Hedo isn't coming to Portland. Now what?
Ok people. Hedo ain't comin. Portland went in a frenzy over this guy and I still don't know why. I think he's good don't get me wrong and I hate to say it but he's an upgrade over any of the guys that we have at small forward. But the love affair that our Execs had over him was down right over the top, and a little weird. (We had KP meet him at the airport and a guy holding up a welcome sign in different languages.) You ever have a girlfriend or boyfriend break up with you because you "love them too much?" That's what may have happened here. Portland may have loved him too much and didn't do the right thing in this situation. And the right thing would have been opening the wallet for him. But if we would have paid him what Toronto's going to pay him I think it would have been too much for this guy. He's good but he's not 56 million dollars good. Plus this contract would suck for us three years from now. We'd have to trade him before then I'm sure and who knows what we would have to settle for to get back.
Thing is, we need to look for a player who has the mindset of a champion. Either he's won one (Rajon Rondo) or he finds himself now NEEDING to win one (Jason KIdd or Steve Nash). I don't think Hedo really cares if he wins a championship. He's going to Toronto for crying out loud. We need to search for a guy who wants to come to Portland, accept that it's weird, and win basketball games.
So post who you think we should go after now. I believe it needs to be someone who makes everybody else better and is a proven winner. We need experience and we need another piece but who is that piece? And will that be the move to make us a champion? That's how we need to think. We need to think like a champion.
Thanks, and screw Hedo.
Tim
0 recs |
14 comments
Comments
If we were willing to over pay Hedo
Why dont we overpay Kidd at least he can still get a triple double every now and again
Draft Cole Aldrich 2010
by jlarose78 on Jul 4, 2009 9:18 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Triple Double in what — Assists, Turnovers, and Bathroom Breaks because of his enlarging prostate???
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
by timbo on Jul 4, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wallace or Smith
I say lets go after either Gerald Walace or Josh Smith. Do a lopsided trade if needed. Yeah Wallace gets hurt a lot, but I think some of those “injurys” he could play thru with a contender. Or Josh Smith, kid is an absolute beast. They guys haev dope D and can rebound and fly as high if not higher then Outlaw, who by the ways seems scared of the rim ever since Ruben Patterson left. If we can get a better PG then good. But i would love to see one of these two in a trade
What's the differance of 3-6 mil? oh about 20+ more losses, and the chance to watch the only star leave by the end of the season. Suck it Hedo!
by in~ur~fizace on Jul 4, 2009 9:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Well
Charlotte won’t move Wallace unless you absolutely blow them away, he’s pretty much their franchise
Okafor and Wallace – Charlotte is equal to Roy and Aldridge for Portland.
My avatar is 3 years into the future for sure...
by Taskmaster on Jul 4, 2009 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep. Love wallace.
This is true. But yeah, pretty sure we would have to give up a lot for him. Smith is talented but unfortunately a total douche. He also loves to shoot inexplicable three’s even though he pretty bad at it.
by Dub9 on Jul 4, 2009 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Wallace is a concussion or two
from never playing again
he gets legitimately hurt with his playing style, not Derek Anderson hurt
Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.
I will talk about DeJuan Blair no more forever
by jonestr on Jul 4, 2009 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My wishlist
I don’t know if it’s possible to get anyone of them, but each has been discussed somewhere as being available.
Odom: he’d be a huge upgrade at both SF and back-up PF. He’s the most productive player in the entire free agent class, according to PER, adjusted plus/minus. I suppose the only reason he hasn’t gotten more attention is that he has said he wants to resign with the Lakers. But, I’d like to see the Blazers take a run at him. In addition, losing Odom would severely hurt the Lakers.
Some links on Odom:
http://basketballvalue.com/topplayers.php
http://www.82games.com/0809/0809LAL.HTM
(if nothing else, they show that the Lakers are not nearly as good without Odom in the game).
G. Wallace: his muscle, savvy, and speed would improve the Blazers’ defense of the elite wings in the league (Kobe, LeBron, Carmelo, etc). His offensive rebounding and steals would add easy buckets. He’d draw fouls and put the Blazers into the penalty earlier. He’d also bring a lot of toughness to the Blazers. I think he’s actually played a bit under his ability at Charlotte because they haven’t been a competitor. During Charlotte’s playoff push, he put up pretty amazing numbers. In March of last year he averaged 19.5 points 9 rebounds on 58% shooting, and 3.5 assists per game. He was also helping Charlotte win.
Sessions: young. Still has room to improve, but put up excellent assist to turnover ratio and runs the pick and roll very well. Does not shoot well from three point range, but if he could he’d cost too much. For more on Sessions try this: http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=714
Hinirich: has been discussed ad nauseum. I think he’d help.
by PoliSam on Jul 4, 2009 9:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Future
Offer Jason Kidd a 3 year deal.
Acquire the rights to Ricky Rubio, talk to him about joining Victor Claver for a year on Pamesa Valencia, considering the Joventut club relationship being iffy after things got ugly before the draft. Perhaps Rubio/Rudy/Claver working together on the Spanish National Team, alongside Pau Gasol in the 2009 FIBA Championship in Poland. Rubio & Claver could come over in 2010-2011.
Patience :)
by TheGreatDane17 on Jul 4, 2009 10:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You mentioned one of my dream point guards for this team
Either he’s won one (Rajon Rondo)
With Rondo at the point, we would have the defensive and offensive presence to win championships. However, he is going to cost us a lot…it’d probably cost us Aldridge. Then go out sign David Lee or Milsap if we still have the cap space to do it. That’s a lot of manuevering and probably unlikely.
If that doesn’t work, I think a temporary solution is get one of the other guys you were referring to. Steve Nash. I just read this from the New York Post:
At the opening of his Vancouver health club, Suns point guard Steve Nash said he will meet with agent Bill Duffy next week to discuss his future. Whether that be a contract extension, trade demand or agreement to a waive him that would save the Suns $5 million of his $13 million guarantee.
Sources have told The Post Nash is unhappy in Phoenix.
If the Suns waive Nash, then KP and Nate have to do a fullcourt press for his services…since we would be able to get Nash on the very cheap. We would still have money left over for someone else (Bass or McDyess?). I know Nash is not a great defender, but in a good defensive system he could work. He would give us that 2nd playmaker we are coveting to take the pressure off of Roy. And when Roy is handling the ball, he’s a more than capable spot up 3 point shooter. Nash isn’t my first pick, but then again neither was Hedo, and he would be a lot cheaper for less years. The “then what?” after Nash retires, is hopefully Bayless develops into a stud pg or we have to go out find another one.
by JasonT on Jul 4, 2009 10:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
we celebrate.
"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."
-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.
"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."
-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.
by Tofu Anonymous on Jul 4, 2009 10:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Taskmaster
Why did the bobcats actively shop gerald wallace at the trade deadline then. he is the best player on thier team but they dont think that he could ever be the best player on a playoff team. They have a young point guard in Raymond Felton
"Good, Better, Best, never let it rest until your good is your better and your better is your best." Tim Duncan
by flynn4blazers on Jul 4, 2009 10:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Can somebody give me an idea of the timeline here?
I’ve been checking Bedge every few hours….can I go back to checking every few days?
Will KP start talking to other free agents pretty quickly?
If a trade’s going to happen, is it likely to happen before or after July 7?
by LicketyBrindle on Jul 4, 2009 11:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
No suggestions
But I want to commend your first paragraph. Management’s love affair was indeed over-the-top, bewildering, tunnel-vision, head-scratching, etc. My confidence in their direction for the team is a little shaken. Granted, not all the moves have been accomplished yet, but I find myself opposed management’s philosophical view of the team’s needs.
by Stryder9 on Jul 4, 2009 11:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
This is my contribution to the conversation:
We need the kind of player that Battier exemplifies. He could be an old wizard that knows all kinds of sneaky tricks and whose figured out a way to play as efficiently as possible because his body doesn’t move like it used to. Somebody who always finds ways to win. I don’t think that we need a superstar big-shot city slicker, we need the subtle expertise of a seasoned master of the game. That New York Times article (which I’m not going to link to) discussed this type of player and I wonder if there is a list of the top 10(?) of these victory magnets. I wonder. Hmmm?
Is Gerald Wallace’s nickname Taskmaster? Oden could be Gregraham Lincoln.
by LewisClark on Jul 4, 2009 12:59 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

by 






![Extra, extra, read all about it: Steve Nash had an epiphany during off-season, announces immediate retirement to start new career as a mean hockey player for the Phoenix RoadRunners. "I realized I always admired Wayne Gretzky growing up. Hey, I'm Canadian. Larry O'Brien Trophy? Phew. Why should I care about winning an NBA title when I can win a Stanley Cup in like five years?"
Terry Porter in an initial reaction: Of course we were shocked when we saw Steve come in today in a hockey jersey to announce his decision. The Big Cactus was sobbing. It will be tough, but we will get over it. He is such a great human being who has done so much for this ball club that it would be cruel to stop him from fulfilling his childhood dream. I'm confident Goran Dragic can start just as well for us. [Pausing] You don't happen to have Marbury's number? Or maybe Tinsley's? Can somebody please stop that whiner Kerr from screaming 'I knew it, we are toast'?
In other news, Boris Diaw now looks, uhm, different.
And Shaq has a new goofy sidekick.](http://cdn1.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/16931/mediaday08_bg_nash_runners_small.jpg)






















