"Poor economy influencing trade decisions"

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Rastapopoulos

Rastapopoulos

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According to David Aldridge:

Almost no one has picked up on the real story behind the shopping of Amar'e Stoudemire in Phoenix, and Tyson Chandler in New Orleans, and the impetus of many teams to be active before the Feb. 19 deadline. It has nothing to do with basketball, no matter what you hear about Amar'e's lack of defense and Chandler's history of injuries.

This year, the trade deadline is being influenced like never before because owners who've lost millions in the plunging U.S./global economy are determined not only not to be luxury tax payers, but to cut costs as much as possible as quickly as possible, with no intention of allowing their team's salaries to ever rise near the tax threshold in the foreseeable future.

In the last week, I've heard of a half-dozen owners whose personal fortunes have been slashed significantly by the recession.

In one case, one employee of a team told me his boss has lost nine figures--more than $100 million--in personal wealth. In another, someone who's never been wrong in 10 years swears that another owner has lost $1 billion since the recession began.
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Is Raef now more valuable than ever?
 
I do think the RLEC is more valuable then we even think in this economy. I just think even PA wouldn't mind saving the money uless we can get the player that will really make a difference this year and beyond. So, far most of the rumors wouldn't help us that much IMO.
 
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Pocket change... Didn't Paul Allen lose like $20 billion in one year after the dot-com bubble burst? Granted, it was only half of his net wealth.
 
Tortimer said:
I do thinki the RLEC is more valuable then we even think in this economy. I just think even PA wouldn't mind saving the money uless we can get the player that will really make a difference this year and beyond. So, far most of the rumors wouldn't help us that much IMO.
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I'm thinking along the same lines. PA has probably lost more than the average owner (given his wealth). Now he is in a position that he can lose more, but with three big contracts coming up and still paying Francis' salary this season, I can see even a PA enjoying Raef's contract being paid by insurance and not looking to trade that benefit.
 
I think that 5M or so being paid by insurance for the rest of the year is borderline insignificant to PA. Trading an 11M-to-14M salary (that you'll end up paying 5-7M for for the rest of the year---double if luxury taxed) for about 1M payroll hit for Raef could save someone like Kohl or Pollin or Sarver up to 13M...plus the inevitable "cash consideration" 3M that we'll be sending along.

We have 50 or so straight sellouts, to the point that the Blazers feel comfortable removing any ticket discounts and raising prices 7%. That's not the case in SAC, PHX, MIL, MIA, WAS, etc. I think PA a) has the cash to ride out the "downturn", b) has the makings of a team that can be really good for a really long time, and c) already keeps fannies in the seats. I don't think he's worried about 5M of insurance payments or his 7M or so of cap space in July.
 
Why is no one talking about Chandler? Pryz, Raefs contract and pieces for Chandler? You may hate him but you have to admit he's an upgrade over Pryz and gives us a hell of a rotation in Oden, LMA and Chandler. Not exactly a point of need but might be to cheap to pass up. Would be ironic to trade Pryz for Chandler.........
 
The economy effects Paul just like the rest of us I'm sure. But he loves his Blazers!
 
1 Eye Jack said:
Why is no one talking about Chandler? Pryz, Raefs contract and pieces for Chandler? You may hate him but you have to admit he's an upgrade over Pryz and gives us a hell of a rotation in Oden, LMA and Chandler. Not exactly a point of need but might be to cheap to pass up. Would be ironic to trade Pryz for Chandler.........
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I'm positive Chandler wouldn't enjoy being a backup
 
1 Eye Jack said:
Why is no one talking about Chandler? Pryz, Raefs contract and pieces for Chandler? You may hate him but you have to admit he's an upgrade over Pryz and gives us a hell of a rotation in Oden, LMA and Chandler. Not exactly a point of need but might be to cheap to pass up. Would be ironic to trade Pryz for Chandler.........
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Hmmmm. Can Chandler play any power forward? He's actually taller than Przybilla, I believe, but he's always struck me as a little more nimble.

Man, that'd be tough to do. I don't really get emotionally attached to many players, and particularly not to role players. But Przybilla is kind of a special case--he's that tough guy who's been around from the ugly days who never ever quit, and you'd like to see his dedication rewarded.
 
The economy effects Paul just like the rest of us I'm sure. But he loves his Blazers!
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Not in terms of his Blazers business, it doesn't.

His payroll has been fixed and calculable for a while. He's sold out every game for a year and a half. He's able to increase revenue at a time when everyone else is losing fan interest and ability to buy seats. He's getting more TV deals and ad revenue than he was 2-3 years ago.

That's NOT the model the rest of us (or the league) are operating under. Forget his billions. His team is profitable, and only getting more so.
 
I know this point will piss people off, but this is where the Comcast deal is so great. It's $13MM annually for a decade. I think the FOXSports deal was less than half of that. It gives PA more room to either pay the luxury tax or absorb another large salary.

From what I've heard (not from the Blazers, but from a buddy who works for another team) is that the price to acquire RLEC is REALLY high, much higher than most people (including me) had assumed.
 
handiman said:
Pocket change... Didn't Paul Allen lose like $20 billion in one year after the dot-com bubble burst? Granted, it was only half of his net wealth.
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$1 billion is NOT pocket change. To anyone. Ever.
 
maxiep said:
I know this point will piss people off, but this is where the Comcast deal is so great. It's $13MM annually for a decade. I think the FOXSports deal was less than half of that. It gives PA more room to either pay the luxury tax or absorb another large salary.

From what I've heard (not from the Blazers, but from a buddy who works for another team) is that the price to acquire RLEC is REALLY high, much higher than most people (including me) had assumed.
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Sounds like KP is a really smart negotiator. Start high and work down from there.

Maybe KP is seriously considering holding onto the contract becuase he still has decent FA targets this summer? Even with "only" a possible fifteen million in cap room, restricted free agents like Josh Childress and Ramon Sessions should be attainable through either outright contract offers that exceed their teams' ability to match, or sign and trades can probably be worked out.

I hope a really nice trade happens for the Blazers before the deadline, but there are still some pretty decent options come this off-season.
 
Nikolokolus said:
I hope a really nice trade happens for the Blazers before the deadline, but there are still some pretty decent options come this off-season.
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Even without free-agents - the Blazers, by being under the cap can facilitate some trades with cheap assets for big-time salaries even if they do not have the entire cap free for these salaries.
 
andalusian said:
Even without free-agents - the Blazers, by being under the cap can facilitate some trades with cheap assets for big-time salaries even if they do not have the entire cap free for these salaries.
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Right, I forgot to mention lopsided trades and not having to match salary ... I tend to think that's where KP's real genius gets exercised anyway -- draft day deals, where he's had time to formulate a plan and has additional assets to play with (purchased picks, etc.)
 
Hmm, if Phoenix is really motivated almost entirely by money, I'm dazzled by the prospects. Get Stoudemire for little more than huge cash savings to Phoenix (Portland can offer a LOT of expiring money in RLEC, Frye, Diogu) and then swing Stoudemire to another team in a talent-for-talent swap for a small forward or point guard. With Stoudemire to offer, suddenly players like Devin Harris becoming realistic.
 
Just incase anyone was wondering about Paul Allen's financial status, here is a direct quote from NBA.com VIA hoopshype rumors...

"Meanwhile, the haves, like Portland--whose owner, Paul Allen, still has a net worth of $16 billion or so after years of nine-figure losses, according to Forbes--still can make deals for basketball reasons. I'm told by a reliable source that the Blazers could lose another eight figures this season. But they'll still be active before the deadline and in the offseason." - NBA.com
 
Minstrel said:
Hmm, if Phoenix is really motivated almost entirely by money, I'm dazzled by the prospects. Get Stoudemire for little more than huge cash savings to Phoenix (Portland can offer a LOT of expiring money in RLEC, Frye, Diogu) and then swing Stoudemire to another team in a talent-for-talent swap for a small forward or point guard. With Stoudemire to offer, suddenly players like Devin Harris becoming realistic.
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That's a thought I have been having as well.
 
Minstrel said:
Hmm, if Phoenix is really motivated almost entirely by money, I'm dazzled by the prospects. Get Stoudemire for little more than huge cash savings to Phoenix (Portland can offer a LOT of expiring money in RLEC, Frye, Diogu) and then swing Stoudemire to another team in a talent-for-talent swap for a small forward or point guard.
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You mean, like this?
 
Rastapopoulos said:
You mean, like this?
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Yeah, that isn't bad. I'd like to believe Portland could get an even better player than Deng (granted, Hinrich is a decent role-player), like Devin Harris. But I could certainly live with Deng and Hinrich.
 
free_lafrentz said:
Just incase anyone was wondering about Paul Allen's financial status, here is a direct quote from NBA.com VIA hoopshype rumors...

"Meanwhile, the haves, like Portland--whose owner, Paul Allen, still has a net worth of $16 billion or so after years of nine-figure losses, according to Forbes--still can make deals for basketball reasons. I'm told by a reliable source that the Blazers could lose another eight figures this season. But they'll still be active before the deadline and in the offseason." - NBA.com
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Damn we have the best owner in sports.
 
We're not getting Harris. They've built the team round him! Why would they get Stoudemire and lose someone they've built the team round? Stoudemire clearly isn't THAT good, unless Terry Porter is really THAT bad.

Put it this way: we probably have the same chance of getting Harris (great young PG, best player on a team with little else going for it) as we do of getting Chris Paul. After all, N'Awlins is probably on shakier financial ground than NJ. I see this as a bad thing. If you see this as a good thing ("we could get Chris Paul!") then this is you:

images
 
Rastapopoulos said:
We're not getting Harris. They've built the team round him! Why would they get Stoudemire and lose someone they've built the team round? Stoudemire clearly isn't THAT good, unless Terry Porter is really THAT bad.
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For the last few years, Stoudemire has been one of the most valuable players in the game, and he's still young. He's having a down year this year, but a single half-year hardly defines his value. New Jersey has been maneuvering to get one of the premier free agents of 2010, of which Stoudemire is one. Acquiring him now, along with his Bird rights, would essentially guarantee that they could keep him long-term since they could pay him more than anyone else.

Put it this way: we probably have the same chance of getting Harris (great young PG, best player on a team with little else going for it) as we do of getting Chris Paul. After all, N'Awlins is probably on shakier financial ground than NJ. I see this as a bad thing. If you see this as a good thing ("we could get Chris Paul!")
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I don't see your comparison as a good thing or a bad thing. I think your comparative odds are wrong. Harris is very good, but he doesn't approach the class of Chris Paul, who's currently on track to be one of the several greatest point guards in history.
 
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Rastapopoulos said:
We're not getting Harris. They've built the team round him! Why would they get Stoudemire and lose someone they've built the team round? Stoudemire clearly isn't THAT good, unless Terry Porter is really THAT bad.

Put it this way: we probably have the same chance of getting Harris (great young PG, best player on a team with little else going for it) as we do of getting Chris Paul. After all, N'Awlins is probably on shakier financial ground than NJ. I see this as a bad thing. If you see this as a good thing ("we could get Chris Paul!") then this is you:

images
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not even my life is good enough for harris? ill sacrifice my life for the rest of you blazer fans:cheers:
 
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