The way to get Sessions

[Minstrel]

Great stuff in there. I absolutely agree about Bayless it's possible he will be twice as good as Sessions and enter Chris Paul territory but I don't think you can bank on it. If you bring in Sessions and retain Bayless you can take whoever is better after a season or two. It would virtually guarantee that we had our PG spot taken care of for a decade. That's a nice feeling.

Exactly. Signing Sessions would be basically establishing a bottom level for Portland's long-term point guard play as the current Sessions (who's already an above average point guard). If Bayless exceeds him or Sessions blows up, then you still get to reap the rewards of that. If both prove to be assets, one can be traded for something of greater need. Good young point guards are rarely bad trade chips.

 

[bobf]

Great stuff in there. I absolutely agree about Bayless it's possible he will be twice as good as Sessions and enter Chris Paul territory but I don't think you can bank on it. If you bring in Sessions and retain Bayless you can take whoever is better after a season or two. It would virtually guarantee that we had our PG spot taken care of for a decade. That's a nice feeling. Also Sessions getting into the paint and drawing fouls is MUCH bigger then most people realize. If he's getting in the paint and drawing fouls he is weakening their defense and maybe getting the enemy center on the bench quicker. Tell me it doesn't help Oden to play against back ups!

Yeah I was thinking the same thing about getting opposing centers out of the game and letting Oden wreak havoc. Also a player that gets fouled alot is a player who would create weakside offensive rebounding chances for Joel and Greg. All he usually gets out of that is a missed FGA when its as good as an assist.

A problem I have with your other post and filling up the SF position with someone good is that Rudy is going to really squawk then. Where is he going to get any PT at all with SF and PG locked up leaving Roy almost exclusively at SG. It seems to me that if we go that route we probably should trade Rudy instead of Joel, as much as I'd hate that (I'd hate trading Joel too).

 

[bobf]

Exactly. Signing Sessions would be basically establishing a bottom level for Portland's long-term point guard play as the current Sessions (who's already an above average point guard). If Bayless exceeds him or Sessions blows up, then you still get to reap the rewards of that. If both prove to be assets, one can be traded for something of greater need. Good young point guards are rarely bad trade chips.

Yeah, I'd take signing Sessions over Turkoglu any day, and I was fairly happy with the idea of getting Turkoglu.

 

[Idog1976]

Well, either Rudy is going to be satisfied being a super sub who gets plenty of minutes or he's not. Besides I have him getting 25 minutes.

		PG	SG	SF	PF	C

Rudy		0	25	0	0	0

Roy		5	20	8	0	0

Battier		0	3	20	0	0

Batum		0	0	20	0	0

Sessions	23	0	0	0	0

Bayless	        20	0	0	0	0

Oden		0	0	0	0	35

LMA		0	0	0	30	10

Thomas	        0	0	0	18	3

Total mins	48	48	48	48	48

Rudy total = 25 min

Roy total = 33 min

Battier total = 23 min

Batum total = 20 min

Sessions total = 23 min

Bayless total = 20 min

Oden total = 35 min

LMA total = 40 min

Kurt T. total = 21 min

That's a solid 9 man rotation with defense and offense in both units. I'm only playing Roy 33 mins a night but that is to keep him healthy and rested for the playoffs and to give Rudy and Battier time (not a bad thing). There is so much BB IQ on that team between Roy, Oden, Battier, Rudy and Batum it's crazy. If 25 min a night average (not including additional time for injuries isn't enough for him he will need to be moved. Don't think Houston would trade Battier for him straight up or I would gladly do that, they are hurting at SG...

 

[Tince]

Well, either Rudy is going to be satisfied being a super sub who gets plenty of minutes or he's not. Besides I have him getting 25 minutes.

		PG	SG	SF	PF	C

Rudy		0	25	0	0	0

Roy		5	20	8	0	0

Battier		0	3	20	0	0

Batum		0	0	20	0	0

Sessions	23	0	0	0	0

Bayless	        20	0	0	0	0

Oden		0	0	0	0	35

LMA		0	0	0	30	10

Thomas	        0	0	0	18	3

Total mins	48	48	48	48	48

Rudy total = 25 min

Roy total = 33 min

Battier total = 23 min

Batum total = 20 min

Sessions total = 23 min

Bayless total = 20 min

Oden total = 35 min

LMA total = 40 min

Kurt T. total = 21 min

That's a solid 9 man rotation with defense and offense in both units. I'm only playing Roy 33 mins a night but that is to keep him healthy and rested for the playoffs and to give Rudy and Battier time (not a bad thing). There is so much BB IQ on that team between Roy, Oden, Battier, Rudy and Batum it's crazy. If 25 min a night average (not including additional time for injuries isn't enough for him he will need to be moved. Don't think Houston would trade Battier for him straight up or I would gladly do that, they are hurting at SG...

I appreciate the post and for the most part I like it, but Roy has to get more than 33 minutes a game.

 

[Da_O]

I wish I was as optimistic as you guys are, but I'm fairly certain Milwaukee will match any offer. I'd hate to see something else blow up in our face.

 

[Da_O]

Going after Sessions is easily our best move at this point. Odom will sign with LA after driving up his price to the max LA will pay. Millsap is not a bad idea and it hurts Utah. Lee is VASTLY overrated by himself, his agent and the NY media. Lee is good and would provide us with hustle and toughness but not at 5 years $50 million when we already have Aldridge. Go after Sessions hard and if possible make it a sign and trade that includes Kurt Thomas. I would rather not trade Bayless but would definitely trade Outlaw, Blake, Mills other rights to Euro's and/or picks + Cash and take back a bad contract. If we got them to S & T for Thomas and Sessions we could look to try for J-Chill if we still had time on the FA clock (when does that end?).

If we got Sessions and Thomas in a Sign and Trade that would solve two problems, three if you count Outlaw as a problem (which I do). At that point we could do a lopsided trade for G. Wallace or trade Joel for Battier + picks or whatever. If we go hard for Sessions our best case scenario is:

PG Sessions/Bayless/Mills
SG Roy/Rudy/Bayless
SF (Whatever you like of Battier Wallace or J-Chill)/Batum/Roy
PF LMA/(If we try for him Landry)/Thomas
C Oden/Thomas/LMA

That's a pretty deep solid team through and through. Please don't talk about how amazing Joel is at back up. I am well aware of his value. I think the Joel for Battier trade is very feasible and may happen regardless. I would rather have LMA at the 5 and a competent PF (Thomas/Landry etc.) then what we had last year when LMA was at the 5 which was Channing Frye. LMA is fine as a second string center (many teams would kill for him to START at the 5) as long as he has a banger/rebounding PF to work with. Battier for Joel is a great move and we should do it if we get a back up big that can rebound and defend in the paint. If we get Sessions we can keep whoever is better between Sessions and Bayless after a year or two and trade for depth or to consolidate or even get draft picks to keep the dynasty alive. Getting Sessions would give us so many options it's amazing especially if we also get a back up big like the extremely under rated Kurt Thomas in the process!

The worst case scenario of going balls out for Sessions is that we still have capspace to do a lop sided trade at the trade deadline or on draft day 2010. Go for what we need (a PG), Sessions is the best option out there that we have a shot at. I say swing for the fences and worst case scenario you stay with the current line up and lots of trade chips and cap space.

I think this post is positive, but wasted energy.

 

[Tince]

I wish I was as optimistic as you guys are, but I'm fairly certain Milwaukee will match any offer. I'd hate to see something else blow up in our face.

Would you say making an offer and not getting someone is worse than making no offers and getting nobody?

 

[azsun67]

Does anybody think Sessions numbers will stay the same here. I think he got to put up bigger numbers because the BUcks were at times a pathetic team last year due to injuries. Detroit bit on CV numbers, I just don't want to sign sessions for 45 mil and then have Bayless eat him for lunch when training camp opens. Yes I am a big believer in Bayless, not as a pg, but as a combo guard which is what we need. I don't consider sessions 45 mil dollars better then Bayless. And please don't compare Blake to Sessions to convince me of anything, Blake is not a starting caliber pg in my book, so he should out perform him.

 

[LJ Ginger]

I have been saying from day 1 that Sessions and JBay should battle it out for 2 years then keep whoever wins that battle and trade the other...I like the passing ability that Sessions would bring to us as well as driving or kicking...Make it happen KP!

 

[Minstrel]

Does anybody think Sessions numbers will stay the same here. I think he got to put up bigger numbers because the BUcks were at times a pathetic team last year due to injuries.

It cuts both ways. He may have had more scoring opportunity due to lack of talent around him, but it makes his assist numbers even more impressive. He'll have better players to distribute to in Portland.

 

[Idog1976]

It cuts both ways. He may have had more scoring opportunity due to lack of talent around him, but it makes his assist numbers even more impressive. He'll have better players to distribute to in Portland.

I could see sessions average anywhere from 9 to 11 assists in Portland. I would expect his scoring to go down however. I think he might get more steals in Portland as well because he will be able to gamble a bit more assuming improvement in Batum or picking up another perimeter defender. Really, I think Sessions can still improve especially on his 3 point shooting, team defense and on ball defense. He isn't bad at defense right now but he has to tools to become much better.

I'm telling you Sessions and Bayless = at least one great pg in this league and a starter for 10 years.

 

[Da_O]

Would you say making an offer and not getting someone is worse than making no offers and getting nobody?

No, I was going to write something about that but I thought it unnecessary. I know we "have" to try for something even if it's unlikely. If we make an offer, isn't our money tied up while Milwaukee mulls it over? All the while other potential targets get scooped up. So if we make an offer and end up getting burned we'll be left with no one else on the market. It's pretty risky either way.

 

[Idog1976]

No, I was going to write something about that but I thought it unnecessary. I know we "have" to try for something even if it's unlikely. If we make an offer, isn't our money tied up while Milwaukee mulls it over? All the while other potential targets get scooped up. So if we make an offer and end up getting burned we'll be left with no one else on the market. It's pretty risky either way.

This is true with any FA though. Look at Turkoglu, we spent all this time wining and dining him to no avail, meanwhile "Other FA's were scooped up by other teams." No matter what we do this could be the case for instance with Lee or Millsap.

I think the key is to figure out what you want most. I think it has to be a PG that has a shot at running this team for awhile. I sure hope KP is right that Bayless is the future but I don't think it's wise to count on it. I actually would absolutely LOVE if Bayless started next year even if that meant losing a game or two for him to gain experience.

I do not want to rely on that though. Going after Sessions hard preferably getting a sign and trade worked out with Milwaukee is our best move. If it succeeds and we don't give up Bayless I think we are set for 10 years at PG between the two of them. If we do an S & T (not-lopsided but even trade $) and get Thomas and Sessions we preserve our caps pace and kill two birds with one stone back up PF and starting PG. I don't see a better move out there then going after Sessions with the hope that Milwaukee does an S & T.

 

[Idog1976]

I appreciate the post and for the most part I like it, but Roy has to get more than 33 minutes a game.

You could take 3 from Battier and 3 from Sessions. 39 minutes is getting close to the max I personally want Roy on the floor. You forget with Rudy and/or Battier on the floor you have good decision makers. Think of the nice mix of offense and defense you have with Roy playing with Battier and Rudy playing with Batum. I still say if Rudy wants to start we may need to move him. We can't start Roy at the 3 (he can get minutes there in some situations but not starting) or he will get beat up by the bigger SF's and my whole theory here is to preserve Roy as much as possible. I think if Roy or others want Roy to get 40 + a night they aren't thinking long term.

**Knocks on wood** may Roy's knees hold out for 15 years!

 

[Da_O]

This is true with any FA though. Look at Turkoglu, we spent all this time wining and dining him to no avail, meanwhile "Other FA's were scooped up by other teams." No matter what we do this could be the case for instance with Lee or Millsap.

I think the key is to figure out what you want most. I think it has to be a PG that has a shot at running this team for awhile. I sure hope KP is right that Bayless is the future but I don't think it's wise to count on it. I actually would absolutely LOVE if Bayless started next year even if that meant losing a game or two for him to gain experience.

I do not want to rely on that though. Going after Sessions hard preferably getting a sign and trade worked out with Milwaukee is our best move. If it succeeds and we don't give up Bayless I think we are set for 10 years at PG between the two of them. If we do an S & T (not-lopsided but even trade $) and get Thomas and Sessions we preserve our caps pace and kill two birds with one stone back up PF and starting PG. I don't see a better move out there then going after Sessions with the hope that Milwaukee does an S & T.

Sessions is an RFA, there is a difference. With Hedo we had about 50% chance of getting him with Sessions it's more like 10% or less.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Sessions was #1 on my radar before we went for Hedo, Hedo was #2 for me. I would love throwing all our remaining money at Sessions or doing a sign and trade that involves Blake/Outlaw and then going after a guy like Marion or Odom at SF. Ramon Sessions would make this team so much better with his ability to get to the rim and pass so well.