Forget point guard, Focus on small forward

[Natebishop3]

Let's say, looking at all the evidence, that the Blazers plan on making Blake and Bayless their rotation at point guard next season. They're grooming Jay Bay to be the point of the future, and the Blazers obviously feel that Blake is a good fit next to Roy, so there's really no reason to even speculate that we are going after a point guard. Especially since the only players we've chased thus far have been a small forward and a power forward.

So, with that said, we need to focus on a small forward, preferably a veteran. Most everyone feels that Batum is the future of that position, so there's really no reason to get someone young. With Blake and Bayless as our point guards, it's probably a good idea to get someone who can distribute. That's probably why KP wanted Hedo so badly. Who else is out there that could be had?

Prince? There were some rumors.

Odom? Maybe. He's a free agent at least, so we wouldn't even have to give up someone to acquire him. The problem with Odom is his age, and his inability to play the small forward effectively at this point. He's pretty much a power forward now.

I personally think that Stephen Jackson would be great. The Warriors have so many forwards and guards now, I can't see why we couldn't get Jackson from them without giving up too much. Jackson had impressive numbers last season. 20.7 ppg, 5.10 boards, and 6.5 assists. I know he doesn't have the best track record historically, but he has been pretty angelic since he went to GS.

I would love to see this trade happen

Share your trade

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

Blake/Bayless/Mills
Roy/Rudy
Jackson/Batum/Webster/Cunningham
Aldridge/Turiaf
Oden/Pendegraph

Maybe use our cap space to get another backup center.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm kind of done wishing or hoping for anything ... maybe something good will happen, maybe not. I'm almost past the point of caring.

 

[Idog1976]

That's an interesting idea. I'm not a huge Stephen Jackson fan but I definitely like the idea of targeting a veteran SF. I must say I'm a bit shocked that KP is so certain about Bayless. I also feel like Blake is not who we want at the helm come playoffs next year. That said I think a vet small forward is not a bad target. Wallce, Prince, Butler, LBJ (just kidding) or Battier would all be great additions.

A trade like this would be more to my liking:

Przybilla + Outlaw for Battier and Landry we could add picks and $ to get it done.

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

are young guys at SF will only get better, a vet will only get worse. with the league as stacked as it is, adding Stephen fucking Jackson ain't gonna do shit. So I say roll with what we got, get a banger at the backup 4, resign Roy and LMA to infinity and done and done!

 

[Natebishop3]

That's an interesting idea. I'm not a huge Stephen Jackson fan but I definitely like the idea of targeting a veteran SF. I must say I'm a bit shocked that KP is so certain about Bayless. I also feel like Blake is not who we want at the helm come playoffs next year. That said I think a vet small forward is not a bad target. Wallce, Prince, Butler, LBJ (just kidding) or Battier would all be great additions.

A trade like this would be more to my liking:

Przybilla + Outlaw for Battier and Landry we could add picks and $ to get it done.

Honestly, I wish we were getting a point guard. I think this team desperately needs a real floor general..... but in light of what has been happening, I've lost hope in acquiring a veteran point. I think we're relegated to a vet small forward at this point.

 

[Wheels]

That's an interesting idea. I'm not a huge Stephen Jackson fan but I definitely like the idea of targeting a veteran SF. I must say I'm a bit shocked that KP is so certain about Bayless. I also feel like Blake is not who we want at the helm come playoffs next year. That said I think a vet small forward is not a bad target. Wallce, Prince, Butler, LBJ (just kidding) or Battier would all be great additions.

A trade like this would be more to my liking:

Przybilla + Outlaw for Battier and Landry we could add picks and $ to get it done.

We're gonna need a lot more firepower than that to get past the Lakers.

 

[alex42083]

I really like Landry's game. Kind of like the PF version of Battier -- can stick the outside jumper, and does all the other dirty work and plays defense. Joel for Battier though is still questionable to me even though it's been brought up a lot here.

 

[B-Roy]

I'm kind of done wishing or hoping for anything ... maybe something good will happen, maybe not. I'm almost past the point of caring.

Yeah...

This summer has been disappointing enough as it is. Just let what happens, happen.

 

[PapaG]

The Blazers are on to Plan 9 from Outer Space at this point.

Just resign Roy to the max before this summer is a complete disaster. It's embarrassing right now. Why not offer Felton an offer sheet to tie up cap space for another week?

Brilliant!

 

[number 10]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?playerId=378

An average PER, a big contract, an even bigger ego, and enormous character issues. No thanks. Especially not for Prz, who is one of the most efficient role players in the league, all at the position most likely to be hit by injuries.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

My trade would be a 4-team deal sending Boozer/Blake to Chicago, Outlaw to Utah, Webster/Rudy/Ty Thomas to Detroit, and bringing Hinrich/Prince to Portland.

--Chicago does it to properly allocate resources (backup PG is cheap, starting PF is no longer a project);
--Detroit does it to improve depth at forward, and to add a little height to their guard corps;
--Utah does it to get under the luxury tax, and to clarify their forward rotation;
--We do it to solidify and clarify our rotation, and significantly improve our perimeter defense.

Our lineup:
PG: Hinrich/Bayless
SG: Roy/Bayless
SF: Prince/Batum/Cunningham
PF: Aldridge/Pendergraph
C: Oden/Joel

Biggest problem is that it leaves us with no guard depth, but that can be addressed by picking up a couple min-salary players (Pooh Jeter? Malik Hairston? Any one of the myriad players out there...). Roy, Hinrich, and Bayless should be expected to get the vast majority of the minutes in this scenario anyway. IMO, this would make us one of the best defensive teams in the league.

 

[Natebishop3]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?playerId=378

An average PER, a big contract, an even bigger ego, and enormous character issues. No thanks. Especially not for Prz, who is one of the most efficient role players in the league, all at the position most likely to be hit by injuries.

And when Oden is playing 35+ minutes per night, what does Joel do then? He can't exactly move over to play power forward.

 

[PapaG]

I love fantasy trades. They have a lot to do with reality.

 

[PapaG]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?playerId=378

An average PER, a big contract, an even bigger ego, and enormous character issues. No thanks. Especially not for Prz, who is one of the most efficient role players in the league, all at the position most likely to be hit by injuries.

WOW! Somebody call up Pritchard ASAP! I'm sure nobody in the organization even considered a trade like this trade!

 

[number 10]

And when Oden is playing 35+ minutes per night, what does Joel do then? He can't exactly move over to play power forward.

When's this, in two years? Besides, the Joel part was less important than the fact that Stephen Jackson isn't really a player I want on this team, regardless of whose traded to get him. He's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is, and that's a very dangerous problem.

The guy I would target from the Warriors is Brandan Wright. He's being made redundant by Anthony Randolph's great performances, but when healthy he's put up great numbers. He'd probably be best replacing Outlaw's role as bench 3/4 so unless Outlaw's moved, I don't see it happening, but in terms of BProspectA, he gets my vote.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I love fantasy trades. They have a lot to do with reality.

Hey, Nate asked for them. It would be rude of me not to share.

 

[number 10]

WOW! Somebody call up Pritchard ASAP! I'm sure nobody in the organization even considered a trade like this trade!

huh?

 

[Natebishop3]

I love fantasy trades. They have a lot to do with reality.

Well, it's either try to be positive, or sit around bitching about the Roy contract situation, the cap space, or the lack of trades.

 

[PapaG]

Well, it's either try to be positive, or sit around bitching about the Roy contract situation, the cap space, or the lack of trades.

Touche. I prefer to piss and moan about Roy's stalled talks, and the Vulcan smears on him through Comcast/Dwight Jaynes, however.

I haven't even really started on LMA's extention yet.

 

[Idog1976]

My trade would be a 4-team deal sending Boozer/Blake to Chicago, Outlaw to Utah, Webster/Rudy/Ty Thomas to Detroit, and bringing Hinrich/Prince to Portland.

--Chicago does it to properly allocate resources (backup PG is cheap, starting PF is no longer a project);
--Detroit does it to improve depth at forward, and to add a little height to their guard corps;
--Utah does it to get under the luxury tax, and to clarify their forward rotation;
--We do it to solidify and clarify our rotation, and significantly improve our perimeter defense.

Our lineup:
PG: Hinrich/Bayless
SG: Roy/Bayless
SF: Prince/Batum/Cunningham
PF: Aldridge/Pendergraph
C: Oden/Joel

Biggest problem is that it leaves us with no guard depth, but that can be addressed by picking up a couple min-salary players (Pooh Jeter? Malik Hairston? Any one of the myriad players out there...). Roy, Hinrich, and Bayless should be expected to get the vast majority of the minutes in this scenario anyway. IMO, this would make us one of the best defensive teams in the league.

That's a thing of beauty my friend. Seems to complex too actually happen though. Although all the pieces are out there it would be masterful to blend them all together.

Edit: And Platypus is the guy who had the great salary increase over 3rd, 4th and 5th year to throw at Sessions.

 

[Idog1976]

When's this, in two years? Besides, the Joel part was less important than the fact that Stephen Jackson isn't really a player I want on this team, regardless of whose traded to get him. He's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is, and that's a very dangerous problem.

The guy I would target from the Warriors is Brandan Wright. He's being made redundant by Anthony Randolph's great performances, but when healthy he's put up great numbers. He'd probably be best replacing Outlaw's role as bench 3/4 so unless Outlaw's moved, I don't see it happening, but in terms of BProspectA, he gets my vote.

I like Brandan Wright as well he's really under appreciated and you might be right he could be available. For fucks sake some SF on the team of 75 small forwards has to be available. I swear to god the GS game plan is to get a monopoly on small forwards and then command maximum price. Either that or their just plain fucking stupid.

 

[number 10]

I like Brandan Wright as well he's really under appreciated and you might be right he could be available. For fucks sake some SF on the team of 75 small forwards has to be available. I swear to god the GS game plan is to get a monopoly on small forwards and then command maximum price. Either that or their just plain fucking stupid.

That'd be my guess...
Funny story, I remember before the Oden lottery that I would've been thrilled just to get top 3 because that meant getting Brandan Wright.

 

[Natebishop3]

I like Brandan Wright as well he's really under appreciated and you might be right he could be available. For fucks sake some SF on the team of 75 small forwards has to be available. I swear to god the GS game plan is to get a monopoly on small forwards and then command maximum price. Either that or their just plain fucking stupid.

History would indicate that they're just plain fucking stupid.

 

[Minstrel]

That'd be my guess...
Funny story, I remember before the Oden lottery that I would've been thrilled just to get top 3 because that meant getting Brandan Wright.

Yeah, I remember a year before that draft, there were considered three blue-chip prospects...Greg Oden, Kevin Durant and Brendan Wright. He was considered to be a phenom roughly on par with those two.

 

[alex42083]

I'm not too high on Wright.. the guy is 6-9, 205 pounds.. And statistically he doesn't seem to be a great rebounder. The guy's got talent, but just seems a little soft.

 

[PapaG]

How about focusing on Roy/LMA, and then looking for a trade before the deadline?

 

[Minstrel]

I'm not too high on Wright.. the guy is 6-9, 205 pounds.. And statistically he doesn't seem to be a great rebounder. The guy's got talent, but just seems a little soft.

He's a somewhat mediocre rebounder...especially, for his size. But he scores at a really high percentage. I'd be interested in him as a "buy low" proposition. If Golden State were ready to cut bait on him due to the presence of Anthony Randolph or something. His PERs have been really strong for his age, though his defense is suspect.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Honestly, I wish we were getting a point guard. I think this team desperately needs a real floor general..... but in light of what has been happening, I've lost hope in acquiring a veteran point. I think we're relegated to a vet small forward at this point.

I totally agree.

I know, "don't question KP." Whatever. I would love to hear a serious explanation as to why this team wouldn't look for an upgrade at the point! The closest I can come up with, is that Roy and Blake must be *really* tight.

 

[Minstrel]

How about focusing on Roy/LMA

Who?

 

[Natebishop3]

He's a somewhat mediocre rebounder...especially, for his size. But he scores at a really high percentage. I'd be interested in him as a "buy low" proposition. If Golden State were ready to cut bait on him due to the presence of Anthony Randolph or something. His PERs have been really strong for his age, though his defense is suspect.

Seems almost like a Rasheed Wallace type situation.... high draft pick mired on a team with other talented forwards. Sheed was behind Webber, Juwan Howard, and Ben Wallace if I remember correctly.