Plan B: If LMA bolts

[Natebishop3]

I used to think LA and Dirk were similar. Dirk is just better (not now but 2-3 seasons ago, yes.) though. He is a once in a generation type player offensively. Not many players can draw fouls, dominate the low post, hit mid range shots with a patented move and hit 3s and a really good percentage.

If I could choose between a prime Dirk and a prime Aldridge, I would choose Dirk 10 times out of 10. The guy was unstoppable in his prime. Virtually unguardable.

 

[Scalma]

Aldridge would be unstoppable if someone could convince him to stop settling for jump shots (not including the fadeaway, I realize that's a weapon). He gets lazy. Same on defense. He's got the potential to be an elite defender but too often times doesn't even challenge a shot and settles for a swipe.

 

[PCmor7]

I don't think of LA as Dirk or Duncan. The way he's played this year, I thought of his style as being somewhere in between, and I am fine with that.

 

[BBert]

9 pages and we still haven't discussed plan B?

LOL Right Arm!

Next up: Plan 9 From Mars!

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If I could choose between a prime Dirk and a prime Aldridge, I would choose Dirk 10 times out of 10. The guy was unstoppable in his prime. Virtually unguardable.

Yup. Dirk is a borderline top 15 player EVER.

 

[Natebishop3]

Plan B, we'll just shift JJ Hickson from our bench to the starting unit! Oh wait, I mean Thomas Robinson.... oh wait..... nevermind.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Plan B is Meyers Leonard though. Sheed-Z-Bo-LA-Leonard great lineage.

 

[Natebishop3]

I hear Josh Smith is available after the season

 

[BigGameDamian]

Is there any way we can get deandre and keep LA and wes?

I wish but I thought we had to keep Lopez?

 

[Schilly]

Plan B is tough. On one hand I thik going hard after cap space next summer would be the best plan... but I also think it would be pretty vital to not lag too much and try to get this team rebuilt quickly. if Lamarcus leaves though I think we have a starting core of Lillard, McCollum, Batum, Freeland and Leonard. Crabbe, Blake, Kaman and maybe Frazier off the bench. Of Course Afflalo could decide to stay for this year too, I think that moves CJ to the bench and puts Aaron as the starter. And we would still have a lot of cap space to throw at someone... Maybe Greg Monroe?

 

[Natebishop3]

Plan B is tough. On one hand I thik going hard after cap space next summer would be the best plan... but I also think it would be pretty vital to not lag too much and try to get this team rebuilt quickly. if Lamarcus leaves though I think we have a starting core of Lillard, McCollum, Batum, Freeland and Leonard. Crabbe, Blake, Kaman and maybe Frazier off the bench. Of Course Afflalo could decide to stay for this year too, I think that moves CJ to the bench and puts Aaron as the starter. And we would still have a lot of cap space to throw at someone... Maybe Greg Monroe?

Are you wanting to make a push for Durant?

 

[Schilly]

Not sure if it's Durrant, but I suspect there will be a lot of guys available next summer looking for big paydays.

 

[Draco]

How did we belittle people? We were being personally attacked left and right. We didn't make that shit up out of thin air. There were reports coming from multiple media sources that Aldridge was unhappy. Revisionist history though.

Bullshit. You and Brian both guaranteed he would leave the team and he had to be traded very soon. LMA never made such statements and it was pure speculation on both you and Brians part. We've gone over this many times since and you continue to re-characterize your previous statements.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

If I could choose between a prime Dirk and a prime Aldridge, I would choose Dirk 10 times out of 10. The guy was unstoppable in his prime. Virtually unguardable.

Reminds me of the difference between Jordan and Drexler. Clyde was great when he was on his game, but he had a psyche that was easy to shake (like his need to play Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better with opposing SG's)... LaMarcus has a strong psyche but his own weaknesses like his desire to shoot long range jumpers at a 43% clip.

 

[BlazerWookee]

This Blazers team is becoming more Damion's team as time goes on anyway. He already gets more of the spotlight. Maybe it is best if Aldridge and Dame split.

Bollocks.

 

[Natebishop3]

Bullshit. You and Brian both guaranteed he would leave the team and he had to be traded very soon. LMA never made such statements and it was pure speculation on both you and Brians part. We've gone over this many times since and you continue to re-characterize your previous statements.

Yup. Brian and I made it up out of thin air. There were zero rumors in the media of him being unhappy and wanting out. Yup. We just concocted the whole thing on our own. Uh huh.

 

[Draco]

I doubt LaMarcus will leave; he is close with multiple players on the team and I don't see him giving up on teammates such as Wesley because of an injury. If anything I think he might welcome the speculation to make sure the team keeps all his buddies on the roster so he has the team he wants next season. The players have repeatedly said how much they enjoy playing with each other and this recent negativity feels more like rampant reporter speculation as we had with LMA 2 summers ago. Also I don't think another team with max cap room will be able to surround him with the talent he has here.

But just for the fun of the speculation I'll play along with the thread. If LaMarcus leaves we would have a ton of cap room and a big hole in the front court. We are pretty stacked with guards. If Wes and Afflalo both leave that changes but I expect both to stay and CJ has emerged as a legit rotational player. For free agents I would look at Paul Millsap even at a max salary. Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez and Roy Hibbert are possibilities at a lower salary. Khris Middleton, Thad Young, Demar Carroll, Tobias Harris, and Amir Johnson are very solid. Ed Davis is a cheap end of the bench vet I always liked. We could give a player such as Millsap or Monroe a near max contract and with the cap going up we'd still have cap space in future seasons.

I expect tons of starting level free agents to get near max salaries this offseason since the cap will increase. But if we can't get one of those above listed quality of players I'd hold out for the bargain free agents. Remember the Hawks the last two offseasons couldn't get any top free agents but they snagged multiple players on cheaper contracts that all have exceeded expectations. Maybe the Blazers NBA scouting team finds a value gem free agent as they did 5 years ago with Wes.

But if we can't get any significant free agents I'm still excited to see how our young players progress; CJ, Meyers, and Crabbe. We can keep Wes and Lopez on cheaper contracts and have max level cap room the summer of 2016; or potentially use the cap flexibility to take on salary in trades as when we acquired Lopez and TRob for virtually nothing.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Plan B: Rudy Fernandez!

 

[BlazerWookee]

NY is throwing Max at Monroe. We wouldn't even try to match that. You are safe.

You did notice the extra "S," right?

 

[noknobs]

I doubt LaMarcus will leave; he is close with multiple players on the team and I don't see him giving up on teammates such as Wesley because of an injury. If anything I think he might welcome the speculation to make sure the team keeps all his buddies on the roster so he has the team he wants next season. The players have repeatedly said how much they enjoy playing with each other and this recent negativity feels more like rampant reporter speculation as we had with LMA 2 summers ago. Also I don't think another team with max cap room will be able to surround him with the talent he has here.

I don't really buy that. I think the negative impact these distractions have on his team (the one he apparently loves) during the playoffs outweighs any leverage it might create during his free agency. The team was going to give him whatever he wants anyways.

Aldridge could have put all this to rest by not responding, "Uh, we'll see". It's not hard. And the fact he didn't makes me think there's a chance he's not coming back. How big a chance, fuck if I know.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I don't really buy that. I think the negative impact these distractions have on his team (the one he apparently loves) during the playoffs outweighs any leverage it might create during his free agency. The team was going to give him whatever he wants anyways.

Aldridge could have put all this to rest by not responding, "Uh, we'll see". It's not hard. And the fact he didn't makes me think there's a chance he's not coming back. How big a chance, fuck if I know.

I don't totally disagree with you, however we are talking about LA. He just does not like to talk with the media. Some players are very calculated in everything they say. Others just do what their agents tell them to say. Did his agent tell him not to talk about it and when asked that was what came out? Hard to say, but Quick is not helping.

I can't help but think the article today about Dame was a clear jab at LA. "So regardless of what happens with Aldridge this summer, Blazers fans should rest easy knowing they have a leader in waiting".......

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Still believe Draymond isn't worth the max?

Playoffs:

Green: +56.6
Curry: +24.9

 

[MickZagger]

Still believe Draymond isn't worth the max?

Playoffs:

Green: +56.6
Curry: +24.9

Based upon 6 games?

Green won't get a max deal, what do you want to bet on that?

 

[magnifier661]

Based upon 6 games?

Green won't get a max deal, what do you want to bet on that?

He's gonna get 10 mil at least. The dude was third on the vote for defensive player of the year.

 

[Draco]

Based upon 6 games?

Green won't get a max deal, what do you want to bet on that?

Id bet $20 he gets a full max deal. He's obviously not a LeBron / Durant / Curry level of superstar but when there are 30 teams and room for 2-3 max players a team all the near allstars get the max. Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons got maxed last summer.

 

[magnifier661]

Id bet $20 he gets a full max deal. He's obviously not a LeBron / Durant / Curry level of superstar but when there are 30 teams and room for 2-3 max players a team all the near allstars get the max. Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons got maxed last summer.

Parsons and Hayword were part of a small free agent gene pool and many teams under cap last summer. This summer has some potentially big game changers and very little teams with big cap space. At least little that still have their core and cap space.

 

[Draco]

Parsons and Hayword were part of a small free agent gene pool and many teams under cap last summer. This summer has some potentially big game changers and very little teams with big cap space. At least little that still have their core and cap space.

NY, Lakers, Dallas, San Antonio, Portland, Detroit, Phoenix, Boston, Utah, Orlando, Atlanta, Philly all potentially have cap space to give him a max contract. A couple other teams could join those as well depending on their moves and who opts out. There aren't enough better free agents to use up all that space. Theres actually far more cap space available this summer than last summer; and with the cap rising $20 million next summer there is little incentive to roll over unused space. Draymond Green will be paid the max.

This is correlated to collective bargaining agreements having contracts being shorter; there used to be 7 year max contracts now its only 4 years if you sign with a new team. That means theres less dead weight bad overpaid contracts out there in the league. Many more teams have cap space and the mid tier starter level free agents will be paid far more than 5-10 years ago.

 

[magnifier661]

NY, Lakers, Dallas, San Antonio, Portland, Detroit, Phoenix, Boston, Utah, Orlando, Atlanta, Philly all potentially have cap space to give him a max contract. A couple other teams could join those as well depending on their moves and who opt out. There aren't enough better free agents to use up all that space. Theres actually far more cap space available this summer then last summer; and with the cap rising $20 million next summer there is little incentive to roll it over. Draymond Green will be paid the max.

NY, Lakers, Philly all have that cap you are talking about. The others you mentioned have a grip of their own free-agents they must sign. If they don't sign them, that leaves a grip more free-agents available.

 

[Draco]

NY, Lakers, Philly all have that cap you are talking about. The others you mentioned have a grip of their own free-agents they must sign. If they don't sign them, that leaves a grip more free-agents available.

Its a game of musical chairs where the players are the chairs. There are 5 more people (teams) than chairs. Sure who's matched with who might change but in the end there just aren't enough chairs (players) to fit all the cap space. Result is overpaid players.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's a good analysis of "rim protection" that shows (a) Hibbert's value, but also (b) how good Robin Lopez is. And given how much better RoLo is at other things than Hibbert, and how Hibbert has been in free fall, I'm not sure it's a good trade.
http://nyloncalculus.com/2014/07/22/protecting-paint-sportvu-rim-protection/

Make sure you scroll to the bottom for the finished comparison. RoLo ranks higher than Larry Sanders, Serge Ibaka and Tim Duncan.