Kim Hughes: We lost LaMarcus Aldridge

[Cippy91]

If (when?) Aldridge leaves, I'm gonna be beyond bitter and pissed off. Intentionally or not, he strung us Blazer fans along, getting our hopes up, making it seem like he was committed to the team and franchise. But now, it looks like he's gonna leave us high and dry.

This would totally crush my soul. It would arguably be the biggest betrayal in Blazers' history. I think Aldridge would be more hated than Oden.

This is true. As much as people wanna say "well he wants to win now and I don't blame him", you can't ignore the fact that he dragged this out. He told us he wanted to stay, was waiting on a 5 year deal and now he's gone. Starting to believe the rumors he hated it here.

 

[Darkwebs]

Assuming Hughes is correct and LMA is gonzo, Monroe would likely be our primary target. But what other free agents should we go after? Any player that we should look at in trades?

 

[illmatic99]

Great. Just great to wake up to this. This came out the same day as the 99.9 pct article by Mr. Sauces.

 

[jlprk]

Is the very high probability that Aldridge is leaving news to all of you? Where have you been? Olshey didn't lie when he said that Aldridge hadn't told Blazer management that he is definitely leaving.

On the June 26 tape, Kim Hughes exaggerated that Aldridge leaving is a proven fact. For years we've said we need a big man coach, not noticing this incompetent invisible one we have. He's just here because he's Olshey's friend. Fire him. He's too stupid. I noticed his low IQ when I watched his interviews, when he was Acting Head Coach of the Clippers, and received Outlaw and Blake from us for Camby.

As for being mad at Aldridge, I always thought he was overrated, playing at 60% capacity. I don't blame him for leaving, bored as he must be. Blame Hughes for stupidly exaggerating a probability into a certainty.

 

[BRoy7heNatural]

It hard to say but i'd let him walk and focus on bringing in someone like Monroe. We have had enough bs in our franchises history that letting him go would probably do us a world of good...

 

[BlayZa]

well fuck.

i havent even heard of this dude, but that's a PR fuck up of epic proportions.

 

[magnifier661]

Read my Godfather Part 2 and what Olshey says to Aldridge.

Yes... Yes I'm in denial

 

[Rhal]

I dont think this changes anything. For one thing its a dated interview. For another Olshey has done one hell of a job since coming here about having few to no leaks about what he is doing and whats going on. Doesnt seem like he would let an assistant coach know how his conversations are going and whats happening. That makes me think that this is more Hughes opinion then based on Hughes knowing LA told Olshey he was leaving.

 

[PDXFonz]

Bring some hot dogs and smores supplies

Mmmm hot dogs cooked over a chemical laden fire, yum!

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

That video was taken four days before free agency began.

Yesterday Quick said Neil's plan was to max out LMA with Monroe.

Bad information on Kim's part or is Monroe a last ditch effort to lock up LA?

 

[magnifier661]

That video was taken four days before free agency began.

Yesterday Quick said Neil's plan was to max out LMA with Monroe.

Bad information on Kim's part or is Monroe a last ditch effort to lock up LA?

It just seems really fishy to me. Almost too conveniently leaked.

 

[Rhal]

That video was taken four days before free agency began.

Yesterday Quick said Neil's plan was to max out LMA with Monroe.

Bad information on Kim's part or is Monroe a last ditch effort to lock up LA?

I think Monroe was always part of the plan, either to pair him up with LMA or to sign without LMA.

 

[B-Roy]

That video was taken four days before free agency began.

Yesterday Quick said Neil's plan was to max out LMA with Monroe.

Bad information on Kim's part or is Monroe a last ditch effort to lock up LA?

Things change, Aldridge is fickle, he could easily change his mind in a few days, especially with free agency starting to play out. I think one thing we can all agree on though is that the outlook is not good for Aldridge returning. The one thing I would worry about with regards to this is if it hurts our negotiating position with Monroe. If we were telling him We if a good chance of retaining Aldridge and he finds it we were operating under the assumption that Aldridge was already gone, would he feel lied to?

Regardless, I think Neil is going to fight all the way to the very end to retain LMA, regardless of what he says. If it doesn't work out, that's just something we're going to have to live with.

 

[Mediocre Man]

That's what non-disclosures are all about. He should get canned for that...

Was thinking the same thing

 

[noknobs]

How/why is this just coming out now if he said this days before free agency began? And why on earth would Hughes say such a thing? I don't understand the point of both sides denying he'd already made up his mind to leave if he had. What were they hoping to gain by stringing us along? This is weird on so many levels.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I have decided it was spliced together and Kim's soundbite was from the thumb injury. Doesn't mean I think LA stays or not though

 

[PDXFonz]

How/why is this just coming out now if he said this days before free agency began? And why on earth would Hughes say such a thing? I don't understand the point of both sides denying he'd already made up his mind to leave if he had. What were they hoping to gain by stringing us along? This is weird on so many levels.

As I said when Neil held the draft presser, letting everyone know LA is gone makes us vulnerable and negatively affects whether or not we are able to garner interest from other key free agents.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Something I don't think anyone has pointed out yet. That Leonar_d.....What a maroon!!!

 

[magnifier661]

As I said when Neil held the draft presser, letting everyone know LA is gone makes us vulnerable and negatively affects whether or not we are able to garner interest from other key free agents.

That's totally understandable, but saying something like that publicly basically undermines what you just said. The coaching staff would be just as much "on the hook" as Olshey, so saying this makes zero sense

 

[noknobs]

As I said when Neil held the draft presser, letting everyone know LA is gone makes us vulnerable and negatively affects whether or not we are able to garner interest from other key free agents.

Aldridge will likely decide two days after free agency began, so everyone will know shortly anyway. So it seems pointless. And even if Olshey was able to sign a big free agent before Aldridge makes his decision, I'd feel tricked if I was that free agent. Not a good way to start a relationship. Somehow I doubt that's why Aminu signed with us...


The people who run that website and the reporter who made the video were sitting on a goldmine and appear to be too stupid to realize it. Even the headline of the video makes no mention of it. I must have wandered into the twilight zone this morning.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Money's not talking this time folks

 

[B-Roy]

Honestly, just about everything we've done has signaled that we knew LMA was gone. Trading Batum to go young was the start. Not showing even the slightest interest in Matthews and Lopez almost confirms that they knew the chances of LMA leaving were incredibly high.

 

[Sedatedfork]

WTF on this interview. Why would he say that?

 

[TBpup]

It's tough to know if Aldridge officially told the Blazers he definitely wasn't coming back. There may have been indications and some may have felt he was gone but Neil could have said what he did and been entirely truthful still thinking that LA might not be coming back. What was definitely said by Aldridge was that he would be back, would re-sign here and was coming for Drexler's team records.

Does anyone think he meant 'top rebounder'? Perhaps, but if it takes 9 seasons for the 'best PF in the NBA to catch a SG,, who in that time played 34 playoff games compared to 94 for Clyde in Portland, and who will be 30-35 during this next massive contract, maybe there is a silver lining.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I don't know why he would say it, but I don't see where it makes a difference one way or another. He obviously felt LMA was gone, but LMA probably did not make it official at that point. I am sure Neil probably just didn't want to go down without a fight on draft night, and Kim did not know about his strategy.

 

[Schilly]

The Hughes thing could be him stating his opinion, more than him disclosing inside info.

 

[illmatic99]

The Hughes thing could be him stating his opinion, more than him disclosing inside info.

I dunno, man. When he says "it hasn't be declared yet... " and goes ahead and leaks it? Doesn't seem like an opinion to me.

 

[HailBlazers]

It's like he didn't know he was talking to A NEWS STATION.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Hughes should be fired just for being dumb; and this maybe explains why Leonard took so long to develop; I know that at one time Leonard said something to the effect that he had been practicing all the wrong things for the first couple years here. And this is also a reflection on the head coach, and makes me wonder about him; I also wonder why he hasn't tried to hire some new assistant coaches who might be higher quality; did the Blazers make a try at Monte Williams? And I know there have been a couple other guys available who specialize at defense.

 

[e_blazer]

Just waking up to this so, initial thoughts:

1. FUCK!
2. Hughes could have been the source that ESPN guys were relying on in saying that LA was 99.9% gone.
3. This was before Neil's press conference where he said he talked with LA about the ESPN reports and asked him what LA wanted Olshey to say about those reports. So, either Olshey lied about what LA said or the had a further discussion that Hughes didn't know about at the time of that news clip. Olshey could have revealed part of his plan to LA and gotten him to a place where he agreed to give Olshey a chance to pull off something big before signing somewhere else. That something big could be Monroe.
4. Hughes is probably in deep shit.