Free Chris Paul!

[PapaG]

Me too. I hate seeing him stuck on such a pathetic Hornets team. Just a pure joy to watch.

He has made the Hornets a fun team to watch, and he's single-handedly kept Byron Scott in the league as a head coach.

 

[STOMP]

I'd trade Roy for Paul. He and LeBron are the two guys in the league I would pull the trigger on instantly for a trade for Roy without a second of remorse.

If the Hornets ever were forced to deal Paul, we could probably offer as good a package as anyone in terms of talent and age. It's hard to imagine them doing it, though.

moving Brandon for Paul inserts Rudy as the starting 2... that would seem to be an outstanding backcourt. I think quite a bit of Roy's ability, but this would be an upgrade both in talent of the individuals and (seemingly) chemistry on the court. How many lob dunks would Greg get a game?

regarding your later post, why would they want LA when they have David West and Okafor?

STOMP

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I just wonder if you can win with it all with a PG like Paul. The closest equivalent is Isiah Thomas (ball dominant, scoring and distributing). Guards like KJ and Tim Hardaway never did it. I mean, does Paul really make his team better? I dunno, but he is possibly the most ball-dominant player in the league. And Chauncey Billups just abused him in the playoffs, as does Deron Williams (whom I'd actually prefer) every time they play.

That said, I would trade LaMarcus for him, just because he drives me crazy. It's probably not the optimal move, because we don't have a current replacement for him (because we didn't draft Blair), although we do have potentially solid players down the road in Claver and Freeland and probably Pendergraph (who I see as a Loy Vaught type) and we do have Rudy RIGHT NOW. But I agree that you just don't trade Roy. That would be like the Lakers trading Magic. Or the Hornets trading Chris Paul...

But what leverage does Paul have? When's the soonest he can opt out?

 

[PapaG]

moving Brandon for Paul inserts Rudy as the starting 2... that would seem to be an outstanding backcourt. I think quite a bit of Roy's ability, but this would be an upgrade both in talent of the individuals and (seemingly) chemistry on the court. How many lob dunks would Greg get a game?

regarding your later post, why would they want LA when they have David West?

STOMP

Financially, I'm sure they wouldn't. West has about $17.2 million left over the next 2 years, while LMA will be a 4-5 year commitment.

On the other hand, if the idea is to shed as much payroll as possible, how about adding LMA to Roy and adding West to Paul? That way, NO could let LMA go after this year and plug in a much cheaper player on a rookie contract.

 

[PapaG]

I just wonder if you can win with it all with a PG like Paul. The closest equivalent is Isiah Thomas (ball dominant, scoring and distributing). Guards like KJ and Tim Hardaway never did it. I mean, does Paul really make his team better? I dunno, but he is possibly the most ball-dominant player in the league. And Chauncey Billups just abused him in the playoffs, as does Deron Williams (whom I'd actually prefer) every time they play.

That said, I would trade LaMarcus for him, just because he drives me crazy. It's probably not the optimal move, because we don't have a current replacement for him (because we didn't draft Blair), although we do have potentially solid players down the road in Claver and Freeland and probably Pendergraph (who I see as a Loy Vaught type) and we do have Rudy RIGHT NOW. But I agree that you just don't trade Roy. That would be like the Lakers trading Magic. Or the Hornets trading Chris Paul...

But what leverage does Paul have? When's the soonest he can opt out?

After the '11-12 season. He has a player-option for '12-13.

 

[mook]

moving Brandon for Paul inserts Rudy as the starting 2... that would seem to be an outstanding backcourt. I think quite a bit of Roy's ability, but this would be an upgrade both in talent of the individuals and (seemingly) chemistry on the court. How many lob dunks would Greg get a game?

I think Rudy would get quite a few lob dunks too.

regarding your later post, why would they want LA when they have David West and Okafor?

STOMP

Well, if they had to deal Paul, they'd be in complete tear-down mode, I would think. West would probably be the next guy to get moved. Maybe West gets added to the deal and we dump Outlaw and Bayless or something?

 

[BBert]

We aren't likely to replace Aldridge or Oden if we traded one for Paul. But Paul effectively replaces Roy, and improves the overall team chemistry and ball movement.

Miller/Roy/Nico/Aldridge/Oden vs. Paul/Rudy/Nico/Aldridge/Oden

I'll take the second team. Paul upgrades Roy, slightly, and Rudy next to a great PG upgrades Miller, long term if not immediately. It's clear who should be handling the ball, so no one is being taken out of 'their game.' I think it's a more effective offensive group.

 

[Natebishop3]

So what? We win with the ball in his hands...

This statement doesn't hold much water until we win a championship. If we can win a championship with the ball in Roy's hands, I will agree with you. Personally, I think Chris Paul is a guaranteed first ballot HOFer. Roy is still debatable.

Also, Paul is a legitimate quadruple-double threat. That is something very few players can actually claim.

 

[STOMP]

Also, Paul is a legitimate quadruple-double threat. That is something very few players can actually claim...

...in the history of the league.

STOMP

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

Based on some of these posts, you would think that Chris Paul is the face of this franchise and not Roy.

 

[PapaG]

Based on some of these posts, you would think that Chris Paul is the face of this franchise and not Roy.

Roy is clearly the face of the franchise. That said, turning down an all-time great PG who is yet to enter his prime for Roy would be a mistake by the Blazers.

It will never happen outside of this hypothetical thread.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

Roy is clearly the face of the franchise. That said, turning down an all-time great PG who is yet to enter his prime for Roy would be a mistake by the Blazers.

It will never happen outside of this hypothetical thread.

You never know Papa.

I'd love to have him. More than Roy? Mmmmmm. I think he would be more entertaining, but again more than Brandon mmmmmmm

I don't know. I love Brandon.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

You never know Papa.

I'd love to have him. More than Roy? Mmmmmm. I think he would be more entertaining, but again more than Brandon mmmmmmm

I don't know. I love Brandon.

I'm not sure how you can say that when you made a thread in the past about the current Blazers not playing an entertaining brand of ball (at least compared to the Clyde-era Blazers). Paul makes an otherwise unbearable Hornets team one of my favorite to watch. Surround him with the talent we have and there is no doubt in my mind he'd be more entertaining than Brandon.

If you want entertaining ball, you don't choose Roy over Paul.

Edit: I realize you said he'd be more entertaining, but then questioned if he'd be more entertaining than Brandon. I'm operating under the assumption that you don't really think he would be more entertaining than Roy. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[PapaG]

You never know Papa.

I'd love to have him. More than Roy? Mmmmmm. I think he would be more entertaining, but again more than Brandon mmmmmmm

I don't know. I love Brandon.

Oh, me too. I agree 100% with what mook posted, though. LeBron James or Chris Paul. Those are the only two players in the NBA that I would give up Roy for if I ran the Blazers. I'd have traded Clyde Drexler for Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson as well.

Also, the only reason Kobe Bryant doesn't join James/Paul IMO is because of his age.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

I'm not sure how you can say that when you made a thread in the past about the current Blazers not playing an entertaining brand of ball (at least compared to the Clyde-era Blazers). Paul makes an otherwise unbearable Hornets team one of my favorite to watch. Surround him with the talent we have and there is no doubt in my mind he'd be more entertaining than Brandon.

If you want entertaining ball, you don't choose Roy over Paul.

You're right, I said that and I meant it.

Does that mean that I would take Roy, who has done a ton of things for this franchise and who is pretty great himself, and trade him for Chris Paul?

I don't know. I have a sense of loyalty to Brandon.

That being said. When I said this team wasn't as entertaining. They aren't but they aren't boring either.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

You're right, I said that and I meant it.

Does that mean that I would take Roy, who has done a ton of things for this franchise and who is pretty great himself, and trade him for Chris Paul.

I don't know. I have a sense of loyalty to Brandon.

That being said. When I said this team wasn't as entertaining. They aren't but they aren't boring either.

I love Roy too. However, loyalty can be a double-edged sword. If you have the opportunity to trade him for an upgrade, you do. Loyalty has screwed us out of some great potential acquisitions (see: Outlaw being included in the potential Harris deal).

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

I love Roy too. However, loyalty can be a double-edged sword. If you have the opportunity to trade him for an upgrade, you do. Loyalty has screwed us out of some great potential acquisitions (see: Outlaw being included in the potential Harris deal).

It's a good point. But if the opportunity ever come about, I'm not sure Kevin would pull the trigger on that one. He has mad admiration for Roy. And I think even he has a sense of loyalty to him. Maybe enough of one, to not trade him for a player of Chris Pauls skills and one that could improve the team.

 

[PapaG]

I love Roy too. However, loyalty can be a double-edged sword. If you have the opportunity to trade him for an upgrade, you do. Loyalty has screwed us out of some great potential acquisitions (see: Outlaw being included in the potential Harris deal).

Would it be asking too much to not treat unvalidated trade rumors as a tool for bashing the Blazer management? We have no credible source proving KP balked on Harris because of Travis Outlaw.

Zilch.

 

[THE HCP]

Would it be asking too much to not treat unvalidated trade rumors as a tool for bashing the Blazer management? We have no credible source proving KP balked on Harris because of Travis Outlaw.

Zilch.

Amen to that! "Look at all these rumors, surrounding me every day!"

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

Would it be asking too much to not treat unvalidated trade rumors as a tool for bashing the Blazer management? We have no credible source proving KP balked on Harris because of Travis Outlaw.

Zilch.

If you want to take that as bashing management go right ahead. I was using it as an example of how player loyalty COULD be a problem. It was the first example that came to mind. My sincerest apologies.

My point was that loyalty can get in the way of upgrades. Nothing more.

I guess speculation of Vulcan being involved in Roy's negotiations would be a more appropriate way to "bash management" since that was apparently my intention of the post. I will have to remember that next time I'm looking grind my axe.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Chris Paul's numbers are completely insane. Apart from all these, he leads the league in points per fourth quarter. And still the Hornets suck. How soon before he blows his top?

 

[oldguy]

My head says you trade BR for CP and never look back. My heart says you don't sentence Brandon to basketball hell after he's done so much for the Blazers.

 

[Idog1976]

Here's a trade that maybe every team actually does. New Jersey gets a godlike front court to pair up with LeBron and even more cap space plus whatever high ranking pick they get this year. This whole trade assumes that either Paul somehow holds NO hostage, or the broke ass owner wants to sell the team. In either of those scenarios, with this trade New Orleans gets a team they can actually sell and move since it no longer has an NBA Super Star which is a liability when one wants to move a team. However, they actually get damn close to equal talent in Harris + Rudy + Joel while dumping Peja's contract for a servicable center in Przybilla that comes off the cap in two years to back up Okafor. With Devin Harris and Rudy Fernandez in the back court and a stocked front court while shedding salary New Orleans comes out with a deal that might actually be fair. Portland get's Chris Paul and only gives up LMA out of the core and is left with:

PG: Paul/Miller/Bayless
SG: Roy/Bayless/Peja

(That's the best back court of all time by the way.)

SF: Batum/Roy
PF: Jian li/Cunningham/Howard
C: Oden/Pendergraph/Howard

it leaves us dangerously thin up front, but you have to do it for Paul. Roy's scoring could be done from the motorized Lay-Z-Boy it would be so effortless. Oden would instantly add 6 to 12 ppg if not more. Roy and Paul would give nightmares to even Kobe and LeBron.

New Jersey would now have enough cap room to sign any one player and possibly two studs this summer (LBJ and Nash?)
That lineup looks like an instant contender and possible favorite to win it all with:

C: Lopez
PF: LMA
SF: LeBron
SG: CDR
PG: (Nash?)/Alston

if you don't like Nash you could have it be Wade or some other stud. the point is that looks like a sick team. It's better then the team with Harris IMO due to a MUCH better front court to pair with LeBron and the additional cap room to sign another stud.

Meanwhile New Orleans is left with:

PG: Devin Harris
SG: Rudy
SFosey/Webster
PF: West
C: Okafor/Przybilla (expiring in 2011)

That team actually arguably looks better then their current incarnation and certainly more movable. I think all three teams would consider this assuming Paul is adamant about moving and/or cheap owner looking to sell. You could also do a variant in December where we trade Miller to NJ and pick up some more garbage.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I don't think that New Orleans would have any interest in a lateral trade which would be their most popular player for either Roy or Aldridge. That might only make sense if they had a young super prospect PG sitting on the bench. The only circumstances under which they would trade Paul would be if they got tired of losing money and not having a winning team. So if they get off to a bad start that continues into the new year, they might be willing to deal. And if they are blowing the team up, then they would be most interested in expiring contracts (Blake and Outlaw), young prospects (Batum, Rudy, Bayless) and multiple draft picks. They also might be interested if we added Przybilla (one year remaining) and took back Okafor (four years remaining). Of course they might insist on Oden, but he is already in his third year and will soon be due a very expensive extension, so if they are starting over, that might be too expensive for them.

 

[Idog1976]

I don't think that New Orleans would have any interest in a lateral trade which would be their most popular player for either Roy or Aldridge. That might only make sense if they had a young super prospect PG sitting on the bench. The only circumstances under which they would trade Paul would be if they got tired of losing money and not having a winning team. So if they get off to a bad start that continues into the new year, they might be willing to deal. And if they are blowing the team up, then they would be most interested in expiring contracts (Blake and Outlaw), young prospects (Batum, Rudy, Bayless) and multiple draft picks. They also might be interested if we added Przybilla (one year remaining) and took back Okafor (four years remaining). Of course they might insist on Oden, but he is already in his third year and will soon be due a very expensive extension, so if they are starting over, that might be too expensive for them.

Well you could throw in Bayless, some consider him a good PG prospect. Also to take back Okafor you would have to throw in more salary. The reason I went with a three way is due to both New Jersey and New Orleans sucking thus far and both having rumblings of big things afoot - New Orleans has been rumored to be a franchise for sale, and New Jersey of course is a well known hot spot for LBJ in 2010. I also think getting Harris, Rudy, Martell and Przybilla while dumping Peja is about as fair a trade for CP3 as they could hope to get.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Another loss for the Hornets. I don't see how it can get any better for them. Outside Chris, who's doing everything in his power to win, the roster is horrid.

Peja is a shell of a shell. This guy used to strike fear in me when he was a King and now he's completely deteriorated.

David West is a creation by Chris Paul. Without Chris there is no way he's an All-Star.

Hilton Armstrong, Bobby Brown, Ike Diogu, Morris Peterson, Sean Marks, etc. Yikes