The one player will we have to trade to take it to the next level

[Stevenson]

LaMarcus Aldridge

Right now, its as if we have two small forwards. Great teams tend to have banging PFs, and as much as we all love LA and his game, a banger he is not. He's a tall 3.

The piece about Buck Williams brought this home, when Clyde turned to him and said he was the missing ingredient. THAT type of player is the missing ingredient on this team - a Brian Grant, Kurt Rambis guy.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Let's not kid ourselves. Like Ty, said above the whole thing hinges on Oden staying healthy long enough lead the team to and through the playoffs. Certainly players like Batum, Roy and LMA providing all-star and near all-star level of play is essential too, but the whole thing (fair or not) rides on Greg ...

That's both slightly disheartening and terrifying to me

 

[EGame]

Let's not kid ourselves. Like Ty, said above the whole thing hinges on Oden staying healthy long enough lead the team to and through the playoffs. Certainly players like Batum, Roy and LMA providing all-star and near all-star level of play is essential too, but the whole thing (fair or not) rides on Greg ...

That's both slightly disheartening and terrifying to me

Well, it is for good reason.

 

[Minstrel]

That's both slightly disheartening and terrifying to me

That's one of the oddest constructions I've seen. "That's both bad and really bad to me."

Usually, the "both" connects contrasting feelings. Doing two negatives is pretty creative and an amusing effect.

For my part, it's both slightly terrifying and exciting to me. The team is essentially a 50-55 win team without him (if everyone else is largely healthy all season)...and they still have a possible ace in the hole that could elevate them even higher. But, of course, title hopes riding on one guy is pretty dangerous.

 

[BengalDuck]

Last two champions have had PFs more similar to Aldridge than a Carlos Boozer type.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's one of the oddest constructions I've seen. "That's both bad and really bad to me."

Usually, the "both" connects contrasting feelings. Doing two negatives is pretty creative and an amusing effect.

For my part, it's both slightly terrifying and exciting to me. The team is essentially a 50-55 win team without him (if everyone else is largely healthy all season)...and they still have a possible ace in the hole that could elevate them even higher. But, of course, title hopes riding on one guy is pretty dangerous.

What can I say it's late, I'm tired and I really meant to say it's at turns either slightly worrisome or really depressing -- depends on the day you talk to me.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

LaMarcus Aldridge

Right now, its as if we have two small forwards. Great teams tend to have banging PFs, and as much as we all love LA and his game, a banger he is not. He's a tall 3.

The piece about Buck Williams brought this home, when Clyde turned to him and said he was the missing ingredient. THAT type of player is the missing ingredient on this team - a Brian Grant, Kurt Rambis guy.

you mean David Lee/Carlos Boozer type?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Kevin Love.

:edit:

He's a beast on the boards but after thinking about it I'd hang on to LMA. Kevin measured 6'7.75" with a rather average wingspan. I think he'll always struggle on the defensive end.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Our championship hopes hinge on one guy: Oden. If GO is healthy and lives up to most of the hype, LaMarcus can be just the way he is and we'd be better off for it.

this.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

Last two champions have had PFs more similar to Aldridge than a Carlos Boozer type.

Exactly.

Duncan, Garnett, Gasol, Sheed were the PF's in 6 of the last 10 championships.

With his mid-range game and lean body type, Aldridge is more similar to these type of players than a Karl Malone.

 

[RISE WITH IT]

Lamarcus is the problem? C'mon, how many different centers has this guy played with? He has adapted extremely well. He gets killed because he is being told to run the floor, and rebound at the same time. You want him to be a banger, but Nate doesn't go to him in quarters 2-4. It's not that Lamarcus isn't a interior player, the Blazers are just NOT a interior team. The blazers are a jump shooting team, and have been for the last 3 years.

 

[KingSpeed]

LaMarcus is so underappreciated around here. He's been our most consistent scorer all season and people take it for granted.

Also- please tell me who the tough "banger" was on last year's championship team.

 

[KingSpeed]

Also- his ability to switch onto quicker guards defensively is also taken for granted.

 

[Bob Dobalina]

Also- his ability to switch onto quicker guards defensively is also taken for granted.

Must agree with this. He's not given enough credit for this ability.

 

[maxiep]

I happen to really like LaMarcus on this team. Combined with Oden, it's a lethal front line. LMA seems to have absorbed some lessons from watching Camby. He's getting better at weakside blocking, which will reap dividends for this team.

In fact, one of the biggest reasons I want to re-sign Camby next year is for McMillan to counter an Odom-Gasol-Bynum front line with Aldridge-Camby-Oden. Put Batum on Kobe and have Roy play the point and I think that would be something to watch. It doesn't have to be for long; just five minutes is all I ask.

I want our 4/5 to compliment each other. I think that LMA and GO can develop some great chemistry. And if Joel is able to come back at even 70% of what he was, he'll provide a great backup combo with Camby playing the four. In fact, my pitch to Camby would be that the best way to extend his career and to perhaps get a ring is to play backup 4/5 to our bigs. As long as we're willing to pay him what he'll get elsewhere, it should be a compelling pitch.

Aldridge fits GO's game really well. Aldridge doesn't love the post, but has the ability to play under the hoop. He can pull his guy out, leaving Oden with single coverage. There aren't many players who can handle GO down low. His length is sufficient to create problems for every single impact PF in this league. Sure, he can get pushed around sometimes, but that issue gets mitigated once we get Oden back.

If we want a Brian Grant-type (I heart Carl Landry), it should be as a backup PF. When it comes to LaMarcus, I want him to stay a Blazer.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Oden is the key to a championship.

I think Aldridge is fine next to him, but I think a back up PF that will come in and do some dirty work is needed. Maybe we have him in Pendergraph or Cunningham, but I would like more a veteran there.


Regardless of any of this, I still don't think we have the correct man at the helm for a championship. I really don't know who would be though?

 

[maxiep]

Oden is the key to a championship.

I think Aldridge is fine next to him, but I think a back up PF that will come in and do some dirty work is needed. Maybe we have him in Pendergraph or Cunningham, but I would like more a veteran there.


Regardless of any of this, I still don't think we have the correct man at the helm for a championship. I really don't know who would be though?

I still am praying that Gregg Popovich decides he simply has to live within driving distance of the best Pinot vinyards in the US.

 

[craigehlo]

We need to stop building around Oden. It's a recipe for disaster that's bitten us twice. If Oden is healthy, then great. But if he's not, we can't be held hostage to his health.

I think this team needs a great young PG going forward if we want to hang in the West. We'll need someone to matchup with CP3, Westbrook, DWill, Evans, Brooks, Collison, Curry, etc in the long term out West.

 

[STOMP]

I concur with many others on this saying fail to the OP

I always read how LA doesn't board, yet somehow Portland continues to overcome this and be one of the league's better rebounding club. I don't think I've ever read a poster crediting him for how often he tips balls to teammates who then garner the stat... that happens a lot on both ends.

That they now have 3 long quick frontcourt players shutting down the paint makes me very very happy

STOMP

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I think Aldridge has done an admirable job this season considering he was asked to be the low post presence after the injury and has been the focus of the opposing team's defenses down low.

But what I think the OP is getting at is maybe there is a bit of overlap developing between Batum and Aldridge (although Batum has to greatly improve his midrange shot IMO) and that Aldrdige might be the only valuable piece that can be utilized to bring in somone who gets us over the top.

Maybe the Blazers already have that piece in Oden . . . but if Oden goes down again next season, do you trade Aldrdige to bring in a banging PF low post presence or do you still build around Roy and Aldrdige?

 

[RR7]

Maybe the Blazers already have that piece in Oden . . . but if Oden goes down again next season, do you trade Aldrdige to bring in a banging PF low post presence or do you still build around Roy and Aldrdige?

The only issue with that that I see is, if you trade Aldridge for a banging PF(not sure who that is), who is playing C for us? On the assumption that G.O. goes down, and basically is done. I agree with those above that say a good portion of our future success depends on Oden. And Aldridge pairs up, potentially, so well with him. If you move him for some low post banger, then that low post banger better also be a good defender, because pairing a low post guy with Przybilla is going to be awkward on offense. You'd end up needing to find a C that can go outside a little more. Whcih then just reverses the roles of our PFs and Cs now. And everyone would then say our C is soft, and we need a new one. And then we'd find one, overlap with the PF, so we'd need to trade the PF, etc. We'd go from Sheed to Zach to Sheed to Zach, essentially. Which is going to be the better fit long term? Aldridge's raw numbers might never improve, but from an individual standpoint, he still has a lot of room for growth in his game that I like my chances with him as our PF for a long time.

 

[hasoos]

I disagree. I think right now that the adjustment needs to be made on the bench guards/SF, which can be made through small trades, draft or free agency.

If I could trade up in the draft to say, #4 and get Cousins for center insurance, I would be all over it.

 

[RR7]

Cousins doesn't strike me as someone who's going to be a happy camper as a backup 4/5. If you commit to starting him at some point, sure. But if you thinkwe have 4 of our starters for the future, then I think making big moves to add young guys is a bad thing to do right now. Well, maybe adding Wall. I think a lot depends on what we think out of Roy, Aldridge, and Oden. And Batum. Need to find pieces that fit around those guys. I agree with you on the bench. We built up a roster of starting caliber players. The only issue with that is, not many of them look to be bench capable players. And by that I mean, Frye looked good when he would start and get 20 minutes, but was poor as a bench hustle guy. Bayless looks good when he starts and gets 20 minutes. I'm not giving up on him, but he doesn't look like a bench/hustle guy. Rudy seems to need time to get into a flow, but I think he can work as a bench hustle guy. I just don't think he wants to. Webster was alright starting and getting big minutes, but again, doesn't seem good in short stretches.

There has been mention that we miss Outlaw. I can agree to a point, but it's not Outlaw specifically, it's having 4 people come off the bench who can score. That was important because they're all so inconsistent that, with 4 of them, you can assume at least one will be on that day. With 3, the inconsistencies can all strike at once, leaving you with no bench help. I don't think we need to find another inconsistent bench scorer, just better fits for bench depth.

 

[hasoos]

Cousins doesn't strike me as someone who's going to be a happy camper as a backup 4/5. If you commit to starting him at some point, sure. But if you thinkwe have 4 of our starters for the future, then I think making big moves to add young guys is a bad thing to do right now. Well, maybe adding Wall. I think a lot depends on what we think out of Roy, Aldridge, and Oden. And Batum. Need to find pieces that fit around those guys. I agree with you on the bench. We built up a roster of starting caliber players. The only issue with that is, not many of them look to be bench capable players. And by that I mean, Frye looked good when he would start and get 20 minutes, but was poor as a bench hustle guy. Bayless looks good when he starts and gets 20 minutes. I'm not giving up on him, but he doesn't look like a bench/hustle guy. Rudy seems to need time to get into a flow, but I think he can work as a bench hustle guy. I just don't think he wants to. Webster was alright starting and getting big minutes, but again, doesn't seem good in short stretches.

There has been mention that we miss Outlaw. I can agree to a point, but it's not Outlaw specifically, it's having 4 people come off the bench who can score. That was important because they're all so inconsistent that, with 4 of them, you can assume at least one will be on that day. With 3, the inconsistencies can all strike at once, leaving you with no bench help. I don't think we need to find another inconsistent bench scorer, just better fits for bench depth.

Yea, but with the way things have been going, he won't have to be a backup. That is the reality of the situation.

 

[RR7]

I'm just thinking you'd need to commit to that, or run the risk of a situation you don't want to be in with upset young players.

 

[hasoos]

I'm just thinking you'd need to commit to that, or run the risk of a situation you don't want to be in with upset young players.

Here is my thinking. It gives us 2 scenarios, and to me, it is win/win.

Scenario 1: Greg Oden stay healthy. Cousins is unhappy. I really don't give a shit, because Oden is healthy, so Cousins, go fuck yourself.

Scenario 2: Greg Oden gets hurt 2 weeks into the season again, and Cousins gets all his playing time and his happy.

 

[BGrantFan]

LaMarcus Aldridge

Right now, its as if we have two small forwards. Great teams tend to have banging PFs, and as much as we all love LA and his game, a banger he is not. He's a tall 3.

So, who was the banging PF on any of the Laker championship teams of the past 10 years?

The piece about Buck Williams brought this home, when Clyde turned to him and said he was the missing ingredient. THAT type of player is the missing ingredient on this team - a Brian Grant, Kurt Rambis guy.

I love Buck Williams, but he was never the "missing ingredient", at least in terms of winning an NBA title. I obvioulsy also love Brian Grant, but more for his hustle and getting in Karl Malone's face. As a player, Grant was replaceable.

 

[hasoos]

So, who was the banging PF on any of the Laker championship teams of the past 10 years?



I love Buck Williams, but he was never the "missing ingredient", at least in terms of winning an NBA title. I obvioulsy also love Brian Grant, but more for his hustle and getting in Karl Malone's face. As a player, Grant was replaceable.

What because they never won a title with him it means everything? The team was getting eliminated in the first round every year until Buck Williams showed up. The same with Brian Grant. 1 and done. That was the playoff motto until the toughness showed up.

 

[BGrantFan]

What because they never won a title with him it means everything? The team was getting eliminated in the first round every year until Buck Williams showed up. The same with Brian Grant. 1 and done. That was the playoff motto until the toughness showed up.

Well, I thought the goal was to win an NBA title. My mistake.

 

[RR7]

Here is my thinking. It gives us 2 scenarios, and to me, it is win/win.

Scenario 1: Greg Oden stay healthy. Cousins is unhappy. I really don't give a shit, because Oden is healthy, so Cousins, go fuck yourself.

Scenario 2: Greg Oden gets hurt 2 weeks into the season again, and Cousins gets all his playing time and his happy.

Yeah, Cousins go fuck yourself is fine and good. Oden is kicking ass. Of course, we probably traded Rudy, Bayless, our first, and something else to get up to get Cousins. Probably took on crap salary. He's not happy as a bench player. he voices that displeasure. We're stuck without a backup, and hurt our bench to get there. So we kill his value, and move him in the offseason for less than we gave up to get him. And as a franchise, things start to go to shit. And fans on the board would flip out after his first good game that he should start over Aldridge or Oden. We'd hear how Nate is ruining him, etc.