Rumor: Blazers Interested in Butler, again?

[mook]

BATUM WILL NEVER AVERAGE MORE THEN 10 A NIGHT.

thats why hes not at a good option at sf

I think you're wrong. He's got a very nice outside shot, a smooth handle and the ability to finish at the rim. He'll be at least a 15 ppg scorer in his prime.

But let's say you are right. Look at how many championship teams have been built with defensive-minded small forwards who average 10 a night. It's probably the single most common feature over the past decade among championship teams.

 

[Bosco]

If the Blazers give up anything of value it has to be for a center. That is easily their #1 weakness right now.

I'm not sure we are going to be doing trades that are going to be for the "right now" variety. We are looking down the road a bit more than that I would hope.... Yes we need a center, to make the playoffs this year more than likely, however at what cost?

 

[Minstrel]

I agree that Batum should be completely off the table for any deal with Washington, even for Butler.

Coming into this season, I'd have happily traded Fernandez to get Butler. His poor season is giving me some pause. But I think you have to go with established track record over one bad half-season, considering he's still this side of age 30. There's risk there, but it's a worthwhile one, IMO. I don't think Fernandez has star upside...I think he's more of an exciting role-player. Butler, if he can return to his usual self, has star/near-star ability.

Butler has a nice all-around game that would mesh will with the other starters. I would, in fact, be comfortable starting Roy/Batum/Butler/Aldridge/Oden. Roy and Butler provide enough passing to make up for not having a true point guard. Batum can hawk the opposing team's quickest perimeter player on defense.

 

[crowTrobot]

BATUM WILL NEVER AVERAGE MORE THEN 10 A NIGHT.

thats why hes not at a good option at sf

without a pre-season and as a 4th-5th option in the offense he's averaging 9.3 in just 22 minutes/game so far. durrrrrr

 

[RoyToy]

I'm not sure we are going to be doing trades that are going to be for the "right now" variety. We are looking down the road a bit more than that I would hope.... Yes we need a center, to make the playoffs this year more than likely, however at what cost?

I was just saying if the team gives up anything of value I'd rather it be for a center, but at the same time I've been saying that's pretty much impossible.

Overall the Blazers best bet is probably just to stand pat and let the year ride out. Getting Roy back will help a ton. With Roy the Blazers make the playoffs comfortably imo and at this point that's all I want for this year.

 

[oldguy]

Wow, really??? i would bet you 1000$ that he will average > 15ppg in the next 5 years

I wouldn't go there unless you have someone else hold the bet. I get the feeling that betting with MIXUM is pretty much the same as betting with ODENISGOD. Ask SPD how that worked out.

Go Blazers

 

[drexlersdad]

BATUM WILL NEVER AVERAGE MORE THEN 10 A NIGHT.

thats why hes not at a good option at sf

he is averaging 9.2 ppg right now....you could be wrong in two months lol, although that might be the longest you have ever been right.

 

[oldguy]

why are we even posting rumors. kpee has zero trading skills not to mention hes in love with average players like rudy. there will be no trade. stop wasting time.

This from the poster that has wasted more time whining about trades, by LIGHT YEARS, than anyone else in this forum. I trust that you will follow your own advice, and stop wasting everyone's time?

Go Blazers

 

[Ed O]

without a pre-season and as a 4th-5th option in the offense he's averaging 9.3 in just 22 minutes/game so far. durrrrrr

Totally. AND he's 21. While it's possible that he won't improve as he gets into his mid-20's, it seems pretty obvious that 10 ppg will be an afterthought for him.

As for Butler: not for Batum, no.

For Rudy? I could see it. Fernandez is going to be 25 in April--he's only about five years younger than Butler--and we still haven't seen enough to be sure he's a starting-level player.

Rudy/Outlaw/Blake for Butler and McGee. With $3m going back to Washington, of course.

Would both/either team do that?

(And, yes, McGee would have to come over in a second, separate deal for part of the trade exception we got for Diogu... it's good for another 10 days or so...)

Ed O.

 

[MAS RipCity]

Don't trade Batum for him but a Rudy/Blake/Filler package for Butler..we would be insane not to do it.

 

[mook]

For Rudy? I could see it. Fernandez is going to be 25 in April--he's only about five years younger than Butler--and we still haven't seen enough to be sure he's a starting-level player.

Rudy/Outlaw/Blake for Butler and McGee. With $3m going back to Washington, of course.

Would both/either team do that?

(And, yes, McGee would have to come over in a second, separate deal for part of the trade exception we got for Diogu... it's good for another 10 days or so...)

Ed O.

I could see doing that one. But then we have the logjam of Butler/Batum/Webster at SF. I don't really mind seeing Webster benched right now, but I have a feeling he'll vanish off the map if we put him in as a third stringer.

If we made that deal I think you have to do another deal to unload Webster. Otherwise you face a pretty big risk that he regresses, and his trade value goes down the tubes. I'd like to strike while the iron is hot on Webster.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

(And, yes, McGee would have to come over in a second, separate deal for part of the trade exception we got for Diogu... it's good for another 10 days or so...)

We don't have the Diogu exception anymore. We had to renounce all exceptions when we chose to use cap space to sign Miller, including the trade exception.

 

[Ed O]

We don't have the Diogu exception anymore. We had to renounce all exceptions when we chose to use cap space to sign Miller, including the trade exception.

Drat. I knew it didn't quite feel right when I typed it.

Ed O.

 

[RR7]

Of course, throwing Mills into the trade makes it work.

 

[cdub503]

I could see doing that one. But then we have the logjam of Butler/Batum/Webster at SF. I don't really mind seeing Webster benched right now, but I have a feeling he'll vanish off the map if we put him in as a third stringer.

If we made that deal I think you have to do another deal to unload Webster. Otherwise you face a pretty big risk that he regresses, and his trade value goes down the tubes. I'd like to strike while the iron is hot on Webster.

you could move webster to backup SG?

 

[mook]

I'd really rather see Bayless get all the minutes available backing up both Roy and Miller.

 

[Blaze01]

Well this thread proves one thing....that it isn't just Kevin Pritchard who is a bit myopic when it comes to certain players on this team.....

Let's see here...Bayless is the next Kevin Johnson and Batum is the next Scottie Pippen....Yeah uh huh, alright

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Well this thread proves one thing....that it isn't just Kevin Pritchard who is a bit myopic when it comes to certain players on this team.....

Let's see here...Bayless is the next Kevin Johnson and Batum is the next Scottie Pippen....Yeah uh huh, alright

Both were projected pre-draft as having top-5 talent, and both have shown several flashes of that talent. They are easily the two players that I'd put highest on the "Jermaine O'Neal" scale. In fact, they're probably the only ones (outside of "the big three") that would be worthy of that mention should they be traded.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

We need depth at the 4/5 and KP is looking at acquiring a 6'6" wing?

 

[LittleAlex]

Well this thread proves one thing....that it isn't just Kevin Pritchard who is a bit myopic when it comes to certain players on this team.....

Let's see here...Bayless is the next Kevin Johnson and Batum is the next Scottie Pippen....Yeah uh huh, alright

They don't have to be that good to be valuable to the team.

At least more valuable then a Rent-A-Center or a rapidly aging small forward.

I think Batum could be very good with a small chance at being a special player. Butler is on the downside of his career. Right now is as good as he will ever be.

Frankly that isn't very good at all.

Not good enough to trade more then one valuable asset (Rudy or Bayless) along with one bag of popcorn (Blake).

 

[Nikolokolus]

It's fun to daydream, but I don't see KP making the sacrifices necessary to acquire a player of Butler's caliber.

 

[BalancedMan]

I'm in the camp that Rudy is movable while Batum is not. Bayless is in between, but I'd rather not move him as I think he can very easily become a Mo Williams borderline all-star type of player....particularly given his work ethic.

Rudy, Webster, Outlaw, Blake....whatever, I'd give to get Butler. I'd love to see Batum get more minutes but Butler is a good player. For the person who questioned his defense...I haven't seen his defense in person that much, but a few years ago he was averaging 2+ steals a game which puts him in an elite category for that statistic. He is also an excellent free-throw shooter.

We have too much depth, we could consolidate down if possible. If we used those expendable pieces I mentioned (and Washington would like to start over, with cheap young pieces):

Miller/Bayless/Mills
Roy/Batum
Butler/Batum
LMA/Pendergraph/Cunningham
Oden/Pryzbilla

With other prospects such as Claver and Freeland who could be worthy of a roster spot too. Ideally we'd have another wing player for insurance, but those can be picked up reasonably cheap, certainly for the MLE. I love it!

 

[1 Eye Jack]

I would trade any combination of Bayless, Travis, Blake, Webster for Butler. Regardless of stats Butler is an improvement over any of our SF's. Although I'm also fine with Batum being our starter for the next 12 years.

 

[e_blazer]

How about:

Joel, Webster, Blake, & Rudy for

Butler & Haywood?

 

[jlprk]

We don't need another wing, we need a center, but Pritchard is using Butler to balance the trade. I don't think Butler is the centerpiece of the trade, or at least, not the motivation for the trade.

 

[anonymous gambler]

Butler is having a poor year, but has been very good recently both on offense and defense. I think morale could be an issue with his performance this year.

so, who would I trade for him? I'd prefer to trade some combo of Webster, Rudy, Blake and Outlaw- but would consider including Batum if we also got Heywood because this would put us in contention this year, assuming Butler can bounce back. It would give us three people in the starting lineup capable of creating their own shot off the dribble (along with roy and Miller), another good passer and potentially some veteran leadership.

 

[hasoos]

The thing I would remind people about is Batum is versatile. He can play 1 through 4, obviously with the 4 being against less physical players. The thing is, I could see Roy, Batum, and Butler all on the floor at once without a hitch. It may be going small. It may be going big. But I don't see Butler and Batum as "mutually exclusive".