Blazers Won't Take Free Agency Lying Down (Columbian)

[Nikolokolus]

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

This is what I hate about Pritchard. He's the most disingenuous GM we've ever had. It was barely three months ago--when he wasn't able to pull off a trade by the deadline--that he said he was committed to our young core, and that he really loved our young guys and believed in them, and that we just had to let them grow together, blah, blah, blah. Now, when he is unable to snag any high profile rookies, he wants us to believe that building through free agency was his plan all along.

Pritchard is an excellent GM, but he's as slippery as hell. I'd never buy a used car from him.

Actually he said he liked his team and wanted to let it ride and see what they could do to get into the playoffs and what they would do once they got there. There's nothing disingenuous in that sentiment, he probably genuinely wanted to see how they would respond to the challenge before he pulled the trigger on a deal that he wasn't sure would bear fruit. At the time I remember being somewhat disappointed in the lack of moves at the deadline (Ruffin for Diogu didn't really count), mostly because I thought there was a real high chance that they would wilt under the pressure of an honest to god playoff push, to my mild surprise they performed much better than I would have expected and even got themselves home-court advantage.

Give KP some credit, he trusted his team to get to the playoffs and he got a nice unvarnished look at his squad in a seven game series with an experienced, tough team in Houston and it revealed some weaknesses that had be addressed, namely no option at backup point guard and backup power forward and limited options at starting small forward and starting point guard.

If he had pulled the trigger on a mid-season trade for say Vince Carter or Richard Jefferson and the team had still gotten bounced out of the playoffs (or not made it all) there'd likely be far fewer options now to improve the team and probably a lot more panic surrounding this off-season to fix a bad trade.

 

[Shooter]

John Nash signed Miles to the freaking extension. I am angry at Nash, if I'm angry at anyone.

Nash genuinely believed that Miles was worth the extension. Wallace, on the other hand, signed Miles more to screw Portland than anything else.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I am a bit nervous that KP's not going to get much done... he had a chance at the trade deadline to get something done, and he didn't. He didn't do anything at the draft.

Well, this summer's it in terms of salary cap space and great roster flexibility. I believe that he will try to get something done--and I expect that something WILL get done--but it's the last shot the team has and waiting this long makes me nervous.

It's great to see, though, that the team is going to be aggressive. We haven't seen that in the last year.

Ed O.

Actually KP will have the option to do lopsided trades all the way up until the February deadline next season if he can't spend his money, but I agree it will be a major disappointment if this team heads into training camp having been unable to trade for or sign an impact player or two.

 

[Ed O]

Nash genuinely believed that Miles was worth the extension. Wallace, on the other hand, signed Miles more to screw Portland than anything else.

Who cares?

Nash was dead wrong and we're still paying for his mistake. Wallace, by screwing Portland, helps his team... which is what he's paid to do.

Ed O.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Nash genuinely believed that Miles was worth the extension. Wallace, on the other hand, signed Miles more to screw Portland than anything else.

Sounds like a smart business man to me, if you can hurt your direct competitor with such a modest move you have to give him credit. Hell if KP had done the same thing to Memphis if roles were reversed, people around here would be crowing about another "pritch slap"

 

[Minstrel]

Actually KP will have the option to do lopsided trades all the way up until the February deadline next season if he can't spend his money, but I agree it will be a major disappointment if this team heads into training camp having been unable to trade for or sign an impact player or two.

Also, I think KP will actually have more money to work with at the deadline, if he doesn't do anything this summer...because there won't be cap holds for internationally stashed players. I believe they only have cap holds during the off-season.

That said, I'd be disappointed if he did nothing this summer. I'd like to see him strengthen the team for the entire 2009-10 season with the resources he has.

 

[cdub503]

if were lookin at artest it makes sense hes "only" making 8mil a year which is about what we will have. im liking the idea of artest.... as long as he doesnt go all ron ron on us and try to take over like he does with houston

 

[alex42083]

Also, I think KP will actually have more money to work with at the deadline, if he doesn't do anything this summer...because there won't be cap holds for internationally stashed players. I believe they only have cap holds during the off-season.

That said, I'd be disappointed if he did nothing this summer. I'd like to see him strengthen the team for the entire 2009-10 season with the resources he has.

I couldn't imagine the heat KP would take going into the regular season if that happened though, or the full-on meltdown mode that would go on with the fans. It'd be classic.
He'd have to sell his standing-pat theory once again, although he's admitted that he doesn't like making big trades midseason due to the disruption in chemistry.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That said, I'd be disappointed if he did nothing this summer. I'd like to see him strengthen the team for the entire 2009-10 season with the resources he has.

I totally agree, going all the way to next year's trade deadline would definitely be a last resort in my opinion.

 

[alex42083]

He helped Memphis by, at minimum, reducing Portland's ability to dominate in the free agency market this summer.

Ed O.

Yeah, the guy is still an asshole to me for doing the rest of the league's dirty work. He knew the move would screw us, but also knew at the same time, sending Gasol to LA would instantly turn them into a title contender.

 

[Boob-No-More]

If we had drafted an American player that wasn't being sent overseas, we'd have to sign him before the summer league, which begins July 11th.

Why? Since when is that a rule? We'd only have to sign him if he was going to play on our summer league team. That's nice, but not a requirement.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

if were lookin at artest it makes sense hes "only" making 8mil a year which is about what we will have. im liking the idea of artest.... as long as he doesnt go all ron ron on us and try to take over like he does with houston

A year ago, I would have said no effing way to Artest. He played hard and didn't cause any trouble in Houston. He seems to have finally grown up. He also has great respect for Brandon Roy - which is unusual for a vet like Artest to genuinely respect a much younger player. With the game on the line, the ball will be in Roy's hands. I don't think we have to worry too much about Artest jacking up a boatload of stupid shots in the 4th quarter. If he started doing that, Roy would simply stop passing him the ball - AND tell him why.

BNM

 

[Masbee]

Not to be too much of a cynic, but chasing RFAs is mostly a sham. You make your bid on a player, his original team matches, and both GMs have political cover. The original GM can say "we didn't overpay - that was his established market price", while the other GM can say "hey, we TRIED to make moves - it just didn't work out!"

If a GM is serious about getting something done, he will focus on UFAs. Even if he lacks the capspace for a straight bidding war, he can try to leverage a S&T.

Miami got Odom when he was restricted.

Atlanta got Joe Johnson when he was restricted.

It happens.

 

[oldmangrouch]

But we don't want/ need any of those players/contracts.

I disagree - but that's not relevant. The point is that other teams are already making moves, and KP is waiting. Once the player you want is already traded, it is too bloody late to say "OK KP, time to go to work!"

If he has identified his target(s), he needs to act before some other team cuts in line ahead of us.

 

[oldmangrouch]

He was at least helping his team.

John Nash signed Miles to the freaking extension. I am angry at Nash, if I'm angry at anyone.

That cap space sure would be nice, though...

Ed O.

Nash was foolish - Wallace was malicious. Nash deserved to be fired....if I explained what Wallace deserves, some of you namby-pambys would call the cops on me!

 

[alex42083]

http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/6/26/927015/when-does-kp-use-the-cap-space

an article on that

Good analysis on the situation, but I can't help but imagine all of the criticism and backlash toward KP that it would generate.
KP said he would rather hand-pick whatever player they needed in free agency, rather than trade away some of our assets for someone.
But it's assuring to know that there's another chance at the trade deadline.. and at the least, a slim chance at the 2010 draft. Ugh... I don't think I could take that.

 

[oldmangrouch]

http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/6/26/927015/when-does-kp-use-the-cap-space

an article on that

To be blunt, what I see in that article is a bunch of excuses to do nothing.

 

[MARIS61]

All those years of fan sacrifice, rooting for a pathetic loser of a team after management purposely walked away from the league's longest playoff streak ever, now on the brink of the promised dynasty KP seems intent on making the classicly impatient mistake of throwing away key pieces to bring in some bloated ego/anal rapist and destroy it all for a longshot at a single title.

It gets tiring to watch history repeat itself in such a stupid manner.

 

[andalusian]

All those years of fan sacrifice, rooting for a pathetic loser of a team after management purposely walked away from the league's longest playoff streak ever, now on the brink of the promised dynasty KP seems intent on making the classicly impatient mistake of throwing away key pieces to bring in some bloated ego/anal rapist and destroy it all for a longshot at a single title.

Wow wow buddy. You are making some serious accusations against the good Captain Kirk there...

 

[Minstrel]

All those years of fan sacrifice, rooting for a pathetic loser of a team after management purposely walked away from the league's longest playoff streak ever, now on the brink of the promised dynasty KP seems intent on making the classicly impatient mistake of throwing away key pieces to bring in some bloated ego/anal rapist and destroy it all for a longshot at a single title.

It gets tiring to watch history repeat itself in such a stupid manner.

I hear you, but it's possible the Blazers can overcome losing Sergio Rodriguez. It has probably cost them some titles, but Pritchard (or his replacement) may be able to patch the left-over mess just enough to salvage one or two titles

 

[Stepping Razor]

KP seems intent on making the classicly impatient mistake of throwing away key pieces to bring in some bloated ego/anal rapist and destroy it all for a longshot at a single title.

analrapist?

[video=youtube;YknjhnywGGI]"]

 

[Ed O]

All those years of fan sacrifice, rooting for a pathetic loser of a team after management purposely walked away from the league's longest playoff streak ever, now on the brink of the promised dynasty KP seems intent on making the classicly impatient mistake of throwing away key pieces to bring in some bloated ego/anal rapist and destroy it all for a longshot at a single title.

It gets tiring to watch history repeat itself in such a stupid manner.

This will be, what, the sixth anal rapist that a Portland GM has brought in to spoil dynasties?

We are truly doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past.

Ed O.

 

[oldmangrouch]

"Dynasty"....I remember that word. Everybody in the media was using it after the Walton Gang won the first of their many titles.

 

[Ed O]

"Dynasty"....I remember that word. Everybody in the media was using it after the Walton Gang won the first of their many titles.

But then an anal rapist was brought in (again) and messed it all up.

Ed O.

 

[Stepping Razor]

But then an anal rapist was brought in (again) and messed it all up.

Ed O.

i just hate how we keep making that same mistake, again and again!

 

[Tyler_Hansbrough]

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

This is what I hate about Pritchard. He's the most disingenuous GM we've ever had. It was barely three months ago--when he wasn't able to pull off a trade by the deadline--that he said he was committed to our young core, and that he really loved our young guys and believed in them, and that we just had to let them grow together, blah, blah, blah. Now, when he is unable to snag any high profile rookies, he wants us to believe that building through free agency was his plan all along.

Pritchard is an excellent GM, but he's as slippery as hell. I'd never buy a used car from him.

That was all before Allen told him to pull the trigger. You need a maxi-pad. Chill out.

 

[Mediocre Man]

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

This is what I hate about Pritchard. He's the most disingenuous GM we've ever had. It was barely three months ago--when he wasn't able to pull off a trade by the deadline--that he said he was committed to our young core, and that he really loved our young guys and believed in them, and that we just had to let them grow together, blah, blah, blah. Now, when he is unable to snag any high profile rookies, he wants us to believe that building through free agency was his plan all along.

Pritchard is an excellent GM, but he's as slippery as hell. I'd never buy a used car from him.

I agree with this.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I agree with this.

Yep. But in fairness, I think a lot of it comes with the job. GMs have to spend too much of their time on PR spin.
The minority of fans who actually know what is going on would prefer candor, but the casual fans and the media too often want platitudes.

 

[LittleAlex]

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

This is what I hate about Pritchard. He's the most disingenuous GM we've ever had. It was barely three months ago--when he wasn't able to pull off a trade by the deadline--that he said he was committed to our young core, and that he really loved our young guys and believed in them, and that we just had to let them grow together, blah, blah, blah. Now, when he is unable to snag any high profile rookies, he wants us to believe that building through free agency was his plan all along.

Pritchard is an excellent GM, but he's as slippery as hell. I'd never buy a used car from him.

I wonder what he will say he is unable to bring in any free agents that will make much of an impact?

 

[Mediocre Man]

I wonder what he will say he is unable to bring in any free agents that will make much of an impact?

We like our team

What was out there didn't fit our culture

There were some sign and trade oportunities for us, but in the end we didn't want to part with Travis or Steve.