Do the Blazers have to make a trade now?

In my opinion, there isn’t anything on the free agent market that would be all that attractive at the positions of need on the Blazers, I think they should go for a trade anyway.

Raef is a trading chip, and Diogu and Frye have not been resigned. These two players will be moved, because none are getting the playing time to justify the salary they’ll likely get to become third options off the bench, and the Blazers aren’t going to want the cap holds that come from keeping them around. In this context, yes, KP will make a move. However, none of this is likely to get the Blazers a front line player, if that’s what some are looking for. And other than possibly throwing one of the five guards into this mix, I can’t see much reason to trade anyone else at this point. From where I sit, we could end up with draft choices, or perhaps a single solid backup PF, or some such combination. We’re not going to get a starting PG for this group, and I’m not sure the Blazers think that they need to try to get a frontline SF, given the Batum/Webster/Rudy group that can play that position.

Whatever happens with Miles will happen. That’s out of our hands. Keep in mind that if he hangs around where he’s likely to be – which is a third team player, then his history indicates that he could very well reinjure himself. So this story isn’t over. Let’s face it, in five years he had 2 seasons where he only played 1/2 the games, one where he played 3/4’s of them, and 2 where he didn’t play at all. Whatever the reasons, his body just doesn’t take the pounding. And if he reinjures the knee, then the cap space will come back.

In the end, we’ll still need to make a few moves – and KP likely will.

I’m not convninced the Blazers have to make a trade to have a championship run – at least not this year. We’re 22-14 on a team with 4 rookies and 6 second year players. The center play has improved this year with the addition of a rookie, Roy and Aldridge, both third year players have stepped up their games, and Rudy and Trout have provided a spark off the bench. At the same time, the only reason we’re unsettled at SF is because Webster hasn’t suited up. If he had, then we’d have a look at the reason the Blazers resigned him – which, I suspect, is because they’re convionced he – in his 3rd year – will step up his game just like Roy and Aldridge did their’s. Throw Batum into that mix – and we could well have the skills we need to play with Oden/Roy/Aldridge. As far as PG, Blake has been giving us some better minutes this year. I don’t know that Sergio will ever be a starter, nor how Bayless will progress, but from where I sit, this is the only spot we may address – and I don’t think now is the time we’ll do it.