Portland Trail Blazers Stand Pat at Trade Deadline (Bleacher Report)

[ABM]

From: Bleacher Report

The NBA trade deadline has passed. Basketball junkies across the nation have grown accustomed to blockbuster deals made by Kevin Pritchard taking place on such days as the trading deadline and the NBA Draft.

This year however, Trail Blazer fans were pleasantly surprised, as Kevin Pritchard stood pat, and took his finger off the trigger for once.

He must have gotten his fill from the three team deal between the Blazers, Kings, and Bulls, which sent Ike Diogu to the Kings for Michael Ruffin.

Now, why did Portland's "Golden Boy" only make one seeemingly insignificant trade? The Diogu deal served only one purpose, to clear cap room, as Ruffin's salary is less than half of Diogu's. Throw in a trade exception and you've got yourself a good financial deal.

Portland holds what was said to be the most valuable asset at the trade deadline: the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz. Due to a season-ending shoulder surgery, LaFrentz's insurance kicked in to pay his contract. To make things simple, whatever team held his contract was slated to earn over $100K per game for the rest of the season.

Portland could have dealed this "golden ticket" and a few of their "deadwood" players for a veteran leader to bolster the team's chances for the playoffs.

Instead, Portland stood pat, and kept the money. Why did they do this? Two words: Darius Miles.........

 

[oldmangrouch]

A. When has KP swung a huge deadline deal?

B. Blazer fans pleasantly surprised the team stood pat???

C. This writer needs to stick to teams he knows something about.

 

[ABM]

A. When has KP swung a huge deadline deal?

B. Blazer fans pleasantly surprised the team stood pat???

C. This writer needs to stick to teams he knows something about.

I hear ya. Please, just don't shoot the messenger. You know me. I like finding various stuff, then trotting it out for public view, analysis, debate, criticism, etc.

 

[BBert]

A. When has KP swung a huge deadline deal?

B. Blazer fans pleasantly surprised the team stood pat???

C. This writer needs to stick to teams he knows something about.

My thoughts as well. He's right about Bayless and Batum though -- especially Batum who I see as a special talent. Put our three stars with those two -- assuming a healthy Oden -- and back them up with Blake, Rudy, Martell, Joel, Outlaw, and a strong PF, and this team is a contender within two years. And that's not counting the still very real possiblity of adding a quality player this summer.

I'm kind of glad I didn't jump off that ledge after the trade deadline passed.

 

[MrJayremmie]

Depending on what we do in the summer and how 3 guys develop (Batum, Bayless and Oden) I think we may have a shot to be a borderline contender (definitely a contender for the WCF in my eyes) next year.

 

[barfo]

I hear ya. Please, just don't shoot the messenger. You know me. I like finding various stuff, then trotting it out for public view, analysis, debate, criticism, etc.

You can't fool us ABM. We know you write all those articles.

barfo

 

[ABM]

You can't fool us ABM. We know you write all those articles.

barfo

You'd better wach out, barfo. Now that it's official that my wife and I will be moving to Portland this spring, I'm gonna look you up and come after you for all the grief and proverbial pain you've caused me in here.

 

[Nikolokolus]

From: Bleacher Report

The NBA trade deadline has passed. Basketball junkies across the nation have grown accustomed to blockbuster deals made by Kevin Pritchard taking place on such days as the trading deadline and the NBA Draft.

This year however, Trail Blazer fans were pleasantly surprised, as Kevin Pritchard stood pat, and took his finger off the trigger for once.

He must have gotten his fill from the three team deal between the Blazers, Kings, and Bulls, which sent Ike Diogu to the Kings for Michael Ruffin.

Now, why did Portland's "Golden Boy" only make one seeemingly insignificant trade? The Diogu deal served only one purpose, to clear cap room, as Ruffin's salary is less than half of Diogu's. Throw in a trade exception and you've got yourself a good financial deal.

Portland holds what was said to be the most valuable asset at the trade deadline: the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz. Due to a season-ending shoulder surgery, LaFrentz's insurance kicked in to pay his contract. To make things simple, whatever team held his contract was slated to earn over $100K per game for the rest of the season.

Portland could have dealed this "golden ticket" and a few of their "deadwood" players for a veteran leader to bolster the team's chances for the playoffs.

Instead, Portland stood pat, and kept the money. Why did they do this? Two words: Darius Miles.........

I'd argue the pleasantly surprised sentiment; in a completely unscientific poll I took, I'd say there was about a fifty-fifty split between Blazers fans and their desire to see a significant move, and since when has KP been a deadline wheeler and dealer?

Secondly standing pat had almost nothing to do with Darius, if anything Darius made it more likely KP would seek a trade since RLEC was worth more than double the cap space it frees up this summer -- assuming salary somewhat equals talent.

The only reason I can see that he stood pat is that he was being asked to give up too much and take back not enough to make it a good deal.


ABM, you and your bleacher report

 

[barfo]

You'd better wach out, barfo. Now that it's official that my wife and I will be moving to Portland this spring, I'm gonna look you up and come after you for all the grief and proverbial pain you've caused me in here.

Bring it, ABM. I'm ready to rassle with you, or your wife. It'll be an epic battle between good and evil. The Prizefight in Portland. The Rumble in Rip City. The Slaughter in Stumptown.

barfo

 

[ABM]

Bring it, ABM. I'm ready to rassle with you, or your wife. It'll be an epic battle between good and evil. The Prizefight in Portland. The Rumble in Rip City. The Slaughter in Stumptown.

barfo

Dude, where ya been? These types of events almost always take place at Mt. Tabor.

I may even bring this guy with...