SI's Ian Thomsen On Portland's Trade Front

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ABM

ABM

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From: Sports Illustrated

The deepening recession and a run of blockbuster deals in recent years have created speculation of another big movement of talent approaching the trading deadline Thursday. But don't count on it. The way the market is shaping up, there may be a number of minor money-moving deals but no blockbusters.

While there are a lot of sellers seeking to dump expensive contracts, there aren't nearly as many buyers.....

....Much can change over the next three days, of course. But here is a breakdown of the market as we enter the last short week of negotiations........

......The buyers

Portland Trail Blazers: They have assets in the expiring $12.7 million salary of Raef LaFrentz, young, developing players like Travis Outlaw and Jerryd Bayless on cheap contracts, and draft picks they can live without. Do they package LaFrentz's contract now, or do they wait until the summer when his departure will result in less than $10 million of cap space?

They've been investigating all kinds of trades. Word emerged Sunday that they were showing interest in the 76ers' Andre Miller to provide leadership at point guard going into the playoffs. Miller turns 33 next month and will be a free agent this summer.

The Blazers don't appear to be in the race for Stoudemire, and they've let it be known they aren't likely to trade for Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson, even though he would seem a natural fit as a versatile small forward and wing defender with NBA Finals experience.

Portland's fundamental question is whether it should add a blue-collar player to complement Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden, or bring in a big-name star to hasten its rise at the risk of damaging the balance between the young threesome. Acquiring Stoudemire would make a lot of sense if the Suns are intent on dumping him -- in which case Portland could keep Aldridge, start Stoudemire at center and bring Oden off the bench, creating a lineup that could push Portland into the NBA final four. But that scenario is a long shot.

Right now, the hunch is that the Blazers won't make a major move........
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I saw this. I don't know how much real information he has.

KP knows he has some good pieces so I hope he does hold out for the home run. To continue the baseball metaphor, I don't want to see bunts and a sac fly right now. I want a grand slam or just wait until summer.
 
If we wait until summer I don't think we will be seeing much, as far as home run trades.
 
I can't wait until Friday when we can get back to talking about what's important, draft day trades.
 
WOW!!! Oden coming off the bench to Amare? Guess that says a ton on how people are looking at the #1 draft pick Oden huh? Amare isn't a center to boot!
 
Yardape said:
WOW!!! Oden coming off the bench to Amare? Guess that says a ton on how people are looking at the #1 draft pick Oden huh? Amare isn't a center to boot!
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Ah Contraire! Amare played his best ball as a center.
 
Amare has played plenty of center over his career and in today's NBA C and PF are interchangeable. If you're going to go there than there are only 3 true centers in the league (Shaq, Yao, Oden) and even Dwight is just a 6'10 power forward.
 
Yardape said:
Yeah buy we have ODEN!!! See my point? It's ironic is all.
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I am going to throw this out there again. :)

I believe Lamarcus can play SF. Go with the absolutely huge front line. Lamarcus can defend all 5 positions on the court. He can shoot from outside. What more do you need?
 
craigehlo said:
LMA's lateral quickness isn't good enough to stop most SFs.

If we go for Amare, Greg is headed to the bench for the rest of the season.
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I disasgree, Lamarcus keeps PG in front of him all the time. But lets say you are right. Ok so a few slip by. And then run into 2 more 7 footers. I can live with that.
 
Isn't Amare about the same size has Hakeem was? I know he doesn't have the post skills, but athletically he could handle it.

It would be a novelty to see LMA at SF, but I don't think there is any way he can guard elite level SFs on a regular basis.
 
at this point nobody knows anything.

saturday we heard the miller talks were dead. now SI says sunday they heard that we were going after miller.

RJ talks have gone from discusiions to dead to a possible deal

Carter has emerged

Amare possible then dead then started back up

Salmons denied weeks backed now we are front runners for his service



NOBODY KNOWS AT ALL WHICH MEANS SOMETHING WILL GET DONE
 
How in the world do any of you see Greg ever emerging as a confident go to center bringing in Amare? He'll never see the ball. We need help at the SF, that's where we should be focusing our time.
 
oh and yah...the bulls got amare today lol. that was the buzz last night...and we were out of it
 
hasoos said:
I am going to throw this out there again. :)

I believe Lamarcus can play SF. Go with the absolutely huge front line. Lamarcus can defend all 5 positions on the court. He can shoot from outside. What more do you need?
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I don't know. He can guard the 3 in spurts, but not for extended minutes night in/out IMO. Having to check guys like Ginobli, Rudy Gay, KD, etc for 30 + minutes/night is a lot to ask for a 6'11" guy like Lamarcus. Plus, in this scenerio you have to assume he's basically Channing Frye offensively (all he does is shoot 20' jumpers) which is kind of a waste. LA can shoot that, but I like him down in the blocks when the match-up favors that. Not much room for him down there with Oden and Amare.
 
Kaydow said:
I don't know. He can guard the 3 in spurts, but not for extended minutes night in/out IMO. Having to check guys like Ginobli, Rudy Gay, KD, etc for 30 + minutes/night is a lot to ask for a 6'11" guy like Lamarcus. Plus, in this scenerio you have to assume he's basically Channing Frye offensively (all he does is shoot 20' jumpers) which is kind of a waste. LA can shoot that, but I like him down in the blocks when the match-up favors that. Not much room for him down there with Oden and Amare.
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Those guys have to defend LA as well. It is a matter of choice. Who will win the defensive matchups?
 
Look at it this way: Toronto turned TJ Ford, an injury-riddled point with an unfortunate contract, and Rasho Nesterovic into Shawn Marion in less than one season. I'm not saying Marion is an incredible find for the Raptors, but he's a much more ideal fit than Ford or O'Neal were. And on talent alone--irrespective of position or fit--I don't think Miami would have done a Ford/Rasho swap for Marion at any point.

If Portland is prepared to take a chance on Amare for a period of time, they may have a higher likelihood of landing the PG/SF they're looking for using Amare vs. any RLEC or Trade Exception deal this summer.
 
BIG Q said:
Those guys have to defend LA as well. It is a matter of choice. Who will win the defensive matchups?
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They'll be guarding him on the perimeter though b/c Oden and Amare are clogging up the paint. LA 20' away from the basket isn't that scary. Like I said he can shoot the pick-n-pop, but he can't create anything out there. So unless he's open . . .

not hard to defend.
 
Kaydow said:
They'll be guarding him on the perimeter though b/c Oden and Amare are clogging up the paint. LA 20' away from the basket isn't that scary. Like I said he can shoot the pick-n-pop, but he can't create anything out there. So unless he's open . . .

not hard to defend.
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I have to disagree. Most SF have no chance at blocking Aldridges shot. Even if they are right next to him.
 
Kaydow said:
I don't know. He can guard the 3 in spurts, but not for extended minutes night in/out IMO. Having to check guys like Ginobli, Rudy Gay, KD, etc for 30 + minutes/night is a lot to ask for a 6'11" guy like Lamarcus. Plus, in this scenerio you have to assume he's basically Channing Frye offensively (all he does is shoot 20' jumpers) which is kind of a waste. LA can shoot that, but I like him down in the blocks when the match-up favors that. Not much room for him down there with Oden and Amare.
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I was thinking about this the last couple games.

Remember when Portland tried Sheed at the SF? I wouldn't say it worked well, but I don't think it was THAT bad. IMO, LMA is quicker with quicker defensive feet than Sheed. It would be interesting to see how LMA could handle the SF.

If it didn't work out, I say we use either Amare or LMA to get stud PG or SF.
 
last time we made a big in-season trade was a monday....

sheef and ratliff for sheed
 
hasoos said:
I disasgree, Lamarcus keeps PG in front of him all the time. But lets say you are right. Ok so a few slip by. And then run into 2 more 7 footers. I can live with that.
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One of the 7 footers does nothing and the other fouls the slasher.
 
hasoos said:
I have to disagree. Most SF have no chance at blocking Aldridges shot. Even if they are right next to him.
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That's not the point. Of couse they won't block his shot, his release is so high and he's so lengthy that he generally has no problem getting shots off against big men in the post (let alone SF's on the wing)

I'm just saying having Lamarcus shoot jumpers with a hand in his face all night isn't the best way to use him. He has NO ability to drive to the basket, so if he's out on the perimeter he's strictly a spot up shooter. You're wasting his ability to post up. You can't have Lamarcus, Greg, and Amare in the blocks . . . that's all I'm saying.
 
The only reason why you trade for Amare is to turn him (or Aldridge) into a quality guard or small forward. That's it. I see no reason to bring Greg off the bench, when we have Joel.

Unless...

Didn't the Sonics run in Nate's last year coaching there? Maybe we're trying to bring in Amare to play center and Ridnour to run the point? Just sayin.... :devilwink:

Seriously though, I really think something is going to happen before the trade deadline. There's so much smoke, and when there's smoke, there's fire.
 
If you moved Aldridge to SF, he'd instantly be our best SF, hands down, on both defense and offense.

Sheed is an interesting comparison, but another one is Peja Stojakovic, and another is the younger version of Nowitzki. He doesn't have those guys' range, but much like them he'd use his size to just rise up over smaller 3's if they sagged off him at all.

I could see it working for half a season.
 
mook said:
If you moved Aldridge to SF, he'd instantly be our best SF, hands down, on both defense and offense.

Sheed is an interesting comparison, but another one is Peja Stojakovic, and another is the younger version of Nowitzki. He doesn't have those guys' range, but much like them he'd use his size to just rise up over smaller 3's if they sagged off him at all.

I could see it working for half a season.
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Maybe, but Aldridge isn't as good as Dirk with creating his own shot. Aldridge is mostly a spot up shooter right now. I don't think I've ever seen him drive and pull up, like Dirk does. If LMA could add that to his repertoire, he would be in good shape though.
 
Natebishop3 said:
Didn't the Sonics run in Nate's last year coaching there?
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Nope. His last season there:

Pace Factor: 87.9 (27th of 30)

The next season, under Weiss and Hill, Seattle was 11th in pace.
 
Minstrel said:
Nope. His last season there:

Pace Factor: 87.9 (27th of 30)

The next season, under Weiss and Hill, Seattle was 11th in pace.
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So basically Nate has always said he wants to run.... but never has.
 
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