Woo hoo, we will contend for the 8th seed

[The_Lillard_King]

Making the playoffs is a good goal for the Blazers.

 

[blue9]

...don't fooled into thinking that LA doesn't see\hear that and that it doesn't irk him....b\c it does and he has alluded to it several times....

Repped for your whole post, but had to highlight this part.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Blaze01... I completely agree with your statement; and I agree that it will take more than just making the playoffs to keep him. But I have confidence that in two years, we will be more than a 1st round and out team. In the meantime, we make LaMonster a LaMonster and up his value in the process. If he does decide to leave; we should be fine anyway.

The Blazers don't have that much time. They've got until this trade deadline.

 

[blue9]

They've got until this trade deadline.

I agree - that will be the best time to offload him. Last-ditch, jump from a moving train, would be on the 2014 draft night. Wait any longer and we've lost.

 

[magnifier661]

The Blazers don't have that much time. They've got until this trade deadline.

I think we progress enough for Aldridge to see the writing on the wall before next trade deadline.

 

[HailBlazers]

I think we progress enough for Aldridge to see the writing on the wall before next trade deadline.

Word. And does believing that mean I'm "Completely ignoring logic" and have "blinders on?" I don't think so.

 

[e_blazer]

The formula: Build through the draft works....POR is proof of that, in 77' and even with the Roy\LA\Oden trio....So those of you dismissing the idea of trading LA away for young players and picks are just failing to learn from history...this isn't Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago or Miami...Like San Antonio, for Portland to be a perennial contender they need the CORE of thier talent to come from drafting....the peripheral players can be added later...

Guess what, this current Blazers team is built through the draft. The top 3 players, LMA, Nic & Lillard are all Blazers draft picks. The best hopes for the future elevating beyond a lower tier playoff berth are found in two other draft picks: McCollum and Leonard. BTW, the 77 Blazers were successful because, in addition to a major draft pick talent in Walton, they added a bunch of players acquired when the ABA folded. The question isn't whether a team like the Blazers has to have draft success to build a contender (it does), it's whether with the existing talent base it's possible to move up from that base into contention through wise trades rather than dumpster diving back into the draft.

I think at this point, even if you trade Aldridge away for nothing but future picks, the Blazers aren't bad enough to find a replacement player in the draft who would be his equal. In addition to that, even if you find a decent player in the draft, it takes several years for a team with young talent to gel. How long do you think Lillard is going to be satisfied with losing? You want to enter his rookie free agency summer with him pissed off and looking to force his way out? Sure, the Blazers would have the right to match any offers for him, but having a disgruntled star as your best player never works out well and usually ends up in a forced trade.

The case that Aldridge will leave no matter if the Blazers start to have success is pretty weak, IMHO. The Blazers will be able to offer him more than any other team in terms of years and total contract value. Additionally, trying to find a team that is truly more competitive than the Blazers and that has enough cap space to make him a max contract offer is going to be a challenge. If the right deal comes along, I'm not averse to trading LMA, but so far I haven't seen anything even approaching his value.

 

[magnifier661]

Guess what, this current Blazers team is built through the draft. The top 3 players, LMA, Nic & Lillard are all Blazers draft picks. The best hopes for the future elevating beyond a lower tier playoff berth are found in two other draft picks: McCollum and Leonard. BTW, the 77 Blazers were successful because, in addition to a major draft pick talent in Walton, they added a bunch of players acquired when the ABA folded. The question isn't whether a team like the Blazers has to have draft success to build a contender (it does), it's whether with the existing talent base it's possible to move up from that base into contention through wise trades rather than dumpster diving back into the draft.

I think at this point, even if you trade Aldridge away for nothing but future picks, the Blazers aren't bad enough to find a replacement player in the draft who would be his equal. In addition to that, even if you find a decent player in the draft, it takes several years for a team with young talent to gel. How long do you think Lillard is going to be satisfied with losing? You want to enter his rookie free agency summer with him pissed off and looking to force his way out? Sure, the Blazers would have the right to match any offers for him, but having a disgruntled star as your best player never works out well and usually ends up in a forced trade.

The case that Aldridge will leave no matter if the Blazers start to have success is pretty weak, IMHO. The Blazers will be able to offer him more than any other team in terms of years and total contract value. Additionally, trying to find a team that is truly more competitive than the Blazers and that has enough cap space to make him a max contract offer is going to be a challenge. If the right deal comes along, I'm not averse to trading LMA, but so far I haven't seen anything even approaching his value.

And don't forget T. Rob, Leonard, CJ and even Lopez were all first round draft picks.

GOOD POINT! Repp'd

EDIT: You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to e_blazer again.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Guess what, this current Blazers team is built through the draft. The top 3 players, LMA, Nic & Lillard are all Blazers draft picks. The best hopes for the future elevating beyond a lower tier playoff berth are found in two other draft picks: McCollum and Leonard.

No, don't you see? We can't build a champion through existing recent draft picks! We have to re-build through future draft picks! The future of the players already on the team has been written--they are destined for nothing more than mediocrity. It doesn't matter that McCollum and Crabbe have yet to play a game, and that Lillard and Leonard have only played one year; everyone knows that they're not good enough. Period. End of story.

Oh, and by the way--repped.

 

[magnifier661]

No, don't you see? We can't build a champion through existing recent draft picks! We have to re-build through future draft picks! The future of the players already on the team has been written--they are destined for nothing more than mediocrity. It doesn't matter that McCollum and Crabbe have yet to play a game, and that Lillard and Leonard have only played one year; everyone knows that they're not good enough. Period. End of story.

Oh, and by the way--repped.

LMAO!

Repp'd

SON OF A BItCH! "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to PtldPlatypus again."

 

[e_blazer]

No, don't you see? We can't build a champion through existing recent draft picks! We have to re-build through future draft picks! The future of the players already on the team has been written--they are destined for nothing more than mediocrity. It doesn't matter that McCollum and Crabbe have yet to play a game, and that Lillard and Leonard have only played one year; everyone knows that they're not good enough. Period. End of story.

Oh, and by the way--repped.

Man, how true. Future draft picks never have any of the warts that current draft picks do. Must be something they catch from David Stern on draft night.

 

[blue9]

The Blazers will be able to offer him more than any other team in terms of years and total contract value.

This is actually another reason to trade him now-ish. Do we really want to be tying up $18M per season in LMA? A player who has never exhibited any ability to lead a team and make it greater than the sum of its parts? That, IMO, would be worse than letting him walk for nothing.

 

[magnifier661]

This is actually another reason to trade him now-ish. Do we really want to be tying up $18M per season in LMA? A player who has never exhibited any ability to lead a team and make it greater than the sum of its parts? That, IMO, would be worse than letting him walk for nothing.

Again, is it fair to put blame on one player for the accomplishments of the franchise? Roy was hurt most the time and they had other bad contracts that didn't pan out. The best year to really see how Aldridge led the team was the year we made the playoffs with Miller. That's what I expect from Aldridge; which gave us a playoff birth. If that team actually had a healthy Roy, we would have been much better.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

This is actually another reason to trade him now-ish. Do we really want to be tying up $18M per season in LMA? A player who has never exhibited any ability to lead a team and make it greater than the sum of its parts? That, IMO, would be worse than letting him walk for nothing.

THEY SHOULD JUST WAIVE HIM NOW, ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION

 

[e_blazer]

This is actually another reason to trade him now-ish. Do we really want to be tying up $18M per season in LMA? A player who has never exhibited any ability to lead a team and make it greater than the sum of its parts? That, IMO, would be worse than letting him walk for nothing.

IMO, the upcoming season is the time to see how LMA meshes with his new teammates and make the determination of his future worth. If it doesn't look like things are going to work out, trading him at the deadline or prior to the draft may make sense. However, making that decision now, absent any data, doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[blue9]

However, making that decision now, absent any data, doesn't make any sense to me.

I'm of the opinion that the 7 seasons worth of data that he's generated thus far show that he isn't worth $18M. If you need to evaluate how Player A plays with certain teammates then Player A isn't the sort of player who deserves $18M - it's fairly apparent, regardless of roster, who deserves MAX extensions. LMA hasn't shown he's one of those players.
I think, at this point, it's fine to wait until the trade deadline - but if something really good is offered before the season starts then you've gotta really weigh whether you're going to get a better offer at the deadline.

 

[magnifier661]

I'm of the opinion that the 7 seasons worth of data that he's generated thus far show that he isn't worth $18M. If you need to evaluate how Player A plays with certain teammates then Player A isn't the sort of player who deserves $18M - it's fairly apparent, regardless of roster, who deserves MAX extensions. LMA hasn't shown he's one of those players.
I think, at this point, it's fine to wait until the trade deadline - but if something really good is offered before the season starts then you've gotta really weigh whether you're going to get a better offer at the deadline.

LMAO says the poster that got on my shit for complaining about Batum's stats compared to contract

Hmmm. Well Aldridge has averaged +18 PPG, +19 PER, +8 rebounds, +49% shooting, 1.2 blocks and 2 assists in the last 4 years. Show me another 18 mil player that's better in 4 years? I can only think of a handful (LBJ, Howard, and Duncan)

 

[BBert]

And don't forget T. Rob, Leonard, CJ and even Lopez were all first round draft picks.

GOOD POINT! Repp'd

EDIT: You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to e_blazer again.

LMAO!

Repp'd

SON OF A BItCH! "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to PtldPlatypus again."

I have a solution to your problem. Just rep me, and free yourself from these shackles!

 

[magnifier661]

I have a solution to your problem. Just rep me, and free yourself from these shackles!

Thanks for adding reputation to this user. May you be lucky enough to receive the same Reputation back in turn.

 

[BBert]

Thanks for adding reputation to this user. May you be lucky enough to receive the same Reputation back in turn.

Backatcha.

 

[e_blazer]

Backatcha.

Since I'm the one who got short changed on the initial rep from Mags, it seems only fair that you should throw a little love my way too, BBert.

 

[BBert]

Since I'm the one who got short changed on the initial rep from Mags, it seems only fair that you should throw a little love my way too, BBert.

I'm on it. And because your post was in fact rep-worthy.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

rep gangbang

 

[Wizard Mentor]

While it is true we will be contending for the 8th seed....
We will also be contending for the 5th seed.