You be the GM -- LaMarcus Aldridge

[Fez Hammersticks]

With a legit shot at Anthony Davis and in total rebuild mode, what would you want in return for LaMarcus?

This team is about 3-4 years away from being competitive and we would be committing murder on LMA's prime if we continue to build around him.

FWIW, Woj was on a radio station in NY today and said that "everybody is available, including LaMarcus Aldridge."

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I'd keep him.

Not seeing anything worth trading him for really. I mean your point is to get younger, right? What young prospect will be a sure-fire impact player? I mean if you had to push, it would have to be a package including DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans. even then, keeping Aldridge would likely be the smarter move for all intents and purposes.

 

[Sinobas]

How do we have a shot at Anthony Davis though? He looks to be a lock at the #1, NJ's pick is top 3 protected and we have a slim chance of getting the #1.

For LA, I'd want someone like Rondo, Westbrook or Kevin Love. Aside from that, I don't think there is anyone else that is realistic, or worth it.

 

[Natebishop3]

Well, depending on who wins the lottery, if it were Washington I would do this:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7qqv9fx

Essentially it would be Aldridge and the higher of our two lotto picks for Wall, Blatche, and the #1.

Wall
Matthews
Batum
Davis
??

 

[Rhal]

How do we have a shot at Anthony Davis though? He looks to be a lock at the #1, NJ's pick is top 3 protected and we have a slim chance of getting the #1.

For LA, I'd want someone like Rondo, Westbrook or Kevin Love. Aside from that, I don't think there is anyone else that is realistic, or worth it.

I would trade him for westbrook but not love or rondo.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Well, depending on who wins the lottery, if it were Washington I would do this:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7qqv9fx

Essentially it would be Aldridge and the higher of our two lotto picks for Wall, Blatche, and the #1.

Wall
Matthews
Batum
Davis
??

That's the type of move that I'm talking about. Though, I'm not sure if WAS goes for it. I guess it'll depend on how high of the lotto pick we throw at them.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

How do we have a shot at Anthony Davis though? He looks to be a lock at the #1, NJ's pick is top 3 protected and we have a slim chance of getting the #1.

For LA, I'd want someone like Rondo, Westbrook or Kevin Love. Aside from that, I don't think there is anyone else that is realistic, or worth it.

I sense a near 20-game losing streak with this roster.

 

[Natebishop3]

That's the type of move that I'm talking about. Though, I'm not sure if WAS goes for it. I guess it'll depend on how high of the lotto pick we throw at them.

I think it's a pretty equal trade. Aldridge is already a star, and in his early prime.

The thing is, we have the cap space this summer to put a team around LMA that would still compete, and as our rookies get a little more seasoning I think we could be a contender. If we somehow added Deron Williams this summer, and possibly another decent free agent, I think we're right back in the hunt. We're not blowing it up and trying to rebuild through the draft. We have the cap space to hopefully deal ourselves right back into the game after this summer.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

With this roster I think you totally go for Wall over Deron. If you can work out some kind of Wall deal I'd focus the cap space on Brook Lopez.

PG: Wall
SG: Batum (?)
SF: Barnes (?)
PF: Freeland
C: Lopez (?)

 

[Sinobas]

Even if they only win 5 more games, they'd still be around the #6 spot if other teams hold true to their winning %. That would give them a 6% chance at the #1

We had better make these picks count though, because the Bobcats have our pick in 2013.

Also, looking at the FA list next year, Brook Lopez seems like the only realistic target for the Blazers. It would allow us to deal Aldridge for a PG like Wall or Rondo. That would balance out the roster.

 

[RoyToy]

Is Portland's 2013 1st round pick protected?

 

[Natebishop3]

With this roster I think you totally go for Wall over Deron. If you can work out some kind of Wall deal I'd focus the cap space on Brook Lopez.

PG: Wall
SG: Batum (?)
SF: Barnes (?)
PF: Freeland
C: Lopez (?)

I think NJ is a lock to match any offer for Brook, especially if Deron leaves. I think NO is much more likely to balk at a big offer to Eric Gordon.

 

[Sinobas]

So what is the deal with the "minimum total payroll" thing I read about in the new contract? Is there a rule that you have to spend so much on your roster every year? So if you have a roster full of crappy players, you have to give them a raise just so you're paying so much? If we can't land any free agents, we'll be filling our roster with 2nd rate players and rookies, and won't come near the cap.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So what is the deal with the "minimum total payroll" thing I read about in the new contract? Is there a rule that you have to spend so much on your roster every year? So if you have a roster full of crappy players, you have to give them a raise just so you're paying so much? If we can't land any free agents, we'll be filling our roster with 2nd rate players and rookies, and won't come near the cap.

Used to be 75% of the cap, this year it was 80%. If that holds true, then if the cap is 60M, our minimum payroll would be 48M. We shouldn't have too much problem getting there. And if we do fall short, then we just pay the difference to the NBAPA to distribute to the players--we don't actually have to sign players if we don't want to. We will, but we don't have to.

 

[B-Roy]

Used to be 75% of the cap, this year it was 80%. If that holds true, then if the cap is 60M, our minimum payroll would be 48M. We shouldn't have too much problem getting there.

It has to be 48M by the end of the season IIRC. So you can go into the season with less, you just can't end the season with the same amount. I think...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I must admit I'd be tempted to offer Aldridge for Harden and either Collison (who is actually their best +/- guy) or Ibaka and a pick. They could throw in Perkins to make up the salaries if they needed to (to make Rondo happy when we acquire him). Then Lamarcus would finally get to play with Durant.

I really like Harden, and I actually don't think this would necessarily be gifting the Thunder a title any more than they'd get by standing pat. But it would give them a killer starting five.

(Part of the reason I say this is because of the dearth of good guards in the draft and the plethora of good forwards. Plus we have Freeland, and if we traded Aldridge he'd know he'd get all the minutes he could handle.)

 

[magnifier661]

Okay so we commit murder on aldridges prime by rebuilding, but everyone is okay to send him to the worst teams in the nba? Lol

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Okay so we commit murder on aldridges prime by rebuilding, but everyone is okay to send him to the worst teams in the nba? Lol

They wouldn't be with a LaMarcus Aldridge/Deron Williams duo.

 

[magnifier661]

They wouldn't be with a LaMarcus Aldridge/Deron Williams duo.

Who are we talking about here?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Who are we talking about here?

Hypotheical Nets/Blazer deal if they land the #1 pick.

 

[magnifier661]

Hypotheical Nets/Blazer deal if they land the #1 pick.

I read nothing that implies we trade with nj for their #1 if they win the lotto. And why the hell would be do that? Anthony Davis looks great, but how will that translate in the nba? Also, so we give up our first rounder by trading Aldridge? Why can't we wait the following year? Hell we could arguably trade that pick to another team and bring in a young leader veteran for Aldridge.

And finally... Why the fuck would nets do that? How many teams you know traded their #1 down? I can only think of one and that was Orlando when hey traded their #1 webber for golden states #3 penny hardaway. How it work for them?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Hypotheical Nets/Blazer deal if they land the #1 pick.

Isn't there a problem with that, given that we would, in this scenario, own their pick NEXT year? They're not allowed to trade the pick two years in a row (and if they were, we would have sabotaged ourselves by making them better and the pick worse).

 

[Rastapopoulos]

And finally... Why the fuck would nets do that? How many teams you know traded their #1 down? I can only think of one and that was Orlando when hey traded their #1 webber for golden states #3 penny hardaway. How it work for them?

Awesomely! Penny was better than Webber and the Magic were only denied a title by Hakeem playing Godlike and Nick Anderson missing 4 FTs in a row and jinxing them.

Conversely, there are plenty of teams that SHOULD have traded the #1 pick. (And the Clippers traded the #2 pick for Elton Brand and were right to do so. And, of course, that very trade involved a #1 overall pick and rookie of the year.)

Also, I think teams might be willing to swap Davis for Aldridge just because Davis is a player that is going to be more important defensively and not going to reap immediate rewards. He's certainly not going to look like a franchise player, and teams like Washington who have been down so long might not want to wait any more.

(Of course, if we trade Aldridge, we'll BE a team like Washington.)

 

[blazerboy30]

I must admit I'd be tempted to offer Aldridge for Harden and either Collison (who is actually their best +/- guy) or Ibaka and a pick.

OMG this is an absolutely terrible idea.

The point of a rebuild is to get a franchise player, a MVP-level player to lead the team. Nobody you named is even an all-star or close to it. We would be giving up BY FAR the best player in the trade for more quantity of serviceable players.

wow, just wow, that is a terrible trade for us.

 

[C_note]

LMA is a top-5 big for offensive talent in the entire league. He lacks in other areas, but you can't deny his talent. There is no player even close to him coming up in the draft.

The best move is to hopefully draft someone like Andre Drummond around the 4-6 spot. Another big to complement Aldridge.

Then either draft Damian Lillard with our late lotto pick or pull off some kind of miraculous trade for a PG.

 

[alex42083]

I think the only PF I'd even consider trading LA for now is Kevin Love.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Blazer blockbuster:

If NJ wins the lotto: Make the following trade - We get this #1 pick (selecting Anthony Davis) and send NJ our own 2012 first round pick along with Batum. Then, we do an sign & trade with NJ to otbain Williams.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Blazer blockbuster:

If NJ wins the lotto: Make the following trade - We get this #1 pick (selecting Anthony Davis) and send NJ our own 2012 first round pick along with Batum. Then, we do an sign & trade with NJ to otbain Williams.

id rather PA and prokherov have a yacht race, winner gets deron

 

[C_note]

Blazer blockbuster:

If NJ wins the lotto: Make the following trade - We get this #1 pick (selecting Anthony Davis) and send NJ our own 2012 first round pick along with Batum. Then, we do an sign & trade with NJ to otbain Williams.

So you want to essentially trade G Wallace (obviously worth a high lotto pick, at least according to NJ), Batum (worth probably a high lotto pick by himself), Our lotto pick this year...for moving up maybe 3 spots in the draft to select Anthony Davis? Then trade more assets (there's none left) for D Williams?

Makes sense.

...or am i reading this wrong?

 

[Natebishop3]

Blazer blockbuster:

If NJ wins the lotto: Make the following trade - We get this #1 pick (selecting Anthony Davis) and send NJ our own 2012 first round pick along with Batum. Then, we do an sign & trade with NJ to otbain Williams.

I don't think Batum and our pick is enough to get the #1 pick.