First Sheed, then ZBo, now Aldridge...

[KeepOnRollin]

Would you trade him for MKG and Ben Gordon?

I would hold out for more from a team. I think some teams think LMA is a fringe #1 and at least a high #2 and will give us a nice bounty for him assuming we want to deal him.

Your deal would definitely improve our bench though.

 

[HailBlazers]

See, but they were talkin about Pau Gasol like he was a HOFer a couple years ago when the Lakers were winning championships.... is he a HOFer now? I don't think so. I didn't think so then either. How much different is Aldridge than Pau? Is Amare a HOFer? Is Randolph a HOFer?

Dirk Nowitzki is a HOFer. Right now Aldridge couldn't touch Dirk with a 20 foot pole. That's how far he has to go.

Pau's close but no cigar. Others not. Aldridge is far away yes, but he's the closest to Dirk in terms of potential skills/ability.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Pau's close but no cigar. Others not. Aldridge is far away yes, but he's the closest to Dirk in terms of potential skills/ability.

Of which skills/ability are you referring to?

 

[Natebishop3]

Like I said earlier, if you find the right deal for ANY player, you take it. I'm opposed to trading people because you want everyone to be the same age or close.

You misunderstand. I would trade Aldridge because I think his age and value makes him the most likely candidate. We need more assets and Aldridge would be the best player to trade because of what he could bring back and because of where he is in his career. That's what I mean when I'm talking about window. Right now I personally think the team is years away from competing. Is it possible that we could add some guys and change that? Sure, I guess, but I think the probability is low. Right now our core is Lillard, Aldridge, and Batum. Of those three, I think Lillard is the most valuable, and then Aldridge, and then Batum, but Aldridge is quite a bit older than the other two.

If you had to trade one of the three, which would it be? How would you decide?

I would base it on age, contract, ability, and what their perceived value is around the league. Right now I think Aldridge it the best candidate.

Here's the thing.... if Aldridge was a young Kevin Garnett, or a young Tim Duncan, I wouldn't trade him for anything. But he isn't. Not even close. He doesn't have the same attitude. Garnett and Duncan would do anything to win a game. Aldridge has never been that guy. The only time he resembles that type of player is when he feels slighted. If a player gets under his skin, he suddenly becomes LaMonster. If he could channel that all the time, he would be awesome... but he doesn't.

 

[RR7]

I think you know but that was not my idea at all. (Players at same age)

Yes, I was referring to the discussion of Aldridge not fitting our window as the primary reason to trade him.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

You misunderstand. I would trade Aldridge because I think his age and value makes him the most likely candidate. We need more assets and Aldridge would be the best player to trade because of what he could bring back and because of where he is in his career. That's what I mean when I'm talking about window. Right now I personally think the team is years away from competing. Is it possible that we could add some guys and change that? Sure, I guess, but I think the probability is low. Right now our core is Lillard, Aldridge, and Batum. Of those three, I think Lillard is the most valuable, and then Aldridge, and then Batum, but Aldridge is quite a bit older than the other two.

If you had to trade one of the three, which would it be? How would you decide?

I would base it on age, contract, ability, and what their perceived value is around the league. Right now I think Aldridge it the best candidate.

Here's the thing.... if Aldridge was a young Kevin Garnett, or a young Tim Duncan, I wouldn't trade him for anything. But he isn't. Not even close. He doesn't have the same attitude. Garnett and Duncan would do anything to win a game. Aldridge has never been that guy. The only time he resembles that type of player is when he feels slighted. If a player gets under his skin, he suddenly becomes LaMonster. If he could channel that all the time, he would be awesome... but he doesn't.

Now this was very well said Natebishop3

 

[HailBlazers]

Of which skills/ability are you referring to?

If you can't see Aldridge's potential than I don't know what to say. He commands a double team in the low post.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Now this was very well said Natebishop3

I agree. Well said indeed.

 

[Natebishop3]

Pau's close but no cigar. Others not. Aldridge is far away yes, but he's the closest to Dirk in terms of potential skills/ability.

Not really. There isn't a player in the league that's close to Dirk's skills and ability. Dirk was/is a freak. The dude is a legit 7 footer, but he plays like a guard. He can shoot out beyond the threepoint line, he has handles, and he can drive. The guy was unstoppable when he was in his prime. I know this because I watched him dismantle us a number of times. He was unguardable. How do you guard someone that tall who can do what he does?

I'd say the closest would be Durant, despite the fact that he's probably a good two or three inches shorter.

Aldridge frighteningly like Sheed..... without the defense.

 

[Hobbesarable]

If you can't see Aldridge's potential than I don't know what to say.

So, you'll give me a general statement but won't define it any further? Yes, you don't know what to say.

 

[HailBlazers]

Soft touch outside, agility, height and skills in the post. Smooth is the best I got.

 

[RR7]

I think statements like "years away" are just foolish. Especially with the new CBA limiting contracts, for the most part, to 4 years. We're years away, yet when those years come, there's SOOO much different in the league. We might not have half our players, etc. You always want a long term plan, but I think it's in general a bad idea to build for further than 3 years away. And with discussion of Aldridge's window, you seem to be eyeing basically 4 years from now as when we can maybe compete.
Of course, we all had this discussion probably 4 or 5 years ago. What? trade for someone 28 to go with Roy and Aldridge? Our window....and look at how much has changed.
You can go and trade Aldridge for some other rookie and get another rookie this year, and then when those guys are just hitting their stride in the league, Batum leaves. Wes leaves. Lillard is up for an extension, etc. And there you have an entire different team again.

 

[Natebishop3]

Soft touch outside, agility, height and skills in the post. Smooth is the best I got.

At what point though, do you stop saying a guy has the potential to be great, and just see him for what he is? I had high hopes for Aldridge, and he's lived up to them in a way, but he will never have the killer instinct that Roy had, or Lillard has. He's a second fiddle, which is fine, but all those skills and talent that you speak of are going to waste because he doesn't use them to the best of his abilities. We have two guys on this team that are maddeningly frustrating in Batum and Aldridge. Both players have the skills and talent to be the best at their position, but are so damned inconsistent. It's frustrating as hell.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Soft touch outside, agility, height and skills in the post. Smooth is the best I got.

Comparing LA to Dirk is like comparing apples to oranges. Btw, I love oranges!

LA has height, eh? OK. Dirk and LA are very close in height. So are several other crappy previous and current PF's.

Soft touch outside? LA shoots the most inefficient shot out there. The long distance two point jumper. At least Dirk has range from anywhere on the floor. You can't say the same about LA.

Skills in the post? LA went to the post on the left block for the vast majority of his post points. Teams know this. They guard against this easily. Besides, it takes LA forever to get himself positioned. Dirk could post up on post sides of the block making it more difficult guarding him.

Do you have more skills/ability to compare with Dirk?

 

[HailBlazers]

So you can throw up your OPINION more?

 

[Hobbesarable]

I can give you stats and that's called fact.

 

[HailBlazers]

Wrong. Stats have to be interpreted, by Humans. Imperfect ones at that.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Wrong. Stats have to be interpreted, by Humans. Imperfect ones at that.

Conversations between humans (such as ourselves) can be imperfect as well.

Your argument positioning on this matter is weak at best in regards to the comparison you're attempting to make with Dirk.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Soft touch outside, agility, height and skills in the post. Smooth is the best I got.

I will say this about Aldridge. I think he could be a solid #2 or #3 scorer for our team. Possibly convince him to do more on defense while deferring to Lillard, Batum, and Matthews on offense. I can see him averaging about 17 ppg and 10 rpg. Our defense is atrocious and he could help if he channeled more of his energy towards that side of the court.

 

[MickZagger]

This franchise has a propensity towards soft, jumpshooting big men. My favorites in order: Sheed, Z-Bo, Rahim and then Aldridge.

 

[Natebishop3]

This franchise has a propensity towards soft, jumpshooting big men. My favorites in order: Sheed, Z-Bo, Rahim and then Aldridge.

At least Sheed played defense though...... the other three, not so much.

 

[MickZagger]

Shred was the best player on a team that was 1 game away from the Finals. He'll always be cool in my book despite his shenanigans

 

[KingSpeed]

I think Aldridge is better than you're giving him credit for. Opposing fans around me are always saying "he's goooood." Aldridge has hit lots of big 4th quarter shots for us including some game winners. Not sure how you know that Lillard had killer instinct a handful of games into his career. In a few years, you'll want to trade him too, I'm sure. Sheed wasn't the problem. Zach wasn't the problem. Aldridge isn't the problem. It's their TEAMMATES. Once Sheed got good teammates, he won a title. Once Zach got good teammates, he beat the Spurs in the playoffs as The Man. All Aldridge needs are good teammates. Batum, Freeland, Barton, and Pavlovic aren't going to cut it.

Luckily, I think Olshey is thinking like me. Hold onto Aldridge and build around him. And he will add more pieces next summer. If we make the playoffs this season, hooray, Lillard gets playoff experience (and we take a close look at that killer instinct you'r so sure of). If we don't, we get another lottery pick.

 

[KingSpeed]

Would you trade him for MKG and Ben Gordon?

Trading a talented all star big for a small is not how you win in this league. Never trade a talented big for a small.

 

[oldmangrouch]

That's laughable. Aldridge is a borderline All-Star right now. Borderline

You just compared him to arguably the best center of all-time and arguably the best power forward of all-time. My window "theory" is that Aldridge will be at the tail end of his prime when Lillard and Batum are just coming into theirs.... and he'll be a free agent.

We're talking about a guy who is only 27 and yet, he's had continuing heart problems, he's had hip problems, and our training staff doesn't have the best record in the league. What apart about the window "theory" doesn't make sense?

Don't waste your breath. There are still Blazer fans who think Oden isn't injury prone and that the team made a mistake dumping his crippled ass. At 27, LMA is already on the downside of his career. Age is just a number.

 

[KingSpeed]

Among PFs who play 36+ mpg, Aldridge has the 5th highest PER.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I don't know that I do. I mentioned them as a small market that is winning without a big name free agent, which is what we'll have to do. We won't lure a big name here.

But hey, I wouldn't start talking about Memphis.... they dealt Pau for young prospects while he was in his prime. How did that work out for them?

Stop making sense!

 

[oldmangrouch]

BTW, anybody talking about building around Lillard needs to examine the last few box scores. Kid has a loooong way to go and no guarantee of getting there.

 

[Natebishop3]

BTW, anybody talking about building around Lillard needs to examine the last few box scores. Kid has a loooong way to go and no guarantee of getting there.

Well, he's hitting the wall. Teams have scouted him, they're prepared for him, and now he needs to adapt.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Really liked how LMA played last night. 8-16, but only 5 of his shots outside the paint (2-5 on those). 23/8 in 3 quarters of work. Showed some nice post moves, had strength going to the rim.

Which seems to point out that a) it's not something medical that's holding him back, but mental (or coaching) and b) if he's capable of doing it against KG and some of the double-teams he was seeing yesterday, he capable of doing it against almost anyone.