The Advantage of Playing White

Pawn -- > E4.
Paul Allen's Money --- > New Orleans' pockets.
As pointed out in the side bar, Kevin Pritchard's moving day is off and running with a bang: the Blazers have already agreed to purchase New Orleans' first round pick.
In the past, Dave has successfully argued that draft wheeling and dealing more closely resembles poker than chess. You also might be tempted to write off this end-of-the-first-round-pick as an unimportant historical footnote. For tonight, put the cards down and prick your ears up: I see this move as a smart, cool chess move: center pawn two squares straight ahead at the defense, opening up major attacking lines in the process.
At face, this pick represents, to borrow a phrase from Bill Simmons' draft debate today, another asset in our growing stockpile. (Sidenote: the sexual tension between Simmons and Ford is hotter and heavier than ever this year.)
More importantly, though, this draft pick pickup reinforces, psychologically, that Kevin Pritchard is The Man when it comes to this general manager thing. Call it a peacock move, an expression of superiority, a sign to the fanbase that the team's pocketbook is where its mouth is... this is a great play.
It's a great play because it's the first play.
Throughout the history of chess, playing as white (thereby moving first) has led to a significant statistical advantage over playing as black. At most recent count, white trumps black roughly 55% of the time.
In chess and in basketball, moving first offers strategic advantages but, perhaps more importantly, playing first has distinct psychological advantages. In chess, white wins more often, in part, thanks to a self-fulfilling prophecy: wins result from comfortable, proactive, probing play and it is easier to achieve this state when one takes the first turn.
A list of "psychological" advantages that white has might include:
1) The ability to dictate early-game play.
2) The ability to create and/or diffuse momentum.
3) The ability to push the game, or portions of the game, to familiar lines where you are comfortable/experienced.
4) The ability to look at one's reflection in the chessboard and conclude, "Hey, I'm white again, I normally win when I'm white, so I should win this time."
It seems clear to me that each of these advantages has a parallel in negotiations in general and basketball trade discussions in particular. Looking at them one by one:
1) Pritchard has dictated play. He's announced the team's presence. He is reporting for duty. That smirch on his reputation that he recently received for floating trade rumors left and right? Instantly cleaned up. He just got one done. It's game time (again). Cowboy up.
2) Pritchard has the team's fans excited and anxious for more and he has again re-inforced confidence in both his decision-making abilities and ownership's support. The momentum is real. He's got his opponents wishing they had an authentic billionaire (one whose been making money since the 1980s...) who could cut checks like PA; in many cases, he's got his adversaries simply knocking their kings over in surrender and cashing PA's checks.
3) Pritchard now has the flexibility that comes with being able to offer something worthwhile to just about every team in the league. In fact, the only reason he can push trades on as many fronts as Ford mentioned today is because he's got the pieces and he's comfortable moving them. Other GMs are therefore forced to react to KP's lines, regardless of the objective value/power of any of his individual assets. This is a true advantage the likes of which even the most dedicated fan (indeed, anyone outside the war room) will never be able to know.
4) Finally, Pritchard has the biggest advantage of all: he wakes up in the morning (very early in the morning according to Brian Hendrickson), rubs the crust out of his eyes, looks in the mirror while brushing his teeth and smiles, "Hey, I'm KP again. I normally win when I'm KP, so I should win this time."
For each of these 4 reasons, I love this move, however small it might seem.
Full disclosure: 1. e4 is my favorite move of every chess game.
PS. Here's an interesting question... if you were playing chess against Kevin Pritchard, would you demand that he let you play as white, would you step aside and let him play as white, or would you draw for it like normal?
I would demand to play as white.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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My grandpa was a billionaire...
...and all I ever got were Werther’s Originals. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not bad, but their perimeter defense is suspect and they can’t hit open shots from behind the NBA 3-pt line. I would usually just stash them overseas or bundle them in trades with expiring Snickers bars.
I would draw for it
I’m cocky enough to think that I could beat him even if he gets white.
5th benefit. It lets you make the first move towards controlling the center of the board. All other things being equal, the player who controls the center wins. Why? Because his assets are positioned in a way that they can be brought to bear on more situations on the board.
We are deep enough that we have immense flexibility.
Will there be more trades? Well, we had 15 guys under contract, we won’t re-sign Wafer, and Darius retired. That means we have 13. Rudy is coming over, that makes 14. We have two first round picks now, meaning two more guaranteed contracts, which takes us over the limit. And we have multiple second round picks.
I predict at least two more trades. I also predict that it will rain in Portland at least once this winter. I’m smart that way.
This is a message to James Jones, too. You’ve got a decent contract, mate, and we’re glad to have you around, but if you want to opt out, we’ve got lots of assets. We’re very happy to keep you, but you don’t have us over a barrel. Don’t be expecting to come in and get more money from us. We can draft for your role with a late first-rounder.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
i love the confidence
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions
i just realized this was you jscot...
on second thought, i’m surprised you wouldn’t cede white to him! :)
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions
I've got too much respect for him
to want to humiliate him like that.
You are forgetting my other outstanding qualities of empathy and compassion. Fortunately for you, I’m also forgiving.
This time.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
pretty cool
can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. Though I did call in to Gavin’s show today and stated that I’m concerned that we expect too much out of KP at this point, and might be setting ourselves up for disappointment.
myspace.com/marktwainindians
Action:Reaction
To take a page out of Moneyball the worst move you can make is when you feel you have to(Marion for Shaq?). Acting first leaves all the other teams thinking about playing catch-up.
This guy just kills me
he keeps one-upping himself. How many picks do we have? I mean it feels like he could assemble any team he wants.
Well, there ya go.
He’s stockpiling enough talent for TWO NBA teams.
He’s gonna get 24-30 players (some great, some good, some decent, and some just THERE),
take the best 12-15 and leave them as the Portland Trail Blazers,
and spin off the rest as the expansion Sonics in two years.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
I'm telling you
if KP really likes Rose, he’s ours.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
ford or simmons cracked a joke that kp was known for making ridiculous offers like
sergio for d wade…
if i was kp i would take this as a smirch but i’m pretty sensitive
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh
Yeah that’d be obnoxious, but I’ll bet KP pulls it off. Check this vid out, this is the guy some people are saying the Blazers want. It’s HILARIOUS. Like Sacha Baron Coen made it.
by begottenson on Jun 24, 2008 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions
lolol
great find
that is a must view
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Huh?
Other than the music, I thought it was a complete waste of time. Not much of a highlight clip. I’m assuming Tomic is #4.
Or is this one of those facetious moments. I can’t always tell.
yea
the highlights are of him high fiving his teammates, chasing balls after the whistle is blown, grabbing uncontested rebounds and awkwardly drawing fouls…. plus the ridiculous music on top of it.
very borat esque.
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 25, 2008 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Hes croatian center
the music is very annoying but im use to it as my parents are from their.
We should draft him and keep him in croatia for couple years , then bring him back.
Oden...Aldridge...Roy.....THE REAL BIG THREE
Watch my brandon roy vid http://youtube.com/watch?v=RC3Byp4ID1E
ten sounds good.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
My roommate from grad school was Croatian.
OK, he was reallly Canadian, but his folks were born there.
I was in Croatia this time last year. It was only a day trip, but very nice. (We were visiting family in Slovenia.)
wow
he was out of position and not rotating on defense at ALL. Funny to watch him running around looking for an open guy and then be out of rebounding position when he double teamed someone and they missed.
I’ll pass.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
well sasha baron is coveted
by kp..at least according to at least five sites ive seen and for awhile now at that.. my instincts keep saying center all alone..ive said it before and ill say it again..we need a back up center for oden,,that knows thats going to be his job..a skilled player ..with pritch attitude… we need a center… the guard will come..but not via draft…book it
if it can be conceived it can be achieved
by lyfefindsaway on Jun 25, 2008 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I tend to agree
I think that center is a few years down the road in being able to fill in and then I think we trade Pryz for some future options/picks.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
You know how Sam Cassell runs around ...
after a big shot pretending like he’s holding up his giant cojones with his hands? Does KP do this around Blazer headquarters? These are things I’d like to know.
"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez
I'VE SEEN IT!
After the 2006 draft… We’d all had a few drinks… Someone started playing “We Are the Champions” and KP just went crazy!
"Now, you take a bobcat or a Jayhawk. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. Raef's my dog, Pa. I've gotta do what's right..." Old Yeller (1957)
by RoyGoesTheDynamite on Jun 25, 2008 9:14 AM PDT up reply actions
New Orleans
This trade makes me significantly less worried about the Hornets as a potential rival than I was before. The #27 pick probably won’t get a player that turns into and all-star, or even a starter (though it could). However, it is still a useful asset, and we got it without giving up assets other than cash.
New Orleans is basically saying “our owner is cheaper than your owner, and is willing to make the team worse to save a little money.” Even if this trade does not end up having a big impact on either team’s future, this disparity in the amount that the owners are willing to spend on their teams will continue to be a factor in the future and will consistently give the Blazers a better chance of being successful.
I watched a documentry on mr shinn
he is a man of god and prays on all his decisions.. prayer sent him back in to that hell hole and they pretty much saved new orleans,,, and the saints also i guess… he only wants christians and beleivers..bonzi wells must have been doing a helluva acting job
just sayin
if it can be conceived it can be achieved
by lyfefindsaway on Jun 25, 2008 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions
1...Nf6
This wins.
"Shoot, I don't even have anything to put in my own sig"
These are the modest words of pualo, posted on June 20, 2008.
Yes, pualo, an extraordinarily discerning BEdger with a knack for subtle expression.
is that the sam presti opening line?
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions
He might've played it when they drafted Tony Parker
"Shoot, I don't even have anything to put in my own sig"
These are the modest words of pualo, posted on June 20, 2008.
Yes, pualo, an extraordinarily discerning BEdger with a knack for subtle expression.
Doh! No, that was the French. What was I thinking?
"Shoot, I don't even have anything to put in my own sig"
These are the modest words of pualo, posted on June 20, 2008.
Yes, pualo, an extraordinarily discerning BEdger with a knack for subtle expression.
lol
very nice
"Honor Terry Porter." Email me with your TP stories and memories.
by Ben Golliver on Jun 24, 2008 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
ROFL
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
i'd go with a modified petrov defense
Allow 3 Nxe5…Nxe4, followed by 4 Qe2…Qe7 then 5 Qxe4…f6. That just might give black a chance. But your points are well noted, Ben. Just like in chess, KP’s first move here allows him to take less risk while making moves later on in order to stay aggressive, while the reacting gms (black) might have to make a risky move here or there in order to move into a more aggressive stance. Interesting move, especially considering this draft. If things work out and Chalmers falls to 27, I wouldn’t mind KP packing the 13 and moving up in order to grab Alexander, who has the right attitude for portland. That would give us our pg, and maybe even the long term answer at sf.
by premthegrem on Jun 24, 2008 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions
The Petrov, though seemingly aggressive, leads to drawish endgames.
Or so I somehow recall from the dim past of my futile chess career. I was and am a patzer for sure! Anyhow, I just spent a minute net-surfing to refresh my memory, and I found the Wikipedia article on chess openings, which lists opening objectives that are startlingly appropriate for Blazers basketball discussion as well:
1. Development = growth of young talent
2. Control of the center = Oden in the paint
3. King safety = perimeter defense to help Greg stay out of foul trouble
4. Prevention of pawn weakness = improvement at point guard
5. Piece coordination = work on defensive rotations
6. Create positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent = what it says
Food for thought perhaps…
"Shoot, I don't even have anything to put in my own sig"
These are the modest words of pualo, posted on June 20, 2008.
Yes, pualo, an extraordinarily discerning BEdger with a knack for subtle expression.
by CatMan2 on Jun 25, 2008 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
My playing style doesn't work with sarge.
I tend to favor aggressive chess moves, which would be like SSOL from the suns. Nate is more into halfcourt play.
You know who hates us?
Hornets fans, Suns fan too probably. If we keep buying picks We’re going to become the Duke of the NBA. Or the Lakers of the NBA.
The more you know….. Da da da da
yankees
as long as we keep buying draft picks and developing our own talent. if we start buying all stars and become the yankees, i think it’d be more disastrous to my psyche than even the jail blazer era. at least then our shame could disappear during the playoffs, since we didn’t make them
by bluthbanana on Jun 25, 2008 12:46 AM PDT up reply actions
We WERE the Yankees from 2000-2002.
The whole Pippen/Shrempf/Kemp/Smith era of grabbing various past-prime former all-stars.
And it didn’t work for us any more than it’s been working for the Yankers.
This is different stuff going on ow.
Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.
suns fans have no animosity to you guys.
We like your young and talented team.
We don’t like that old team with Clyde, Porter, Buck Williams and Kevin Duckworth.
I like Arvydas Sabonis vs shaq tho. And I like Rick Adelman.
Wondering what the skip-2-my-loo to do next with my empty summer
Cool Postin' here
I always enjoy the perspective from other Team’s Fans.
However to Team’s anomosity may yet build. Enjoy it, when it builds to a Fever Pitch.
"Lenny Suckerpunch Never bet on me" - Elizabeth "The Lizzard" Lowblow
by Lizzy Lowblow on Jun 25, 2008 7:31 PM PDT up reply actions
it'll definitely build
we have a cool team, but other teams won’t like the dominance that is coming.
Still, we should at least be a fun team to watch. I suppose it’s fair as the suns were one of my favorite teams for a few years as well. Fun to watch.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
We've got a golden ticket!
This is a no-brainer move for Paul Allen.
There are some things that money alone can’t buy. An NBA title is one of them (debate over how Boston “bought” the title this year aside). Spending money is but one factor in getting a title. At the end of the season, your team has to outwork the other team for 48 minutes 16 times (after playing 82 games to even qualify for the playoffs), and teams do this by having better players. All the money in the world won’t buy those players if you don’t have the rights to sign them.
If the Blazers have one resource that most other teams cannot match, it is Allen’s pocketbook. Anytime you can use that to your advantage to convert that to an asset of another kind, like a draft pick, you DO IT.
Why complain? It’s not your money. He won’t miss the money. The worst possible outcome of this for Portland is that there’s a player the Blazers have to cut to trim down to 15 players by the end of October. Maybe even the one we take with this pick. What has it cost? Money. Not your money. Not any money that Paul’s going to miss. So why worry about it?
Getting a good player or draft pick in this league is like winning one of Willy Wonka’s Golden tickets. At first, Charlie figures he’ll sell it to get the money to feed his family. Then Grampa Joe explains it to him. There’s only FIVE of these things in the ENTIRE WORLD. Only an idiot would sell something as rare as that for something as common as MONEY. Okay, so with NBA first-round draft picks, there’s 30 of them, rather than five, but the point still stands.
Gather all the draft picks we can. If KP can’t package #27 together with other pieces for a player he likes, or find someone to pick himself, he will no doubt find a few teams on draft day that will still have someone on the board that they like after pick #26 has been taken. At this point, we trade it for a player, or possibly another future first round pick (NOT just for money).
But I say give KP all the ammunition possible to make a deal on draft day. It makes no sense NOT to buy the pick, if there’s any team, at any position, willing to sell it for mere money.
Wherever you go, there you are.
"Other potential targets are French swingman Nicolas Batum"
my choice!
What a steal after the false heath scare dropped him.
I was exited by this first move...
Then I had one little worry and that was that maybe this would put all the other GM’s on their toes and make them weary of KP. Weary of the Pritchslap. (Do they know this term or is it just our little secret?) And being weary of KP and his ability to come out on top in trade scenarios, they might run from him or not pull the trigger when we want em too.
Whatcha gonna do with the Pritch comes after you?
You make a great point
The truth is, nobody really knows what the plans with this pick are. Will we use it to stash away a Euro? Will we get somebody we think will be a good role player with it? Will it be used with our #13 pick to move up to a higher pick? Will it be part of a trade for a veteran?
My fear, is that if KP plans on using it to try and get a player from another team like a Devin Harris from NJ, this first initial move may cause other GM’s to be reactionary, kind of like the Pau Gasol trade caused Dallas, Phoenix, and San Antonio to make some trades prior to the deadline. I guess my one fear in this situation, is that it might cause other teams to sweeten their offers for the same players we might be trying to negotiate for in a trade. If that’s the case, this first move will be counter-productive. Here is to hoping that this has something to do with getting the #5 pick from Memphis, or getting Devin Harris.
Can I buy you a fish sandwich?
It's probably already agreed
He arranged a deal that was contingent on us getting this pick and including it in the deal. This other deal hasn’t been announced yet because it is also is contingent on who is available at a particular point in the draft. Like, maybe this is a part of a trade for the #3 pick, but the deal is only on if Mayo is still available. I don’t think it is that, I don’t think we are getting Mayo, but something like that.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
Other teams may fear the Pritch-slap...
...but have no fear yourself.
Every other GM in the league is going to say to himself, “Other GMs have gotten screwed, but it won’t happen to me! I’m gonna be the one to slap back!”
So they’ll deal. And they’ll get what looks like an incredibly lopsided deal in their favor. Only later will it become apparent that they too, have been Pritch-slapped.
Wherever you go, there you are.
What?
Didn’t the Knicks bone us on that Zach Randolph deal? They say Zach’s the man! That trade sure solidified Isaih Thomas’ gig in NY. The Knicks got over on old KP there, they did, yep. Owned him! Celebration time! Woot!
'77
They certainly thought they did
time tells, and time tells that KP is always right.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
Allen
I think at least a few of the places where “Pritchad” appears above you could probably replace with “Allen”.
WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE A BLAZER FAN!!
I look at this as payback for the j*ilblazer years that we had to suffer through.
We are now in a positio of power in this years draft, as you stated sp brilliantly Ben, we have fired the warning shot over the bow as to state that, “We are here and we are ready for anything that may come.”
We have the hardest working GM in the league and the richest owner in all professional US sports, basically we have the biggest gun and about 16 billion rounds of ammo to load it with.
I say we come out of this draft with Alexander AND Westbrook, with a few Euros to come in a few years.
Too many nights on Yahoo Chess for you, ehh Ben? ;o)
Pretty soon, and you’ll be as bad as my little cousin who relates everything to online shooter games
"Beards--they grow on you"
The French Connection
Two of my favorite players in this draft are the French C Alexis Ajinca, and SF Nicolas Batum. If we were able to get one or both of those guys in this draft, I’d be happy. The benefit to getting a European player is that we can stash them overseas for a year or two (Rudy, Petteri, Joel), without it effecting our cap situation, or our young players playing time.
I’d prefer to find a way to get Devin Harris (priority #1), and would be okay with giving up Webster/Outlaw, Frye and #13 (maybe Jack) to get Harris and #21. Then #21 and #27 could come back aces with my two French players.
You all tickle me
I think KP’s a great GM but everyone is getting excited about the 27th pick. A lot of folks weren’t too excited about the 13th pick.
"You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there. Twist, you guys wasn't gettin' paid to leave the dogs babysittin' the sheep while you stem the rose." - Joe Aguirre from Brokeback Mountain
It's not the pick
It’s the promise. It means the KP we all have come to know and love is working deals again. It shows that we can expect more activity, lots more.
We don’t suffer through boring draft days like a lot of teams.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
I can't wait
to taste the delicious gold at the end of the rainbow.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
The excitement is about two picks that will become one pick
The only way that the Trailblazers will actually use the #27 pick to pick a player at #27 (unless they are picking for somebody else to avoid the Stepien Rule) is if KP has packaged #13 with some of the second-round picks to move up in the draft or to acquire a veteran. More likely, a package of #13 plus #27 might well be worth, say the Clippers’ #7, because the Clippers need help at multiple positions and may figure that the two guys they get at #13 and #27 will serve their needs better than one guy, whoever it is, who is available at #7 after Rose, Beasley, and Mayo are off the board.
On the other hand, if the Trailblazers actually used both #13 and #27 to pick a player for themselves, they had damn well better be able to stash them on a European team, because there are not enough roster spots available for the guaranteed contracts.
You are right that #13 is right at the border between probable starter by 2009-10 and project, but moving to #7 or #8 increases the chances greatly that the Trailblazers can fill an actual need on a roster that already is too deep.
by monkeysuncle on Jun 25, 2008 6:04 AM PDT up reply actions
First chess strategical decision:
You choose your opponent, someone you can defeat. Precisely not KP.
If I´m forced to play again Pritchard, I choose the Sicilian defense. I call the consigliere so he decide the round KP will fall down pretending a K.O..
The Midnight Rambler
conversely
I like players who can beat me. Then I learn and come back and mop the floor with them. My dad stopped playing me in sixth grade because it wasn’t even a contest.
I had a friend play me about 26 games and FINALLY beat me. He then refused to play me again. tease.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
Black: Pawn -> c6
I almost always prefer to play black. I’ve liked the Caro-Kahn Defense since I was 12. White’s moves from the King’s Pawn Game are predictable enough to handle, and Black’s pawn structure holds up generally well and provides a tough defense to crack.
Playing from a position of stability seems like another Pritchard trait. Is he playing both sides of the board? Dang! No wonder he always wins.
One of Two Official Blazer's Edge Poets Laureate for the 2008-2009 Season
Chaplain of the Jarrett Jack Fan Club
"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus
hahaha
what a way to start my wednesday morning. This makes me giddy lol.
I think KP is just toying with the NBA right now. He’s calling them up saying, “Hey, it’s KP, what ya got for me?”
by Jason3123 on Jun 25, 2008 6:28 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
(knicks)
I’d like to see us get the Knick’s pick. A little wheel’n and deal’n and get the 6 spot—but without taking on any of the New York garbage. How’s 13 and 27 for 6 and future pick sound?
RipCity's a state of mind
The 27th pick
probably isn’t much of a trading chip. The two 2nd round picks are probably more desirable to include w/ our 13th and/or players in a trade. The 27th has guaranteed contract attached. Maybe the 27th will be for us to pick up someone we’ve got in our sights after trading away the 13th.
Not to throw cold water on this...
... but I think only #3 has any validity.
This deal just shows us that Pritchard is smart enough to make use of his advantage of working for the richest owner in the NBA. As long as you can draft and stash players overseas, there is no real drawback to having multiple picks. Meanwhile he gains an advantage by having extra assets to include in any deal he might try to set up.
He may sleep better at night knowing he has more resources available to him. But I don’t think it gives him any sort of psychological edge over his counterparts. They may wish they had an owner with as deep of pockets, but at the end of the day, it is still a matter of horse trading. If I’m a GM, news of this move has me checking my draft board and analyzing whether Portland looks any better as a possible trade partner. I’d look on it as a possible advantage. Worse case is it gives Portland more assets to get a deal done that I too am interested in. That makes me a bit envious of KP, but it doesn’t detract from my abilitiy as a GM. If anything, it’s a goad to work even harder.
KP is the lizard king!
"You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there. Twist, you guys wasn't gettin' paid to leave the dogs babysittin' the sheep while you stem the rose." - Joe Aguirre from Brokeback Mountain
Cannot wait for tomorrow...
KP definitely has something cooking and picking up that #27 from New Orleans is a great way to say here we are, let’s get moving day started a little early. I see New Jersey and Phoenix being our primary trade partners with New York being involved peripherally.
Wouldn’t Jack look good in a Suns uniform coming off the bench behind Steve Nash? Wouldn’t Richard Jefferson be a nice starting 3 for us? How about Martell and Devin Harris starting in the back court for New Jersey. Too many scenarios to consider (that’s KP’s job), but there’s no denying tomorrow will be a great day to be a Blazer.
After reading the comments...
I realize that this is not Ben’s manifesto about race relations in the United States… I will now go back and read the article…
"Now, you take a bobcat or a Jayhawk. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. Raef's my dog, Pa. I've gotta do what's right..." Old Yeller (1957)
by RoyGoesTheDynamite on Jun 25, 2008 9:17 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That's what I thought at first too
I was like, “I can sit where I want to on the bus.” Then I remembered that I’m white and we don’t got no segregation.
"You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there. Twist, you guys wasn't gettin' paid to leave the dogs babysittin' the sheep while you stem the rose." - Joe Aguirre from Brokeback Mountain
by tominhawaii on Jun 25, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions
It wouldn't matter if I took black or white
I have the feeling if I played chess against KP, he’d get me to agree to trade my queen for two of his pawns and the rights to Garry Kasparov.
I'm comfortable playing as black
and generally let all but the best opponents take white.
I play defensively while I feel out how an opponent plays, where their strengths our, what styles of moves they’re not as comfortable with. About half way through the game I redirect and generally take over the initiative even if it’s just to TAKE it, and then focusing on keeping it while I force the opponent into the moves that work for me and if I lose initiative I make sure I can productively take it back within a move.
I rarely lose and I don’t lose twice in a row.
I rather like chess.
In that game… KP could be black.
Trade picks… KP has never done anything I disagree with and usually I’m rooting for it. The only difference was the Chris Paul vs Webster debate as I went for perceived team need over best player available.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
Oh yeah
and the purchase of the pick…
We’re either stockpiling someone we really like over seas or we’re combining and trading to move up for the pieces we want. Possibly one of the trades on the table will drain our roster and so we’d be drafting someone to fill it?
This is definitely a sign something is going to happen though, me thinks. Otherwise it makes no sense and KP is only moving to make the move, which is a bad thing. (My opinion). He strikes me as smart and he strikes me as someone who moves with a purpose.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
Kinda like Shawn Kemp
When he moves, its purposefully.. he has left proof all over the country
by GreatOden'sRaven on Jun 25, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions
KP gave away his strategy by buying the 27th pick
Now everybody knows our plan: KP is planning to win.
'77
you're right...
maybe he should have waited a day. Now the other GMs have time to prepare.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
What I'd like, just for fun
Is to trade the whole shooting match of picks for a decent shot at a lottery pick in next years draft – Ricky Rubio….
KP found it in PA's sofa.
Nothing like having a great big sofa/piggy bank on your Aircraft
Carrier, er Yacht.
By the way PA, you can get the Blazers on the high seas ….
but no BLAZERS HERE IN So. OREGON !
YOU OWN CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS. GET IT DONE or else !!!!
It's GO time !
One problem with the chess analogy...
...the Blazers aren’t really about chess.
From now on, they’re going to be about GO.
And the komi will be high. So it’s time to say “atari” to the rest of the league.
Wherever you go, there you are.

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