Players from that Other Team?

by manzell on Dec 20, 2008 12:41 PM PST

There is a team that plays nominally in the Northwest Division that is looking to unload the following players, in exchange for a draft pick and/or an expiring contract.

Portland has 1 first round-pick and 4 (count 'em) 4 second round picks, along with LaFrentz's expiring contract.

Joe Smith: At this point in his career, a highly experienced version of Channing Frye. I'd consider him a rent-a-player/coach; he is due $4.5 this season and then expires. I've always liked Joe Smith, I think he is a good guy to have around the club. He won't demand alot of touches, he won't blow assignments on D, and he should be able to teach Aldridge and Outlaw a thing or two. Additionally, he'd provide the "veteran influence" that the media wants.

Chris Wilcox: A "true" power forward. He's due $6.75 for the rest of this season and then expires. His defense isn't great, but he is an athletic shot-blocker and effective interior scorer. He can rebound, in my opinion better than his numbers indicate. I would like him because he's a marked improvement over Diogu, and unlike LaFrentz, he can actually suit up.

Earl Watson: We don't need him, he can't help us, and he is horrible. Issue Closed.

Question: Is Joe Smith worth acquiring? We could technically do a LaFrentz for Wilcox + Smith deal; I don't know why the other team would want to do this... they would save about a mil in salary prorated over this season (so, about 1/2 a mil) for the pleasure of getting rid of two guys that they can non-tender the summer anyhow. We'd need to include probably a 1 and a 2 pick. Also, we'd have to waive Randolph or Diago to make this happen, because we couldn't put them in the deal.

The alternative is to do nothing, let LaFrentz, Diago, Randolph, and Frye(?) walk away and take 5 selections in the draft. Personally, I'd try to move into the lottery and then leverage that pick for a guy we really, really want (like Rodney Stuckey). I think it's time to renounce (or not renounce, who cares?) all our current overseas holdings except Kopponen, but honestly I don't ever see him contributing.

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I would keep Joe Smith away from Aldridge.

I’m not sure I want him teaching Aldridge anything. They already have too much in common as it is. What is he going to teach him?

“OK, here’s how you become a totally mediocre lottery pick.”

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 20, 2008 1:05 PM PST reply actions

detroit's going to hang on to stuckey rather than iverson

ignacio

by ignacio on Dec 20, 2008 1:10 PM PST reply actions

They're going to hang on to both

I think the Pistons, like every other team, has figured out that Iverson is a 2, not a 1.

by grimc on Dec 20, 2008 1:31 PM PST up reply actions

i'm hoping for some sort of problem there

In many ways, Stuckey is for Detroit what Roy is for Portland. I wouldn’t give him up in a gazillion years. Dumars is no McHale either, so it’ll probably hurt if we do something to acquire Stuckey. But, i’d still like to have him on our team.

M, period. Fresh, comma.

by manzell on Dec 20, 2008 5:31 PM PST up reply actions

the players I want from them you didn't even list

Desmond Mason and Serge Ibaka (useless to them because he won’t come here to play for the Thunder)

Des lives in Portland and practices with many of our guys here in the offseason, a solid vet with extremely high character, expiring, tough defense, has played for Nate, very physical, and knows how to run the floor.

Ibaka is a jaw-dropping potential player competing in Rudy’s former league (ACB) and doing alright for a guy his age and raw. With how many young guys we have I think it’s okay to have a couple of projects personally.

My Favorite Non-Blazers: Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Allen Iverson, Andrei Kirilenko, Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, Jermaine O'neal, Chris Bosh

by darkhelmit54 on Dec 20, 2008 2:58 PM PST reply actions

On another team

I wouldn;t mind snagging anthony randolph since Nellie is telling him to try and get traded as per RealGM wiretap. I thought Randolph was doing well, I guess not.

Blazer's fan since '84, Currently exiled in San Antonio

↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

by HurraKane212 on Dec 20, 2008 3:00 PM PST reply actions

2nd round picks are considered very low value

I don’t think we can use them to trade up anywhere more than a spot or two in the first round. In the NBA very few quality players come from the second round(on average 1-2 starters a year out of the 30 picks) and most GM’s give them little or no value. More likely we will use the 2nd round picks to move up a spot or two, and perhaps snag a player that needs to sit in Europe for a few years.

by boppitywop on Dec 20, 2008 3:26 PM PST reply actions

....................... I don't disagree with your assertion, that they are CONSIDERED very low value... BUT ARE THEY?

………………………………Second round picks are not subject to the NBA salary cap for rookies — which artificially forces down the market price of a player in his first 4 or so years in the league. So first round picks, in addition to being the “pick of the litter” through no. 30 in the draft, have that benefit.

BUT

and there’s the big

BUT

If you’re a team like the Blazers, with a deep, solid, and young roster and a really rich owner, second round picks are GOLD. Why? Because they are NOT subject to the rookie salary cap. So you can lock up the RIGHTS to Euro #1, Euro #2, Euro #3, and Euro #4, and let them make their livings in Europe and THEN, if one of those turns out to be a gem, you can bring ‘em to America without being locked down with the stupid rookie salary cap. You can pay the actual market rate, in other words — you don’t have to PRAY for another Rudy Fernandez situation, in which a player is willing to take a multi-million dollar pay cut to “live the dream” of playing in the NBA.

Correct me if I’m wrong, Morty, but I believe for the Blazers’ very specific situation, 2nd Rounders are GOLD.

"Now with a non-provocative footer!"

by timbo on Dec 20, 2008 5:20 PM PST up reply actions

agreed

i think we may be stashing players again this upcoming draft.

Honor Terry Porter

by Philthyanimal on Dec 20, 2008 7:53 PM PST up reply actions

There could be some candidates for that in the draft

Omri Caspi, Victor Claver, Nando De Colo, Rodrigue Beaubois (worked out for Blazers last year), …

Or trading second round picks for future second round picks again.

by Norsktroll on Dec 20, 2008 8:10 PM PST up reply actions

We need...

we need foreign ambassadors amlmart style to get us all on their bandwagons quick.

Honor Terry Porter

by Philthyanimal on Dec 20, 2008 9:09 PM PST up reply actions

Israel, Spain, France, France. And probably some candidates are hiding out there in the Adriatic league (Serbia, etc.) that are not on my radar.

by Norsktroll on Dec 21, 2008 4:25 AM PST up reply actions

I agree

KP doesn’t collect these just to hang them on his wall. They are very valuable when you don’t need players NOW, in stockpiling for the future.

Late first-rounders are great value for college players. Second rounders are great for Euros. If one of them takes off, you can pay him enough to make it worth it for him to come, unlike with first rounders.

Only hesitation — I don’t know how cap considerations come into play with second round picks. If you are over the cap, can you throw a lot of money at them, or not? I’m guessing not.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 21, 2008 8:59 AM PST up reply actions

You are guessing correct

It only eliminates the fixed rookie pay scale. Traditionally those picks got less money of course (and since they get fewer years with their first team, so if they don’t pan out you can get rid of them quick). Now it’s a slight circumvention of the CBA. Maybe they will close that in the next revision.

by Norsktroll on Dec 21, 2008 10:31 AM PST up reply actions

Presumably we could still use the MLE

So if Rudy had been a second round pick, we could be paying him 5 million a year, which would be better. And if needed, we could have made it a 2 year contract, and then re-signed him using Bird rights?

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 21, 2008 11:31 PM PST up reply actions

Trade

All the second round picks to the Mavs for a 2010 first rounder :)

that would be cool, cause they will likely suck.

"Phooey Michael, P-H-O-O-E-Y, phooey", said Tony Luftman.

by Outlaw is Rejector on Dec 20, 2008 5:19 PM PST reply actions

You are late to the idea. New Jersey has that

by Norsktroll on Dec 20, 2008 5:53 PM PST up reply actions

LaFrentz's Salary

LaFrentz’s salary will be covered by insurance after 41 games. For example, if the Blazers trade LaFrentz to OKC for Wilcox and Watson or to Minnesota for Miller after 41 games, OKC or Minnesota would save slightly more than $6,000,000.

by Turnout on Dec 20, 2008 5:58 PM PST reply actions

Wilcox

would be a good addition at the backup 4 depending on how much the fighting Clay’s are demanding in return. Some other people have posted it, but a Frye/Ike deal would work salary wise, and both are in their walk year. Plus, if Ibaka has the potential a lot of people on this board think he does (and he doesn’t want to go to OKC like others have said above) it wouldn’t hurt to get his rights and let him develop in Europe. I’m not that high on Smith or Watson, as I don’t see either as an upgrade over what the Blazers have.

Bayless has been testing the fences for weaknesses

by blazeraddict on Dec 20, 2008 7:05 PM PST reply actions

Wilcox OK

i agree on Wilcox at the backup 4. I suspect that Smith would be the 3rd team PF and simply be moved or released. And, I agree on Ibaka. He’s a chip to stash and let mature. As far as what OK would want, it’s hard to say with the condition that team is in. I don’t know that swapping Frye/Diogu for Wilcox/Smith would interest them all that much – since I don’t see that helping them. However, stranger things have happened.

by Eben Calder on Dec 21, 2008 5:00 AM PST reply actions