JA Adande - ESPN - Trail Blazers looking to move into the top 10.

[barfo]

Bottom line: I think the situation is way too fluid to get a great read on what the team really wants to do.

No, no, we can figure this out. We just have to keep posting! Once we reach a critical mass of hypotheticals, hyperbole, and horseshit, the answer will become clear.

barfo

 

[ironcrotch]

4 players

Pryz
Miller
Batum
Oden
Top 10 pick

for

Paul and Okafor

I think NOH would take that

While we're at it we should just throw in Roy too.

 

[Nikolokolus]

No, no, we can figure this out. We just have to keep posting! Once we reach a critical mass of hypotheticals, hyperbole, and horseshit, the answer will become clear.

barfo

Well at least if we hit every possibility then we can decisively say that at least one of us knew all along what was going to happen.

 

[Mediocre Man]

What team in the lottery wouldn't love to have a guy who complains about playing time while not earning any, fades when the team needs them most and apparently is allergic to weight lifting?







Besides, of course, all of them.

I won't be sad to see the backside of Spanish Flu.

A team trying to lure Rubio over?

A team with a large hispanic fan base?

A team that was close and could use a proven player over a rookie?

A team that was rebuilding and didn't think there was a huge difference between 10 and 22 in the draft....and they get Rudy and an early 2nd?

 

[oldmangrouch]

I am not a huge fan of rudy. that being said assuming we do not get one of the first five picks, who is there at 5-10 that we would want more than a combination of rudy and whatever we can get with the other two picks?

IMHO, you grab Aminu. He may be a "project", but with LMA/Batum entrenched as the starters, you can afford to bring him along at a reasonable pace. If you want immediate help, go for Monroe. Limited upside, but good skills and more NBA ready. Patterson would be another decent option.

 

[mook]

Well, the report just says we are trying to get that deal. It doesn't say anyone is biting.

barfo

That reminds me--I'm trying to complete a deal where a Miss Universe winner cleans my scrotum every morning for a year in exchange for a half-finished bag of Twizzlers.

 

[blazerboy30]

4 players

Pryz
Miller
Batum
Oden
Top 10 pick

for

Paul and Okafor

I think NOH would take that

I wouldn't approve this deal for the Blazers.

 

[BrianFromWA]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/news/story?id=5315275

The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are close to swapping first-round draft picks, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The Grizzlies would send their 16th overall pick to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' 25th and 28th picks.

25+28=16, so 22+34 for 10 isn't far off.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

It would be so hard to part with Oden, but it definitely makes you think twice. Okafor is no slouch and would probably thrive under McMillan.

 

[BrianFromWA]

BTW, what's MIN going to do with the 23, 25 and 28 pick? There aren't that many "stashable" players.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

^^ I wish we'd get #16 for our 22 and 34.

 

[B-Roy]

While we're at it we should just throw in Roy too.

I don't think that's too much to give at all, and I'd take that deal in a heartbeat. (without Roy )

 

[andalusian]

If KP can pull that off, he deserves a parade.

There was already a cameo parade for him in the "LeBron to Portland" rally.

On the other hand, if he can pull this:

He deserves the Prada.

 

[Cake]

Man I don't know how any GM justifies accepting that for a lotto pick.

Here's how I would justify it if I were the GM of the Clippers.

We have the 8th pick and the 54th pick, but only 5 players under contract. This is widely considered to be a deep draft. The dropoff between 8 and 23 is big, but not staggeringly big. If we can get a solid rotation player with the Portland picks at 23 and 34, along with a known quantity in Rudy Fernandez, who showed a lot of promise in his rookie season before falling off last year with injuries and a sand filled vagina, then we'd be getting three cheap players who should be ready to contribute. My franchise has blown it with top picks in the past, so why not try a shotgun approach by picking up three players and hoping one of them pans out?

Pretty well justified I think.

 

[oldmangrouch]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/news/story?id=5315275


25+28=16, so 22+34 for 10 isn't far off.

If this is for real, I wonder if Memphis would just sell the pick for cash?

 

[hasoos]

Chad ford is now stating that Wes Johnson has moved up to #3, and that would explain why Minnesota went fishing for Batum. It would also mean that Cousins and favors both sliding to 4 and beyond. Cousins will probably not make it past 6. If Portland could move up enough, it would give them some freedom to move a big.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Here's how I would justify it if I were the GM of the Clippers.

We have the 8th pick and the 54th pick, but only 5 players under contract. This is widely considered to be a deep draft. The dropoff between 8 and 23 is big, but not staggeringly big. If we can get a solid rotation player with the Portland picks at 23 and 34, along with a known quantity in Rudy Fernandez, who showed a lot of promise in his rookie season before falling off last year with injuries and a sand filled vagina, then we'd be getting three cheap players who should be ready to contribute. My franchise has blown it with top picks in the past, so why not try a shotgun approach by picking up three players and hoping one of them pans out?

Pretty well justified I think.

Hmmm ... the cynic in me wants to dismiss this whole idea, but you might be on to something. We all know that Sterling is s tight-fisted D-bag who cares more about his bottom line than a successful team. and the slotted salary due an 8th pick when there might not be players they want there could be awfully attractive to trade back into the draft and also take a flier on Rudy who they might see as being more productive with a change of scenery.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's how I would justify it if I were the GM of the Clippers.
My franchise has blown it with top picks in the past, so why not try a shotgun approach by picking up three players and hoping one of them pans out?
Pretty well justified I think.

Not to mention there are precedents:
The Clippers themselves turned Antonio McDyess at #2 (three picks ahead of Kevin Garnett) into 3 solid players from Denver (Rodney Rogers, the then Brian Williams and the #15 pick, OSU's own Brent Barry)
New Jersey famously turning the #7 (the ill-fated Eddie Griffin) into Richard Jefferson (13), Jason Collins (18) and Brandon Armstrong (23))

 

[BrianFromWA]

also saves them about a million off of their cap space, getting them closer to a max FA.

 

[hasoos]

Here's how I would justify it if I were the GM of the Clippers.

We have the 8th pick and the 54th pick, but only 5 players under contract. This is widely considered to be a deep draft. The dropoff between 8 and 23 is big, but not staggeringly big. If we can get a solid rotation player with the Portland picks at 23 and 34, along with a known quantity in Rudy Fernandez, who showed a lot of promise in his rookie season before falling off last year with injuries and a sand filled vagina, then we'd be getting three cheap players who should be ready to contribute. My franchise has blown it with top picks in the past, so why not try a shotgun approach by picking up three players and hoping one of them pans out?

Pretty well justified I think.

Yea you might be on to something. But I think it would be more like this: The Clippers make the trade because they don't have to justify it to anybody. It doesn't even have to make sense at all. It's the Clippers, you see. They plan on being fucked every year.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yea you might be on to something. But I think it would be more like this: The Clippers make the trade because they don't have to justify it to anybody. It doesn't even have to make sense at all. It's the Clippers, you see. They plan on being fucked every year.

Well there is that.

 

[Idog1976]

or improving their offer to NOH

Exactly what I was thinking. You start talking about LMA, Przybilla, Miller + Batum + top 10 pick and I think CP3 deal becomes possible. Especially if NOH can move West for something. Man I'm starting to get excited. I've thought about Paul being a Blazer since 2005...

Wouldn't it be hilarious if Webster was involved? All the Webster haters could finally shut the fuck up as Webster became the key to getting Paul.

The Ironing would be delicious as Bart Simpson likes to say.

 

[Idog1976]

or improving their offer to NOH

MMMMM love me some Paul to Roy action. Something tells me those two would LOVE to play together once they finally did. Also they would extend one anothers careers by being the play maker while the other rested.

Two triple threats in the back court.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I would not give up Aldridge AND Batum. Chris Paul is great and all, but he's a small ball-dominant guard who I'm very unsure would work well with Roy. Roy and Aldridge make each other better. Roy and Paul would subtract from each other. (That doesn't mean I wouldn't be ecstatic to get Paul for a bunch of scrubs and give that combination a try, I hasten to add.)

And I have a feeling that NO would not WANT Aldridge. He's got a big contract.

 

[hasoos]

I would not give up Aldridge AND Batum. Chris Paul is great and all, but he's a small ball-dominant guard who I'm very unsure would work well with Roy. Roy and Aldridge make each other better. Roy and Paul would subtract from each other. (That doesn't mean I wouldn't be ecstatic to get Paul for a bunch of scrubs and give that combination a try, I hasten to add.)

And I have a feeling that NO would not WANT Aldridge. He's got a big contract.

Yea because the one time Roy and Paul did play together, they only kicked ass in the all star game. . Just like this play sucked:

[video=youtube;1QB2ZM1KF1c]

 

[LameR]

Yea because the one time Roy and Paul did play together, they only kicked ass in the all star game. . Just like this play sucked:

[video=youtube;1QB2ZM1KF1c]

While I see where you're coming from, an all-star game with no defense isn't the best of references.

 

[hasoos]

While I see where you're coming from, an all-star game with no defense isn't the best of references.

Actually it's funny you mention that. Because the reason they turned the game was because Paul and Roy played defense and got into the open court. Go find the footage of the game and watch for yourself. They completely turned that game around when Roy and Paul were teamed together.

 

[EGame]

Exactly what I was thinking. You start talking about LMA, Przybilla, Miller + Batum + top 10 pick and I think CP3 deal becomes possible. Especially if NOH can move West for something. Man I'm starting to get excited. I've thought about Paul being a Blazer since 2005...

Wouldn't it be hilarious if Webster was involved? All the Webster haters could finally shut the fuck up as Webster became the key to getting Paul.


The Ironing would be delicious as Bart Simpson likes to say.

Don't get to excited. While I still hold out some hope that we can get Paul, it is hard to get super excited because I have a hard time envisioning New Orleans letting him go. And if they do decide to let him go, we still have to go up against plenty of other teams, if we get the top 10 pick that could only help our chances, but I don't see how we are getting a top 10 pick. Thanks to Rudy being God awful, he and lower picks won't get the job done. More has to go out.

 

[blazerboy30]

Actually it's funny you mention that. Because the reason they turned the game was because Paul and Roy played defense and got into the open court.

I call BS.

 

[hasoos]

I call BS.

Crazy isn't it? Roy playing defense and getting into the open court? But here is the reason I think it worked there and doesn't work with Andre Miller so much. The facts are Andre Miller is not as good as Chris Paul, so Roy doesn't even think about deferring. With Chris Paul, he can't do that. Chris Paul is a name he can't ignore.