Pekovic hearing Blazers want him is compliment

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But if we could use Leonard and some other players for him; then we can still retain Hickson too.

Why? I happen to actually think Hickson is a better player than Pekovic. He's younger, more durable and better rebounder, etc. Pek is basically an older, slower, more expensive version of Hickson. He's just as bad defensively and a worse rebounder.

Like I said, I'd rather pay Hickson what it takes to keep him and develop Leonard. Would you really give up the 20-year 7'1" freak athlete for the slow, plodding injury prone over priced 27 year old Pekovic? The Blazers aren't in win now mode. Why blow your entire cap space load on a stop gap like Pekovic AND mortgage your future by giving up on your 7'1" 20-year old lottery pick half way through his rookie season? Seems incredibly short sighted and won't get us any closer to a championship, either short term or long term.

In short, Pek isn't the answer. Giving him a near max deal would be bad enough. Giving up a valuable asset in the process would be even worse.

BNM
 
The more I read about Pekovic, Jefferson, and other potential options for the center position, the more firmly I place myself on the Dalembert bandwagon. Seems like a much more reasonable choice than any of the big money guys.
 
The only two players who should get MAX this summer are CP3 and Howard. Any team that gives MAX to anyone else should be contracted out of the league.
 
The only two players who should get MAX this summer are CP3 and Howard. Any team that gives MAX to anyone else should be contracted out of the league.

I agree but Josh Smith will probably get MAX as well even though he shouldn't.
 
I am on board with Jefferson over Pek. They both have their fleas...

I'm itching to upgrade our lineup, so we should jump at the chance to collar either one. There will be dogged pursuit for both, but hopefully we can get one of them to bite.
 
MM, why do you hate Leonard? He's not very good, but he has abilities/size/strength/frame/athleticism that can't be taught. By all accounts he's bright enough and interested enough to learn. What's not to like, except that he sucks now?

Because he's white and American.

Go Blazers
 
Then that would give me a lot of pause before I threw wads of money at him. FML, I guess I'm going to have to watch more T-wolves games on league pass between now and April.
:smiley-puke:

Rubio is actually kind of fun to watch, in the same way Sergio was. Just a really elite passer. Watch the Wolves for just his passing and ignore all the other lousy things about him (and that team) and you'll have a good time.
 
Why? I happen to actually think Hickson is a better player than Pekovic. He's younger, more durable and better rebounder, etc. Pek is basically an older, slower, more expensive version of Hickson. He's just as bad defensively and a worse rebounder.

Like I said, I'd rather pay Hickson what it takes to keep him and develop Leonard. Would you really give up the 20-year 7'1" freak athlete for the slow, plodding injury prone over priced 27 year old Pekovic? The Blazers aren't in win now mode. Why blow your entire cap space load on a stop gap like Pekovic AND mortgage your future by giving up on your 7'1" 20-year old lottery pick half way through his rookie season? Seems incredibly short sighted and won't get us any closer to a championship, either short term or long term.

In short, Pek isn't the answer. Giving him a near max deal would be bad enough. Giving up a valuable asset in the process would be even worse.

BNM

I definitely appreciate your contribution to this thread. I've waffled on Pek a lot, and I think you present a good argument against him.

I would say that just going by the eyeball test there's a major difference between Hickson and Peck, though. About 2-3 inches and maybe 35 pounds. He's got this whole General Zod's Goon thing going. He's got prototypical center size, while Hickson is small even by power forward standards.

Neither guy is a great fit, really. I would agree that Hickson's rebounding actually seems to fit next LMA better. But I think that point is moot--I just don't see Hickson coming back. He's young and entering into his prime, and he's working his ass off this year for a good contract and a starting Power Forward job. Some team is going to give him that.

I agree, though, that we're really looking for a stopgap until Leonard comes into his own. Andrew Bynum has been such a trainwreck of injuries I wonder if he'll be available at a bargain price. Dalembert sounds ok. Maybe we limp along and wait to see if Hibbert becomes available down the road via trade.
 
The more I read about Pekovic, Jefferson, and other potential options for the center position, the more firmly I place myself on the Dalembert bandwagon. Seems like a much more reasonable choice than any of the big money guys.
Isn't Dalembert collecting Social Security?
 
I like Jefferson. The guy is damn near impossible to defend in the post. Yes, Aldridge is a good post scorer as well, but personally I think they could work together.
 
Isn't Dalembert collecting Social Security?

Dalembert's only 31 this year, and putting up a PER of 17 in 15mpg, with a block% of 6.4% and TRB% of 17.6%. For comparison's sake Dwight Howard's blk/trb %s are 5.0 and 18.8 respectively.
 
Dalembert's only 31 this year, and putting up a PER of 17 in 15mpg, with a block% of 6.4% and TRB% of 17.6%. For comparison's sake Dwight Howard's blk/trb %s are 5.0 and 18.8 respectively.

I actually like Dalembert. I mentioned he would be a good addition until Leonard develops.
 
pek is not as bad on D as people are making it out to be. He plays on a team that is super shitty on D except for AK. When you are a center on a shitty defensive team, your dtrg takes a hit. And he is becoming a good rebounder. Last month, in the 10 games he played in he had double digit rebounds in 5 of them including 15 and 18 in his best efforts. The month before, in the 12 games he had double digits in 6 including a 17 rebound effort. This is only his third year in the league, and he seems to be improving very nicely. Put me in the Pek camp.
 
The best part about Pek would be taking him from Minny.
 
Pek will be sought after for a reason, he is a true NBA center. (I love the idea of Hickson coming off the bench for Pek or LA, but that may be difficult to accomplish.) To have a big body like Pek on the Blazers is just what they need. He serves as an enforcer in terms of clogging up the middle and not having players go flying to the basket.

I don't think any team will be offering him teh max. I think Minny will match a 10 mil/yr offer which shows you what Minny thinks of Pek. The tough part is Pek is a restricted free agent and only way Blazers get him is by significantly overpaying for him so Minny doesn't match (no way Kahn does a deal with Olshey).
 
Minny can be played with this summer. They could potentially lose AK. Rubio will be looking for a big contract in a year (even though some think he is the worst PG in the league) and Love is a big old mind fuck for the Wolves organization. Wolves have a lot of decisions to make this summer, starting with Pek.
 
He'll get what Hibbert got.

A 4-year deal is a perfect timeframe -- Leonard will need all that time to develop.

Kahn will have to pay him the max to keep him. Something he didn't do with Love.
 
Rubio is actually kind of fun to watch, in the same way Sergio was. Just a really elite passer. Watch the Wolves for just his passing and ignore all the other lousy things about him (and that team) and you'll have a good time.

I watched a lot of T-Wolves games last year ... and Rubio was fun to watch. I've only watched them twice this year, once against the Blazers minus Rubio and one other time after he came back. Division enemy or not, that is not a good time watching that group play basketball.
 
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pek is not as bad on D as people are making it out to be. He plays on a team that is super shitty on D except for AK. When you are a center on a shitty defensive team, your dtrg takes a hit. And he is becoming a good rebounder. Last month, in the 10 games he played in he had double digit rebounds in 5 of them including 15 and 18 in his best efforts. The month before, in the 12 games he had double digits in 6 including a 17 rebound effort. This is only his third year in the league, and he seems to be improving very nicely. Put me in the Pek camp.

very well thought out arguement. I am in agreement. It is super hard to guage players on shitty teams..when we picked up Damon he was banging points like El Prez and hookers. Could never expect him to put up 30 a night on a good team.
 
I like Jefferson. The guy is damn near impossible to defend in the post. Yes, Aldridge is a good post scorer as well, but personally I think they could work together.

It will be interesting to see what Utah does. Millsap and Jefferson are free agents. I am not sure either is worth the money they will want. I love Millsap but more as a 6th man. Kind of a tweener although he can actually play both positions.

Jefferson needs a major pay cut. Will they even make an offer to him with Favors and Kanter there? Earl Watson is also a free agent, and Marvin Williams has a player option.

Who will they want to keep and how big of a player will they be at the trade deadline. Maybe they offer Kanter for Pec and team him up with Favors. Trade Al or let him walk. I bet they let Millsap walk too.
 

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