KP on the radio...........

[B-Roy]

It was probably anyone on the roster except Raef.

KP: I'll give you Raef for Carter, but you have to add the GS pick.

Thorn: Ok, fine, but you have to add Channing Frye.

KP: No.

Thorn: Really? That guy will hold up a deal?

KP: Yes, that guy.

 

[andalusian]

No, but the brand of basketball we've been playing over the past month is not going to get us to 50 mins. The game is different after the all-star break, and teams are going to start playing better. Right now, it seems like we're playing worse, just like we did last season after the break.

I already said it in another thread - but I will repeat:

What we have seen in the last 8 games is a team that is very inconsistent (with the exception of Brandon and to a lesser degree Aldridge) - who was not playing as good as you would expect them (but this is somewhat expected without Blake and having a rookie and a change-of-pace floor general fill in him for him - and despite what they say - the trade deadline had to weight on some of these kids) - and they still managed to win at a 0.625 clip - which tells you that while they can not play consistently as good as their talent allows them - they can still strike pretty efficiently when it matters.

I fully expect them to get hot again in a couple of weeks or so and go on a little run - because they can play much better - and I suspect that now that they know they stay together and can remove the obstacle of being distracted by the possibility of being traded - they will.

Maybe I am just a glass-half-full guy - but I think that it is wonderful that they won as much as they did when they did not play as well as I think they can.

 

[Masbee]

If the deal was Gerald Wallace and Nazr Mohammed for RLEC and Batum, and we didn't do it...

That would have been a bad trade...... for the Blazers. And, I was a big proponent of making a run at Gerald Wallace, even before he was officially shopped. Part of the thinking was that Wallace was a good target as he might be had in a good deal. The above is a not a good deal.

I would have turned the above down if I was GM.

 

[tlongII]

I already said it in another thread - but I will repeat:

What we have seen in the last 8 games is a team that is very inconsistent (with the exception of Brandon and to a lesser degree Aldridge) - who was not playing as good as you would expect them (but this is somewhat expected without Blake and having a rookie and a change-of-pace floor general fill in him for him - and despite what they say - the trade deadline had to weight on some of these kids) - and they still managed to win at a 0.625 clip - which tells you that while they can not play consistently as good as their talent allows them - they can still strike pretty efficiently when it matters.

I fully expect them to get hot again in a couple of weeks or so and go on a little run - because they can play much better - and I suspect that now that they know they stay together and can remove the obstacle of being distracted by the possibility of being traded - they will.

Maybe I am just a glass-half-full guy - but I think that it is wonderful that they won as much as they did when they did not play as well as I think they can.

Repped!

 

[LittleAlex]

KP didn't want to give up players when they don't know what their upside is. There's too much potential here, and he doesnt' want to give up on them.

Potential, the crack cocaine of NBA GMs. Can't give it away for free, can't have enough and in the end makes you look like a fucking moron.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Kevin wasn't going to give up a whole lot for a 2-3 year rental player essentially. He'd rather have Batum over that same time span, and then 10 years after that.

Smart man.

Indeed. I can't believe that the kid is starting and not making a mess of himself out there. Remember when Jermaine played as a rookie? Outlaw? The growth between first and fourth years is immense. Look at Roy now versus Roy as a rookie. Look at LMA. Hell, look at Joel's growth in the last three years! Invest in their growth now, and reap the benefits a few years later. Stagger that growth so that a new player or two is growing every year (if Oden hadn't gone down, he'd be one year beyond Rudy/Batum/Bayless), and you essentially set up what successful college programs have: continuity. Only you also get the benefit of more than four years with a player.

 

[Natebishop3]

That would have been a bad trade...... for the Blazers. And, I was a big proponent of making a run at Gerald Wallace, even before he was officially shopped. Part of the thinking was that Wallace was a good target as he might be had in a good deal. The above is a not a good deal.

I would have turned the above down if I was GM.

You're going to have to elaborate Masbee. Why do you think it is a bad deal?

 

[Minstrel]

Potential, the crack cocaine of NBA GMs. Can't give it away for free, can't have enough and in the end makes you look like a fucking moron.

That made next to no sense. You can't give cocaine away for free? From what I've heard, the prices tend to be pretty high. Can't give potential away for free? Cleveland couldn't have given LeBron James away for free the summer before his rookie season?

Basically...what?

 

[LittleAlex]

Indeed. I can't believe that the kid is starting and not making a mess of himself out there. Remember when Jermaine played as a rookie? Outlaw? The growth between first and fourth years is immense. Look at Roy now versus Roy as a rookie. Look at LMA. Hell, look at Joel's growth in the last three years! Invest in their growth now, and reap the benefits a few years later. Stagger that growth so that a new player or two is growing every year (if Oden hadn't gone down, he'd be one year beyond Rudy/Batum/Bayless), and you essentially set up what successful college programs have: continuity. Only you also get the benefit of more than four years with a player.

This would be true if every player got better over time. A huge number of players get to a certain level, then cap out. Batum might get better next year. He might not. Maybe he decides he likes hookers and acid as much as he like basketball and starts fucking up. We haven't the slightest idea. If the only hold up for getting a guy you KNOW is good right now was Batum then they fucked up. I kind of doubt that was the only road block, though.

 

[Minstrel]

This would be true if every player got better over time.

Most players do. There are pretty well-established career path curves for professional athletes based on averages. 19-20 year olds tend to have a lot of development left prior to their prime.

Obviously, there are significant outliers, so there's no guarantee. But it's certainly not a crap shoot. The best bet is on Batum improving quite a lot.

 

[nzsprinter]

It was probably anyone on the roster except Raef.

KP: I'll give you Raef for Carter, but you have to add the GS pick.

Thorn: Ok, fine, but you have to add Channing Frye.

KP: No.

Thorn: Really? That guy will hold up a deal?

KP: Yes, that guy.

I wouldn't expect a different answer from him. There is no point now in saying that you would of traded person A for person B that would be detrimental to the team chemistry. What is done is done, now we just need to play b-ball and get home court advantage for the playoffs.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

No, but the brand of basketball we've been playing over the past month is not going to get us to 50 mins.

We've played .623 ball through 53 games (.about .620 since Jan. 1st), thus far, so our current "pace" would have us on target to win a little more than 18 of the remaining 29 games.

33 + 18 = 51

"Learn the game... then post!"*






* Just messin' with ya... figured I'd throw a little random KingSpeed B.S. in there to spice things up a bit!

 

[HailBlazers]

19-20 year olds tend to have a lot of development left prior to their prime.
The best bet is on Batum improving quite a lot.

Word. Batum/Bayless. Bake Em.

 

[B-Roy]

We've played .623 ball through 53 games (.about .620 since Jan. 1st), thus far, so our current "pace" would have us on target to win a little more than 18 of the remaining 29 games.

33 + 18 = 51

"Learn the game... then post!"*






* Just messin' with ya... figured I'd throw a little random KingSpeed B.S. in there to spice things up a bit!

I don't believe we can beat any Western Conference Playoff team on the road, and even at home it's a big toss up.

I really hate to say it, but I'm feeling a bit MIXUM-y after what has transpired today. In a really sick, demented, and twisted way, I kind of hope we miss the playoffs. (Yeah, bash on me) I just can't, for the life of me understand how they could pass up such a golden opportunity to improve an obviously flawed roster. You can spew SUMMER OF 09 all you want, but the free agent class stinks and we're not going to have a chance at the same calibre of players that we did with RLEC.

I'll get over it, but right now, I'm hoping the Blazers lose the next 10-20 games in a row and I'm seriously contemplating skipping the next few games to gather myself. (I haven't purposely missed a game in a few years) Yeah, I sound whiny, and it's a bit extreme, but I'm really depressed we didn't do something with RLEC.

And on top of that Sergio is still getting minutes over Bayless and Outlaw still isn't working on his defense.

 

[xflavioVC15x]

KP: "When it's time to strike, we will!"

I wonder when that will be?

 

[Fawzi83]

I don't believe we can beat any Western Conference Playoff team on the road, and even at home it's a big toss up.

I really hate to say it, but I'm feeling a bit MIXUM-y after what has transpired today. In a really sick, demented, and twisted way, I kind of hope we miss the playoffs. (Yeah, bash on me) I just can't, for the life of me understand how they could pass up such a golden opportunity to improve an obviously flawed roster. You can spew SUMMER OF 09 all you want, but the free agent class stinks and we're not going to have a chance at the same calibre of players that we did with RLEC.

I'll get over it, but right now, I'm hoping the Blazers lose the next 10-20 games in a row and I'm seriously contemplating skipping the next few games to gather myself. (I haven't purposely missed a game in a few years) Yeah, I sound whiny, and it's a bit extreme, but I'm really depressed we didn't do something with RLEC.

Tell us how you really feel

 

[MAS RipCity]

Cool. KP says Oden won't need surgery on his knee.

Best news of the day..fuck the trade deadline, we need our big fella healthy!

 

[B-Roy]

Tell us how you really feel

I want to kill Sergio.

 

[Sinobas]

Maybe Paul Allen just didn't want to pay the extra money? Maybe he figures this is his time to re-coup some of his losses, before our payroll balloons as all our youngin's come off their rookie contacts.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

It was probably anyone on the roster except Raef.

KP: I'll give you Raef for Carter, but you have to add the GS pick.

Thorn: Ok, fine, but you have to add Channing Frye.

KP: No.

Thorn: Really? That guy will hold up a deal?

KP: Yes, that guy.

You really believe that?

My guess is it went more like:
Thorn: Ok, fine but you have to add either Rudy or Bayless.
KP: NO

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Maybe Paul Allen just didn't want to pay the extra money? Maybe he figures this is his time to re-coup some of his losses, before our payroll balloons as all our youngin's come off their rookie contacts.

I agree.

And I think everyone wanted Raef and either Bayless, Rudy, or Batum. If that's true, then I'm glad KP didnt take any of those deals.

 

[B-Roy]

You really believe that?

My guess is it went more like:
Thorn: Ok, fine but you have to add either Rudy or Bayless.
KP: NO

I'm basing it off of rumors that have been flying around. Could they have been asking for Rudy/Bayless/Batum? Sure, but I'm not going to go that route because I haven't heard anything about them.

 

[Masbee]

You're going to have to elaborate Masbee. Why do you think it is a bad deal?

Batum is a good prospect. How many 19 years olds have made solid contributions......

Wait......

to a 50 win team?

Dude is in the rotation. And, he was drated out of the lottery......

Thus, is on a VERY cheap rookie contract.

Thus, in today's NBA is worth bonus points. There are lots of guys (not injured) making many times more than he is giving their teams far less.

Nazr's contract is crap. And would cost the Blazers double. That is a huge, nasty, bitter pill. So bad, that it means losing a rotation player down the line to equalize the budget impact.

Say adios to Travis and/or Blake. Kiss using the MLE on a needed free agent goodbye.

Then, there is Gerald Wallace. A good defender and attacker of the rim on the offensive end. Poor jump shot. Plays with reckless abandon. Think of him as the deluxe version of Ruben Patterson - except unlike Ruben, he can't stay healthy.

I like him and wish we had him right now. I worried about his ability to not break the defensive and offensive schemes, ala Ruben. Can he play the "right way" to use a Larry Brown phrase, or can he learn? Or, is he destined to be a great individual talent who fails to fully integrate into a unit that is better than the sum of its parts?

 

[jwhoops11]

Thanks again for the recap as I wasn't able to listen to either interview.

I guess the question I have after reading all of this thread is this.


If Pritchard admited to being "to much in love with his roster" to make a move today, why should we expect this will change during the offseason?

Seems to me that Jefferson and Wallace are B level players, does KP think that A level players will be available, and if so do we really need to ad an A level player that will need shots and take minutes from guys on this roster that he loves?

Why not just bite the bullet and Get Wallace and move a guy you may love? I just don't see how many better options will be there this summer.

 

[jwhoops11]

I wonder when that will be?

I kind of see this as the issue. I love KP, but it sounds like he's so in love with his process of evaluating talent that he sees his roster as better than it really is. I'll admit, I'm worried now that the the time may "never be right to stike" becuase he's over valued a guy like Outlaw or Batum. I think this should really be a concern of anyone who is a Blazersfan. If he couldn't move Travis today becuase of his friendship with LA and Roy, will he ever be able to make that call?

 

[Entity]

I wonder when that will be?

This might be a question I'd ask if they stopped getting better.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

This whole "Blazers are 4th in the conference" is being taken out of perspective, IMO.

Yes the Blazers are 4th in the conference . . . by .5 games. They are also 1 game ahead of the seventh spot and three games ahead of a charging Suns team that is in 9th place.

It's going to be a dogfight for the playoffs for several teams, including the Blazers.

 

[JDC]

This whole "Blazers are 4th in the conference" is being taken out of perspective, IMO.

Yes the Blazers are 4th in the conference . . . by .5 games. They are also 1 game ahead of the seventh spot and three games ahead of a charging Suns team that is in 9th place.

It's going to be a dogfight for the playoffs for several teams, including the Blazers.

Taken out of persepective? It's reality. Sure, this team isn't playing the way that would give us fans the confidence that they'll stay at that spot, but there is still time for this team to change that feeling.

And as for the "charging Suns"....they're going to have to play somebody other than the paper Clips for me to think the same.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Taken out of persepective? It's reality. Sure, this team isn't playing the way that would give us fans the confidence that they'll stay at that spot, but there is still time for this team to change that feeling.

And as for the "charging Suns"....hhey're going to have to play somebody other than the paper Clips for me to think the same.

Well OK, it's reality, but it is being used to argue how well the Blazers are doing. I(t's also reality that the Blazer are below .500 in their last 5 games.) To me bottom line is Blazers aren't playing well lately, so to justify that the Blazers are fine because they are in 4th place is taking the standings out of perspective. Just like if the Blazers lose the next game and drop to 7th place (which is possible) . . . to say they are dropping out of the playoffs because they went from 4th to 7th in less than a week, is taking the standings out of perspective.

29 games left, Blazers are 3 games ahead of the 9th place team and 3.5 games behind the division leaders. I think those facts are much more telling than the Blazers currently being in 4th place.

Edit: I was reading another thread and the term "fool's gold" came up . . . that is how I see the 4th position right now.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Fucking in-grates.

Let's bitch a little more. Seen it on every Blazer board today. Doubt KP? Have a little bit of patience. We're headed for the playoffs. He's turned around the entire roster. We're still going to have some salary cap flexibility. Everyone, everywhere, take a chill pill. Have a glass of wine, smoke a little herb. Chill out. Everything is okay. We could be the Suns or Dallas. Build it quick, get close, drift away, and die out. Or we could do it right and work our way towards something special. No title is guaranteed, but I'm damn excited to see where this team is headed. Aren't you? Have some pride, have some faith. KP made the right decision for the right team at the right time.

Oh....and.... Let it bake!