Woj: Ask yourself this

[TBpup]

Olshey did get CP3 to sign with the Clippers. Big market, but not exactly the team everyone wanted to do to.

As to the original question, you have a core that should be able to peak for the next five or so years--same length as a long FA contract. But, I do agree that you cannot take the market out of it. Guys say they want to win, but they would take a chance with another playoff team in a bigger market.

Exactly. If LeBron had the chance to join Paul/Griffin/Jordan in LA or Aldridge/Lillard/Batum in Portland, where do you think he is going to go?

 

[blue9]

It would cost the Blazers a fan, namely me.

That's a price I'm willing to pay!

 

[tester551]

Exactly. If LeBron had the chance to join Paul/Griffin/Jordan in LA or Aldridge/Lillard/Batum in Portland, where do you think he is going to go?

To be fair, even I would choose LA. In my mind Paul > Lillard, Griffin > LMA, and Jordan fits better with LeBron as a C than Batum does as a SF.

 

[TBpup]

That's a price I'm willing to pay!

I'm guessing you are not the only one willing to make that sacrifice.

 

[blue9]

Do any of you think that marquee players in the East know that they're playing as Big Fish in a Small Pond, and have the desire to come out West where they can really go up against the best? Or do they prefer the path of least resistance, or fool themselves into thinking it's all equal?

 

[ripcityboy]

You know? There is a reason the Ducks don't pull blue chip football recruits. I stopped asking THAT question a long time ago.

 

[Wheels]

That's a price I'm willing to pay!

DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

 

[Scalma]

I think soon as you trade LMA, you loose all the leverage of getting a FA to sign here.

Not sure about that. I would argue Lillard is more popular amongst his peers.

 

[B-Roy]

Not sure about that. I would argue Lillard is more popular amongst his peers.

The point is having both is a much better advantage than just having one.

 

[sol12]

Wonder if Woj is hinting @ something.

"A couple All-Stars tell Aldridge they want to play with him, Lillard in Portland"
http://www.csnnw.com/blazers/couple-all-stars-tell-aldridge-they-want-play-him-lillard-portland

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Another thread morphing into a trade Aldridge thread. LOL

 

[Scalma]

Wonder if Woj is hinting @ something.

"A couple All-Stars tell Aldridge they want to play with him, Lillard in Portland"
http://www.csnnw.com/blazers/couple-all-stars-tell-aldridge-they-want-play-him-lillard-portland

Who could he even be talking about?

 

[Scalma]

The point is having both is a much better advantage than just having one.

I don't know. Having either wiggins or Parker plus Lillard/Batum should be intriguing as well.

 

[HailBlazers]

Do any of you think that marquee players in the East know that they're playing as Big Fish in a Small Pond, and have the desire to come out West where they can really go up against the best? Or do they prefer the path of least resistance, or fool themselves into thinking it's all equal?

Good Questions, all I know is this is the type of player I want to pay to see in a Blazers uniform:

“If you’re serious about basketball, Portland is the place,” Lillard told CSNNW.com. “I love it there. It’s not a big city so it allows you to concentrate on your craft. Some people need the distractions of the nightlife but for me personally, it’s the perfect place for me. I just work on my game. That’s what I get paid to do.”

 

[KingSpeed]

Who could he even be talking about?

Joe Johnson?

 

[Pritchslap Madness]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 1m
Breaking news, lebron james announces decision to join Portland Trail Blazers.

Haha signs for MLE.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 1m
Breaking news, lebron james announces decision to join Portland Trail Blazers.

Right, the only LeBron decision we're going to learn about via titter is what he's having for breakfast. Any decision about changing teams will require its own summer long reality series on ESPN. LeBron is a great player, but he's also the biggest drama queen in all of professional sports.

BNM

 

[B-Roy]

I don't know. Having either wiggins or Parker plus Lillard/Batum should be intriguing as well.

Stars don't want to play with potential. They want to play with stars.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I'm sure LeBron wants to go to Portland:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/h2/fbsp/visitflorida/photos-that-prove-florida-is-paradise

 

[RR7]

Stars don't want to play with potential. They want to play with stars.

Yeah, I'm fine with the trade LMA threads. Thought exercises, fun, whatever. In a thread about a star coming to play with a core of Lillard/Nic/LMA, how does that then go yeah, but if we traded LMA...
Sure. If we trade him, that guy isn't coming here to play with some rookie who maybe could be might be.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Where is this money going to come from?

On LeBron, this is not saying he would choose to play here. But he is rather unorthodox and elusive. I would have never thought he would choose a smaller market like Miami over New York like he did a few years ago. Granted he probably chose the sun over the cold. But to me he is unpredictable and he is his own man. It wouldn't surprise me if he chose to drift his way to Portland.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Wojo's tweet can only mean that Steve Blake is going to sign with the Blazers.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Who could he even be talking about?

Looking at the rosters... Irving, Joe Johnson, Melo and Millsap seem like the only realistic guys.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hes dead on. Sadly we cant get rid of markets.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

He's probably just messing with us fans since we eat this kind of stuff up.

 

[BBert]

It's honestly one of the dumbest questions I've seen. Why wouldn't a max free-agent choose to play with Aldridge, Lillard, and Batum for 5 MILLION DOLLARS? I can think of about 15 to 20 million reasons.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

It's honestly one of the dumbest questions I've seen. Why wouldn't a max free-agent choose to play with Aldridge, Lillard, and Batum for 5 MILLION DOLLARS? I can think of about 15 to 20 million reasons.

Really? That's not how the league has been working. If LeBron says he wants to go to Portland he is going to Portland. Superstars pretty much decide where they want to go. Trade batum, Lopez, McCollum and two first rounders for LeBron on July 1st. He gets paid, we resign Mo, and use our mle on bringing in centers.

It's not going to happen, but Miami would accept if LeBron told them he is leaving and wants to come to Portland

 

[PapaG]

Another thread morphing into a trade Aldridge thread. LOL

The best part is that LMA would needed to be on the team for any high-profile star to come to Portland. Otherwise, why would they come to PDX, if not to play with two All-Stars?

Clown Town

 

[OneLifeToLive]

The best part is that LMA would needed to be on the team for any high-profile star to come to Portland. Otherwise, why would they come to PDX, if not to play with two All-Stars?

Clown Town

What would Cleveland's cap situation be like if they were to move the pick for LA? Would they even have enough to put together a contract for Lebron?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

What would Cleveland's cap situation be like if they were to move the pick for LA? Would they even have enough to put together a contract for Lebron?

Yeah, they would want to give us Thompson and waiters in the deal which is like 10 million