thank you.

No who will be man enough to delete their trade posts over there on the right? I was especially enthralled by the possible Martell for Conley type of deals. And how about Pryzbilla for Marc Gasol?

One thing is for certain… I will never doubt the ingenuity of Blazer fans when it comes to trade scenarios.

In the Grizzlies – Guess sweepstakes !

As for that trade you are speaking of…

You talk about wasting Sergio’s experience of 2+ years, but what if Bayless is sent(Any correlation to the pre game KP/Bayless Chat?)

As for Travis he screams inconsistency, his situation depends on how well Martell comes back.

at first I thought it said ("Dumb, dumb, dumb….).

That would have made just as much sense.

What I was saying was if Bayless is sent then we actually gain experience bringing in Conley. With him having started 61 NBA games already compared to Bayless’s zero.

that there’s a possibility that this clarifies the whole Sergio-Spanish-Agent-Trade-Request thing from a couple weeks ago. It makes some sense that the guy wasn’t just campaigning for A trade, he was campaigning for THIS trade to get done.

—Dave

sergio/rudy

conley/oden

thats what it comes down to.

Brian Hendrickson over at the Columbian has some nice info about the Blazers’ trade prospects.

Trade rumor tip: If LaFrentz isn’t involved, it probably isn’t happening

makes no sense. I say no, a hundred times!

No.

This trade is stupid.
Our team is playing great ball right now.
We have three 3s, but if our problem is that we are too deep, I don’t see that as a problem. why on Earth should we mess with a good thing?
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Period.
The End.

………………… However, I think the case has been made that teams don’t ditch their 4th quarter performers lightly, combined with the fact that Sergio has emerged as a superior passer whose lack of shooting ability from the perimeter inflicts minimal damage on the team due to a very manageable shot output.

The fact that the 3-for-2 deal emerges now is probably testimony that there was a deal in the works which is dead now.

t

Slight repost from the sidebar fanpost. What makes Conley valuable, and reasons why such a deal COULD be in the works:

• If this deal would go down it’s about as good as it gets regarding available PGs (no team gives up their full-grown star PG for us. Forget Harris. Forget Calderon)
• It’s not fair to completely discount his friendship with Greg as a factor in such a deal. That’s at least as important as Sergio-Rudy
• At 21 his age would be nothing but perfect to grow with our core group. No other available PG is in that group (Hinrich, Felton, …)
• He is no prodigy a la Rose, but he was a very high draft pick for a reason (and that reason is not just that Greg made his team good)
• Conley is a pass-first player who would fit very well into our system, especially on the second unit. He is very good at running our bred and butter half court sets yet can also break away on quicker plays
• The reason why he has not that many assists this year is pretty simple: O.J. Mayo is a Brandon-Roy-type player who handles the ball a lot in 40 minutes. Several players on his team can create for themselves, but no one is particularly good at moving without the ball. Yet with Rudy and Nic on the second unit he would have such players (apart from being not Spanish, I see next to no downside)
• Despite his slight slump this year, he turns the ball over even less than Sergio in much more minutes
• He is crazy quick, maybe only comparable to guys like TJ Ford, Rondo, Harris
• He is a bit small at 6-1, but has very good athleticism and vert → His father is a triple-jump Olympic champion, it runs in the family
• His outside shot is not good, but still at about Sergio’s “outside threat level”. And he penetrates much better.
• Good defensive skills, though Lowry is definitely better at this point which seems to be the main reason why Memphis wants to stick with him

A trade for a PG upgrade seems more likely:
The Blazers have three SFs who all appear to be solid yet not on a star level at the moment (potential logjam). The team has two make decisions which position to upgrade, with SF and PG the most likely. With the many rumors surrounding this position, maybe they have decided that PG is the way to go now (hint: There are more good forwards than good PGs in next years’ free-agency). Travis has more trade value on the market than Martell, which maybe paradoxically makes him more likely to be traded in a deal. That is not bashing Travis since he plays good for us, just an observation. It’s also not eliminating the possibility that RLEC plus Channing or some other combo could still be moved for a veteran SF.

Crittenton:

• He can still develop into a very good player (he is only 20!). Before the draft his upside was compared to Steve Francis due to his size, quickness and excellent playmaking ability (ball control, passing). His shot needs a lot of work.
• He can back up both the SG and the PG position
• He doesn’t cost a ton, making this a limited risk. $1,381,560 this year, $1,477,920 next year. The third year is a team option at $2,275,997
• If we find out he doesn’t develop and is stuck behind all other guards, that contract is very movable in a later deal

Hakim Warrick:

• Is an expiring deal, so another low risk proposition
• “Middle-aged” player at 26.
• Similar to Travis. A very athletic player stuck between SF and PF. No doubt Travis is better which is the reason the Grizzlies would be interested
• Warrick doesn’t have the strength to defend against major PFs
• Yet overall he would be no worse backup than Diogu or Shavlik (all of which are not major worries for this club)
• SF is the spot where a “log jam” is foreseeable. Martell and Batum can man the position and split the time going forward if Travis gets moved.

that I think ANY player would be hard-pressed to give him a run for. He is our second unit PG—he has truly made that role. I think if you give him the ball and 20+ minutes a night, he’ll be happy and we’ll be happy to have him. He fits this team and that unit perfectly, and has really made the holes in his game much smaller this season. Yes, his shooting is still struggling, but he takes very few shots in the first place, and his 3pt% is actually improving and he is really only 5% or so behind Blake. And defense, well,we’ve all seen it, dude has reinvented himself on defense, he is no longer a liability out there.

I’d think it would be insane and very un-KP-like to trade a player that has just shown us how much he can improve from one season to the next. Sergio is still only 22 years old folks.

Blazers best deal :Goes down only if Conley is projected as a starting point guard…..and then you would have to conclude if he is better than Sergio or Blake…..For sure Outlaw, is sugar for the team getting him and allows the Blazers to free up much needed space at the 3…..Batum is the real deal and they know it ( and I’m also sure they need his defense and energy, BBIQ,etc. way more than they need Outlaw)….IMO Outlaw is history at some point
   So I say this deal gets done if it’s the 2 for 1(Portland’s best deal)but Memphis is looking to package some additional players ….Portland would be foolish to add players, when they are loaded with so many already with equal or better value…..(so would only make sense if there is a side deal going on or the Blazers other options)
   bottom line : do the blazers think Conley is a starting NBA point guard ? otherwise no deal
  The other problem is bigger than people think = log jam at 3…and the minutes to players to give yourself an opportunity to select the 2 you keep….(IMO)the only guy, that for sure, stays right now is Batum……..no doubt he is the future at the 3……

forget the friendship thing…it won’t help Odens game and if anyone thinks it will…..Well it would be quite a theory……that’s all there is to it…..

Enough with this “Lets get Conley because he’s Greg’s friend” nonsense. If the Greg can’t learn to build chemistry with two above-average points in Sergio and Blake, what’s that tell you about the Greg?

NEWS FLASH: At this time, the Greg does not have any NBA caliber offense, thus, the effect of who’s in their at the point with him is negligible.

Pritchard: Outlaw isn’t going anywhere

An internet report Friday sent minor waves through the Blazers organization when it was suggested that Portland is contemplating a trade involving Travis Outlaw and Sergio Rodruguez going to Memphis for Mike Conley Jr., Hakim Warrick and Javaris Crittenton.

Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard refuted the report before Friday’s game against New Orleans, saying “Travis is going nowhere.” In fact, Pritchard pulled Outlaw aside in the locker room before the game and told him face-to-face that he is not being traded.

“I like the team I have,” Pritchard said. “And really, right now is the quietest it has been (on the trade front) that I can remember.”

(I couldn’t find this online yet, but it was in the paper this morning.)

Not meaning to overvalue our players as we all tend to do that, but I am really having a hard time seeing that Conley has improved much. Not to say that he won’t but come on people he is playing for Memphis and as bad as they are and as good a spot up shooters as both Mayo and Gay are you are telling me he can’t create more? Really? Plus he has Marc Gasol who I am sure sets some mean picks which should free him to penetrate. How is he not doing better? Unless he’s not that good. Or still has a ways to go. He will get buried on the bench here. Buried.

But I fail to see how this even helps Memphis. I realize from a Blazers’s perspective this doesn’t matter, but to make a deal, and the Grizz may try to get more for Conley than just that.

Travis Outlaw has a ton of abilities, and all that, but he isn’t all that useful to many teams out there save maybe San Antonio who could use a player of his caliber at the SF for relatively cheap.

I’m still of the belief that the Kings can make a better play for Conley, and I agree with you that Conley isn’t really enough of an upgrade (and neither is Rodriguez/Outlaw for Conley), that the Blazers see any real upgrade in this deal. I just don’t see it, but I do think the Grizz are trying to deal Conley for a deal that’s more to their liking. Which is why I proposed this awhile back, and to which I think makes better sense: Beno Udrih, Kenny Thomas, MIkki Moore for Mike Conley, Antonie Walker, Marko Jaric and the Kings 1st rounder (top 5 protected or so).

Also, I don’t really understand how Conley would make Oden better. His health is the only thing from him becoming a top level player in the NBA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNT00hIXjLs

Yeah, we don’t play with two balls in the NBA. But this guy could. He is ambidextrous like crazy. I have seen Blake dribble crossovers with his eyes closed, but this is also pretty special.

I know everything as all women do and this is not going to happen.

Sophia

BLEH!!!!

Also, there must be another party out there. I don’t see it. This team is starting to click and we interrupt it for MORE projects???

There’s always something else, and there HAS to be to consider this.

No more projects. The Blazers future is now.

This trade proposal sounds like one of those “How I turned $1 million in real estate into $25 cash” infomercials.

I’ll bet we could get at least four or five mediocre players for Brandon Roy.

first off hakim warrick is just travis outlaw minus a three point shot. plus outlaw knows Nate’s system and is overall a better player, and unless KP sees in mike conely something more than someone who someday might be as good as steve blake, I say we veto, no way this trade goes down, is there any chance we go after bibby??

Prior to last night:

Conley 25.9 mpg, 38.3% FG (41.9% career), 20.0% 3-pt (30.6% career), 2.8 Asst/TO, 1.5 asst/10 minutes
Sergio 14.9 mpg, 33.3% FG (38.4% career), 29.6% 3-pt (28.9% career), 3.1 Asst/TO, 2.9 Asst/10 minutes

Blake 28.9 mpg, 43.6% FG (40.6% career), 41.9% 3-pt (40.9% last 2 yrs), 2.8 Asst/TO, 1.3 Asst/10 minutes

This is essentially a swap of back up PG’s that can’t shoot 3-pointers plus Outlaw for Crittenton and Warrick. No thanks.

The point of this trade is to get rid of Outlaw in a nice way, sending him to Memphis near his home, and getting someone who can provide a window into Oden’s thinking for the coaches. Outlaw is some kind of freakish athlete and can hit absolutely incredible shots. However, he is insanely inconsistent especially on defense and rebounding. His bball IQ is way way below average and he has already nearly lost us more then one game (Most obvious being the Minnesota game Monday). Batum needs minutes and he won’t get them when Martell comes back due to Nate’s Veteran’s only playing system. I bet you the reason this trade didn’t go through is Sergio being in it not Outlaw.

 Finally, a friend for Oden who can help the coaching staff inspire/and read the inscrutable Oden could be invaluable. I’m shocked at how much people under estimate the importance of this! Oden would be more likely to stay in Portland with his buddy (the son of his agent no less!) then not. Also Oden is clearly having emotional issues. I haven’t seen him rise up once the way he did on David West during the first time we played the Hornets. He was playing great until the Golden State game when he had a huge game and then was lambasted by Abbot among others. He has the tools and he is getting his wind, now the problem is between the ears. It’s like would you have kept Shecky Grublemerker MJ’s childhood friend as the 15th man on the bulls if that was the difference between Jordan year 1 and Jordan year 7? That’s a freaking no-brainer! Who cares if it isn’t what you want to see from Greg right now (blah blah blah man up blah blah testosterone). If it re-injects confidence into Oden and gets him playing at top level for his current health you have to do it.