A Happy Oden, is an improving Oden

We know Greg lost his friend that moved with him to Portland. Some say that could of had some effect on his on court emotion/aggression & his off court happiness in Portland. Paul Allen & KP committed to him as the #1 pick in the draft. Now they must do everything in their power to help be, the best he can possibly be. Make him as comfortable as possible in Portland, let him know that this is his new town. Mike Conley Jr. - We have the ammo at our disposal to acquire him according to Memphis fans I chatted with. He has amazing improvement the last few months of the season. When Hollins trusted him with the offense. In order for Nate to put all his eggs into the "Conley Basket", we would have to send out Blake & Bayless. He has a low usage rate & a high 3pt shot%(40% 9th in the league for PG's), which makes me think he would do just fine with Roy on the court at the same time.He knows exactly where to put the ball where Greg likes it(Could have a positive effect for everyone else in terms of getting the rock to Greg). Whether it be on the pick & roll or a simple post up by Greg. He is further ahead on his 3’s then anyone thought he would be at this point in his career. He can drive with both hands very well & has the speed to get by just about anyone. Very quick hands, with McMillan as his coach he would only improve on the defensive end. Not only that but if we did trade for Conley, Oden’s attitude could change for the better in a drastic way. Him being happy is a big part of wanting to get better/work harder. Reuniting the tandem would make them both better. Conley fits a huge need as well. His ceiling is unlimited, especially if he plays here in Portland next to Roy, Aldridge & of course Oden for the next 10 years. Othello Hunter. He is a reserve, dirt cheap. He basically does the same thing's well that Oden does, but plays PF. Offensive rebounds & finishing at the rim is his forte. I remember him running the court at Ohio State quite well on fast break situations. Sign McDyess to mentor, sign Hunter & have him compete with Joel Freeland & or a late 2nd round pick this year for the #3 PF spot(#2 after Dyess retires when he gets his RINGS!)

about 3 years ago TheGreatDane17 35 comments 0 recs |

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I'm pretty sure Greg lost his friend Travis Smith prior to moving to Portland

I’m not opposed to getting Conley.

by jksnake99 on May 18, 2009 4:28 PM PDT reply actions

Perhaps

I read he was planning to move to Portland. Still, rough on Greg.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions

It happened during college

His friend was suppose to come watch Oden’s game that night. Oden had already given the ticket to his Grandma or something, can’t remember who…..and the rest of the story sucks so…….

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on May 20, 2009 8:39 AM PDT up reply actions

That is correct sir

by kobisportsguy on May 19, 2009 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

trade

trout, sergio, some second rounder, koponen

bayless leaves over my dead body

by thomasikehara on May 18, 2009 4:29 PM PDT reply actions

They will want more then that.

These Bayless lovers are getting nutzo.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions

that's way too much for conley. trout + our first rounder + sergio+ cash considerations.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 18, 2009 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions

"way too much"

Is often the chatter among Bayless fans.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions

thats the fans

the management of Memphis are not going to ant to pay him more money in two years

by svlittle on May 19, 2009 12:16 AM PDT up reply actions

we ill have:

Conley/Rex
The Natural/Spanish Fly
Batman/Marty
L-Train/Bass
GO/the Thrilla

bayless leaves over my dead body

by thomasikehara on May 18, 2009 4:32 PM PDT reply actions

I like that line-up... but it would be nice to have a veteran PG in there.

by Escrote on May 19, 2009 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Trout + Gay + Mayo = LOL chuckers

by Zaig on May 18, 2009 4:33 PM PDT reply actions

think of that lin-up

Mayo
Rudy
Trout
(whoever they have)
Gasol

bayless leaves over my dead body

by thomasikehara on May 18, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

(whoever they have)

being Hakim Warrick, who looked like Baby Aldridge whenever I saw him.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I wish they would of kept Love...

the Gay-Love connection would be off the hook.

by Escrote on May 19, 2009 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions

LOL. Maybe that's why they traded him. So they wouldn't every stand next to each other and spell it out.

by dario argento on May 19, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm also intruiged by conley

We’d probably have to include Bayless in any deal though, and not just Serg.

by moflow on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM PDT reply actions

I don't have a problem with it

But the Bayless camp will. Neither of our opinions will affect the decision though :p

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions

If they want Bayless I want their #6 pick too :)

Maybe Conley would become available if they move up in the lottery and can get Rubio. Other than that, the Conley ship has sailed last fall when I already was in favor of it and other people vehemently opposed it. At that time we could have likely had Conley, Crittenton and Warrick for some combination of Sergio/Blake, Outlaw and picks. Now we had “the e-mail”, and Memphis has dealt Crittenton and Lowry in separate deals to go with Conley.

by Norsktroll on May 18, 2009 4:50 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I would send them Bayless, Blake, Outlaw, 1st round pick, Four 2nd's.

In a heartbeat for Conley. If we pull Bayless, they will want Rudy. IMO Rudy > Bayless in terms of value to our team if we did trade for Conley.

We can take on Buckner if they need cap relief, combined with Blake & Outlaw being non-guarateed. They could be free agent players for Ron Artest or some of the other big names.

If we somehow lost Rudy, what do you think about signing Crawford?

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Buckner is only partially guaranteed, they will waive him themselves to save even more cap space this summer

They are holding tryouts with D-League players to find one or two good defensive wings to replace Miles, maybe Ross and Buckner. Warrick might be re-signed, I think they like him enough and they have a ton of open roster spots anyway (cap holds). I also think they really like Outlaw a lot even though he is not a defensive player. They would probably give their #6 pick for him, but not Conley. And after the Blazers said no to including Blake in November KP will likely still say no even if that could be the wrong decision.

Crawford is much more expensive than Rudy and doesn’t help a whole lot apart from being friends with Roy (who might be against it himself). If he could play PG he would be nice, but he can’t. I could rather see Nate getting over his aversion to small point guards and bring in Nate Robinson than Crawford.

by Norsktroll on May 18, 2009 5:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Nate Robinson is an interesting case

A real sparkplug.

I don’t know why you think they would give away their #6 pick for Outlaw though, Thats crazy. The Blazers said no to moving Blake, but we saw what happens when he goes against Fast PG’s like Brooks. Usually gets dominated, when we win, Roy has to be super-amazing.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Nate Robinson as 6th man

Is fine by me, but Nate Robinson as PG isn’t.

Like you say, Jamal Crawford isn’t a PG, he’s an over dribbling bad jump shot taking SG. Aside from being on bad teams that allowed him to accumulate stats, he doesn’t really do anything of note. If he wasn’t such a ballhog with such horrible shot selection, he COULDA been a pretty good player.

Nate Robinson in the Travis Outlaw role of instant scorer off the bench is okay with me, but not as a depended on player who is expected to play well with others, in a team setting. He’s too much of a gunning ballhog as well.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on May 18, 2009 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions

His TS% and FG% is better than Blake's over his career :)

And as you said he scores a lot more. But I know where you are coming from. Nate is also quick enough to stay in front of the best of them, but it doesn’t matter since almost anyone can get a shot off over him. If he was 6’3’’ he would be a top 3-5 PG in the league.

by Norsktroll on May 18, 2009 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions

If I was 7'8" I would be a top center in the league.

by Escrote on May 19, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Tell that to Shawn Bradley

and Gheorge Mhuresan.

by Royster on May 19, 2009 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

I've never been a real Conley fan

And trading Blake during the season woulda’ been ROUGH, since at the deadline we still worried whether we would even make the playoffs…

But if Trout, Sergio, picks and someone else is what it takes, hell, Conley is intriguing enough to try. Like you say, however, they traded away their other PG competitors and Conley looks like he’s the man.

His value with the organization has been up and down, and he has been hurt, but he’s a talent.

Right now, in the off-season, I would be more open to moving Blake for a young PG. And hell, I’ll go with whatever KP wants, since he knows what he’s doing. If he feels like Conley is the man, give ‘em what it takes to get him (though I think we’d be selling low on Bayless right now, after his bad rookie year).

Mortimer

by Mortimer on May 18, 2009 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Conley statistical comparison

Take a look at Conley at 21, compared to Rondo at 21 his rookie year. His biggest improvement came when KG & Allen were moved to Boston. Here we have Roy, Aldridge, Oden, Rudy & Aldridge. I just like the situation of him coming here. I am pretty sure we would have the youngest lineup in the NBA. Watching them grow together would be extremely fun.

Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Edwin Jackson(Eurostash)

by TheGreatDane17 on May 18, 2009 6:19 PM PDT up reply actions