Rumor: Outlaw for Conley swap?

[Fez Hammersticks]

From Dwightjaynes.com

Outlaw for Conley?
November 3rd, 2008 by Dwight Jaynes | 5 Comments | Filed in NBA, Trail Blazers

Sam Smith, who has retired from the Chicago Tribune, is now writing a column for the Website of the team he covered for many years, the Chicago Bulls. In this installment (way down at the end), Sam’s reporting that the Trail Blazers have offered Travis Outlaw for Memphis point guard (and old Greg Oden teammate) Mike Conley. Sam seems to think that’s not enough to get Conley but I’d say it’s more than enough.

Conley hasn’t played a minute during the fourth quarters of his team’s last two games. The coaching staff in Memphis seems to favor Kyle Lowry at crunch time. And Memphis won’t take Travis Outlaw — a guy who beat the Grizzlies in Memphis at the buzzer last season – for a point guard the coaches won’t use in the fourth quarter?

By the way, maybe this is why Travis was pushed into the starting lineup at the last minute ahead of Nicolas Batum. Was it showcase time?

 

[Денг Гордон]

There is no way in hell that Outlaw is enough for Conley Jr. Grizzlies already have Rudy Gay at small forward.

 

[BenDavis503x]

By the way, maybe this is why Travis was pushed into the starting lineup at the last minute ahead of Nicolas Batum. Was it showcase time?

Good point. And Travis can play PF easily.

Lowry
Mayo
Gay
Outlaw
Gasol

Not bad.

 

[Ed O]

There is no way in hell that Outlaw is enough for Conley Jr. Grizzlies already have Rudy Gay at small forward.

Throwing in a couple second rounders and some cash would make it more appealing to Memphis, but I'm not sure that it would be enough, either.

I'd like to see Portland do it.

Of course, Sam Smith is notoriously unreliable, but there was at least one report by a Memphis beat writer in August that was similar to this.

Ed O.

 

[SpanishFly]

LOL Looks like my post about Conley early this morning with TO a possible player to go is perhaps not so far off base.

 

[Mediocre Man]

There is no way in hell that Outlaw is enough for Conley Jr. Grizzlies already have Rudy Gay at small forward.

Outlaw at the 4 would fit into what Iavaronni is doing. It would be a lot like Marion with Phoenix was.

I personally think Outlaw shoul dbe moved, but I'm not sure we need Mike Conley Jr. It's not that he isn't a good player, but is he really a better point guard than Bayless, Sergio, Roy, Rudy? I'm not sure he really is what the Blazers need right now.

Portland needs someone to come in and kick some ass in the locker room. Someone like KG in a PG's body.

 

[Денг Гордон]

Throwing in a couple second rounders and some cash would make it more appealing to Memphis, but I'm not sure that it would be enough, either.

I'd like to see Portland do it.

Of course, Sam Smith is notoriously unreliable, but there was at least one report by a Memphis beat writer in August that was similar to this.

Ed O.

Smith broke the Gordon story in his mailbag blog thing on bulls.com first, before the papers picked it up.

After Smith said that the Bulls withdrew the offer to Ben Gordon while Gordon was trying to accept it, I bet they wish they didn't give him the right to no prior approval.

 

[Ed O]

Outlaw at the 4 would fit into what Iavaronni is doing. It would be a lot like Marion with Phoenix was.

That would be interesting to see him in that role. Hopefully Memphis buys this line of reasoning. They certainly aren't STACKED at PF, with Arthur struggling lately and Warrick being overhyped since Syracuse.

I personally think Outlaw shoul dbe moved, but I'm not sure we need Mike Conley Jr. It's not that he isn't a good player, but is he really a better point guard than Bayless, Sergio, Roy, Rudy? I'm not sure he really is what the Blazers need right now.

Portland needs someone to come in and kick some ass in the locker room. Someone like KG in a PG's body.

I'm not very concerned about what we need now... I'm concerned with getting the most value for any piece we decide to move.

Conley's a big mystery, as far as I'm concerned, but he's young enough and talented enough that he could still really be something special, and if Portland acquires him I will understand why... and trust their judgment.

Ed O.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Outlaw at the 4 would fit into what Iavaronni is doing. It would be a lot like Marion with Phoenix was.

I personally think Outlaw shoul dbe moved, but I'm not sure we need Mike Conley Jr. It's not that he isn't a good player, but is he really a better point guard than Bayless, Sergio, Roy, Rudy? I'm not sure he really is what the Blazers need right now.

Portland needs someone to come in and kick some ass in the locker room. Someone like KG in a PG's body.

I agree. Conley Jr. does nothing for me. Bayless is/will be better.

 

[B-Roy]

Wasn't this rumor thrown around a few months ago?

 

[Ed O]

Smith broke the Gordon story in his mailbag blog thing on bulls.com first, before the papers picked it up.

After Smith said that the Bulls withdrew the offer to Ben Gordon while Gordon was trying to accept it, I bet they wish they didn't give him the right to no prior approval.

I didn't mean to say that Smith is NEVER right... he just reports a lot of rumblings, and most rumblings don't come to fruition.

Interesting that he had such a relatively recent (and, in the scheme of things important) scoop... and interesting to see the tension between reporting and organizational goals.

Ed O.

 

[B-Roy]

Also, this guy thinks we'd trade Rudy/Batum/Frye/Raef for Conley/Milicic. WHAT?

 

[MAS RipCity]

right, then we would have 4 point guards..wtf?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The trade works under the cap.

I trust KP. If Bayless is the better player he'll start with Conley backing him up. And visa versa.

 

[Денг Гордон]

I didn't mean to say that Smith is NEVER right... he just reports a lot of rumblings, and most rumblings don't come to fruition.

Interesting that he had such a relatively recent (and, in the scheme of things important) scoop... and interesting to see the tension between reporting and organizational goals.

Ed O.

No, at the Tribune (I haven't read his hoopshype or msnbc stuff), he wasn't reporting a scoop, he was just making up trades. It was like he would play around with the ESPN trade machine...only not really, because none of the salaries ever matched up, and if they did, it was by dumb luck.

 

[Ed O]

Wasn't this rumor thrown around a few months ago?

It was. August.

Portland has been calling. The Trail Blazers want a point guard and are willing to part with Travis Outlaw (Starkville native) to get a floor general from the Griz. It’s probably more likely that the Blazers would want Conley — and not Kyle Lowry — in this scenario because Conley is the purest point guard in the bunch and Portland could pull off a reunion with former teammate Greg Oden.

If that’s the case, the Griz would need more than Outlaw in return. But I don’t believe trading Conley is a wise move. Trading Conley would put the Griz back at square one, again searching for a dynamic point guard to compensate for the loss of the GOOD Jason Williams.

And why would Griz give up on a smart, physically gifted point guard so quickly? So that Mayo can handle the ball? Take away Conley’s quirky injuries and remember he’s just 20 years old, and the Griz would be wise to keep him. My guess is that they will given Conley was a deal breaker in attempts to get the right to draft Michael Beasley.

That's from the Grizzlies' beat writer's blog.

Ed O.

 

[SpanishFly]

Also, this guy thinks we'd trade Rudy/Batum/Frye/Raef for Conley/Milicic. WHAT?

He's doin serious drugs if he thinks that! LOL

 

[Ed O]

I agree. Conley Jr. does nothing for me. Bayless is/will be better.

I don't think we've seen much evidence that Bayless is a PG. Comparing Bayless to Rudy or Roy might be more fair than comparing him to Conley.

Ed O.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

From Sam Smith:

-- After seeing the Grizzlies in Chicago Saturday, I can't believe they won't make a deal with pointless Portland. This seems a natural with the modest Greg Oden, likely in a depression now as he's hurt again amidst amazingly huge expectations in the community, likely yearning for his old, aggressive buddy Mike Conley, who though starting doesn't seem the favorite of coach Marc Iavaroni, who seems to favor Kyle Lowry. Sources say the Trailblazers continue to only offer Travis Outlaw. I wouldn't give up LaMarcus Aldridge, either. But if I were Memphis and even with a loaded perimeter , I'd ask for Rudy Fernandez, Nicholas Batum and Channing Frye and take Raef LaFrentz's expiring deal and save some money and give them Darko Milicic (wow, is he awful) or Marko Jaric's bad deal and Antoine Walker. I don't see how that can't happen.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

^^^ Sam Smith is smokin' crack with HCP!

 

[crowTrobot]

Also, this guy thinks we'd trade Rudy/Batum/Frye/Raef for Conley/Milicic. WHAT?

i wouldn't do that for conley/gay.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

Portland management was very very high on Conley Jr.

 

[B-Roy]

i wouldn't do that for conley/gay.

Well I'd do that deal for just Gay.

 

[SpanishFly]

Portland management was very very high on Conley Jr.

Thx, I though so but nice that someone else remembers that

 

[Minstrel]

Portland management was very very high on Conley Jr.

I don't really understand why they would be, as Conley has never really impressed me. He's not an amazing passer, he's small and his scoring ability is not elite. At best,he strikes me as another Damon Stoudamire.

But if Portland management is high on him, I'll trust their judgment over mine.

 

[Ed O]

i wouldn't do that for conley/gay.

I would. In a heartbeat. And I really like Rudy and Nic.

Ed O.

 

[Minstrel]

I would. In a heartbeat. And I really like Rudy and Nic.

So would I. And not only do I like Fernandez and Batum, I'm no great fan of Conley. But Rudy Gay would be a real prize. I think he's a talent comparable to Brandon Roy.

 

[BenDavis503x]

Rudy/Batum/Frye/Raef for Conley/Gay

I would. In a heartbeat. And I really like Rudy and Nic.

Ed O.

You would do that? You prove my theory yet again.

 

[mook]

I'd at least have to think about a straight up trade of Bayless for Conley (just a deal I made up). Effectively trading last year's #4 pick for this year's #11.

Bayless had a great summer league, but I just don't see how he fits in as a third string shooting guard (and I don't see him as a PG).

I never really followed Conley in college except in a few of the Oden games. I guess it is pretty concerning that he hasn't been able to get minutes on a pretty bad Memphis squad. On the other hand, he's basically played his entire career with Oden, so he understands how to feed the ball into the post.

 

[maxiep]

I actually think that's a fair deal on both sides. We'd dump Blake and/or Sergio along with Raef in another deal (probably for a SF). Outlaw is a great fit for them at the four, and he's more or less a local boy. Getting Oden's BFF here would be great for this team. Conley just isn't gelling with Iavaroni's style and TO paired with Gay and Mayo can really stretch a defense.