Now That Blake Is Improving.....

[ABM]

.....to me, it makes the PG situation a bit more complicated.

That said, if you were KP, right now would you lean towards:

a) Just keep Blake as our starter for the unforeseeable future

b) Trade for a starting PG before next season

or

c) Sign the team option on Blake for one more year, then go after a FA in 2010?

 

[Wheels]

I really like Blake, but unfortunately in time I think he will be pushed out because of Bayless. And I know its an unpopular opinion but I think Sergio is a good PG for 15-18 min a night, he just needs to see that his coach has confidence in him. I think however this will be after next season... so I could see Blake being here one more year.. maybe we can talk him into a coach/sometimes player role.

 

[ant]

b) Trade for a better defensive PG and keep grooming JB for the future.

I like Blake and would love him as a backup, but I can't see him being demoted easily. With LA, Nic, Oden, Joel, we should continue becoming an elite defensive team. PG is a serious hole.

 

[tlongII]

Our biggest need right now is a backup power forward.

 

[tlongII]

...and if I hear that we need to trade for a vet one more time I think I'm going to PUKE! That opinion is so over-played it's ridiculous.

 

[ABM]

Our biggest need right now is a backup power forward.

I agree with that. Which brings to mind Freeland. Could he effectively replace the Frye/Ruffin/Randolph combo? (or, just draft one in the latter 1st Round?

Also, back on topic, I didn't mention Petteri Koponen. I wonder what the skinny is on him these days?

 

[hasoos]

Blake isn't improving. I have seen him play this well before in stretches. Pretty typical. Then it's back to playing like Blake again.

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

I think the comparisons between Jack and Bayless are very good comparisons. Neither are natural PG's and have both good and bad nights. Both have some size, energy and enthusiasm. However, it seems that either you are a good passer or you are not. To me, Bayless struggles at PG largely because running a team is not natural for him and I just don't see that becoming natural to him. If Bayless is to be a PG, I see him becoming a Steve Blake type PG - adequate but not great.

Sergio, IMO, is a much better PG but he has holes in other parts of his game but to me, the team runs better under Sergio than under Bayless.

I don't think our search for a PG to replace Blake is at an end.

That said, I think it is a lower priority than finding a good backup for LMA (unless Martell comes back healthy and good and we move Outlaw there).

Gramps...

 

[ant]

How can a good starting PG be less of a priority than a backup PF? Outlaw plays his best minutes at the backup 4. I'm not asking for a vet PG, but we certainly need a defensive upgrade at PG. Since Roy is good at initiating the offense, being a good defender and a good 3-point shooter are the 2 biggest qualities we should be looking for in a starting PG. Blake is only 1/2 the package.

 

[tlongII]

How can a good starting PG be less of a priority than a backup PF? Outlaw plays his best minutes at the backup 4. I'm not asking for a vet PG, but we certainly need a defensive upgrade at PG. Since Roy is good at initiating the offense, being a good defender and a good 3-point shooter are the 2 biggest qualities we should be looking for in a starting PG. Blake is only 1/2 the package.

I think Blake does a fine job at starting PG for this team. He's unselfish and can stick the 3 pointer when he's open. I don't think a "star-quality" point guard would fit with this team. Brandon needs the ball in his hands.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I agree with ABM. Blake has had a good season and will probably have his option picked up by the team. Even though a rookie, I think Bayless hasn't made any improvement and he could end up being a failed experiment (turning a SG into an NBA PG).

While we do need to consider a back-up PF, if we can move up in the draft to get a top PG I think we will.

 

[tlongII]

I agree with ABM. Blake has had a good season and will probably have his option picked up by the team. Even though a rookie, I think Bayless hasn't made any improvement and he could end up being a failed experiment (turning a SG into an NBA PG).

While we do need to consider a back-up PF, if we can move up in the draft to get a top PG I think we will.

Nah, I don't see that happening. This draft doesn't have any PG's that are better than Sergio or Bayless.

 

[Nikolokolus]

...and if I hear that we need to trade for a vet one more time I think I'm going to PUKE! That opinion is so over-played it's ridiculous.

What, 'Bake it' isn't?

 

[tlongII]

What, 'Bake it isn't?"

Bake The Cake!

 

[STOMP]

...and if I hear that we need to trade for a vet one more time I think I'm going to PUKE! That opinion is so over-played it's ridiculous.

the club needs to trade for a vet... any will do



STOMP

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I don't think Blake has just recently improved. He has been having a career year and been an integral part of the Blazer success before he got hurt.

He got hurt, had a child . . . so it took him a while to get back to where he was. But he has been playing solid for most of the season.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Nah, I don't see that happening. This draft doesn't have in PG's that are better than Sergio or Bayless.

Actually, this is supposed to be a PG draft with several good ones. It would not surprise me if KP traded up for one. They could play behind Blake for a year or two and then possibly take over.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Nah, I don't see that happening. This draft doesn't have in PG's that are better than Sergio or Bayless.

Perhaps ... there may not be the sure thing in this draft that everybody said Derrick Rose was/is, but out of Ricky Rubio, Ty Lawson, Johnny Flynn, Jeff Teague, Tyreke Evans, Patty Mills, Steph Curry, Willie Warren, Brandon Jennings, Eric Maynor, et. al. I'm guessing there are probably at least 1 or 2 NBA caliber players at that position in this draft.

But, yeah I agree that finding a long term solution to the position for this team is almost certainly not going to happen through the draft this year, but neither am I convinced that the long term solution already resides on the roster.

 

[STOMP]

Nah, I don't see that happening. This draft doesn't have in PG's that are better than Sergio or Bayless.

Brandon Jennings speed and skills impressed me in the McD's game. Obviously he could physically mature a bit, but I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be better then Sergio and Bayless

[video=youtube;NGWaLR-aQ1I]

STOMP

 

[handiman]

I like Blake in the Steve Kerr combo guard role. Blake is a good passer (and solid ball handler) but a better shooter. I think he could thrive in that role off the bench if we had a higher impact starting PG.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I like Blake in the Steve Kerr combo guard role. Blake is a good passer (and solid ball handler) but a better shooter. I think he could thrive in that role off the bench if we had a higher impact starting PG.

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[Foulzilla]

I think Blake basically gives Portland options. I think he's good enough to be a starting guard on a championship team (like Derek Fisher, for example), but yet I think he'd adapt (and do well) to a backup role if Pritchard were able to bring in someone better. I'm not absolutely convinced there is someone better available, though personally think if we can get Miller for not too many years (and at a reasonable price) that would be a good pickup. By the time his contract would be up Bayless or Rodriguez (whichever is kept, as I suspect one will go this summer) should be ready to take over, at worst, the backup spot from Blake.

Of course, maybe Pritchard is ready to roll the dice with Bayless next year. I like him a lot on potential, but he hasn't shown enough on the court for me to be sure. Pritchard gets to see him in practice so has a much better idea of where he is.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think Blake basically gives Portland options. I think he's good enough to be a starting guard on a championship team (like Derek Fisher, for example), but yet I think he'd adapt (and do well) to a backup role if Pritchard were able to bring in someone better. I'm not absolutely convinced there is someone better available, though personally think if we can get Miller for not too many years (and at a reasonable price) that would be a good pickup. By the time his contract would be up Bayless or Rodriguez (whichever is kept, as I suspect one will go this summer) should be ready to take over, at worst, the backup spot from Blake.

Of course, maybe Pritchard is ready to roll the dice with Bayless next year. I like him a lot on potential, but he hasn't shown enough on the court for me to be sure. Pritchard gets to see him in practice so has a much better idea of where he is.

Good post.

Our PG situation is very perplexing.

 

[STOMP]

I think Blake basically gives Portland options. I think he's good enough to be a starting guard on a championship team (like Derek Fisher, for example), but yet I think he'd adapt (and do well) to a backup role if Pritchard were able to bring in someone better. I'm not absolutely convinced there is someone better available, though personally think if we can get Miller for not too many years (and at a reasonable price) that would be a good pickup. By the time his contract would be up Bayless or Rodriguez (whichever is kept, as I suspect one will go this summer) should be ready to take over, at worst, the backup spot from Blake.

Miller will be a UFA this coming offseason. We've yet to see where the cap line will be drawn so we can only speculate on how much space Portland will have. I'd guess it will take around 8M per for 3-4 years to sign AM. It may take adding Blake or Travis to the guys Portland renounces to clear enough space to put together a competitive offer. If this is the direction management decides to go and they have to choose between the two, it makes a lot more sense to me that they'd wave goodbye to Blake as 4 PGs seems a recipe for an unhappy roster. With Rudy and Roy at SG and Miller at point, there won't be many minutes left

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think Blake basically gives Portland options. I think he's good enough to be a starting guard on a championship team (like Derek Fisher, for example), but yet I think he'd adapt (and do well) to a backup role if Pritchard were able to bring in someone better. I'm not absolutely convinced there is someone better available, though personally think if we can get Miller for not too many years (and at a reasonable price) that would be a good pickup. By the time his contract would be up Bayless or Rodriguez (whichever is kept, as I suspect one will go this summer) should be ready to take over, at worst, the backup spot from Blake.

Of course, maybe Pritchard is ready to roll the dice with Bayless next year. I like him a lot on potential, but he hasn't shown enough on the court for me to be sure. Pritchard gets to see him in practice so has a much better idea of where he is.

If by 'roll the dice' you're implying trade Blake and Sergio away and set up Jerryd to be the starter then I don't think there's much chance of that happening at all. But if on the other hand you mean to say trade away Sergio and/or Steve and sign or trade for an established, veteran point guard (Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, et. al.) and give the backup minutes to Jerryd I'd say there's a slight possibility, but my guess is that KP and Nate are going to have to see a helluva lot more from JB before they'd consider either option.

For what it's worth, my gut feeling is that Blake will be retained, Sergio might be traded (or possibly Jerryd?), and KP will make a run at one of the available free agent point guards or try to work out a sign and trade or just make a lopsided trade with his 7 million dollars of cap space (possibly up to 14 million) and maybe he turns to the draft to add some depth or just brings Petteri over (assuming he's ready).

These are the names we're looking at when it comes to restricted and unrestricted free agency:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10
Ramon Sessions
Jason Kidd
Andre Miller
Raymond Felton
Nate Robinson*
(*=not really a point guard)

Possible Trade Targets (guys at one time or another mentioned as possibly available in the past year):
Kirk Hinrich
Steve Nash
?

All I can say is that I don't envy KP and some of the decisions he's going to have to make this summer, but then again he's well compensated for his trouble, so I don't feel too badly for him.

It's going to be an interesting off-season.

 

[LittleAlex]

I have been thinking for awhile now that the team we have now is the team we are going to have in the future. I don't think KP is going to bring in any veteran players in the off season, since by next year some of the guys on the team will be playoff vets already. KP and Nate both like the chemistry between Blake and Roy.

The only changes I see being made are players being let go. Frye will probably be sent down the road. Ruffin will take his cup of coffee and run. They will probably be replaced with Joel Freeland who seems to be playing well in Europe right now.

I think we will see yet another year of Sergio Vs Bayless for the back-up roll. I am hoping one of the them plays well enough to make the debate pointless. I honestly don't care who does.

The real question is do you think Portland can win it all with the current roster. I think if certain things fall the right way the current roster will be a contender. I have a feeling KP feels the same way.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Miller will be a UFA this coming offseason. We've yet to see where the cap line will be drawn so we can only speculate on how much space Portland will have. I'd guess it will take around 8M per for 3-4 years to sign AM. It may take adding Blake or Travis to the guys Portland renounces to clear enough space to put together a competitive offer for Miller.

STOMP

Assuming it's close to this year's or perhaps a little less, the team is looking at about 7 million as a baseline (with Frye renounced), dropping Blake moves that figure to 11 million, and terminating Travis' contract ups that figure to somewhere north of 14 million. I strongly suspect that the Blazers will not renounce both of those guys, instead choosing to move them (if they get moved at all) in a lopsided trade where the team can take on more salary than they send out.

Going back to the chatter surrounding the trade deadline and the rumored Hinrich-Deng deal, I have to wonder if A) there was any truth to it, and B) if so, was the main hang up Deng's BYC status? Which ends July 1st. And finally C) is this something the Blazers would even want to re-open this off-season? I have some doubts about Deng's durability, and Hinrich's production (especially given the size of their contracts) but if you are looking to consolidate your roster and get some improvement at two positions of need then it's something I would take a long hard look at.

 

[RR7]

I don't think Deng's BYC status had a big effect on making a deal with the Bulls. I suppose it always depnds on what was included into a deal like that, but there were plenty of deals made by posters that easily worked around that status.

 

[Foulzilla]

If by 'roll the dice' you're implying trade Blake and Sergio away and set up Jerryd to be the starter then I don't think there's much chance of that happening at all. But if on the other hand you mean to say trade away Sergio and/or Steve and sign or trade for an established, veteran point guard (Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, et. al.) and give the backup minutes to Jerryd I'd say there's a slight possibility, but my guess is that KP and Nate are going to have to see a helluva lot more from JB before they'd consider either option.

What I was thinking when I typed that was, roll the dice as in "Bayless is the long term pg solution, make no significant changes and let him develop into it". That doesn't necessarily mean he starts next year, but that in the near future he will and thus just stick with Blake and Bayless with eventually Bayless taking the starting spot from Blake (who makes a fine backup). This would probably include trading Sergio (which I hate to see as I like his game, but the current situation is no good for either of them).

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't think Deng's BYC status had a big effect on making a deal with the Bulls. I suppose it always depnds on what was included into a deal like that, but there were plenty of deals made by posters that easily worked around that status.

Posters' trade scenarios don't necessarily equate to what KP and Paxson were actually discussing, but you could be right, maybe his base year compensation status wasn't the prime factor? I do wonder if John Salmons' play at small forward makes Deng expendable (he's balling out of his fucking mind!) especially if resigning Ben Gordon is a priority this summer.

I don't even know for sure if trading for Deng and Hinrich is a good idea, but I can certainly see some merits for both sides to do a deal that looks something like this:

Chicago trades: Hinrich and Deng
Portland trades: Blake, Outlaw, and Webster, and other considerations (draft picks, cash, or draft rights?)

That leaves the bulls with:
Rose/Blake
Gordon/Webster
Salmons/Outlaw
Tyrus Thomas/Tim Thomas
Noah/Miller

and Portland with:
Hinrich/(Sergio or JB?)
Roy/Rudy
Deng/Nicolas
LMA/(Freeland, Randolph, draft pick?)
Greg/Joel

Benefits: Chicago unloads salary, gets some depth and some outside shooting. Portland consolidates the roster, fills two positions of need, gets an upgrade (defensively at least) at the one, and a productive wing with a solid midrange game, good basketball IQ, and some upside.