Rumor Blazers now pursuing Jermaine O'neal

[KingSpeed]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=pxszodq

Deng sucks.

 

[Natebishop3]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=pxszodq

That wouldn't really fill their need for a center though, right?

 

[blue9]

That wouldn't really fill their need for a center though, right?

Fuck the Heat's needs!

 

[magnifier661]

Not bad! Would either Deng or Batum be willing to come off the bench?

I think if there was ever a question asked, Batum wouldn't mind coming off the bench. He's a team player and will do whatever it takes for the team to win. I equally believe Deng would do the same. So in other words, the coach can make a decision without worry that either player would care to come off the bench.

 

[magnifier661]

Fuck the Heat's needs!

All you would have to do is use Freeland, instead of T-rob and it still works.

 

[Natebishop3]

Boston would be the target for me. Brandan Wright can be traded in February. I would try to get Wright and Green from them for a combination of CJ, Robinson, Freeland, and Dorell. If you add Wright and Green to our bench, I think we instantly have one of the best benches in the league with Blake, Green, Wright, and Kaman. Actually, with the addition of Wright, Kaman becomes somewhat unnecessary.

 

[blue9]

I think if there was ever a question asked, Batum wouldn't mind coming off the bench. He's a team player and will do whatever it takes for the team to win. I equally believe Deng would do the same. So in other words, the coach can make a decision without worry that either player would care to come off the bench.

Agreed. And personally I feel like Deng would be better suited to the 6th man role as he can focus on scoring, which is more important to have coming off the bench, and Nic's role as a jack-of-all-trades works better with our higher-scoring players.

 

[BBert]

Agreed. And personally I feel like Deng would be better suited to the 6th man role as he can focus on scoring, which is more important to have coming off the bench, and Nic's role as a jack-of-all-trades works better with our higher-scoring players.

Yes.

 

[magnifier661]

Agreed. And personally I feel like Deng would be better suited to the 6th man role as he can focus on scoring, which is more important to have coming off the bench, and Nic's role as a jack-of-all-trades works better with our higher-scoring players.

Yeah that does make a lot of sense. I think more fans wouldn't be as frustrated with Batum not being aggressive on the offensive end either.

 

[riverman]

I really value Freeland's contributions to the team. Don't want to trade him at all.

 

[magnifier661]

I really value Freeland's contributions to the team. Don't want to trade him at all.

Honestly there really ain't a player I don't want to see traded. Sometimes you gotta give up quality to get quality. I can be safe to assume Olshey knows what he's doing. If he trades Freeland, then it's for good reasons

 

[Natebishop3]

Honestly there really ain't a player I don't want to see traded. Sometimes you gotta give up quality to get quality. I can be safe to assume Olshey knows what he's doing. If he trades Freeland, then it's for good reasons

Also he's a free agent after this season. People need to prepare themselves for the fact that a few guys will not be on this team next year.

 

[riverman]

Also he's a free agent after this season. People need to prepare themselves for the fact that a few guys will not be on this team next year.

I still miss Andre Miller

 

[magnifier661]

Also he's a free agent after this season. People need to prepare themselves for the fact that a few guys will not be on this team next year.

Yeah I mean how could you blame him for taking more somewhere else?

 

[Scalma]

I just thought of something. What if the blazers are going after o'neal with the idea of him starting? It would allow Kaman to do his thing off the bench, and Freeland to backup Aldridge instead of having to play center. Then when Lopez gets back o'neal gives you a solid backup who Stotts can play against the real tough big men (ie Howard, Gasol) that neither Kaman nor Freeland can guard.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I just thought of something. What if the blazers are going after o'neal with the idea of him starting? It would allow Kaman to do his thing off the bench, and Freeland to backup Aldridge instead of having to play center. Then when Lopez gets back o'neal gives you a solid backup who Stotts can play against the real tough big men (ie Howard, Gasol) that neither Kaman nor Freeland can guard.

We seem to already be at the point where Kaman starts but plays very little overall, with Leonard playing much more because he's better off the bench... But he was in the game in the fourth.

 

[BrianFromWA]

yeah, Jabari Young-not-Parker had a tweet last night saying that Stotts was monitoring Kaman's minutes, even though he was playing pretty well. Then again, we were at our most productive when Meyers was the stretch 4 and LMA was the "C" and doing his damage in the paint in the 3rd.

I know that LMA won't want to let that happen too much, but with the injuries right now it seems like it's best for the team. And when on D, Leonard was guarding Bosh leaving Birdman to LMA.

 

[Scalma]

We seem to already be at the point where Kaman starts but plays very little overall, with Leonard playing much more because he's better off the bench... But he was in the game in the fourth.

Yah and Leonard's improvement is cool and all but I doubt anyone in the organization would feel comfortable with him in the rotation come playoff time.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Whatever we do, I hope we figureout something soon. To me, Kaman looks burnt out when playing for longer stretches of time. Don't want him to get injured too.

I'd be fine with keeping Kaman at 18 or so minutes a game and giving Leonard a chance with more minutes.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yeah I mean how could you blame him for taking more somewhere else?

I wouldn't blame him. I respect the hell out of Joel. He busts his ass, he doesn't complain and he does what the coach asks of him. I'd like to keep him but I would understand if he could get more elsewhere.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BBert]

Yah and Leonard's improvement is cool and all but I doubt anyone in the organization would feel comfortable with him in the rotation come playoff time.

Shouldn't they be getting him ready so they are comfortable with him in the rotation come playoff time?

 

[BBert]

I'd cut Kaman's minutes below 18 whenever possible. Gotta keep him fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

 

[Scalma]

Shouldn't they be getting him ready so they are comfortable with him in the rotation come playoff time?

He's not going to be ready, even if he played every game.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

He's not going to be ready, even if he played every game.

Hey, do you know where I can get a crystal ball like yours?

 

[Scalma]

Hey, do you know where I can get a crystal ball like yours?

This would be the first season he got any consistent minutes. Only the special ones are ready for the playoffs that early in their development. Meyers is not that.

 

[tester551]

Boston would be the target for me. Brandan Wright can be traded in February. I would try to get Wright and Green from them for a combination of CJ, Robinson, Freeland, and Dorell. If you add Wright and Green to our bench, I think we instantly have one of the best benches in the league with Blake, Green, Wright, and Kaman. Actually, with the addition of Wright, Kaman becomes somewhat unnecessary.

Green cost too much for the player he is... especially if he doesn't opt out of his contract this year.

I like the idea of Wright & Turner.

Wright for T-Rob.
Turner (& Pressey) for McCollum & Claver

I think both provide upgrades to Portland. I really like the idea of Turner & Lillard being able to play together.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

This would be the first season he got any consistent minutes. Only the special ones are ready for the playoffs that early in their development. Meyers is not that.

I respectfully disagree; it happens--not terribly often, but it happens. Reggie Jackson is by no means "special", but he contributed a 15+ PER in the playoffs in his second year in OKC. Quincy Pondexter had played about 3000 minutes total when he helped the Grizz reach the WCF a couple years ago. There are surely others, but I'm not going to search any further.

Fact is, very few playoff teams have as many 2nd/3rd year guys as we do, but that's what our team is comprised of. Unless you expect our playoff bench to be Blake/Wright/Kaman and nobody else, we're going to have to get some contribution from one of the young guys. If he continues to play the way he has been lately, Leonard absolutely can be that contributor.

 

[Scalma]

I respectfully disagree; it happens--not terribly often, but it happens. Reggie Jackson is by no means "special", but he contributed a 15+ PER in the playoffs in his second year in OKC. Quincy Pondexter had played about 3000 minutes total when he helped the Grizz reach the WCF a couple years ago. There are surely others, but I'm not going to search any further.

Fact is, very few playoff teams have as many 2nd/3rd year guys as we do, but that's what our team is comprised of. Unless you expect our playoff bench to be Blake/Wright/Kaman and nobody else, we're going to have to get some contribution from one of the young guys. If he continues to play the way he has been lately, Leonard absolutely can be that contributor.

Why take the risk when you can sign O'neal, who is a much much better bet?

 

[PDXFonz]

I respectfully disagree; it happens--not terribly often, but it happens. Reggie Jackson is by no means "special", but he contributed a 15+ PER in the playoffs in his second year in OKC. Quincy Pondexter had played about 3000 minutes total when he helped the Grizz reach the WCF a couple years ago. There are surely others, but I'm not going to search any further.

Fact is, very few playoff teams have as many 2nd/3rd year guys as we do, but that's what our team is comprised of. Unless you expect our playoff bench to be Blake/Wright/Kaman and nobody else, we're going to have to get some contribution from one of the young guys. If he continues to play the way he has been lately, Leonard absolutely can be that contributor.

For some reason I get the feeling that Crabbe is the kind of guy who can/will come up big in the playoffs. I base this opinion on nothing but 'intuition'.

 

[lawai'a]

Why take the risk when you can sign O'neal, who is a much much better bet?

injury history+age?