Please Stop freaking out over Hedo

Today did you stop by Mike Barrett's blog? He dropped some serious science:

...The Blazers' executive team is playing this very, very close to the vest, and all we're left with are rumors and the usual sell jobs by agents.

This, after all, is when the agents are at their best (or worst, depending on your perspective). To say that they use the media during times like this is an understatement. I would bet that 75 percent of the stuff you've heard up to this point has been planted by a player agent. This is not to bang on them. They're just doing their jobs- drumming up support, creating a marketplace, or pushing the value of their clients. They know this is such an emotional time, a few well-placed texts or e-mails will be followed by front-page news.

He continues:

When it comes to trade rumors, or rumors of a big signing in the NBA, it's often true, where there's smoke there's usually fire. But, this isn't always the case. Again, the agents have PR machines at their finger tips, and they've become masters at selling high. In short, the illusion they create often becomes real.

The rules state that if you sign a free agent you can't trade him for 90 days, or until December 15th, whichever is later. That's always been the case. BUT, there is a bit of a loophole here. If the free agent you're about to sign is aware that he's going to be traded immediately upon signing, this is legal. So, if a free-agent contract is specifically designed to be a sign-and-trade deal, it's okay.

Going this route would definitely give you a much larger pool or prospects, provided you could find a willing trade partner, and a willing free agent. If a team that's over the cap has a free agent its targeting, it would just have to find a team that's under the cap to help them, and then, of course, you'd have to find a trade that works.

So, even though we've only been hearing about a handful of guys being possible future Trail Blazers, I'm telling you to think outside the box. That's what KP always tells us he does, right? So, should we be set for Andre Miller, Turkoglu, Jason Kidd, or Brandon Bass? If we're to believe what we've been reading, it should be one of those guys. Maybe I'm reaching here, but I don't think it will be. Of course, I could be dead wrong.

So, in summation, there might just be more than meets the eye here. There's a good chance that KP and the Blazers brain trust are angling to raise Hedo's stock and get Toronto to overpay for him, or sign him to trade for some serious pieces to the Blazers championship puzzle.

It may be that the Blazers are trying to let Hedo know that they are serious about adding him. With Portland he won't be able to get the most money this offseason, but he can make the most money while still contending for a title.

Our beloved KP has done well by us so far. I think it would be best for us to calm down and wait to see how the chips fall. I have no doubt that whatever done this summer will make this team better for the long haul. It just takes a little patience.