LA on Rome......

[Draco]

Lots of chest thumping and hand wringing in this thread.

1) He isn't signed.

2) The season is still young.

I'm glad that he says he would sign and extension, but I find it humorous that this was said, when he's acting as though this is a done deal.

He hasn't signed. This is all talk at this point. A lot can happen in the next six months. We could go on another 13 game losing streak. We could go on to win the championship, but you don't know what will happen anymore than we do. Nobody expected the team to be this good at this juncture. I figured we were good enough to be a top 4 or 5 seed. I still think we might end up around 4th in the west, but most of the talk about trading Aldridge was BEFORE we brought in Mo, Wright, Lopez, and Robinson. I underestimated Olshey. I didn't think he could completely retool our bench like that.

The point is; there is still a long way to go, he can't sign an extension until after the season, and a lot can happen in six months. I wouldn't count your chickens before they're hatched.

Well BrianFromWA was always one of my more favorite posters so it did bother me in the summer to see him have such a strong opinion that was so terribly wrong.

Trading away an all-star player for less than equal value is a bad move. A top pick in a terrible draft was not good value. If the Blazers could’ve got fair value for Aldridge I was fine with trading him. That the Blazers are winning or losing right now or that Aldridge has or hasn’t signed an extension is irrelevant to the decision to trade him 5 months ago.

Its ironic that posters thought the team should trade away their best player for less than equal value over something that might happen in two years time. Now the same posters think we should have patience in judging decisions from 5 months ago. Where was the patience back then?

 

[blazerboy30]

At the time there were reports from Bucher, Quick, and Haynes all pointing to Aldridge wanting out. There were rumors about talks with the Cavs and the Warriors. It sure seemed like he was gone. You're acting like Brian and I pulled that shit out of thin air. There were rumors, so we discussed some possible trade ideas. For some unknown reason that irked the hell out of people like you. I still find it humorous.

The only ridiculous thing was you being 100% sure he was gone and guaranteeing he'd leave, so we should hastily make a trade even if it wasn't a fair-value trade.

You were so concerned about being right so you could come back later and say "I told you so". It blew up in your face, like most things guaranteed by people that don't actually know what they're talking about.

You still might be right. He may end up leaving, but you were incredibly wrong about making silly trades at the time because his value would only decrease.

If he could sign an extension right now, this proclamation of love would mean something, but there's a long way to go before he can actually renegotiate his contract. I would be ecstatic to see him sign an extension because I love our team, but I'm still skeptical. Players say the right things publicly, but it's what they say behind closed doors that matter. It will be interesting to see if Aldridge puts his money where his mouth is.

Now you're saying what I was previously. We don't know what will happen. This is still just talk. And we shouldn't act hastily at this point either, just assuming he'll always be in Portland. Welcome to the reasonable and realistic side.

 

[Natebishop3]

The only ridiculous thing was you being 100% sure he was gone and guaranteeing he'd leave, so we should hastily make a trade even if it wasn't a fair-value trade.

You were so concerned about being right so you could come back later and say "I told you so". It blew up in your face, like most things guaranteed by people that don't actually know what they're talking about.

You still might be right. He may end up leaving, but you were incredibly wrong about making silly trades at the time because his value would only decrease.



Now you're saying what I was previously. We don't know what will happen. This is still just talk. And we shouldn't act hastily at this point either, just assuming he'll always be in Portland. Welcome to the reasonable and realistic side.

When have I ever been one of those "I told you so" kind of posters? I've been right about things, but I don't bump old threads or beat my chest when I'm right about something. It hasn't blown up in my face yet, but I honestly hope I was wrong. I hope he does re-sign here. The likelihood of replacing him is slim to nil.

 

[blazerboy30]

When have I ever been one of those "I told you so" kind of posters? I've been right about things, but I don't bump old threads or beat my chest when I'm right about something. It hasn't blown up in my face yet, but I honestly hope I was wrong. I hope he does re-sign here. The likelihood of replacing him is slim to nil.

At his current level of production, he's worth about whatever we can pay him. Because of that, I hope we re-sign him as well.

 

[BBert]

I love the way you think!

Here's to the power of positive thinking. What else could explain your hot wife and you? After that coup, no wonder you think the Blazers are going to go unbeaten.

 

[HailBlazers]

At the time there were reports from Bucher, Quick, and Haynes all pointing to Aldridge wanting out. There were rumors about talks with the Cavs and the Warriors. It sure seemed like he was gone. You're acting like Brian and I pulled that shit out of thin air. There were rumors, so we discussed some possible trade ideas. For some unknown reason that irked the hell out of people like you. I still find it humorous.

Might as well have with those sources

 

[Natebishop3]

At his current level of production, he's worth about whatever we can pay him. Because of that, I hope we re-sign him as well.

Locking him up next summer will make it easier to convince veterans to come here, I think.

 

[ponderguy]

Paul needs to lock Neil up for a long time. I fear he's going to jump ship for a bigger city when his contract is up.

Why fear that when he left Los Angeles for Portland?

 

[Natebishop3]

Why fear that when he left Los Angeles for Portland?

I think one of the main reasons why he wanted to come here was because we offered a unique opportunity to completely remake a team. We had lottery picks, we had a ton of cap space, and the ability to turn around a franchise. He can really hang his hat on this one, and I think if a NY or LA came calling, he'd jump at it.

 

[Draco]

I think one of the main reasons why he wanted to come here was because we offered a unique opportunity to completely remake a team. We had lottery picks, we had a ton of cap space, and the ability to turn around a franchise. He can really hang his hat on this one, and I think if a NY or LA came calling, he'd jump at it.

Uh oh maybe we should trade him now for a 2nd round pick so he doesn’t walk in 3 years. We’d be left with nothing!

I think he left the Clippers because Donald Sterling was the cheapest owner in sports. He was the lowest paid GM in the league. He had very few support staff. I’m not worried at all about him leaving years from now.

 

[Natebishop3]

Uh oh maybe we should trade him now for a 2nd round pick so he doesn’t walk in 3 years. We’d be left with nothing!

I think he left the Clippers because Donald Sterling was the cheapest owner in sports. He was the lowest paid GM in the league. He had very few support staff. I’m not worried at all about him leaving years from now.

Hyperbole! Yay!!!