didn't happen, assuming it was ever really being considered from the Blazers' end.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Someone else in the comments mentioned the possibility of a 3-way with Milwaukee involving Jennings and Ilyasova.

Shall we tank thusly? http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=l7p4q5o

 

[blue9]

This will probably be unpopular - and I'm not advocating for it - but if we got Lin it could free us up to make a "blockbuster" trade utilizing CJ, should he explode onto the scene. If CJ puts together a RoY run early then he could be a very valuable commodity. But with Lillard/Lin/Wes/Crabbe he could also be expendable if we were getting the right player in return.

 

[illmatic99]

As an aside, interesting how the Rockets fans in the comments just generally accept that Batum is clearly better than Parsons, while it seems many around here believe the opposite.

That's cuz their fans are smarter.

 

[illmatic99]

SMH

1. Cap space - This trade gives us 0 capspace for the near future
2. Rebuilding through the very good draft class next year This trade would give us no high draft picks
3. Adding young players like Jones and Asik as well as picks Asik has peaked and Jones sucks

Sigh

 

[PtldPlatypus]

That's cuz their fans are smarter.

Or maybe our fans judge Batum relative to his contract. Parsons outscored Batum last year, while being paid about 8.2% of Nic's salary.

 

[e_blazer]

Or maybe our fans judge Batum relative to his contract. Parsons outscored Batum last year, while being paid about 8.2% of Nic's salary.

Doing so would go towards proving yayuza1's point. Judging players relative to their contract amounts is silly. Does Damian's value go down when his contract goes up in a few years? I've never seen a contract play a game yet.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Lin = HELL NO!

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I'm not sure this is better than lee and klay or Barnes or the hypothetical deng and assets from Chicago deals. At least in those we are getting an all star back

 

[1eyejack]

If we trade LA I want a 2014 draft pick from a team that has top 5 pick. Probably not going to happen that would be my starting point.

 

[magnifier661]

Doing so would go towards proving yayuza1's point. Judging players relative to their contract amounts is silly. Does Damian's value go down when his contract goes up in a few years? I've never seen a contract play a game yet.

Lillard right now is better than Batum right now. But if Lillard had a near max right now, he's not worth it. By the time Lillard gets to that level, hopefully he will be much better and deserve a max contract.

Right now, batum is not living up to his contract. Why? He can't be counted on yet. Once he starts being more aggressive offensively, he will be worth his pay.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I love Asik. But Asik NEXT TO Aldrige makes sense for us. Asik plus - who? Terrence Jones? Thomas Robinson? at PF? Ugly. If Houston could make one of those picks a 2014 lottery pick then they can call us back.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Lillard right now is better than Batum right now.

By what measure? They don't play the same position. If you rank NBA players by their position, Batum is higher up the SF list than Lillard is up the PG position.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Doing so would go towards proving yayuza1's point. Judging players relative to their contract amounts is silly. Does Damian's value go down when his contract goes up in a few years? I've never seen a contract play a game yet.

If his production didn't improve comparably, then technically, yes. If a player is paid more, then the increase in salary also represents an opportunity cost.

The value of Parsons relative to that of Batum can be highlighted by this offseason. Houston had over $20M in capspace and was able to pursue and obtain Dwight Howard; we had 12M and were able to pursue...less. If Parsons and Batum's contract situations were reversed, so would have been their respective teams' cap situations and offseason opportunities.

 

[magnifier661]

I love Asik. But Asik NEXT TO Aldrige makes sense for us. Asik plus - who? Terrence Jones? Thomas Robinson? at PF? Ugly. If Houston could make one of those picks a 2014 lottery pick then they can call us back.

Give us horford, Houston send asik, Lin and jones maybe picks to Atlanta. We send Aldridge to Houston and Barton to Atlanta?

 

[magnifier661]

By what measure? They don't play the same position. If you rank NBA players by their position, Batum is higher up the SF list than Lillard is up the PG position.

By the value to the team. Leadership and ability to have teams totally spend their attention on stopping him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If we trade LA I want a 2014 draft pick from a team that has top 5 pick. Probably not going to happen that would be my starting point.

Charlotte's pick that is owned by Chicago is our best shot, but it's protected top 10 in 2014 (top 8 in 2015, unprotected 2016).

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Give us horford, Houston send asik, Lin and jones maybe picks to Atlanta. We send Aldridge to Houston and Barton to Atlanta?

Why on earth would Atlanta do that?

 

[ebott]

Hypothetically

1. Cap space
2. Rebuilding through the very good draft class next year
3. Adding young players like Jones and Asik as well as picks

1. We could have that buy just letting Aldridge leave in 2015. Also I really hope their plan isn't cap space. I feel like it has been made abundantly clear that we're no good with cap space.
2. I didn't see us getting a pick in the deal.
3. Asik is not young. I have no idea who Jones is.

 

[BigGameDamian]

I don't know why people think CJ will be a case for ROY. He's not even going to be starting and he wont get enough touches.