Grantland's "Summer Winners and Losers"

[BrianFromWA]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-assessing-winners-tankers-everything-between

Under "Winners, with caveats" (along with LAC, PHX, GSW, CLE, TOR, ATL...HOU was the only "Clear Winner")

Portland Trail Blazers

It's nothing grand, but this is what you do when you can't lure big free agents (Millsap, Splitter, Roy Hibbert) from other teams: Use your cap space to swipe assets from teams that need to cut money (Thomas Robinson), and/or play the same role to snag something as the third team in what had been a two-team deal (Robin Lopez). Toss in a solid draft and the cheapo signing of Dorell Wright, and Portland projects as a playoff contender with a clean cap sheet after 2014-15.

I disagree that we can't "lure" big free agents (all three of those examples would've signed/did sign with us, but their teams matched b/c they were RFA), but agree with overall strategy.

 

[Mediocre Man]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-assessing-winners-tankers-everything-between

Under "Winners, with caveats" (along with LAC, PHX, GSW, CLE, TOR, ATL...HOU was the only "Clear Winner")


I disagree that we can't "lure" big free agents (all three of those examples would've signed/did sign with us, but their teams matched b/c they were RFA), but agree with overall strategy.

All three used us to get a bigger deal. We have to overpay to lure guys here

 

[PtldPlatypus]

All three used us to get a bigger deal. We have to overpay to lure guys here

We offered Millsap as much as we had available. We offered Hibbert as much as the CBA allowed. We offered Splitter (allegedly) what he was worth. All three were willing to come to Portland for market (not excessive) value.

We didn't have to overpay Dorell Wright. We didn't have to overpay to keep Hickson last year. We didn't have to overpay Crawford. We didn't have to overpay Miller. Help me out here--when was the last time Portland "overpaid" a free agent signing?

 

[superfly4201]

All three used us to get a bigger deal. We have to overpay to lure guys here

We offered Hibbert all we could, IND matched. We offered Milsap a huge "toxic" contract, Utah matched, 3 years ago. I wouldn't want him for what ATL paid this summer. SA can have Splitter for what they payed. He works in their system with a distributing first PG.

I really don't understand the argument that we can't sign free agents because they don't want to come here. Over the last 15 years plus we have had very little to no cap room. Is there a big name FA in the past 15 years that shunned us and signed for less with another team?

 

[magnifier661]

Superfly and platypus are right. In fact, we offered less than what other teams offered Crawford and he chose us. I still don't understand why fans think free agents wouldn't sign here? We just need to win and players will want to come.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Let's hope the answer to which big free agent would sign with another club for less money because they don't want to play in Ptd is not Lamarcus Aldridge.

 

[tlongII]

MM is just being cranky.

 

[superfly4201]

Don't a good number of former NBAers wind up living in Portland after they retire? Saw Pryz at a sushi bar in Tualatin yesterday. I think they enjoy living in relative obscurity at this stage in life. Granted I can see how the younger NBAer can get annoyed by drooling fans when they are out on the town partying.

But really the fact is we just haven't had the cap room to go after the big names. Many equate this as them not wanting to come here.....cup holds no water.

 

[Mediocre Man]

We offered Millsap as much as we had available. We offered Hibbert as much as the CBA allowed. We offered Splitter (allegedly) what he was worth. All three were willing to come to Portland for market (not excessive) value.

We didn't have to overpay Dorell Wright. We didn't have to overpay to keep Hickson last year. We didn't have to overpay Crawford. We didn't have to overpay Miller. Help me out here--when was the last time Portland "overpaid" a free agent signing?

When was the last time Portland was able to sign a tier 1 or 2 free agent?

 

[magnifier661]

When was the last time Portland was able to sign a tier 1 or 2 free agent?

If Indiana didn't match; that would be the last one, happened last season. Before that, Portland never had the cap space to sign a tier 1 or tier 2 player

 

[Mediocre Man]

If Indiana didn't match; that would be the last one, happened last season. Before that, Portland never had the cap space to sign a tier 1 or tier 2 player

When was the last time Portland was able to sign a tier 1 or 2 free agent?

 

[magnifier661]

When was the last time Portland was able to sign a tier 1 or 2 free agent?

When was the last time Portland had the cap space to sign one?

 

[Mediocre Man]

This year
Last year
The Andre Miller year

That is three in recent memory I can think of off the top of my head

 

[magnifier661]

This year
Last year
The Andre Miller year

That is three in recent memory I can think of off the top of my head

Nope the Andre miller year, that was 8 mil. Hardly enough to get a tier 1 or tier 2 player. Last year, we made an offer for hibbert and he accepted, but we learned Indiana would match. This summer; we weren't going after a tier 1 or 2 player because we needed to build our bench.

 

[superfly4201]

This year
Last year
The Andre Miller year

That is three in recent memory I can think of off the top of my head

Who is a top 1 or 2 that we could have signed this year and not shot our wad in order to fill all the holes on our squad?

We signed Batum and went hard at Hibbert last year, there was nothing left.

Again, we didn't have a ton of cap room in Miller's year. Didn't we give him 6 mil? Who was better at that price that turned us down?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Nope the Andre miller year, that was 8 mil. Hardly enough to get a tier 1 or tier 2 player. Last year, we made an offer for hibbert and he accepted, but we learned Indiana would match. This summer; we weren't going after a tier 1 or 2 player because we needed to build our bench.

8 million was hardly enough to land a tier 2 FA in 2009?


It's a simple question, mags. When was the last time Portland signed a tier 1 or 2 free agent

 

[superfly4201]

Nope the Andre miller year, that was 8 mil. Hardly enough to get a tier 1 or tier 2 player. Last year, we made an offer for hibbert and he accepted, but we learned Indiana would match. This summer; we weren't going after a tier 1 or 2 player because we needed to build our bench.

Damn, I'm always a couple minutes behind.....my hearts in it though

 

[Mediocre Man]

Who is a top 1 or 2 that we could have signed this year and not shot our wad in order to fill all the holes on our squad?

We signed Batum and went hard at Hibbert last year, there was nothing left.

Again, we didn't have a ton of cap room in Miller's year. Didn't we give him 6 mil? Who was better at that price that turned us down?

If you'll recall, there were several jokes around the forum and from the writers that Miller was plan M because no one else would come here

 

[superfly4201]

If you'll recall, there were several jokes around the forum and from the writers that Miller was plan M because no one else would come here

Yes, I heard them. It's the same jokers that say FA's won't come here now but refuse to listen to reason.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yes, I heard them. It's the same jokers that say FA's won't come here now but refuse to listen to reason.

Listening to reason isn't the problem I am facing, it's arguing with two that wont. No big time free agents have come to Portland. How am I wrong?

 

[magnifier661]

8 million was hardly enough to land a tier 2 FA in 2009?


It's a simple question, mags. When was the last time Portland signed a tier 1 or 2 free agent

We haven't but that's not saying that we can't. You are using an argument that cannot be refuted because of many variables.

And yes 8 mil is hardly enough to land a tier 1 or 2 free agent back then. Players in 09 were getting, on average 9+ mil for 3rd tier players.

The other factor is last season; there was one free agent that we wanted. We offered max and he accepted. And like I said, if Indiana didn't match; that would be the last one.

12 mil this summer is hardly enough to get a tier 1. Fuck igs got 12 mil and he's a tier 3!

I don't know where you are getting at, but I completely disagree that we can't land a tier 1 or 2 free agent.

 

[magnifier661]

Listening to reason isn't the problem I am facing, it's arguing with two that wont. No big time free agents have come to Portland. How am I wrong?

What would have happened if Indiana didn't match?

 

[superfly4201]

8 million was hardly enough to land a tier 2 FA in 2009

Is there a PG in 2009, our need, that signed with someone else for 8 mil that turned us down?

 

[Mediocre Man]

What would have happened if Indiana didn't match?

What would have happened if Oden hadn't been hurt?

What would have happened if Bowie hadn't been hurt

What would have happened if the Japanese had developed the atom bomb first?

The answer of course is that it doesn't matter because those things didn't happen

Mags.....When was the last time a tier 1 or 2 free agent came to Portland

 

[BlazerCaravan]

What Tier 1 FA was available this summer? Howard? Anyone else?

 

[superfly4201]

We haven't but that's not saying that we can't. You are using an argument that cannot be refuted because of many variables.

And yes 8 mil is hardly enough to land a tier 1 or 2 free agent back then. Players in 09 were getting, on average 9+ mil for 3rd tier players.

The other factor is last season; there was one free agent that we wanted. We offered max and he accepted. And like I said, if Indiana didn't match; that would be the last one.

12 mil this summer is hardly enough to get a tier 1. Fuck igs got 12 mil and he's a tier 3!

I don't know where you are getting at, but I completely disagree that we can't land a tier 1 or 2 free agent.

.....nuff said

 

[Mediocre Man]

We haven't but that's not saying that we can't. You are using an argument that cannot be refuted because of many variables.

And yes 8 mil is hardly enough to land a tier 1 or 2 free agent back then. Players in 09 were getting, on average 9+ mil for 3rd tier players.

The other factor is last season; there was one free agent that we wanted. We offered max and he accepted. And like I said, if Indiana didn't match; that would be the last one.

12 mil this summer is hardly enough to get a tier 1. Fuck igs got 12 mil and he's a tier 3!

I don't know where you are getting at, but I completely disagree that we can't land a tier 1 or 2 free agent.

We haven't but that's not saying that we can't.

43 years

I don't know where you are getting at, but I completely disagree that we can't land a tier 1 or 2 free agent

43 years

 

[magnifier661]

What would have heppened if Oden hadn't been hurt?

What would have happened if Bowie hadn't been hurt

What would have happened if the Japanese had developed the atom bomb first?

The answer of course is that it doesn't matter because those things didn't happen

Mags.....When was the last time a tier 1 or 2 free agent came to Portland

What the fuck does that have to do with it? Just answer the question MM. What would happen if Indiana didn't match?

 

[crandc]

MM is just being cranky.

In other news, the sun rose in the East this morning.

 

[superfly4201]

What would have heppened if Oden hadn't been hurt?

What would have happened if Bowie hadn't been hurt

What would have happened if the Japanese had developed the atom bomb first?

The answer of course is that it doesn't matter because those things didn't happen

Mags.....When was the last time a tier 1 or 2 free agent came to Portland

You are correct, we haven't signed a top teir FA. But answer our question, who could we have? That fit out need and we had the money.