In Retrospect, If The Trade Deadline Were Tomorrow..

[ABM]

Has your opinion changed any on KP standing pat?

 

[PapaG]

Nope. I assumed nothing obviously lopsided jumped out at the Blazers, so they decided to let the team develop and not disrupt chemistry for the season.

A great move by KP, but I thought it was at the time. They still have the summer to find panicked sellers in a buyer's market.

 

[Tince]

Where are the people who said we'd struggle to make the playoffs if we didn't make a move?

Does anyone really think Richard Jefferson would have put us over 53 wins? I don't...

 

[BrianFromWA]

My opinion hasn't changed. IF (and I realize it's a big one) we could've had Arenas+Lotto pick for basically Raef and Bayless, or Jefferson for RLEC, or Carter and picks for RLEC, I think having one of those three would've been much better than what we have right now.

I'm not super-upset, because of how the team grew. I'm very happy that Travis has stepped up into a "microwave" role, rather than a "6th Man" role. I know it's a small difference, but I like Nate's use of him coming off the bench whenever we need a gunner, and think that Carter or Jefferson would be great teaming with Travis on the White Team when we need scoring (especially w/ Sergio running the show. Could you imagine Sergio/Rudy/Carter/Travis/(Oden or Joel) coming down the floor?).

From my "sources" (LOL) I got the feeling that the WAS lotto pick was extremely available if someone took on Arenas' contract. If Uncle Paul said no, I understand. If it was to preserve "cap space" this summer, I think it was a bad move.

My predictions still stand, though. 58 wins, loss in WCF or winning the Finals. I said it in September, then December and I'm saying it now.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

you're counting playoff wins in that total, yes? Or is that a prediction for next season?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I voted: 'Not Sure'

I wasn't an advocate for making a trade just to make a trade, and was fine with the deadline passing without any activity, but I will be curious to see if the playoffs reveal some warts that need to be addressed in the offseason. I don't want to sell Blake short on what has been a career year, but I worry about how his game will translate into the second season.

 

[BrianFromWA]

you're counting playoff wins in that total, yes? Or is that a prediction for next season?

No, it was my regular season guess. I was cheated out of a season of Webster and about 1/4 a season of Oden. I know we won't make 58. But I'm not going to say "oh, 54 now".

 

[BlazerCaravan]

No, it was my regular season guess. I was cheated out of a season of Webster and about 1/4 a season of Oden. I know we won't make 58. But I'm not going to say "oh, 54 now".

Okay... I was just thinking, you know, cause of... math... and all.

 

[ABM]

I voted: 'Not Sure'

I wasn't an advocate for making a trade just to make a trade, and was fine with the deadline passing without any activity, but I will be curious to see if the playoffs reveal some warts that need to be addressed in the offseason. I don't want to sell Blake short on what has been a career year, but I worry about how his game will translate into the second season.

Would you have traded Raef straight across for Richard Jefferson? If so, how would you have currently seen those minutes distributed? Better question: How would you have seen those minutes distributed next season......when Martell comes back?

Martell is such a freakin' x-factor for me. On one hand, if he can't recover from his injuries or slinks back, then, yes, I think having a guy like Jefferson would have been primo. However, if Martell comes back and plays like he showed during the wee moments of this season, then I'd be in the bake it mode.

 

[Natebishop3]

I still think we should have made a move (if there was a move to make). Raef's contract was simply too valuable. I think it was wasted.

With that said, I never made any claims whether a trade would help us into the playoffs or not. I was looking more long term, with the addition of hopefully a Gerald Wallace or Caron Butler. I'd have to think long and hard about adding Vince Carter.

 

[mook]

It all depends on what the actual deals were.

I've definitely changed my mind about Richard Jefferson. It's doubtful there's much of a deal I would've liked now.

But if we could have added Wallace or Butler without giving up Oden/Aldridge/Roy/Fernandez, we should have done it. If we could've added Vince Carter for only the RLEC, we should have done that.

With any of those three, I'd feel pretty confident about our odds of making it to the WCF this year, and with Wallace or Butler we would've locked up our future at SF for a decade.

 

[Natebishop3]

It all depends on what the actual deals were.

I've definitely changed my mind about Richard Jefferson. It's doubtful there's much of a deal I would've liked now.

But if we could have added Wallace or Butler without giving up Oden/Aldridge/Roy/Fernandez, we should have done it. If we could've added Vince Carter for only the RLEC, we should have done that.

With any of those three, I'd feel pretty confident about our odds of making it to the WCF this year, and with Wallace or Butler we would've locked up our future at SF for a decade.

That pretty much sums it up. Jefferson was a no. But like you said, the others would have been nice.

 

[MIXUM]

andre miller or gerald wallace.... hell yes. R Jeff maybe and carter prob not

batum is still way too limited on offense. we will need scoring in the playoffs. the problem is, we live and die by 2 players. Roy and Aldridge. We need a consistent 3rd scorer who gets us 15 every night. Thats not batum. The reason we get behind so much is cause we dont havea steady 3rd option who can score. it will show in the playoffs. i just hope it doesnt show too much.

 

[tlongII]

I have the same answer. BAKE IT!

 

[Nikolokolus]

Would you have traded Raef straight across for Richard Jefferson? If so, how would you have currently seen those minutes distributed? Better question: How would you have seen those minutes distributed next season......when Martell comes back?

Martell is such a freakin' x-factor for me. On one hand, if he can't recover from his injuries or slinks back, then, yes, I think having a guy like Jefferson would have been primo. However, if Martell comes back and plays like he showed during the wee moments of this season, then I'd be in the bake it mode.

Raef straight up for Jefferson? I don't believe that specific deal was ever on the table, but I probably would have done it. Minutes for this season would have come at Nicolas' expense and going forward you end up trading Martell and/or Travis, simple as that. Now are you asking me if acquiring Jefferson would have been a "slam dunk" trade, then my answer is no; he'd be a modest upgrade at the 3 at best. I was much more excited about the prospects of adding Gerald Wallace (for the right price).

As for the prospects of Martell stepping up and being a huge difference maker next season I'm not holding my breath -- despite whatever brief flashes we saw from him in an exhibition game (against the Kings at that).

 

[tlongII]

andre miller or gerald wallace.... hell yes. R Jeff maybe and carter prob not

batum is still way too limited on offense. we will need scoring in the playoffs. the problem is, we live and die by 2 players. Roy and Aldridge. We need a consistent 3rd scorer who gets us 15 every night. Thats not batum. The reason we get behind so much is cause we dont havea steady 3rd option who can score. it will show in the playoffs. i just hope it doesnt show too much.

I completely disagree. We don't need a big time 3rd option on the starting unit. Batum plays less minutes than Travis and Travis fills that role when he's in. Also Rudy can score in bunches when he is in the game.

 

[Natebishop3]

andre miller or gerald wallace.... hell yes. R Jeff maybe and carter prob not

batum is still way too limited on offense. we will need scoring in the playoffs. the problem is, we live and die by 2 players. Roy and Aldridge. We need a consistent 3rd scorer who gets us 15 every night. Thats not batum. The reason we get behind so much is cause we dont havea steady 3rd option who can score. it will show in the playoffs. i just hope it doesnt show too much.

Rudy could be that guy.

 

[tlongII]

I completely forgot about Martell! What a dummy I am! He can certainly fill that role if needed when he's healthy.

 

[Nikolokolus]

andre miller or gerald wallace.... hell yes. R Jeff maybe and carter prob not

batum is still way too limited on offense. we will need scoring in the playoffs. the problem is, we live and die by 2 players. Roy and Aldridge. We need a consistent 3rd scorer who gets us 15 every night. Thats not batum. The reason we get behind so much is cause we dont havea steady 3rd option who can score. it will show in the playoffs. i just hope it doesnt show too much.

Pretty much agree with everything you just said (Scary!! )

Now in the next two years I think Batum has the potential to become a very good offensive player, but in the meantime it would be great to have a great playmaker like Miller or a wing like Wallace who can both defend and score.

 

[PapaG]

Pretty much agree with everything you just said (Scary!! )

Now in the next two years I think Batum has the potential to become a very good offensive player, but in the meantime it would be great to have a great playmaker like Miller or a wing like Wallace who can both defend and score.

Wallace is signed at nearly $10 million/per with a player option in 2012/13. He'd be a core player, not a stopgap, and the last time I checked he still hasn't played a meaningful minute in a playoff game. I also noticed how he collapsed on Paul Pierce at the end of the game against the Celtics last week, leaving Ray Allen WIDE OPEN for the winning three point shot at the buzzer. That was pretty much the playoffs for them.

I'm just not sold at all on Gerald Wallace. I think Batum gives just as much defensively, and Nic's already a better 3-pt/outside shooter than Wallace, which in Nate's offense is much more important than having a SF that slashes as his primary offensive move.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Wallace is signed at nearly $10 million/per with a player option in 2012/13. He'd be a core player, not a stopgap, and the last time I checked he still hasn't played a meaningful minute in a playoff game. I also noticed how he collapsed on Paul Pierce at the end of the game against the Celtics last week, leaving Ray Allen WIDE OPEN for the winning three point shot at the buzzer. That was pretty much the playoffs for them.

I'm just not sold at all on Gerald Wallace. I think Batum gives just as much defensively, and Nic's already a better 3-pt/outside shooter than Wallace, which in Nate's offense is much more important than having a SF that slashes as his primary offensive move.

Fair enough, but I'm guessing that if we had the personnel at the 3 to do it consistently, you'd see a more prominent/diverse role in the offense for that position. My hope is that Nicolas in a year or two adds a little more bulk and becomes a little more consistent with his mid-range game and can be a secondary or tertiary scorer to Brandon and LaMarcus.

 

[andalusian]

Should I really remind you that we get 13PPG per game from Travis and 11 PPG from Steve Blake - night in, night out?

As this team goes forward - offense will not be a problem - Batum will get better, Rudy will become more consistent and Oden will learn to stay on the court longer (even if the impossible happens he does not improve his skills on offense - something I just can not see - he is too smart and his work ethic is good enough to ensure he will become a much more skilled offensive weapon) - thus more scoring from the Center position (love Joel - but his offense is gravy - Oden on the other hand will have consistent offensive output that you can count on).

Nic has the tools to be a better offensive player than Wallace - with his quickness, wing-span and nose for rebounds.

This team really needs to worry about the long-term solution in the PG spot and a better backup PF. The funny thing is that with the rights to Freeland and Kopo and Bayless on the roster - the Blazers might already have these "missing" pieces. Scary scary team.

 

[PapaG]

Fair enough, but I'm guessing that if we had the personnel at the 3 to do it consistently, you'd see a more prominent/diverse role in the offense for that position. My hope is that Nicolas in a year or two adds a little more bulk and becomes a little more consistent with his mid-range game and can be a secondary or tertiary scorer to Brandon and LaMarcus.

If Batum hadn't had appeared out of nowhere as a 19 year-old rookie, I'd be satisfied with a move for Gerald Wallace. With Nic, though, KP has seemed to pick the perfect offensive compliment for the way Nate runs his offense, and his defense? Let's just say that defending players ranging from Tony Parker to LeBron James to Kobe Bryant as a rookie, and not getting humiliated, has been the biggest player surprise of this season for me, bar none. I just don't see SF as a need position at this point. PG should be the priority, and I do like Andre Miller with Blake moving to the second unit.

 

[tlongII]

Should I really remind you that we get 13PPG per game from Travis and 11 PPG from Steve Blake - night in, night out?

As this team goes forward - offense will not be a problem - Batum will get better, Rudy will become more consistent and Oden will learn to stay on the court longer (even if the impossible happens he does not improve his skills on offense - something I just can not see - he is too smart and his work ethic is good enough to ensure he will become a much more skilled offensive weapon) - thus more scoring from the Center position (love Joel - but his offense is gravy - Oden on the other hand will have consistent offensive output that you can count on).

Nic has the tools to be a better offensive player than Wallace - with his quickness, wing-span and nose for rebounds.

This team really needs to worry about the long-term solution in the PG spot and a better backup PF. The funny thing is that with the rights to Freeland and Kopo and Bayless on the roster - the Blazers might already have these "missing" pieces. Scary scary team.

Repped for accuracy!

 

[PapaG]

Should I really remind you that we get 13PPG per game from Travis and 11 PPG from Steve Blake - night in, night out?

As this team goes forward - offense will not be a problem - Batum will get better, Rudy will become more consistent and Oden will learn to stay on the court longer (even if the impossible happens he does not improve his skills on offense - something I just can not see - he is too smart and his work ethic is good enough to ensure he will become a much more skilled offensive weapon) - thus more scoring from the Center position (love Joel - but his offense is gravy - Oden on the other hand will have consistent offensive output that you can count on).

Nic has the tools to be a better offensive player than Wallace - with his quickness, wing-span and nose for rebounds.

This team really needs to worry about the long-term solution in the PG spot and a better backup PF. The funny thing is that with the rights to Freeland and Kopo and Bayless on the roster - the Blazers might already have these "missing" pieces. Scary scary team.

Defensively, Bayless may be the answer at PG, but his offensive game is light years away from being able to manage the offense of a playoff-caliber team. Kopo, hmm, I just don't know. Perhaps he's a good defender, but he certainly hasn't shown that in the summer league. That said, I haven't seen enough of his game to pass judgement on what his upside is right now.

Freeland? Anything positive out of him would be gravy. He's a complete unknown other than some grainy video and some stats Europe. I equate him at this point to having the impact of a Channing Frye. I don't know if that is accurate, but that's what I see in my mind's eye.

 

[tlongII]

Andre Miller is not a significant upgrade over Blake imo.

 

[PapaG]

Andre Miller is not a significant upgrade over Blake imo.

Yeah, plus his contract means he'd better be a significant upgrade over Blake since it will limit other help for the roster.

I'm waffling on a Miller deal. I like him, but part of that may be because he seemed to crush Steve Blake when they met this season.

 

[tlongII]

Yeah, plus his contract means he'd better be a significant upgrade over Blake since it will limit other help for the roster.

I'm waffling on a Miller deal. I like him, but part of that may be because he seemed to crush Steve Blake when they met this season.

Yeah I think the fact that we got swept by the Sixers this year clouds some people's minds. You have to look at the entire body of work.

 

[Minstrel]

Miller's entire body of work supports that he's significantly better than Blake. This is one of Blake's best years (14.6 PER), and he's still below Miller's career average PER (18.0) and Miller's PER this year (18.8). Plus, Miller is a much better defender, which further widens the gap.

I'd rather get a young player in the off-season, like Ramon Sessions, but Miller would be a great add, IMO, because he'd function as a bridge for a couple of season until Bayless is ready. A good defender at the point guard spot would do wonder for the team's defense, plus he's a much better distributor than Blake. Blake is a better shooter, but I'll take Miller's overall betterness over Blake's single advantage as a shooter.

As for the trade deadline, my position has always been "I don't know." All I know is media gossip about what was available, and many of those reports contradict each other. I assume that if there was a clear upgrade opportunity, without hurting the team's future, KP would have taken it. If Richard Jefferson was all that was available, I have no problems with Pritchard passing on that. If Batum was required to get Carter or Wallace, I'm glad he passed.

 

[hasoos]

I admit I am surprised the Blazers did so well without making a move. I definitly thought they needed to. Some players on the team were not playing on a high level, and seemed to have regressed. Those same players, have stepped up quite a bit. I do still think the Blazers are thin at a couple of positions, but some players have filled in well to plug the holes.

I criticize Travis Outlaw a lot for only being a one quarter player. Over the last several weeks, he has actually become a full game player, contributing in all quarters of the game. One of the reasons I wanted a trade was because of this, I wanted a consistent player to help Roy and Aldridge out.

The second thing being the emergence of Aldridge to yet another level of play. I figured this would actually start at the beginning of the season, not towards the end. But if you look at Aldridge career, he has finished every season strong besides the one where he had the heart surgery.

Now that being said, nobody can truly say we would be better, or worse for making one of those trades. We will never know. But the Blazers did make the playoffs, something I didn't think was going to happen earlier this season. Much better than I thought they were going to do at the trade deadline.