ESPN: Portland among "favorites" for Dwight Howard in Free Agency

[BBert]

Portland is in win (next season) mode. A talented vet > than another project, right now. If Dwight is the best player we can get, and if we can afford him, and if he wants to be here and buy into the team culture we have going on, he would immediately make us a better team. I have doubts all those caveats are true, but if Olshey signs him it means they are and I would welcome him.

 

[BlazerWookee]

The salary cap is going way up this year. 10 million a year will be his floor with all the teams having cap space available.

I'm sure he also didn't think we'd come together as fast as we have. I believe Howard would be fantastic for us. He would protect that paint and finish like nobody we have. There def is some baggage with him, but who knows, maybe he realizes we have a bright future and would want to change his ways. I'd love to see him as our starting center!

Have you seen him naked?

 

[crandc]

Have you seen him naked?

seen one man, seen them all

 

[BBert]

seen one man, seen them all

That's a peculiar thing to say. I don't get it?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Have you seen him naked?

I dont even.... know what to say?

Boy, youre starting on those coors lights early today huh wook.

 

[BonesJones]

So dude blows out his knee playing his ass off for us next year with no security of a long term deal?

We extended dame as soon as we could. Cj deserves the same.

So he blows out his knee, were screwed paying him the max, and we don't have the cap space we would've had if we waited... Yay! 5 straight years of mediocrity!!

 

[BonesJones]

Okay, you sold me.
I'M all in for Whiteside.
Release Alexander and bring Plums off the bench.
Let Hendo Walk.
Keep Davis on the bench as our back up PF. Keep Meyers as a transitional backup.
Then resign our RFA's.

Dame/Roberts/Connaughton
CJ/Montero/Conaughton
Harkless/Crabbe/Amino
Amino/Davis/Leonard
Whiteside/Plums/Leonard

Thats 12 players.

Alot of bigs and alot of small ball opportunities.

Can this team grow and become a contender?

I don't think it can. I think were between 45-50 wins in the next few years and getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

 

[BonesJones]

Harkless at 8M per for 4-5 years is a STEAL Bones.

If its a stal then I asuume you want him for $10M. The dude was a bench warmer a couple months ago, and now that he's had a solid couple months fans think he's worth $10M+. That's crazy.

He still can't shoot, make freethrows, dribble, create his own shot or distribute. He's stuck giving us bad spacing as a SF, and he's not strong enough to play PF. That's not $10M worthy.

 

[BonesJones]

Letting this cake bake the way it is and overpaying for guys will get us stuck in mediocrity. I'm afraid of something like this.
For the 2017-2018 season (2 years from now)

Lillard $25M
McCollum $25M
Crabbe $12M
Harkless $10M
Aminu $7M
Davis $7M
Vonleh $3M
Total: $90M

Even if you had in someone like Whiteside to that group, we still aren't close to the Golden States and the Clevelands of the league

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

So he blows out his knee, were screwed paying him the max, and we don't have the cap space we would've had if we waited... Yay! 5 straight years of mediocrity!!

Agreed it would suck. But players have to look out for themselves. People at their jobs want security, especially for a job well done. Its a crazy notion to think cj wouldnt feel slighted for us to push off his extension.

 

[BonesJones]

Agreed it would suck. But players have to look out for themselves. People at their jobs want security, especially for a job well done. Its a crazy notion to think cj wouldnt feel slighted for us to push off his extension.

If he understood it was to help the team become contenders I think he'd understand

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

If he understood it was to help the team become contenders I think he'd understand

Him and dame probably already feel they can lead the team to be contenders on their own.

 

[BonesJones]

Him and dame probably already feel they can lead the team to be contenders on their own.

Then they need to show it when Curry comes back...

 

[crandc]

I don't drink Coors light. Or Coors dark.

Just saying, in response to another poster, I have no need to see Dwight Howard naked.

I'm concerned with his play on court and how he gets along with teammates. Not the other stuff.

 

[WarriorFan]

Him and dame probably already feel they can lead the team to be contenders on their own.

I don't doubt that; players tend to have irrational confidence. But if he's really being honest I'd think he'd see they need help.

If he really does cost 25M/yr, is it a no brainer that you all would want CJ back? That's a lot of money for a guy who is very talented but is small. I don't know that a backcourt that size can ever really be a contender. At least not without another major piece and with 50M tied up between those guys, paying another difference maker could be difficult.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Letting this cake bake the way it is and overpaying for guys will get us stuck in mediocrity. I'm afraid of something like this.
For the 2017-2018 season (2 years from now)

Lillard $25M
McCollum $25M
Crabbe $12M
Harkless $10M
Aminu $7M
Davis $7M
Vonleh $3M
Total: $90M

Even if you had in someone like Whiteside to that group, we still aren't close to the Golden States and the Clevelands of the league

I think Hassan can get us to the Cavs-Clippers level if he continues to get better and a few of our guys do the same.

However, getting to that Spurs-GSW level is going to be tough.

If i were Neil i would offer Lillard,CJ and Plumlee for Anthony Davis. I know it's not a very nice thing to say but i rather have a definite number 1 than two strong players who are not at that MVP level.

 

[BBert]

Have you seen him naked?

I think you have him confused with KingSpeed.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I don't doubt that; players tend to have irrational confidence. But if he's really being honest I'd think he'd see they need help.

If he really does cost 25M/yr, is it a no brainer that you all would want CJ back? That's a lot of money for a guy who is very talented but is small. I don't know that a backcourt that size can ever really be a contender. At least not without another major piece and with 50M tied up between those guys, paying another difference maker could be difficult.

Its a no brainer.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Its a no brainer.

So is Dwight Howard.

Just sayin'.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I think Hassan can get us to the Cavs-Clippers level if he continues to get better and a few of our guys do the same.

However, getting to that Spurs-GSW level is going to be tough.

If i were Neil i would offer Lillard,CJ and Plumlee for Anthony Davis. I know it's not a very nice thing to say but i rather have a definite number 1 than two strong players who are not at that MVP level.

Are you high?

 

[BlazerWookee]

I think Hassan can get us to the Cavs-Clippers level if he continues to get better and a few of our guys do the same.

However, getting to that Spurs-GSW level is going to be tough.

If i were Neil i would offer Lillard,CJ and Plumlee for Anthony Davis. I know it's not a very nice thing to say but i rather have a definite number 1 than two strong players who are not at that MVP level.

You misspelled "not very sane thing to say."

Just sayin'.

 

[BonesJones]

I think Hassan can get us to the Cavs-Clippers level if he continues to get better and a few of our guys do the same.

However, getting to that Spurs-GSW level is going to be tough.

If i were Neil i would offer Lillard,CJ and Plumlee for Anthony Davis. I know it's not a very nice thing to say but i rather have a definite number 1 than two strong players who are not at that MVP level.

LMAO. CJ and DAME gets you 5th in the west. AD gets you nowhere. Thank God you're not Neil cuz that's insane.

 

[Natebishop3]

Anthony Davis can't stay healthy. Not a good player to build around.

 

[BonesJones]

Damian Lillard would be the MVP over Davis this year, yet Davis is the one at MVP level? Lmao.

 

[dviss1]

Letting this cake bake the way it is and overpaying for guys will get us stuck in mediocrity. I'm afraid of something like this.
For the 2017-2018 season (2 years from now)

Lillard $25M
McCollum $25M
Crabbe $12M
Harkless $10M
Aminu $7M
Davis $7M
Vonleh $3M
Total: $90M

Even if you had in someone like Whiteside to that group, we still aren't close to the Golden States and the Clevelands of the league

Not sure why people I here are so high on Crabbe. I wouldn't even pay him 8mm. He can bounce.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Not sure why people I here are so high on Crabbe. I wouldn't even pay him 8mm. He can bounce.

Because his cap hold is ridiculously low. Do he allows us to sign people then come back and sign him after to take us over the cap.

You cant do that with henderson.

 

[dviss1]

Because his cap hold is ridiculously low. Do he allows us to sign people then come back and sign him after to take us over the cap.

You cant do that with henderson.

I still wouldn't pay him that much. If another team offers him more than 8 per I let him walk. Hendo can bounce too.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I still wouldn't pay him that much. If another team offers him more than 8 per I let him walk. Hendo can bounce too.

If you think a player we can sign will be better than him at a 2.75 million dollar contract (because thats what his cap hold is going to be around) then i agree.

But i dont think youll be able to find a player that is better at that price.

Sign him to a 3 year 36 million dollar deal. In two years hes an expiring if you dont like him.

 

[riverman]

Not sure why people I here are so high on Crabbe. I wouldn't even pay him 8mm. He can bounce.

He has to take a CJ leap next season to be a keeper. Good role player as is and probably won't break the bank. Definitely replaceable though. You could sign him and move him at the deadline if he didn't make an impact by then

 

[riverman]

I'm a fan of keeping Hendo with this roster...I think he's a Wes like presence in the lockerroom and he brings a lot to the team.