Portland trying to get PAUL MILLSAP!

[RoyToy]

What is with the fascination in trying to trade Przy? It's just not a good idea imo.

 

[44Thrilla]

this guy?

 

[B-Roy]

this guy?

Hey, he fouled out!

Foul machine!

 

[barfo]

Interesting that almost every poster seems to like this move. However, the rumors about Lee were dividing the group.

How would signing Milsap be much different than signing Lee?

We are more desperate now. We've been without a free agent signing for 8 days. Getting weaker... posting difficult... need to find new players.

barfo

 

[MAS RipCity]

1. He defends 20x better than Lee.

2. It hurts Utah.

3- apparently willing to be a backup

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

I'd rather have Odom still. Millsap is JUST a PF. He can't play C. He can't play SF. LaMarcus should be playing around 35mpg at PF (he doesn't play well at C at all). Millsap can't just play 13mpg.

LMA has a PER of 20 playing at C.

I think a three big rotation of LMA/Oden/Millsap is pretty great IF Oden can stay out of foul trouble.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Interesting that almost every poster seems to like this move. However, the rumors about Lee were dividing the group.

How would signing Milsap be much different than signing Lee?

Lee seems to think he's worth 10 million per year and who knows what the Knicks would do if it came to matching him. I wasn't a fan of the move mostly because I figured it would get rebuffed, this signing appears (I guess?) to have a better chance of going through.

 

[yakbladder]

So one thing I've never understood - why can't we just move LMA to SF and let Milsap take the PF spot and then just free-flow rotate with Pryz, Oden, LMA, Milsap, Webster, etc....Outlaw is going to be traded next Tuesday, so he won't factor in.

 

[yakbladder]

We are more desperate now. We've been without a free agent signing for 8 days. Getting weaker... posting difficult... need to find new players.

barfo

We need to start scouting the high school leagues, see if we can make a decent trade there.

 

[B-Roy]

We are more desperate now. We've been without a free agent signing for 8 days. Getting weaker... posting difficult... need to find new players.

barfo

Ah, your sarcasm is like post fuel.

 

[barfo]

I don't think you have to force OKC to do anything with their cap space. I believe they are content to stand pat this off-season and try to use it next year on a marquee free agent or a couple of good role-players to surround Durant and company.

Probably, but I could imagine that the possibility of competition is keeping prices up a little.

barfo

 

[Nikolokolus]

LMA has a PER of 20 playing at C.

I think a three big rotation of LMA/Oden/Millsap is pretty great IF Oden can stay out of foul trouble.

Unfortunately he also gives up a PER of 22 when he plays there too ... if he can continue to add strength and fill out his frame a little without giving up athleticism I suppose he could be a more effective player as a 4/5, but that's not a position I see him playing for long stretches of time.

 

[Denny Crane]

Interesting that almost every poster seems to like this move. However, the rumors about Lee were dividing the group.

How would signing Milsap be much different than signing Lee?

Lee's been a full-time PF and a full-time C the past two seasons?

 

[Nikolokolus]

So one thing I've never understood - why can't we just move LMA to SF and let Milsap take the PF spot and then just free-flow rotate with Pryz, Oden, LMA, Milsap, Webster, etc....Outlaw is going to be traded next Tuesday, so he won't factor in.

Do you think Aldridge has the speed to play defense against small forwards in this league? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Denny Crane]

Do you think Aldridge has the speed to play defense against small forwards in this league? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't bet on it.

He rebounds like a SF.

 

[Pinwheel1]

So with the passing of Larry Miller, who owns the Jazz now?

Yes his sons run the empire. (team,car dealerships, movie theater complexes, motorsports park) Neither are the basketball diehards that Larry was though.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

Unfortunately he also gives up a PER of 22 when he plays there too ... if he can continue to add strength and fill out his frame a little without giving up athleticism I suppose he could be a more effective player as a 4/5, but that's not a position I see him playing for long stretches of time.

Forgot to check the opposing player...thanks.

I don't necessarily want to see him playing big minutes at the 5 either, but I'd (probably) be comfortable with him playing 6 minutes a half or so with the second unit, pushing the tempo (hopefully) while Greg and the others rest.

 

[Ed O]

A couple of things:

• Let's give Quick some props for having this news (we rip the guy enough for missing things, he deserves some props here I think)
• Millsap is a very good player... a bit older than Bass and about at David Lee's level in terms of production.
• I guess there are three reasons to go after Millsap, rather than Lee... 1. Paul's younger, 2. Paul's a better defender, and 3. Stealing him from a division rival would be good.
• I agree with Rasta: Utah sends Boozer to another team and matches any offer Portland throws out. Utah could send Boozer and a first rounder to OKC, for example.
• I'm liking that KP is still being aggressive. Even if this doesn't work out, I'd rather have him going for quality, rather than waiting or settling on less.

Ed O.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

He rebounds like a SF.

Such is his role in Portland's schemes. He is told to run the floor which is why he rarely boxes out. That is the centers job and is also supposed to be the small forward's job but well uh.. yeah. Our small forwards don't really do that sometimes.

As for LMA playing SF at some point I think he could guard some of the SF's in the league. He does okay when we switch on the pick and roll sometimes, but it is not something I'd like to see against a premier small-forward.

It would mostly be matchup dependent.

 

[Sug]

A couple of things:

• Let's give Quick some props for having this news (we rip the guy enough for missing things, he deserves some props here I think)
• Millsap is a very good player... a bit older than Bass and about at David Lee's level in terms of production.
• I guess there are three reasons to go after Millsap, rather than Lee... 1. Paul's younger, 2. Paul's a better defender, and 3. Stealing him from a division rival would be good.
• I agree with Rasta: Utah sends Boozer to another team and matches any offer Portland throws out. Utah could send Boozer and a first rounder to OKC, for example.
• I'm liking that KP is still being aggressive. Even if this doesn't work out, I'd rather have him going for quality, rather than waiting or settling on less.

Ed O.

Thanks for using the bullets, can you email me the PowerPoint please.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

How much cap room does OKC have to play with?

Doing the math in my head $10m and another $3m if they cut two players.

 

[barfo]

Let's give Quick some props for having this news (we rip the guy enough for missing things, he deserves some props here I think)

Shouldn't we wait to see if it is true or not? For all we know he's just drunk and having a laugh.

barfo

 

[Minstrel]

I would absolutely love this signing. In my opinion, Millsap was the best free agent on the market, factoring in ability and age. Odom was a similarly good player and a better fit, but older. Either Millsap or Odom would be a fantastic get, to me.

I think an Oden/Aldridge/Millsap front court can work. True that Aldridge gave up a high PER at center, but some of that is likely sample size. I think (just an assumption based on his size and athleticism) that he can play center effectively and that allows Millsap to essentially back up both PF and C.

Plus, Millsap should be a very tradeable asset in six months and there's no specific "expiration date" on his trade value.

 

[Nikolokolus]

What is with the fascination in trying to trade Przy? It's just not a good idea imo.

It's called getting maximum value. Paying Aldridge a probable 10-11 million, Milsap a likely 7.5 million, Oden a possible 10+ million dollar extension next year (depending on the cap and performance) and Joel with the ability to opt out next season and probably commanding somewhere around 7 million a year for 5 years that's a lot of money tied up in your frontcourt and also too many bodies and not enough minutes to go around. Getting Milsap and paying him all of that money means you need to get at least 28+ minutes per game out of him and that only happens if you divide up the backup power forward and center minutes. Assuming LMA plays 36 minutes, Oden manages to keep himself on the court for 30 minutes (God I hope!) that leaves you with 30 minutes for Milsap and Przybilla to divvy up -- that's bad value for the money you are spending, especially when this team could probably dangle Joel as a trade piece and get some real interest; just consider the dearth of quality 7+ footers in the league. The Blazers need some help at the point guard position or could use a more mature and consistent third scorer from the wing this could be the best way to get this done.

As a hypothetical:
1. Acquire Milsap in free agency
2. offer Travis and Joel or Blake and Joel and see what you can get.

 

[STOMP]

I'd rather have Odom still. Millsap is JUST a PF. He can't play C. He can't play SF. LaMarcus should be playing around 35mpg at PF (he doesn't play well at C at all). Millsap can't just play 13mpg.

I'm not sure what you're saying here. He guards plenty of post players well who are listed as both PFs and Centers... what backup 5 would score all over him? On the other end he'd play mostly high post when teamed with either Millsap or Greg. Whats the problem?

btw... I'd love for this to happen. Then send Blake and Joel to Chicago for Kirk to complete the picture.

Kirk Bayless
Roy Rudy
Batum Outlaw
LA Millsap
Greg LA & someone with 6 fouls



STOMP

 

[oldmangrouch]

1. He defends 20x better than Lee.

2. It hurts Utah.

3. He isn't hung up on being a "starter".

 

[B-Roy]

Plus, Millsap should be a very tradeable asset in six months and there's no specific "expiration date" on his trade value.

After his BYC expires.

 

[barfo]

Either Millsap or Odom would be a fantastic get, to me.

I think an Odom/Aldridge/Millsap front court can work.

So, either would be fantastic, but both can work?

barfo

 

[Crimson the Cat]

Won't Utah just try to dump Boozer and then match? Boozer's leaving at the end of the year anyway. Maybe they'll give him to the Suns for Big Ben's contract, because BB's supposed to be retiring.

Who they going to dump him on? It's us or OKC withenough salary cap space to absorb most or all of Boozer

 

[Ed O]

Shouldn't we wait to see if it is true or not? For all we know he's just drunk and having a laugh.

Nah. Assuming he's not literally lying, I appreciate him bringing us a report that is pretty robust. Even if it turns out that the sources he has are wrong, I am happy that he's breaking rumor news.

Ed O.