Grade KP's Summer

[Charcoal Filtered]

IMO, that was a cake-baking stance. I believe this team has taken that next step towards KP pulling the current creation out of the oven and taking a big whiff.

That said, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he makes an in-season consolidation trade during this coming season.

After holding my breath since the Zach trade, I am just going to assume we are going to play with what we have.

 

[STOMP]

I give him a D.

There was entirely too much buildup to this offseason to come away with essentially the same roster as last year plus Miller. Our roster is still unbalanced as hell and nothing was done to consolidate positions. Bayless did not look like he improved any this summer league. Getting very little minutes again this season is not going to help.

please expand on how you feel the roster is "unbalanced as hell".

I happen to think just the opposite. They've outside shooting galore, a beast on the low block, a perfect high post compliment, and several guards/wings that can take people off the dribble. They were one of the league's top 3 point shooting teams & led the league in Rebounding differential... if they aren't balanced in their attack I don't know who is.

STOMP

 

[LittleAlex]

I gave him a C. This is mostly due to expectations versus reality.

Also, the guys KP went for and didn't get fit worse with the team then Miller. So he sort of lucked into not completely fucking up.

The draft was kind of a let down, though I think Donte could be a real player.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

STOMP,

I point to the fact we really do not have someone that scores consistently in the low block, too many SF's compared to minutes, and the PG situation. We probably still get beat soundly by the Houston team of last year with the current group of Blazers.

 

[STOMP]

STOMP,

I point to the fact we really do not have someone that scores consistently in the low block, too many SF's compared to minutes, and the PG situation. We probably still get beat soundly by the Houston team of last year with the current group of Blazers.

with Yao out, the Houston team of last year doesn't exist this season. They were the biggest team in the league which countered Portland's size advantage over most everyone else. I'm not sure whats wrong with the PG situation in your opinion, but having Miller on board is a big upgrade and gives them someone who will absolutely punish little PGs like Aaron Brooks. You don't think he would have posted the 5'10 170 lb. pound Brooks at will? If he was on the club last year I think it would have been a very different story.

Greg commanded a double team on the low block last season vs most everyone and should be improved, LA scored plenty there, and I already mentioned my thoughts on Andre. SF is not a situation I'd be too worried about either. Batum is a pretty nice all around young player and Roy should garner many of the backup minutes. Webster and Outlaw fight over the scraps... they're pretty mediocre options so whatever.

STOMP

 

[mook]

We probably still get beat soundly by the Houston team of last year with the current group of Blazers.

Wow. I couldn't disagree more.

Miller would've lit up the Rockets for 15-16 ppg (more if necessary--he'd simply abuse Brooks), and he wouldn't have been caught flat-footed in game one.

I don't blame the entire game 1 meltdown on Blake, but as the veteran starting PG his overall play didn't do much to stabilize the team. I just don't see that happening with Miller running the show.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

with Yao out, the Houston team of last year doesn't exist this season. They were the biggest team in the league which countered Portland's size advantage over most everyone else. I'm not sure whats wrong with the PG situation in your opinion, but having Miller on board is a big upgrade and gives them someone who will absolutely punish little PGs like Aaron Brooks. You don't think he would have posted the 5'10 170 lb. pound Brooks at will? If he was on the club last year I think it would have been a very different story.

Greg commanded a double team on the low block last season vs most everyone and should be improved, LA scored plenty there, and I already mentioned my thoughts on Andre. SF is not a situation I'd be too worried about either. Batum is a pretty nice all around young player and Roy should garner many of the backup minutes. Webster and Outlaw fight over the scraps... they're pretty mediocre options so whatever.

STOMP

The Houston scenario was hypothetical. There are still other teams that can throw quality bigs at us like the Rockets did last year. Upgrading at PG helps, but does not fix this.

I disagree with LA scoring plenty in the low post. Greg might have commanded a double team, but IMO it was because teams knew he would have trouble making a pass. There is no go to move and even the dunk got mixed results. A backup at PF would have been ideal with Travis used as the trading piece.

The problem I have with the PG situation is the use of Bayless. He has more SG skills now, but we want him to be the PG of the future. He is not going to get minutes with Rudy and Roy at the two. I do not see Nate suffering thru any growing pains of Jerryd playing point when there are two veterans to use. Another year of sitting on the bench is going to do nothing for his trade value or development.

We now have Travis, Martell, Batum, Cunningham, and Ime at SF with our #1 draft pick being a SF project overseas. With no one as the backup PF, it just seems silly to have this many players at the position.

I think the second round of the playoffs is a lofty goal if we do not make a move. Vegas agrees as there are five teams with a better chance of winning it all in the West with New Orleans given the exact same odds.

 

[STOMP]

The Houston scenario was hypothetical. There are still other teams that can throw quality bigs at us like the Rockets did last year. Upgrading at PG helps, but does not fix this.

no other team could/can create the size mismatch that the Rocket did with Yao... this is just flat wrong.

I disagree with LA scoring plenty in the low post. Greg might have commanded a double team, but IMO it was because teams knew he would have trouble making a pass. There is no go to move and even the dunk got mixed results. A backup at PF would have been ideal with Travis used as the trading piece.

The problem I have with the PG situation is the use of Bayless. He has more SG skills now, but we want him to be the PG of the future. He is not going to get minutes with Rudy and Roy at the two. I do not see Nate suffering thru any growing pains of Jerryd playing point when there are two veterans to use. Another year of sitting on the bench is going to do nothing for his trade value or development.

We now have Travis, Martell, Batum, Cunningham, and Ime at SF with our #1 draft pick being a SF project overseas. With no one as the backup PF, it just seems silly to have this many players at the position.

there are 15 roster spots and only 240 minutes to go around, some guys are going to sit... besides the fact that Ime isn't expected to make the final cut, sorry that I don't share your concern about this. I also happen to really like Travis at the backup 4. Nate wants his PFs at the highpost for spacing and you need a J to be effective on the high post. Teams rarely run two low block players at the same time for obvious reasons and that guy will be guarded by Joel or Greg.

we'll just have to agree to disagree on the roster being unbalanced as hell, I think it's in fine form. Looking forward to seeing whats what

STOMP

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

I also happen to really like Travis at the backup 4.

we'll just have to agree to disagree on the roster being unbalanced as hell, I think it's in fine form. Looking forward to seeing whats what

STOMP

I am not a fan of Travis at the 4 or any other position. I am cringing now just thinking about the number of times he has passed up open looks to take two steps forward for a contested shot. He seems very slow to pickup even the slightest of changes in the defense or offense and has never shown great athleticsm besides jumping. Not a great rebounder either. Batum and Rudy doing the little things in their first year was refreshing after watching Travis struggle with them year after year.

Trading Outlaw to Memphis for whatever they were offering and using the money to sign McDyess would have earned KP a much better grade. Will agree to disagree and cannot wait for Sunday's start of the campaign.

 

[STOMP]

Trading Outlaw to Memphis for whatever they were offering and using the money to sign McDyess would have earned KP a much better grade.

You do realize that making such a move would have prevented the Miller signing right?

KP will just have to learn to live with your D rating for not signing a 35 year old McDyess... thats a real heavy cross for one man to bear. How much more then the Spurs 3 years 15M guaranteed would you have had him offer?

STOMP

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

You do realize that making such a move would have prevented the Miller signing right?

KP will just have to learn to live with your D rating for not signing a 35 year old McDyess... thats a real heavy cross for one man to bear. How much more then the Spurs 3 years 15M guaranteed would you have had him offer?

STOMP

Shamsports has Outlaw's contract at 3.6M. McDyess is at 4.5M, with a guarantee on next year's 4.86M, and an unguaranteed third year of 5.22M. It would not have been difficult to make a matching offer or better. Miller did not have anyone else willing to make a commitment over the MLE and we could have put more guarantees on the third year of his contract to make it equal to the one he signed.

The cross comment is pretty lame. Am I supposed to feel bad that it matters little to KP what a guy (even with five lower bowl seats) on a message board thinks about his moves (or lack of)?

 

[STOMP]

Shamsports has Outlaw's contract at 3.6M. McDyess is at 4.5M, with a guarantee on next year's 4.86M, and an unguaranteed third year of 5.22M. It would not have been difficult to make a matching offer or better.

more then difficult, it wouldn't have been possible. Dealing Travis to Memphis wouldn't have changed their amount of available capspace because roughly the same amount of contract $$$ would have been coming back. Portland used nearly all of their capspace signing Miller.

What KP could have done to create more capspace is to not have picked up the options on Travis and/or Steve Blake. But that would have had to happen before the FA signing period and he would have been at risk of not having Free Agency tip his way. If he's competing for McDyess's services with an even stronger contender, he's probably going to have to overpay. The bird in hand saying springs to mind.

btw... probably the most referred to capspace resource here is available through S2 in the dropdown Sportstwo carrot in upper right hand corner of the page. It's regularly updated and the guy in charge of it (Storyteller) has proven over the years to be very on top of things. He disagrees with Shamsports on the dollars and that the 3rd year is unguaranteed, but maybe he's got this one wrong

Miller did not have anyone else willing to make a commitment over the MLE and we could have put more guarantees on the third year of his contract to make it equal to the one he signed.

When a player gets over 32 or so, I'm pretty wary of commitment... I think they got Miller on cheap but I absolutely love that the 3rd year is a team option. It's a fantastic contract from the team's perspective.

STOMP

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

If the Milsap offer had not been matched, it was rumored that we already had a deal worked out with Memphis to move Outlaw. They could have absorbed the entire amount without sending back anything after it was matched. They spent their last money on AI very late.

Or, we could have just not picked his deal up before the draft or traded for another non-guaranteed deal plus considerations. I do not think Travis is the best KP could have done at backup PF. It reflected in my grade. You think differently and I can accept that.

Edit:I know Sham does a great job on reporting non-guarantees and would give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. The salary index you referred to has only a couple of players having non-guarantees for the Mavericks. It has been quoted in other articles, but Drew Gooden and Jason Terry both have funny money in their deals.

 

[STOMP]

If the Milsap offer had not been matched, it was rumored that we already had a deal worked out with Memphis to move Outlaw. They could have absorbed the entire amount without sending back anything after it was matched. They spent their last money on AI very late.

first of all ask yourself why in the world would Memphis want Outlaw? They have lots of capspace because they're notorious tightwads. Rudy Gay is the same size and sort of player but better at most everything. I guess it's possible but it sure doesn't pass the initial smell test. I know they signed AI who doesn't seem to make sense on the court either but at least dude should put butts in seats and sell some jerseys.

So based on some random rumor you heard, after the Millsap deal fell through they could have moved Outlaw to Memphis for capspace? Then what, sign McDyess?

UFA Mcdyess was signed by the Spurs on July 8th. RFA Millsap was signed by Portland on July 11th... & of course the Jazz had a week to match.

Or, we could have just not picked his deal up before the draft or traded for another non-guaranteed deal plus considerations.

isn't this exactly the point I made in the prior post? If you had made it instead of suggesting the impossible, then I'd have accepted it as a difference of opinion instead of someone who wasn't recalling things correctly.

I do not think Travis is the best KP could have done at backup PF. It reflected in my grade. You think differently and I can accept that without lobbing insults at you for having an opinion.

I could give a crap about such a trivial thing as an offseason grade for Portland's GM from someone I'll most likely never meet... why keep flaunting it as if I should?

I asked politely how a roster at least 2 deep at every spot with proven NBA talent is "lopsided as hell". I gave specific examples how they are in fact very balanced in the paint and on the perimeter with proven NBA players. You then revealed yourself to mainly just to hate Outlaw so much that you're willing to get rid of him at the risk of having Jeff "Crutches" Pendergraph as the only backup 4 on the roster and despite the fact that as an expiring deal he might hold far more value at the upcoming trade deadline. As I'm understanding it, you feel the roster is "unbalanced as hell" mainly because you don't like the cheap (3.6M) effective (career 15.0 PER) backup PF and too many deep bench guys are SFs. Also, KP did a poor job this summer because he didn't act on some questionable rumor (you haven't bothered to link) to sign an oft-injured 35 year old to a guaranteed 3 year deal at more then 15M... which couldn't have happened because the Spurs had already signed him.

So sorry I made an off handed remark that you didn't like.

Good day sir

STOMP

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

isn't this exactly the point I made in the prior post? If you had made it instead of suggesting the impossible, then I'd have accepted it as a difference of opinion instead of someone who wasn't recalling things correctly.

If Memphis agreed to a deal after, they would have agreed to it before as well. If missing out on McDyess meant not being able to offer Milsap a deal, so be it. Will leave it at that to avoid confusion.

Brandon Roy also thought we needed an upgrade at backup PF with Turiaf and you can pick any link you want for that:

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...ork+brandon+roy&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-501&sao=1

I gave specific examples how they are in fact very balanced in the paint and on the perimeter with proven NBA players.

And I disagreed with Oden and LA being capable scorers down low.

You then revealed yourself to mainly just to hate Outlaw so much that you're willing to get rid of him at the risk of having Jeff "Crutches" Pendergraph as the only backup 4 on the roster and despite the fact that as an expiring deal he might hold far more value at the upcoming trade deadline

At worst we would have been able to get Joe Smith. As said long before, I have been holding my breath since the Zach trade. I will not do it again for this upcoming trade deadline in hopes of getting something for Blake or Travis.

As I'm understanding it, you feel the roster is "unbalanced as hell" mainly because you don't like the cheap (3.6M) effective (career 15.0 PER) backup PF and too many deep bench guys are SFs.

Already stated

I point to the fact we really do not have someone that scores consistently in the low block, too many SF's compared to minutes, and the PG situation.

.

If you understand it differently, I cannot fix it.

Also, KP did a poor job this summer because he didn't act on some questionable rumor (you haven't bothered to link) to sign an oft-injured 35 year old to a guaranteed 3 year deal at more then 15M... which couldn't have happened because the Spurs had already signed him.

Explaining again, he would have received a higher grade but would still have been hit for my above reasons. Will restate that your listing of what is guaranteed and unguaranteed is flawed. Here is your link for Drew Gooden's contract:

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1927

 

[ABM]

After holding my breath since the Zach trade, I am just going to assume we are going to play with what we have.

If KP had been willing to part with Batum (and......), it would have netted us Gerald Wallace. Personally, I hope Batum eventually becomes worth not pulling the trigger on that one.

 

[mook]

Revisiting the Gerald Wallace trade, it looks less and less appealing now. Batum is probably going to be somewhat similar in skill level when he reaches his prime.

Unlike Wallace, though, he can hit a three pointer. It would've been very, very hard to see us adding Miller to a team with Wallace at SF.

 

[STOMP]

If Memphis agreed to a deal after, they would have agreed to it before as well. If missing out on McDyess meant not being able to offer Milsap a deal, so be it. Will leave it at that to avoid confusion.

what you write continues to confuse. Did you mean to say... if signing McDyess meant not being able to offer Millsap a deal, so be it? Well what do you do if he still signs with the Spurs because the money is similar enough and they have a much more prominent role available? What if he and Timmy are bros from way back? He's probably the 2nd best Big on the Spurs instead of 4th best on Portland... dude might want to play. Thats a lot of risk (age, dollars & potentially having only JHoward + Pendercrutches at backup PF) and little reward/upside to your plan.

Brandon Roy also thought we needed an upgrade at backup PF with Turiaf and you can pick any link you want for that:

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...ork+brandon+roy&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-501&sao=1

You're not very good at this. I clicked every link on the first page and only the first one deals at all with what you're claiming Brandon thought and that one is reporting third hand info. There are no quotes at all to give any sort of context. For all we know he answered a question positively on whether he'd like to play with his friend Ronnie... I bet he wouldn't mind Dwight Howard as the backup PF either. That Ronnie is coming off a solid year + signed to a reasonable longterm deal and the lack of Bigs in GS doesn't add up to good reason to speculate the W's are really looking to move him... not to Brandon or anyone else.

Besides all that, I asked for a link to the "Memphis rumors" that I never heard of.

At worst we would have been able to get Joe Smith. As said long before, I have been holding my breath since the Zach trade. I will not do it again for this upcoming trade deadline in hopes of getting something for Blake or Travis.

How was Joe Smith a lock? Dude is from the East Coast and may start for the Hawks. He'd get 10-15 MPG tops in Portland.

Explaining again, he would have received a higher grade but would still have been hit for my above reasons. Will restate that your listing of what is guaranteed and unguaranteed is flawed. Here is your link for Drew Gooden's contract:

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1927

Drew Gooden???

STOMP