My guess for Portland's center next year: Al Horford

[Natebishop3]

Man your such a buzzkill. lol

CJ/Crabbe/Leonard isn't a good prospective future package?

I think he might be starting to enter the DMC talks. NO just isn't performing and their front office doesn't know how to put a team together around him. I think they might just do something as stupid as I suggest.

There's no reason to trade him. He's young, he's a superstar, he just signed a super max contract. They've got him locked up. He isn't asking to be traded. There's no urgency to unload him. It's harder to find a player of the same caliber as Davis, which is why they wouldn't accept someone like CJ/Crabbe/Leonard.

 

[Draco]

He's another wrinkle, if teams know that we're going to match, they will be less likely to throw an offer at Crabbe. We didn't make an offer to Kanter until later in free agency. Since Hendo is a UFA, teams won't have any reservations about throwing deals at him that he will either accept or reject. Maybe we could do a sign-and-trade with Crabbe though.

We actually signed Kanter the first day free agents could sign; its just there was a 10 day moratorium where all the other agreements were announced. We and his agent kept the agreement out of the news.

 

[Draco]

There's no reason to trade him. He's young, he's a superstar, he just signed a super max contract. They've got him locked up. He isn't asking to be traded. There's no urgency to unload him. It's harder to find a player of the same caliber as Davis, which is why they wouldn't accept someone like CJ/Crabbe/Leonard.

Trading for Anthony Davis is as likely as trading for Steph or Kawhi.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

We actually signed Kanter the first day free agents could sign; its just there was a 10 day moratorium where all the other agreements were announced. We and his agent kept the agreement out of the news.

And the NBA has cut that number in half for this summer which I welcome.

 

[Schilly]

We will sign Biyombo.

 

[DreamKillah]

I'm still shootin' for Jah Okafor (he just got his little meniscus tear trimmed up)

 

[42N8Bounce]

The cap will be around $92M next year. The Blazers will have $46.7M in guaranteed salaries. That gives them about $45.3M of space. Of course they'll have about $37.1M of non-guaranteed contracts and CAP holds to deal with. I'd be surprised if they brought both Henderson and Crabbe back. As Nate pointed out earlier, bringing back Crabbe offers the Blazers a lot more flexibility. With that being said, they should easily have $25M available to offer a max contract. If need be, the Blazers can go over the cap to bring back guys like Crabbe, Leonard, and Harkless. Since the CAP will go up again the year after next, there's little incentive to try to stay too far under the cap.

Here's my thoughts on who they will target in descending order -

Bring back:
- A Crabbe (Restricted. Contingent on reasonable contract)
- M Harkless (Restricted. Contingent on reasonable contract)
- M Leonard (Restricted. Very contingent on reasonable contract)
- G Henderson (Not restricted, but if the right price and timing work out..)

Offer Max:
- K Durant (yes, we've got to do the token try)
- A Horford (doubt he'll leave Atlanta, but again, give it a try)
- H Whiteside (doubt Olshey will want to give him the max, but worth an offer)
- C Parsons (someone will probably give him the max, and this doesn't feel like a bargain that Olshey typically goes after)
- R Anderson (see Parsons note above)
- D DeRozan (I think his price will be too high, and not a position of high need with CJ and Crabbe on the roster.)

At the right price:
- B Biyombo (age 23)
- E Turner (age 27)
- F Ezeli (age 26)
- E Fournier (age 23. Not a position of need, but perhaps at the right price.)
- K Bazemore (age 26. Not a position of need, but perhaps at the right price.)

At a bargain price:
- M Speights (age 28)
- I Mahinmi (age 29. Good uptick in production this year.)
- Al Jefferson (age 31)
- Z Pachulia (age 32)
- M Teletovic (age 30. Good uptick in production last year.)

 

[B-Roy]

- Al Jefferson (age 31)

My biggest fear. Blazers strike out on all the major guys and bring in Al Jefferson for cheap-ish. It just feels like that's what is going to happen. Olshey hasn't exactly had the greatest track record recruiting free agents. He struck out on Spencer Hawes (of all guys) and Greg Monroe. Although I guess you could argue that it was good thing we struck out on those two (I still think Monroe is a decent fit).

 

[STOMP]

I think Harkless can develop into a DGreen type of player ( little less assists)

Ahhhhh no. Mo doesn't have Draymond's handle, isn't a playmaker & definitely doesn't stretch the D as an outside threat. It's a long shot that these offensive differences change much going forward.

STOMP

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Anyway we can make Ed Davis half a foot taller?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Ahhhhh no. Mo doesn't have Draymond's handle, isn't a playmaker & definitely doesn't stretch the D as an outside threat. It's a long shot that these offensive differences change much going forward.

STOMP

Anyone ever becoming a player the caliber of Draymond Green is a longshot, so that's really not much of a statement. Also, I'm certainly not disputing the disparity in handles or playmaking, but recall that Mo shot 38% from 3 his second season; there's definitely a possibility of him getting back to that. And let's not forget that Mo is still just 22--the same age Green was his rookie season. I don't think anyone foresaw then what he's doing now.

 

[illmatic99]

Ahhhhh no. Mo doesn't have Draymond's handle, isn't a playmaker & definitely doesn't stretch the D as an outside threat. It's a long shot that these offensive differences change much going forward.

STOMP

Ya, comparing Moe to a guy who will be first team all nba is a stretch.

 

[B-Roy]

Anyway we can make Ed Davis half a foot taller?

I'd rather him add 30 pounds.

Ed is actually listed at 6'10 and 240, which is undersized, but only slightly. He's got a slim frame but a huge wingspan.

DeAndre Jordan is only listed at 6'11 and 265, so Ed is really not that far off from being legit NBA center size.

Tyson Chandler is 7'1 and 240.

 

[B-Roy]

I'd rather him add 30 pounds.

Ed is actually listed at 6'10 and 240, which is undersized, but only slightly. He's got a slim frame but a huge wingspan.

DeAndre Jordan is only listed at 6'11 and 265, so Ed is really not that far off from being legit NBA center size.

Tyson Chandler is 7'1 and 240.

Actually, scratch that. Ed Davis only has a wingspan of 7'0, which is fairly average (even below average) for an NBA front court player, let alone an NBA center. Meyers Leonard is at 7'3. Aminu at 7'3.25, Vonleh 7'4, Harkless 7'0, heck even Batum was 7'1.

Gobert is 7'8.5 holy shit.

If so, color me even more impressed that Davis is such a good rebounder with his short arms. He definitely plays like he's got longer arms. I would have never guessed his wingspan was so average if I didn't check. It probably affects his ability to contest shots at the rim though.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Actually, scratch that. Ed Davis only has a wingspan of 7'0, which is fairly average (even below average) for an NBA front court player, let alone an NBA center. Meyers Leonard is at 7'3. Aminu at 7'3.25, Vonleh 7'4, Harkless 7'0, heck even Batum was 7'1.

Gobert is 7'8.5 holy shit.

If so, color me even more impressed that Davis is such a good rebounder with his short arms. He definitely plays like he's got longer arms. I would have never guessed his wingspan was so average if I didn't check. It probably affects his ability to contest shots at the rim though.

Not a problem, Russia has a method where they can break bones and put them in this special metal brace. They turn screws on the brace just a fraction of an amount everyday to pull the break apart. The body continues to make new bone to fill the crack and fix the break, thus lengthening the bones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distraction_osteogenesis

Problem solved!

 

[B-Roy]

Not a problem, Russia has a method where they can break bones and put them in this special metal brace. They turn screws on the brace just a fraction of an amount everyday to pull the break apart. The body continues to make new bone to fill the crack and fix the break, thus lengthening the bones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distraction_osteogenesis

Problem solved!

In Mother Russia, bone breaks you....literally.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

In Mother Russia, bone breaks you....literally.

They can add 3.5 inches to height and I bet they could add 2 or 3 to arm length.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/leg-lengthening-patient-hopes-grow-33-inches-painful/story?id=19451057

 

[Eastoff]

Anyway we can make Ed Davis half a foot taller?

Heels, but I don't think he'd run well.

 

[B-Roy]

They can add 3.5 inches to height and I bet they could add 2 or 3 to arm length.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/leg-lengthening-patient-hopes-grow-33-inches-painful/story?id=19451057

They could do that and Ed would still be smaller than Rudy Gobert.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

They could do that and Ed would still be smaller than Rudy Gobert.

Ummm... ok?

 

[Orion Bailey]

Ahhhhh no. Mo doesn't have Draymond's handle, isn't a playmaker & definitely doesn't stretch the D as an outside threat. It's a long shot that these offensive differences change much going forward.

STOMP

I disagree. Hark has a decent outside shot now and is very young. MJ didnt develop a 3pt shot until halfway through his career. I said type of player, not the same. I see Harkless as our workhorse in the paint in our starting lineup. Much like Green.

Ya, comparing Moe to a guy who will be first team all nba is a stretch.

Again, I said type of player... not the same...and yes, I think he can become our Dgreen. not THE Dgreen, but our version of.

 

[Strenuus]

I disagree. Hark has a decent outside shot now and is very young. MJ didnt develop a 3pt shot until halfway through his career. I said type of player, not the same. I see Harkless as our workhorse in the paint in our starting lineup. Much like Green.



Again, I said type of player... not the same...and yes, I think he can become our Dgreen. not THE Dgreen, but our version of.

What would a Portland version of Draymond look like? I'm confused.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Horford Vs Hark stats as starters:

Hark: 12.5 ppg | 6.7 reb |54% FG | at 26 MPG
Horfy:15.2 ppg | 7.2 reb | 50.7% FG| at 32 MPG

PER 36 mins:



God forbid, i'm not saying Hark is better or even as good as Al, but there's not chance in hell i'm giving Horford 32 million $ a year at age 30.

I don't think we need more of the same, i think we need someone different, we need someone who will force the issue in the paint.
Someone like Horford might help you win a few more games against low tier teams, but he's not the one who will make you as good as the Spurs or the Warriors or even the Clippers\Thunder.

 

[Strenuus]

Horford Vs Hark stats as starters:

Hark: 12.5 ppg | 6.7 reb |54% FG | at 26 MPG
Horfy:15.2 ppg | 7.2 reb | 50.7% FG| at 32 MPG

PER 36 mins:
View attachment 8508


God forbid, i'm not saying Hark is better or even as good as Al, but there's not chance in hell i'm giving Horford 32 million $ a year at age 30.

I don't think we need more of the same, i think we need someone different, we need someone who will force the issue in the paint.
Someone like Horford might help you win a few more games against low tier teams, but he's not the one who will make you as good as the Spurs or the Warriors or even the Clippers\Thunder.

Well said.

 

[Orion Bailey]

What would a Portland version of Draymond look like? I'm confused.

Well.. im thinking a bit like this guy....

Horford Vs Hark stats as starters:

Hark: 12.5 ppg | 6.7 reb |54% FG | at 26 MPG
Horfy:15.2 ppg | 7.2 reb | 50.7% FG| at 32 MPG

PER 36 mins:
View attachment 8508


God forbid, i'm not saying Hark is better or even as good as Al, but there's not chance in hell i'm giving Horford 32 million $ a year at age 30.

I don't think we need more of the same, i think we need someone different, we need someone who will force the issue in the paint.
Someone like Horford might help you win a few more games against low tier teams, but he's not the one who will make you as good as the Spurs or the Warriors or even the Clippers\Thunder.

Great Post!

 

[Strenuus]

Well.. im thinking a bit like this guy....

Great Post!

That's not what I'm asking. I'm saying do you actually see Hark doing trip dubs or... what parts of Draymonds game do you see that Hark can do?

 

[Blazers Roy]

I think the worst thing for a basketball team is when it tries to be something that it's not.
Not everybody should play like the Warriors or the Spurs, your PF is not Draymond or Lebron.
You can't force players and coaches to be something that they're not.

 

[B-Roy]

Horford is a game changing multi-dimensional two way threat. Look beyond the numbers to see that he's someone you can gameplan around and someone to gameplan for.

Harkless's numbers are nice, but he's mostly a finisher and hustle guy, a complimentary piece.

Also, the sample size is like 8 games to 500 or something like that. Horford has been steadily consistent since he's come into the league.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Horford is a game changing multi-dimensional two way threat. Look beyond the numbers to see that he's someone you can gameplan around and someone to gameplan for.

Harkless's numbers are nice, but he's mostly a finisher and hustle guy, a complimentary piece.

Also, the sample size is like 8 games to 500 or something like that. Horford has been steadily consistent since he's come into the league.

So your biggest paycheck goes to a 30 year old guy who scores like 8 to 14 points when his team is losing?
I'm sorry, i just don't see how any of it makes sense.

With the new cap Horford will get almost 2x more money than DeMarcus Cousins.

Meh, smells like a mediocre move to me.

I rather see Derozan as our new starting SF, to be honest.

 

[blue9]

Yeah, big NO to Horford for me. Can't be paying old guys $30M/year. Horford isn't gonna put us over the top.
Much more intrigued by resurrecting Larry Sanders' career on the cheap.