Should have traded Aldridge for harden

[ODENISGOD]

LMA with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and this is the thread he gets.

Cause he plays like a bitch! Stats don't mean SHIT!!!!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I don't know. Maybe some people really hadn't let it settle in that this team is kind of starting over ... even if there are still a few familiar faces.

Plus, LMA is about 2 months behind on conditioning, right? Because of the off-season surgery? I expect he won't be in full game shape until January 1.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Cause he plays like a bitch! Stats don't mean SHIT!!!!

Dude there are so many good meds out there for this kind of thing.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I saw the avy and assumed it was HCP, didn't bother looking at the handle.

This whole time I thought it was HCP having an epic meltdown.

 

[Darkwebs]

I saw the avy and assumed it was HCP, didn't bother looking at the handle.

This whole time I thought it was HCP having an epic meltdown.

LOL

 

[Nikolokolus]

Plus, LMA is about 2 months behind on conditioning, right? Because of the off-season surgery? I expect he won't be in full game shape until January 1.

I don't know, maybe? He doesn't look out of shape to me. He didn't shoot well tonight and those 3 ban-bang fouls in the fourth definitely seemed to kill his rhythm right when it looked like he was finding it, but I fully expect he'll be fine and average his 22/8 with above average defense as the season carries forward. The big thing will be developing a solid two-man game with Damian. That's going to make both their lives easier.

 

[Natebishop3]

LMA with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and this is the thread he gets.

Btw, why the freak out?

It was obvious before the season even started that they would struggle.

This isn't a freak out. Have you seen how Harden is playing? I think Hickson is just fine as the starting power forward and adding someone like Harden would have given this team a legit #1 scoring option. Aldridge is not a legit #1 scoring option. He's too streaky. Also, did you notice that he didn't start playing well until after he got into it with Perkins? Maybe Paul should pay someone to punch him in the balls before every game.

 

[Denny Crane]

LOL

HCP does capitalize words. FAMS!, THE, and HCP.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Maybe people will listen to me in future.

 

[Nikolokolus]

This isn't a freak out. Have you seen how Harden is playing? I think Hickson is just fine as the starting power forward and adding someone like Harden would have given this team a legit #1 scoring option. Aldridge is not a legit #1 scoring option. He's too streaky. Also, did you notice that he didn't start playing well until after he got into it with Perkins? Maybe Paul should pay someone to punch him in the balls before every game.

Look at what Houston had to trade vs. us trying to trade Aldridge. Clearly OKC wanted some guys on rookie scale deals, not another high dollar guy that would have killed their tax bill. It might have been a great get for Portland if the stars were aligned, but it was never on the table.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I don't know, maybe? He doesn't look out of shape to me. He didn't shoot well tonight and those 3 ban-bang fouls in the fourth definitely seemed to kill his rhythm right when it looked like he was finding it, but I fully expect he'll be fine and average his 22/8 with above average defense as the season carries forward. The big thing will be developing a solid two-man game with Damian. That's going to make both their lives easier.

Not out of shape, I probably mis-implied... more like tentative. Like Z-Bo the year after he came back from knee surgery. Not wanting to bang his hip down low on some guy's junk. It's mental, and he'll get over it. And I agree with everything else you said.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

This isn't a freak out. Have you seen how Harden is playing? I think Hickson is just fine as the starting power forward and adding someone like Harden would have given this team a legit #1 scoring option. Aldridge is not a legit #1 scoring option. He's too streaky. Also, did you notice that he didn't start playing well until after he got into it with Perkins? Maybe Paul should pay someone to punch him in the balls before every game.

Oh, I'm not saying that would have been a bad trade. That's something Neil should've at least looked into. A no-brainer for both teams. But that's not an option now. He was one of the few players I would have dealt LMA for. Now -- DeMarcus? Mirotic+CHA pick? Paul George? I like these players but none come close to Harden IMO.

 

[Blaze01]

Aldridge relies way too much on jumpshots, he is at his best when he is in the post.....

Someone should tell Stotts that Aldridge is NOT Nowitzki....

Harden's 1st 2 games with HOU have been UNREAL......

 

[MickZagger]

Maybe people will listen to me in future.

Another thread I look back on and look like a genius. Weird.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Yeah. Name 3 better power forwards in the game right now. Go! :MARIS61:

Z-Bo says, "You're a PF? And you've never averaged more than 8.7 rpg?"

 

[MadeFromDust]

Sure it looks like something that could have been pondered upon now, but hindsight is 20/20. This thread would be laughed at a week ago. No one saw this coming, probably not even Harden himself. Plus there's still the possibility that he comes down to earth.

 

[HailBlazers]

Aldridge is not a legit #1 scoring option. He's too streaky.

He commands a legit double team every-time. He still needs a lot of post work, but he definitely has the capability of being the number one option. Patience people.

 

[KingSpeed]

Sure it looks like something that could have been pondered upon now, but hindsight is 20/20. This thread would be laughed at a week ago. No one saw this coming, probably not even Harden himself. Plus there's still the possibility that he comes down to earth.

You mean he's not going to average 41 ppg this year?

 

[THE HCP]

BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!!!!! LA SUCKS!!!!!!! AGGGHHHHH! CAPS LOCK STUCK....... CAN'T FIX!!!!!!!! Harden is killing it, no question. What is this thread even about? Did Olshey turn down an LA for Harden trade offer this past week that I didn't hear about?

 

[PapaG]

A bunch of us were saying this over the summer. Not sure if it would have gotten it done but it sure should have been looked at.

Lillard
Harden
Batum
Hickson
Leonard

That would have been a solid lineup.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Um, OK. Should have traded LMA for LeBron, too.

 

[PapaG]

Yes. Then we can officially make Lillard the new Fall Guy.

No shit. Same story, every year. The best players on the team get bashed by this small community.

Stotts will be on the chopping block soon enough, since LMA is basically shooting jumpers this year.

 

[PapaG]

LMA with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and this is the thread he gets.

This board gets more dumb every year.

Look at who is dominating this thread. It's unreadable.

 

[PapaG]

I think Hickson is just fine as the starting power forward and adding someone like Harden would have given this team a legit #1 scoring option. Aldridge is not a legit #1 scoring option. He's too streaky. Also, did you notice that he didn't start playing well until after he got into it with Perkins? Maybe Paul should pay someone to punch him in the balls before every game.

Oh for fuck's sake. Stop being ridiculous.

 

[Natebishop3]

This isn't really a hindsight is 20/20 thing though. A few of us were calling for an Aldridge/Harden trade six months ago. This isn't really a knock on Aldridge, it's a testament to Harden. The guy can flat out play. I like Aldridge, but I think Harden is the superior player.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Lost in all of the discussion of the thread's topic (a potential Harden/LMA deal), is the declaration that LMA is a top 3 PF... a declaration that I have encountered a few times on this forum. To that all I have to say is... REALLY?!?! The PF position is actually very deep around the league. The NBA is experiencing a shortage of quality centers, and I know we don't have the PF's of the 90's, but I don't think we're so weak at PF that LMA is a top 3 PF.

I mean no disrespect to Aldridge either. I overrate him myself. In general, I root for Aldridge, but having read/posted on this forum for the past few months, you'd think he was a legitimate franchise player, when in reality, he could easily play the role of Chris Bosh in Miami or Pau Gasol in Los Angeles, and probably not as well.

 

[STOMP]

Look at what Houston had to trade vs. us trying to trade Aldridge. Clearly OKC wanted some guys on rookie scale deals, not another high dollar guy that would have killed their tax bill. It might have been a great get for Portland if the stars were aligned, but it was never on the table.

and bingo was his name oh!

OKC not signing and eventually trading Harden was all about the lux tax

STOMP

 

[PHXBlazer1]

Lillard will be better than Harden, just like Chris Paul is better than Kevin Martin

 

[PapaG]

Lost in all of the discussion of the thread's topic (a potential Harden/LMA deal), is the declaration that LMA is a top 3 PF... a declaration that I have encountered a few times on this forum. To that all I have to say is... REALLY?!?! The PF position is actually very deep around the league. The NBA is experiencing a shortage of quality centers, and I know we don't have the PF's of the 90's, but I don't think we're so weak at PF that LMA is a top 3 PF.

I mean no disrespect to Aldridge either. I overrate him myself. In general, I root for Aldridge, but having read/posted on this forum for the past few months, you'd think he was a legitimate franchise player, when in reality, he could easily play the role of Chris Bosh in Miami or Pau Gasol in Los Angeles, and probably not as well.

A survey of all 30 NBA GMs before this season says that LMA is a Top 4 PF (Top 3 when you consider that LeBron was also voted the #1 SF).

http://www.nba.com/news/2012-13-gm-survey/index.html

Who is the best power forward in the NBA?
1. Kevin Love, Minnesota -- 30.0%
2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas -- 23.3%
3. LeBron James, Miami -- 16.7%
4. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland -- 10.0%
5. Kevin Garnett, Boston, and Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers -- 6.7%

So, should I believe NBA GMs, or some dude on the internet? I also think LMA is soon going to pass Nowitzki, and probably will by the end of the season.

 

[Jayps15]

A survey of all 30 NBA GMs before this season says that LMA is a Top 4 PF (Top 3 when you consider that LeBron was also voted the #1 SF).

http://www.nba.com/news/2012-13-gm-survey/index.html



So, should I believe NBA GMs, or some dude on the internet? I also think LMA is soon going to pass Nowitzki, and probably will by the end of the season.

That's not what that survey says, it says that LMA got 3/30 votes for #1 by GMs around the league, not that he's #4 overall.

 

[PapaG]

That's not what that survey says, it says that LMA got 3/30 votes for #1 by GMs around the league, not that he's #4 overall.

Even better, then. 10% of GMs think enough of him to call him the best PF in the NBA. Plus, GMs couldn't vote for their own players.

I guess LMA is this year's scapegoat.

Ridiculous.