I don’t want him anywhere near this team. We have no problem scoring. The toughness will come next and the year after. We need DEFENDERS. For the love of god please do not sign him!!!!!!!!!!

I am literally terrified by the thought of us wasting our hard earned ( and now precious after the Darius Miles fiasco ) cap space on a 30 year old that plays wretched defense. Please no. No! No!!!!!!!!!!!

no matter what the media says

I like Hedo (I’d like him more if they had beaten the l*kers) but all his problems are the reasons we’re talking about needing to upgrade point guard. If people get on Steve Blake for his defense, imagine how you’ll feel about a guy who’s making 10 mil a season and is supposed to be the “final piece” every time someone blows by him. I want KP to use the cap space on somebody who the first or second thing said about him defense.

I am totally against getting Hedo. I agree that it would be a huge mistake. He is just not the guy you spend that money on.

thank you

I’d rather spend the money elsewhere.

Too old, bad D, too spendy.

Focus on a PG like Miller, or get Gerald Wallace!

He’s 26 and $9.5M for three years (player option for same on fourth year). I’d much rather bet on him.

As mentioned by others, our real needs is at PG. I’m not sold on Miller as The Answer, although I’m not completely against it either if that is all we can do. However, this seems to be a year for opportunists. We should see whether that is true soon . . . .

I would way rather have Prince over Hedo anyday. Prince is a vet, he played on a championship team. He would be a great mentor. TP was on the 2004 team that smoked the L*kers and LA had Malone. Payton, Shaq and Kobe. Hedo is a good player but would not fit our system, plus costs to much $.

Everyone needs to rec this.

The idea of Hedo hogging all of Nic’s minutes next year angers me. Tayshaun I wouldn’t mind so much.

I won’t rec it, though, because I’m also against bringing in Tayshaun Prince.

At this moment, I’m still riding around on the Kirk Hinrich or bust bandwagon.

This place is always amusing.

If we are going after a SF I want Childress. I don’t really understand the Hedo love. He is a decent offensive player and not much else. We already have one of the most efficient offenses in the league. We need to improve our defense more than anything else.

any more than I do. NO HEDO!

I’ve been saying since the beginning of this past season that Hedo would be the perfect addition to this team and I still believe that. There seems to be three main arguments against him here. 1) The Magic are a fast break team that uniquely fits Hedo’s game, and Portland isn’t. 2) He is a player who handles the ball alot and we don’t need that. 3) He’s too costly. 4) He’s too old.

As to #1, I think its inaccurate to say that the Magic are a fastbreak team. What they are is a team that plays inside out. Dwight Howard creates inside while the three point shooters wait for the kick out pass. That’s exactly how Portland plays. Hedo can drive it, and he can hit the three. (Including the clutch three as the Blazers found out – I was at that game.)

As to #2, Having players who can handle the ball is a good thing. I don’t subscribe to this theory that if Hedo is on the team then Brandon won’t be able to get the ball enough. Having multiple ball handlers is a good thing, and Hedo’s ability to play the point forward would lessen our need for a point guard. It would also force teams to account for two talented ball handlers (Brandon and Hedo) particularly in clutch situations. Both can hit the clutch three as well.

As to #3, Hedo may want a $50 million contract but that doesn’t mean he’ll get anything close to that. And in fact he won’t. There’s a good article in the Oregonian today that details how its a terrible year to be a free agent because of the economy. Players will not be getting what they think they are worth. That will be a function of the market.

As to #4, Yes he’s 30 years old. I think his style of play is the type that will allow him to play well for four or five more years. Another way of putting it is that he’s experienced. Everyone says this team needs an experienced veteran, well… Hedo’s been through alot of seasons and alot of playoff series. I think his wisdom and basketball IQ would be invaluable for this team.

I’m not saying I think it will happen, but it might. And if it does, I think you will all be proven wrong, which would be a good thing for all Blazers fans.

…in order to try and bid up the value of his services. I give it about a 1% chance of happening, and that’s only if we get him for a fairly inexpensive deal, and as part of a bigger picture.

oops, can’t hit enter after typing the title…

Anyway – To the extent that Hedo would bring a different & more freewheeling element to the Blazers often stagnant and predictable offense, that would be a very positive thing. Charles Barkley and others have leveled the criticism that the Blazers are strictly a jumpshooting team. Say what you will about Hedo, but one thing he is not is a jumpshooter. He drives the lane to create his own shot, and he cans the threes when he gets the kick out pass.

Nate is not so stuck in his ways that he isn’t willing to introduce a slightly different element that will help the team. For example he implemented the rule requiring that the players get the ball across mid-court and get into their offense in a certain period of time. Sure, it’s not the Suns eleven second rule but it shows there is interest in pushing the tempo on offense. The players like Rudy and Brandon who can create their own shots are the ones that do the most good for the Blazers’ offense. Hedo brings that in spades.

As for Hedo’s eating habits – If eating junk food prior to games makes a player lazy and selfish then you’d better throw Brandon Roy and many other Blazers into that category as well. I remember in Jason Quick’s locker room series a story about Brandon eating chicken strips and fries before a game. He said that’s what he always eats because its the only thing that keeps him full for the whole game. Personally I couldn’t care less what Hedo eats before games. The dude can play ball, and that’s all I care about.

As far as him taking games off, there must not have been very many of those because the guy averages almost twenty points a game, with good assist numbers too. The stats don’t lie. As far as character generally, we know Hedo’s not going to be out there breaking the law. He may not be Brandon Roy, but not many are. I think this team is strong enough to handle whatever character sortcomings Hedo may have. There was serious talk about bringing in Ron Artest for God’s sake.

There’s no way, he’s too overblown right now & would cost a fortune. 5 yrs @ $50mil is pure insanity for a 30yr old who was only “hot” for the playoffs. NO THANKS.

No Turkyglu.

SF is already jammed up, and 5/50 is insane. Now, if KP uses some SF assets to trade for a starting PG upgrade, Hedo might make sense if the price is right, but I’d rather go with Martell or Nic as the starter, for economic, age, and skill set (not knocking Hedo’s game, but as others have discussed, in large part what he does well we don’t have a glaring need for and what he can’t do we need) reasons.