LA gone before or on draft day

[JfizzleBlazer]

Who knows what is true or not. If he really wants out, send his ass to Cleveland with Freeland for a bunch of cheap assets and try to sign al Jeff or millsap.

Lets see how much he likes Cleveland if he really does not like Portland.

 

[blue9]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=pdvh7or
Plus DET's draft pick.

 

[donkiez]

I would say its true but probably blown out of proportion. I mean who wouldn't rather spend their millionaire 20's and early 30's in a major market instead of Portland? Also LA's luck has been bad since he has been here, so he hasn't really had the chance to win here. My assumtion is that if we were winning right now it wouldn't be an issue, and that LA is just starting to light a fire under management with a sense of urgency. This draft is a big turning point for us IMO. If we draft a big who is a project I dont think LA will be happy with our team next year and probably want out, if we can get someone who is an instant help and then somehow get him a center in the mold of Hibbert or Oden then I suspect LA will be satisfied and even happy to resign.

 

[Boise Blazer]

I would say its true but probably blown out of proportion. I mean who wouldn't rather spend their millionaire 20's and early 30's in a major market instead of Portland? Also LA's luck has been bad since he has been here, so he hasn't really had the chance to win here. My assumtion is that if we were winning right now it wouldn't be an issue, and that LA is just starting to light a fire under management with a sense of urgency. This draft is a big turning point for us IMO. If we draft a big who is a project I dont think LA will be happy with our team next year and probably want out, if we can get someone who is an instant help and then somehow get him a center in the mold of Hibbert or Oden then I suspect LA will be satisfied and even happy to resign.

Getting Hibbert would have solved A LOT of this issue and made out team so different. Olshey was on the right track. Just sucks that Indy knew that too.

 

[BrianFromWA]

That's what LMA said after the season. Hell, he even basically said that next year could be bumpy, too, but that he thinks they have a chance to contend in 2014-15. Yet people want to trade him for role players to "get young".

I want to trade him to "get assets that can help this team be a contender in the next few years". If that entails getting "young", great. If that entails picking up Shawn Marions and/or Emeka Okafors to get draft picks or young players with high upside, great. If that entails getting someone older who has more than 2 years before they leave Portland, great.
BTW, it looks like my revised 92% certainty that he'll leave was too low.

If Portland doesn't have plans to drastically improve its roster in time for the 2013-14 NBA season, Aldridge would prefer to be moved, and his first choice would be Chicago, the source said...However, if Portland doesn't make the necessary adjustments Aldridge sees fit, he will come back to Portland and fulfill his contractual obligation and he wouldn't be a problem

I have no doubt that he would be a professional and play at a similar level to the last 2-3 years here over the next 2-3 years.

 

[PapaG]

Who knows what is true or not. If he really wants out, send his ass to Cleveland with Freeland for a bunch of cheap assets and try to sign al Jeff or millsap.

Lets see how much he likes Cleveland if he really does not like Portland.

Gee, what a great idea. Send LMA away while making the Blazers much worse. That will show him!!

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=pdvh7or
Plus DET's draft pick.

I doubt Detroit would do that with Drummond involved.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Gee, what a great idea. Send LMA away while making the Blazers much worse. That will show him!!

Or Ya know, we could keep him for two Years and let him walk if he really wants out. That would set this franchise up nicely!!!

 

[blazerboy30]

I want to trade him to "get assets that can help this team be a contender in the next few years". If that entails getting "young", great. If that entails picking up Shawn Marions and/or Emeka Okafors to get draft picks or young players with high upside, great. If that entails getting someone older who has more than 2 years before they leave Portland, great.
BTW, it looks like my revised 92% certainty that he'll leave was too low.

I have no doubt that he would be a professional and play at a similar level to the last 2-3 years here over the next 2-3 years.

This "92% certainty" and the corresponding "analysis" is comical.

 

[blazerboy30]

Or Ya know, we could keep him for two Years and let him walk if he really wants out. That would set this franchise up nicely!!!

We'd get $16M in cap space to use.

You would rather:

If he really wants out, send his ass to Cleveland with Freeland for a bunch of cheap assets......Lets see how much he likes Cleveland if he really does not like Portland.

Yeah, a great strategy for improving the team is to trade somebody out of spite and revenge to prove a point.

 

[PapaG]

Or Ya know, we could keep him for two Years and let him walk if he really wants out. That would set this franchise up nicely!!!

The cap space might actually be nice, as opposed to a bunch of role players like Millsap on a contract.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

We'd get $16M in cap space to use.

You would rather:



Yeah, a great strategy for improving the team is to trade somebody out of spite and revenge to prove a point.

Lol. Guess you missed the whole getting cheap young assets back portion of that. No spite, would be funny watching what he says about Cleveland.

 

[PapaG]

Lol. Guess you missed the whole getting cheap young assets back portion of that. No spite, would be funny watching what he says about Cleveland.

What "cheap young assets"? Draft picks? They will eat up cap space if the Blazers use them this year for the next 4 years. Unless, of course, another Babbitt or Nolan Smith is drafted with the 19th spot, with is as likely as getting a solid player at that spot.

 

[blue9]

I doubt Detroit would do that with Drummond involved.

I do too. But that'd be my dream target. I'd also consider Monroe. But barring one of those, I think the rumored CLE deal is still the best.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

The cap space might actually be nice, as opposed to a bunch of role players like Millsap on a contract.

Yes. Cap space means we can sign guys like Andre miller and hedo turkoglu.

Sorry. Id rather have the #1 pick this year along with waiters and gorgui Dieng, while have space than just space in two years.

Don't get me wrong, I do not want to trade lma, but if he really wants out, I'd like to get assets back instead of simply letting him walk.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

What "cheap young assets"? Draft picks? They will eat up cap space if the Blazers use them this year for the next 4 years. Unless, of course, another Babbitt or Nolan Smith is drafted with the 19th spot, with is as likely as getting a solid player at that spot.

Nice try. Years three and four are team options on rookie deals.

 

[Rhal]

So the report comes out that we need to improve the team or LA will demand a trade? Posters here have been saying that for over a year and LMA has hinted at that multiple times. Its the big reason why I don't' want to trade him for these packages that I don't see that great a value in. Keep him let him play this year, if we suck by the trade deadline there will be a TON of deals for him, and if were going decent we don't trade him see where we go and if we make the playoffs and lose in the first round evaluate the roster after the season. If Olshey thinks our cap is 1 and done then move LA, if he thinks our cap is much higher then we keep LA.

 

[blazerboy30]

Lol. Guess you missed the whole getting cheap young assets back portion of that. No spite, would be funny watching what he says about Cleveland.

Sorry. I'm not interested in the perceptual fantasy league, playing GM thing. That's why people constantly want "young assets" so they can sit on the interwebz trying to come up with more trade scenarios for next season.

I'd rather acquire a player that is ACTUALLY good, not maybe, possibly, potentially, a "roster hole filler".

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Sorry. I'm not interested in the perceptual fantasy league, playing GM thing. That's why people constantly want "young assets" so they can sit on the interwebz trying to come up with more trade scenarios for next season.

I'd rather acquire a player that is ACTUALLY good, not maybe, possibly, potentially, a "roster hole filler".

Sure, id rather trade lma for a guy that can play now too. I just don't see Much opportunity for that. Lma for Noah, if lma really wants out? Sign me up. But I'd rather take cheap young assets instead of letting him walk. Letting him walk for nothing if he really wanted out would be idiotic

 

[blazerboy30]

Sure, id rather trade lma for a guy that can play now too. I just don't see Much opportunity for that. Lma for Noah, if lma really wants out? Sign me up. But I'd rather take cheap young assets instead of letting him walk. Letting him walk for nothing if he really wanted out would be idiotic

Not idiotic. You're putting zero value on $16M in cap space.

Even our own GM agrees with me. He tried to sign a high-impact, max player in Hibbert. When that didn't work, he didn't go blow the cap space on a collection of mediocrity.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Not idiotic. You're putting zero value on $16M in cap space.

Even our own GM agrees with me. He tried to sign a high-impact, max player in Hibbert. When that didn't work, he didn't go blow the cap space on a collection of mediocrity.

What has 16 million in cap space gotten us in the past? We aren't the Lakers or Knicks. Portland is not a desirable location.

 

[blue9]

Not idiotic. You're putting zero value on $16M in cap space.

Even our own GM agrees with me. He tried to sign a high-impact, max player in Hibbert. When that didn't work, he didn't go blow the cap space on a collection of mediocrity.

You're making the assumption that all of the young players we get back will be no better than mediocre. That might be true, but to this point there's nothing to base that opinion on.

 

[blazerboy30]

You're making the assumption that all of the young players we get back will be no better than mediocre. That might be true, but to this point there's nothing to base that opinion on.

No. I'm making the assumption that there is a much higher probability that a player obtained with a max deal (or close to max at $16M) is better than an asset obtained as part of a package in a trade.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

No. I'm making the assumption that there is a much higher probability that a player obtained with a max deal (or close to max at $16M) is better than an asset obtained as part of a package in a trade.

How do small market teams acquire these max deal players? Surely not through free agency.

 

[magnifier661]

How do small market teams acquire these max deal players? Surely not through free agency.

Through building a winning organization and having the cap flexibility, young up and coming talent, draft picks and to make a lop sided deal for that player.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Through building a winning organization and having the cap flexibility, young up and coming talent, draft picks and to make a lop sided deal for that player.

Sure, which makes my point. Acquiring young cheap assets is better than letting lma walk for cap space as a small market team

 

[magnifier661]

Sure, which makes my point. Acquiring young cheap assets is better than letting lma walk for cap space as a small market team

Aldridge is worth more than young and up and coming players though. He has a very manageable contract too.

 

[blazerboy30]

How do small market teams acquire these max deal players? Surely not through free agency.

If you honestly think that small-market teams have no chance of getting max deal players, even though we have the cap space, then why are we even discussing trade possibilities and personnel decisions? If that is truly the case, then all of this discussion is completely meaningless a we should just sit back and enjoy or hate the ride.

Portland's most recent and truly successful teams (2000 team) were not built through drafting. They were built by spending and acquiring proven players.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Aldridge is worth more than young and up and coming players though. He has a very manageable contract too.

I don't disagree. But if he really wants out you prioritize.

1. Trade him for a player comparable in talent
2. Trade him for young cheap assets/picks
3. Avoid at all costs letting him walk for nothing

 

[magnifier661]

I don't disagree. But if he really wants out you prioritize.

1. Trade him for a player comparable in talent
2. Trade him for young cheap assets/picks
3. Avoid at all costs letting him walk for nothing

Well the good thing is we have him for 2 years. Play the beginning of the season and play with offers. If none are good, then you can wait until next summer and use Aldridge to grab a high pick in next year's draft. And that draft is much stronger than this one.