Pritchard - Free Agency Loser?

[John Law]

So the lakers who just won a world championship does not want to keep one of their 3 best players by matching a 9-10 million dollar contract. Interesting to say the least. So if they don't think he is worth it, and they know him best....why the fuck should we? This is the lakers we are talking about. They make a lot of money. If this is true and they jsut aren't playing hard ball with him, that tells me he has issues that they don't like. That is not that much money for a player of Odoms stature.

Where are the Laker fans when you need one? They sure are here when we don't.

I totally agree. Has everyone forgotten that we HATE Lamar Odom? The guy is a total jerk who would never fit in with the good guys. He is a total Bob Whitsett guy and I don't want him anywhere near Portland, and I applaud Pritchard for not trying to win that way. Next I'll be hearing that people want Rick Fox to come out of retirement and sign with us.

 

[Nikolokolus]

No ty.

Battier is going to be 31 and is just a 3pt shooter with good defense. You think that deserves Outlaw AND Joel?

For some reason I laughed when I read this. "Just" a great defender and really good 3 point shooter from the wing? ... a position of weakness, either because of uncertainty surrounding Martell, inexperience in Nicolas or lack of consistency in Travis, and all we have to do is give up an inconsistent tweener forward who only shoots and doesn't play good defense and doesn't rebound and a 30 year old center who plays the same position as our number one draft pick, is a liability on offense and will leave us with an overcrowded frontcourt (if we get Millsap) unless we move him?

This is what people talk about when referring to fans overvaluing players. Don't get me wrong, I love Joel, and I don't hate Travis, and dealing both to get Battier carries some risk, but I'd be much more comfortable with this lineup from a balanced roster perspective and production perspective than rolling forward with Joel and Travis rotting on the bench because Nate is trying to squeeze too many players into too few minutes next season.

 

[John Law]

For some reason I laughed when I read this. "Just" a great defender and really good 3 point shooter from the wing? ... a position of weakness, either because of uncertainty surrounding Martell, inexperience in Nicolas or lack of consistency in Travis, and all we have to do is give up an inconsistent tweener forward who only shoots and doesn't play good defense and doesn't rebound and a 30 year old center who plays the same position as our number one draft pick, is a liability on offense and will leave us with an overcrowded frontcourt (if we get Millsap) unless we move him?

This is what people talk about when referring to fans overvaluing players. Don't get me wrong, I love Joel, and I don't hate Travis, and dealing both to get Battier carries some risk, but I'd be much more comfortable with this lineup from a balanced roster perspective and production perspective than rolling forward with Joel and Travis rotting on the bench because Nate is trying to squeeze too many players into too few minutes next season.

Why is everyone trying to trade Joel away? The guy has been the backbone of the team. Have we already forgotten why we lost to the Lakers in '99? The refs fouled out Sabonis and all we had left was Brian Grant to guard Shaq. Did you notice how difficult it was to foul out both Oden and Joel?

We are Portland. The refs will never let us keep a starting center in the game. Ever. We need Joel on this team, period. In my mind, he is totally untradeable, especially with the contract he has. There is a reason we are under the cap right now; it's because we have reasonable contracts for these guys.

 

[Sinobas]

We won a lot of games last year due to Roy taking over 1 on 1 in the 4th quarter. Brilliant coaching!

I wouldn't be too upset to lose Nate, honestly. Neither Roy nor LA are going anywhere. People are over sensationalizing this offseason, and it's not even over yet. KP built this team, and you want to bag on him just because Hedo backed out?

 

[Sedatedfork]

Why is everyone trying to trade Joel away? The guy has been the backbone of the team. Have we already forgotten why we lost to the Lakers in '99? The refs fouled out Sabonis and all we had left was Brian Grant to guard Shaq. Did you notice how difficult it was to foul out both Oden and Joel?

We are Portland. The refs will never let us keep a starting center in the game. Ever. We need Joel on this team, period. In my mind, he is totally untradeable, especially with the contract he has. There is a reason we are under the cap right now; it's because we have reasonable contracts for these guys.

Well, if we get Millsap, how do you think Joel is going to feel about getting less minutes than last year? Joel is a valuable commodity, but with Millsap you can get away with playing LMA at C some.

 

[John Law]

Well, if we get Millsap, how do you think Joel is going to feel about getting less minutes than last year? Joel is a valuable commodity, but with Millsap you can get away with playing LMA at C some.

No man, you've got this all wrong (no offense intended). Millsap isn't being signed to replace Joel at all. He is meant to make the team bigger, not smaller. LaMarcus is only a center when you are playing a team that has none (Houston?). You have to think in terms of what will help you win in the playoffs, and we gotta have Joel for that.

 

[B-Roy]

No man, you've got this all wrong (no offense intended). Millsap isn't being signed to replace Joel at all. He is meant to make the team bigger, not smaller. LaMarcus is only a center when you are playing a team that has none (Houston?). You have to think in terms of what will help you win in the playoffs, and we gotta have Joel for that.

Joel will definitely be on the block if Millsap is indeed signed. Guys like Millsap are too talented to be used for 15 minutes a game. Besides, the only reason to pay a backup 9M per year is so that he gets significant minutes.

 

[RoyToy]

For some reason I laughed when I read this. "Just" a great defender and really good 3 point shooter from the wing? ... a position of weakness, either because of uncertainty surrounding Martell, inexperience in Nicolas or lack of consistency in Travis, and all we have to do is give up an inconsistent tweener forward who only shoots and doesn't play good defense and doesn't rebound and a 30 year old center who plays the same position as our number one draft pick, is a liability on offense and will leave us with an overcrowded frontcourt (if we get Millsap) unless we move him?

This is what people talk about when referring to fans overvaluing players. Don't get me wrong, I love Joel, and I don't hate Travis, and dealing both to get Battier carries some risk, but I'd be much more comfortable with this lineup from a balanced roster perspective and production perspective than rolling forward with Joel and Travis rotting on the bench because Nate is trying to squeeze too many players into too few minutes next season.

I'm not comfortable with anything unless the Blazers have a good backup center for Oden, and no, I don't really count Aldridge in that scenario. I'm talking about an extra body that is 7 foot tall. A guy that would be the best rebounder on the team and the best defensive post player on the team, whether that means guarding guys straight up or weak side help. Joel is that guy.

Losing Joel is not a good thing, period.

 

[B-Roy]

I'm not comfortable with anything unless the Blazers have a good backup center for Oden, and no, I don't really count Aldridge in that scenario. I'm talking about an extra body that is 7 foot tall. A guy that would be the best rebounder on the team and the best defensive post player on the team, whether that means guarding guys straight up or weak side help. Joel is that guy.

Losing Joel is not a good thing, period.

Kind of describes Millsap.

 

[RoyToy]

Kind of describes Millsap.

Kind of, but Joel is the better rebounder, and he can guard the true centers in the NBA. Millsap is an undersized PF.

 

[barfo]

Well, if we get Millsap, how do you think Joel is going to feel about getting less minutes than last year? Joel is a valuable commodity, but with Millsap you can get away with playing LMA at C some.

I think Joel will be ok with it. He's not getting any younger and it might extend his career to play fewer minutes. Plus it has been clear to him for a couple of years now that he's Oden's backup, this isn't a big change of plans. Assuming Oden is healthy, Joel will be getting fewer minutes this year even if we don't get Millsap.

I think it would be a serious mistake to trade Joel. Got to see if Oden can get through a year injury-free first. Of course, if we are going to trade him for Chris Paul, no problem.

barfo

 

[Shooter]

Firstly, I don't believe that Pritchard kept coming back with the same deals in desparation. What does he have to be desparate about? He is in the best shape cap-wise in the entire NBA! How many of those other Gm's would love to be in his shoes? I think internet jockeys and journalists with an axe to grind need to take a step back and remember where this man has brought this team. He took over a team that was not only among the worst in the NBA, but also in salary cap hell (think New York Knicks), tied to multi-year contracts with players we all hated. Now, only three years in, the team is filled with players we like, with a combination of great talent, up and comers, and even young guys who could put this team over the top without ever adding a free agent. These guys are almost all under 25, they have at least a couple years before they even reach their prime, and already we won 54 games! How long did it take Drexler, Porter, and Kersey to do that?

So now, KP has lost his luster because he didn't get some droopy-faced sloped-foreheaded dude from Turkey who you wouldn't have even wanted if not for KP's telling you he would fit in well? The fact that Turkey boy didn't come to Portland is hardly humiliating. That's all spin and stupidity. If the Blazers develop even a couple of these players, Oden, Batum, Bayless, and Martell, this team is going to be a power in the west for years.

How can anyone think Pritchard is a loser when the games for next season haven't even started yet, much less the playoffs? Yeah, we lost in the first round this year. Did you catch that these guys had never played in the freaking playoffs before? They took a huge step this year...now give them a chance to take another huge step next year. Frankly, I wish this Yahoo and Jason Quick would shut up at watch what is actually happening. Pritchard's goal is to fill that cap space with good talent. He has until the trade deadline to do it, and then we will see how the team performs in the playoffs. I would think that, given where he has already brought this team, he would get the benefit of the doubt until at least the playoffs! Get mad then if you aren't happy with the result, not now, in freaking July, when the season hasn't even started yet!

Okay, I said my piece. Carry on.

Excellent post. Thanks for reminding us of how good this team already is, and what our further development is going to look like. I'm really hoping that Oden, Batum, and Bayless turn it up a notch this season. If they do, we've got nothing to to worry about.

 

[John Law]

Joel will definitely be on the block if Millsap is indeed signed. Guys like Millsap are too talented to be used for 15 minutes a game. Besides, the only reason to pay a backup 9M per year is so that he gets significant minutes.

I respectfully disagree. Millsap is 6'8'', they aren't going to put him in there to replace Joel. That just isn't smart basketball, especially when you have Oden who can't stay in the game longer than 20 minutes before he fouls out. Millsap is meant to be a corresponding player to Joel at the 4 spot, he doesn't play the 5 for a playoff team against another playoff team.

At the end of this season, Pritchard and McMillan spoke repeatedly about finding someone in free agency who could make the team tougher, that we didn't have a guy like that. They were not talking about Joel, guys. They were talking about LaMarcus and Channing.

The fact that we have one more big than anyone else is going to be our advantage over the other teams in the west.

 

[Idog1976]

Re: More KP bashing by Wojnarowski

What an absolute pile of shit that article is.

Pritchard like every other GM in the league has advantages and disadvantages based on the team/city they work for and in, misses on free agents, and tries to make trades happen and gets lucky and unlucky here and there.

This twat has just decided to put his own negative slant on it.

Can't wait until all these fucko's have to eat their own shit when we reach the promised land

Especially the year that Oden is DPOY and Roy is MVP regular season and Finals MVP. KP might talk about how he "Pritch slapped the whole league" at that point it won't matter if he pulls an Odysseus and enrages the gods.

 

[Sedatedfork]

I think Joel will be ok with it. He's not getting any younger and it might extend his career to play fewer minutes. Plus it has been clear to him for a couple of years now that he's Oden's backup, this isn't a big change of plans. Assuming Oden is healthy, Joel will be getting fewer minutes this year even if we don't get Millsap.

I think it would be a serious mistake to trade Joel. Got to see if Oden can get through a year injury-free first. Of course, if we are going to trade him for Chris Paul, no problem.

barfo

Well if that's the case, then I am cool with keeping Joel even with Millsap. I would love Battier on this team though.

 

[Minstrel]

I respectfully disagree. Millsap is 6'8'', they aren't going to put him in there to replace Joel. That just isn't smart basketball, especially when you have Oden who can't stay in the game longer than 20 minutes before he fouls out. Millsap is meant to be a corresponding player to Joel at the 4 spot, he doesn't play the 5 for a playoff team against another playoff team.

If Millsap were acquired and Przybilla were traded, Millsap wouldn't play center. Aldridge would slide over to center when Oden was on the bench. You'd have center/power forward units of: Oden/Aldridge, Oden/Millsap and Aldridge/Millsap.

Thus, Millsap only ever plays power forward but still effectively ends up allowing Portland to use a three-man rotation in the front court.

 

[PapaG]

If Millsap were acquired and Przybilla were traded, Millsap wouldn't play center. Aldridge would slide over to center when Oden was on the bench. You'd have center/power forward units of: Oden/Aldridge, Oden/Millsap and Aldridge/Millsap.

Thus, Millsap only ever plays power forward but still effectively ends up allowing Portland to use a three-man rotation in the front court.

If Outlaw's still here, he'd play some 4 as well. Not as much as last year, of course, but I could see him playing 4 with LMA for some "small ball" stretches.

 

[Minstrel]

If Outlaw's still here, he'd play some 4 as well. Not as much as last year, of course, but I could see him playing 4 with LMA for some "small ball" stretches.

Yeah, most likely. I'd anticipate the vast majority of his minutes coming at small forward (with Webster's return uncertain, Portland has nobody else at the position after Batum)...but he could certainly mop up any left-over minutes at power forward. Especially when one considers any potential injuries.

 

[RoyToy]

Aldridge CAN play center, but I'm not necessarily fond of the idea.

He actually played a lot of minutes there last year at the end of games when the Blazers needed scoring, but the defense always took a hit.

 

[John Law]

Outlaw is the guy they would get rid of if Millsap were signed, not Joel (or else, Travis just wouldn't play at the 4 anymore). LaMarcus isn't even a good defender against other power forwards, much less centers. Again, try to remember how rough it was when we had to play Brian Grant on centers. Well Brian was a heck of a lot tougher than LaMarcus will ever be.

 

[Ed O]

If Outlaw's still here, he'd play some 4 as well. Not as much as last year, of course, but I could see him playing 4 with LMA for some "small ball" stretches.

I agree. I can actually see him in there with Oden, too, since he helps space the floor and Oden will (hopefully) be a beast on the backboards to help cover for Outlaw at the power forward.

Ed O.

 

[Minstrel]

Aldridge CAN play center, but I'm not necessarily fond of the idea.

He actually played a lot of minutes there last year at the end of games when the Blazers needed scoring, but the defense always took a hit.

A lot of that was having defensive lightweights like Fye and Diogu (and an undersized Outlaw) at power forward when he was at center. Having to make up for the defensive shortcomings of the power forward will weaken one's defense at center.

Millsap is a strong defender who will require little or no help from the center. That will improve Aldridge's defensive effectiveness when playing center, similar to his effectiveness at power forward when Oden or Aldridge is his front court mate.

 

[PapaG]

A lot of that was having defensive lightweights like Fye and Diogu (and an undersized Outlaw) at power forward when he was at center. Having to make up for the defensive shortcomings of the power forward will weaken one's defense at center.

Millsap is a strong defender who will require little or no help from the center. That will improve Aldridge's defensive effectiveness when playing center, similar to his effectiveness at power forward when Oden or Aldridge is his front court mate.

Millsap is a hell of a player, and I like the signing since clearly nothing else is available via trade. I'm pretty sure he won't be in Portland next year, though.

 

[RoyToy]

A lot of that was having defensive lightweights like Fye and Diogu (and an undersized Outlaw) at power forward when he was at center. Having to make up for the defensive shortcomings of the power forward will weaken one's defense at center.

Millsap is a strong defender who will require little or no help from the center. That will improve Aldridge's defensive effectiveness when playing center, similar to his effectiveness at power forward when Oden or Aldridge is his front court mate.

That sounds good, but I just don't see it working that way. It makes you undersized at center and pf, opposed to always being big at pf and c with an Aldridge/Oden or Przy combo.

If Aldridge was a little stronger and thicker, maybe. But he doesn't play like a center at all, on both sides of the court.

 

[PapaG]

That sounds good, but I just don't see it working that way. It makes you undersized at center and pf, opposed to always being big at pf and c with an Aldridge/Oden or Przy combo.

If Aldridge was a little stronger and thicker, maybe. But he doesn't play like a center at all, on both sides of the court.

It doesn't matter, because Roy and LMA are both going to sit out the season and demand trades.

 

[Minstrel]

It doesn't matter, because Roy and LMA are both going to sit out the season and demand trades.

What a bounty Portland could get in return for those players!

 

[RoyToy]

Going over a substitution pattern considering the Blazers get Millsap and trade Przybilla.

Blake
Roy
Batum
Aldridge
Oden

Bayless comes in for Blake or Blake plays whole 1st q. No big deal.
Roy/Rudy - Roy usually gets a breather 1st q I think.
Batum/Webster or Outlaw - has to be Webster
Aldridge/Millsap - Aldridge plays whole 1st q.
Oden/Aldridge - Oden plays until 4 or 3min left in 1st, Millsap comes in.

Now

Blake
Rudy
Webster
Millsap
Aldridge

1st q over, Aldridge needs rest. Would Oden really come right back in? Idk. So...

Bayless
Rudy
Webster
Outlaw
Millsap

That could potentially be the unit that start the 2nd q. I know McMillan likes to keep one of Aldridge or Roy, but they have to get a breather at some point, especially in the beginning of the season. Can't wear them out.

So you'd have a 4/5 combo of Outlaw and Millsap I suppose. Pendergraph could factor in I guess, but he's still undersized to play center.

Przybilla can't go anywhere.

I know this is really simplifying everything, but still.

 

[bobf]

Sign Millsap. Trade Joel and Travis for Battier. Bang, wonderful offseason.

Blake | Bayless
Roy | Rudy
Battier | Batum
Aldridge | Millsap
Oden |Aldridge

Rudy will hate it.

Any way to make that Rudy + Joel + Outlaw for Devin Harris?

Harris | Blake | Bayless
Roy | Bayless
Batum | Roy | Webster
Aldridge | Millsap
Oden | Aldridge

 

[Sedatedfork]

What a bounty Portland could get in return for those players!

Is it too late to undo 2006? Foye and Thomas would be good cornerstones, not to mention getting Viktor back.

 

[barfo]

What a bounty Portland could get in return for those players!

I think we need to trade them now before they are completely cancerous.

barfo