Do Nothing or Nothing Doing?
I have to admit my thoughts concerning this issue were inspired by a local columnists column. But given our success thus far this season I've been thinking about this for a while. The idea many seem to be embracing in light of our success is that we make no major move or trade
Is this wise? It certainly is easy. It's easy to look at our success and look at our young roster and simply say, "Stay The Course!". Batum, Bayless, Outlaw, Sergio we certainly have a lot of young talent. We are playing well and exceeding the expectations of many. Keep in mind I present the following as something I might just totally disagree with myself, but I think it is worth evaluation. The idea that conservative approach might not be the best thing despite our immediate success.
It seems to me there are a few aspects that could make a trade now or in the near future appealing and potentially more beneficial then waiting or not doing anything. One of them being that we are a young team doing very well. Which without naming names, because if I use someone as an example I will invite a tsunami of we can't trade MY favorite young player commentary, means that it is likely right now that one or more of our young players are being overvalued by opponents. As much as we like to believe every person to wear a Blazer Uni is going to become an all-star, that is not likely to be the long term reality.
Another aspect, is I believe eventually The Blazers must make some roster choices. Clearly we do have talent ahead of talent and some of that talent needs opportunity to develop, contribute and grow that simply will not exist with our current talent configuration. I don't believe this aspect is immediately pressing because this season it seems this roster has boughten into the 15=16 idea. But in the not so distant future I think some tough decisions will have to be made. It's very likely some favorites of many, some hopefuls and will have to be traded for their good as well as The Blazers. I was hoping to avoid direct comparison but the simplest way to example is as a rookie Bayless seems willing if not thrilled to be mostly a DNPCD bench player. Which works for this season. But how about the next? Clearly to me 3pgs Blake, Sergio, Bayless with Roy taking some minutes as well, is far too many for a real opportunity for Bayless. I for one don't want more badly translated statements from Sergios agent in Spain. Someday a decision will have to be made.
Final aspect, there seems to be a window. We have players right now other teams covet. We have RLEC. A slump, an injury, or the slow realization that a young player actually might not be as good as we all hoped or thought and value is lost. Like I said earlier, I think I disagree with everything I just said, BUT I do think there is danger in simply being conservative. I guess for me it boils down to the following: We don't have to make a trade, we probably shouldn't make a trade, but we better not act like an organization that is unwilling to make a trade, or not looking to make a trade because I think that could be the most dangerous attitude we could embrace. It's a very fine line that makes it sound like I'm squarely on the fence, but I'm really not. I'm for conservative aggression and quiet but active exploration of all options.
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I agree....
I want some role players that fits this teams chemistry. Maybe a good pg ( Bibby?) to run the team untill Bayless is ready. I also think we need someone with toughness that will help us compete with teams like Boston. That being said I wouldnt want to be in KPs shoes right now. We have a great start of a season do you mess with that? I think yes in order to compete for anything past the first round of the playoffs.
We already have a good PG his name is Steve Blake
If you’re looking for a point guard who is a roll player and fits the team chemistry look no further. It’s Steve Blake. If you’re looking for a point guard who can hold down the fort until Bayless is ready, it’s Steve Blake. If you want a guard who can bring us to the next level (WCF/championship) a guard like Bibby isn’t going to be the answer. We have a 15-7 record with Steve Blake running the point this year. The only players (point guards) I think could help us improve to the next level are Devin Harris, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, or any other elite point guard.
by SteveBlakeFan on Dec 9, 2008 1:29 PM PST up reply actions
I would only make a move if we could get an elite point guard
Theres no reason to replace a good point guard with a…… Good point guard. I wouldn’t make a move just to make a move. I would wait until we had a shot at really making a big upgrade.
by SteveBlakeFan on Dec 9, 2008 1:39 PM PST up reply actions
dont get me wrong..
i like steve blake…as a backup but i think we need someone who can be creative in distributing the ball
If all we need is somebody who can distribute the ball
We already have Sergio. But as we know, Sergio is weak where Blake is strong (Hitting the open shot and 3 pointers). Blake may not be the most gifted passer but he gets the job done.
by SteveBlakeFan on Dec 9, 2008 1:44 PM PST up reply actions
Trading Blake for Bibby
is a solid, huge step backwards. Switching Blake for an Elite PG who would match our chemistry sounds good, except for one thing: none are available.
"I try to help with everything," Fernandez said. "If the coach says go rebound, I go rebound. I work for the team."
I'm am certainly not a Bibby fan.
Nor would I advocate trading for him. But there ARE some very good reasons why Portland might consider such a move. Bibby looks to be a very good fit in several key areas.
hakkaa päälle !
Bibby
Love the jumper, and he killed the L*ckers in Sacto (I know, a playoff series from 5 years ago isn’t a reason to trade for a guy, but he tore them up, it was beautiful to watch until Big Shot Bob got his). Plus, he’s got that veteran playoff swagger, I just wonder if the Hawks wold ask for too much in return.
by blazeraddict on Dec 9, 2008 10:57 PM PST up reply actions
Bibby = ugh
Cat's foot, iron claw - LaMarcus Aldridge screams for more. At paranoia's poison door, alley oop slam throw it down big man. - Variations on a theme by Peter Sinfield.
good fanpost!
very well thought out and looks at both sides of the coin
Woof
by Charles Barkley McLovin on Dec 9, 2008 2:02 PM PST reply actions
Those who sit on the bench
We always talk about the guys at the end of the bench and who is willing to take that role. In general the affordable ones are rookie contracts (eg Bass, Maxiel, Stuckey, Millsap). Those guys will not be made available The non affordable ones are over the hill guys sucha s Raef, Grant Hill, Stackhouse. The middle ground guys (decent contracts/role player) aren’t an upgrade over what we have (though they may better fit a desired role than a current player). Do we really want a player of the type in the latter group (old/overpaid)? Otherwise to get a player from the first group (young /promising), you must draft them or trade on draft day.
I think that is exactly what KP had in mind with Bayless. He will be one of those coveted young guy players in another year or two (but for now he gets minimal minutes). We traded a middle tier player (Jack) and a pick to get Bayless. With this in mind we won’t do a midseason trade, but rather use our middle tier assets to get early draft picks that will fall into the first group. This is a good market to exploit because several GMs value known assets more than potential. And we know KP know how to get good return on draft day. That plan would lend to financial flexibility long-term with good assests since we won’;t be keeping many players making 3-5 million per year riding the pine. We don’t ever need older players until our current players get their naturally. This also makes keeping the bench happy a simple task.
by NWfan on Dec 9, 2008 2:06 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Best comment so far on this thread.
And you probably summerized why Krang doesn’t really want to see a trade.
hakkaa päälle !
Not enough information....
Nate and KP have some sense of the chemistry on and off the court (we can only sense the on court chemistry). And, we hope, they have an over-arching offensive and defensive philosophy. Nothing more indicative of an offensive philosophy than the role of the PG.
I think that’s why this conversation generates so much interest and emotion. Because many of us have our own offensive philosophies and would like to see the Blazers play in a certain style.
Seems like, with Blake, our style is going to be tight and slowed down. Efficient and effective so far this season, but easily disrupted by tough physical defenses?
I question how adaptable we are in this style. And against solid defending playoff level teams, there will need to be some adapting.
I think this is why people believe Steve is not the PG to get us there.
2ç
- There will be a significant roster move either before the deadline or during the off-season. 2009 is the year it needs to happen for cap reasons.
- Steve Blake will stay the starting PG this season though there might be a trade that brings in a new younger backup (a la Conley). I don’t see Nate as a friend of changing starting PGs during the season, and KP won’t force him too. I also don’t see a full star PG available who would be a natural instant starter over Blake
- Channing likely won’t be the backup power forward on our future championship team
- RLEC could be moved since some teams really need cap relief, but I don’t see a trade for a 30+ years old expensive player. They define veteran a little different than that.
B-Rex bandwagon begins
Channing on 1080
I caught a piece of his interview after work, didn’t come off as whinny at all, but he definitely sounds frustrated with his role (mentioned – and honestly, I believe – that it’s tough to get up for the games/focus when you’re in line for 5-10 mpg). Maybe there’s a GM out there who thinks Frye’s skill set (PFs with jumpers like his aren’t a dime a dozen) will be willing to give us some value for him.
by blazeraddict on Dec 9, 2008 10:48 PM PST up reply actions
Dave said Channing was never good when he is used for 4-6 minutes (like today, a big zero)
I tend to agree with him, Channing just is no spark plug off the bench. If we don’t have the minutes for him to play longer (and at his current state that would not be very helpful), he is not really useful except as an injury insurance. We will see which route KP goes.
Viva la Rudylucion
I'm still waiting
to hear about the trade that knocks my socks off. Socks are still intact at this point. – Elgin
Cat's foot, iron claw - LaMarcus Aldridge screams for more. At paranoia's poison door, alley oop slam throw it down big man. - Variations on a theme by Peter Sinfield.
Now wait just a goll-dang minute; you said
“Like I said earlier, I think I disagree with everything I just said, BUT I do think there is danger in simply being conservative. I guess for me it boils down to the following: We don’t have to make a trade, we probably shouldn’t make a trade, but we better not act like an organization that is unwilling to make a trade, or not looking to make a trade because I think that could be the most dangerous attitude we could embrace. It’s a very fine line that makes it sound like I’m squarely on the fence, but I’m really not. I’m for conservative aggression and quiet but active exploration of all options.”
You’re really Sarah Palin, aintcha? I can tell.
If this is true
I want to be the first to ask Krang out to dinner. Or if you prefer, a home cooked meal. A guy I know got a moose this fall and still owes me sausages.
hakkaa päälle !
Well
I can’t see Russia from my house. Although I think there is a Ukranian Church on the corner. The closest I’ve ever come to downing and field dressing a moose was once I ate at Chucky-E-Cheese next to an animatronic Moose like creature that kept singing 50"s hits. Nah….Sarah Palin I’m not.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Your message came through
it just took a round-about to get here. Happy moose season to all.
Float this idea past OKC
Channing Frye and Ike Diogu, draft choices and Pauls Allen’s money for…Chris Wilcox
Blazers get a veteran backup 4-5 who can bang and rebound.
Not-going-anywhere Thunder gets sumthin-sumthin for veteran UFA who they’re unlikely to resign in 2009
scouting reports on CW
There was very little in those reviews that made me excited about Wilcox
and I’m a Maryland grad.
Wilcox is a nice guy that should have stayed in college for at least one and probably more years. That’s if you believe in developing one’s game. From a financial standpoint he probably did the smart thing. Right now Channing Frye has far more chance to improve as a defender than Wilcox and Diogu probably gives you everything Wilcox would, except running the court onj the break.
This is trade you make because you like to trade, not to improve your team.
hakkaa päälle !
Post defender
I’m not looking for a “complete” player to backup LMA at the 4, my target was to improve the team’s inside defense without giving up a young player who has a future in PDX. If Wilcox was acquired and “didn’t work out” for the Blazers down the stretch this spring, he’s a UFA and his salary would be gone in June. Frye and Diogu are not quality post defenders, and they are 3rd year RFA’s who will likely not be offered contracts by Portland for 2009. OKC may decide to keep Frye or Diogu after giving them more PT than they will get in Portland. It’s OK to spot holes in CW’s game and diss this proposed deal, but the TB’s will need another big body in the playoffs and IMHO Wilcox would fit the bill better than the current backups
He played with Blake in Maryland, is as athletic as they come on the PF position, but has not worked out as well as some thought
Not a training champion, but he would be a very solid backup and might be attainable.
B-Rex bandwagon begins
Team building 101
Im glad I do not have to make the choices for the Blazers the next several seasons.
This team may be the most likeable we have ever had, its going to be hard to let guys go via fa or trades. I would think when the championship window is actually upon us the rotation will be no more then 9 players and maybe even the conventional 8.
Does anyone else think that Portland may be showcasing players now, I still am not convinced as to why Nate gave Sergio the extra playing time after he openly whined about it, Outlaw is not having anywhere near the year he had last season.(playing like a deer in headlights alot of games)Not alot of rumors surrounding the Blazers right now but after the first of the year Its going to be none stop Portland rumors whether there true or not.
Ive got Rudy Gay on the radar, Memphis is that sad.Shilling is also that greedy.
I try to help with everything," Fernandez said. "If the coach says go rebound, I go rebound. I work for the team."






















