that I’ve predicted would go in a trade has gone, often up to two years in advance. Jack, Sergio, Travis is next. Sorry, aw shucks.

I don’t want him to be our third option, but what he brings to the table is valuable despite his well-documented drawbacks.

he is like channing frye, but more useful. His personality belongs in Portland and he enhances the locker room chemistry. If he didn’t contribute on offense it would be justifiable to dump him, but he produces, and so, he should stay

I like Travis on the team more for his personality than his skills, but he has one basketball skill that I really value: when he steps on the court, opposing players say, “UH-oh!”

I don’t like to hate on him, cuz he’s such a great personality, but I feel in order for this team to take the next step we just can’t have players log heavy minutes with big holes in their game like Travis. I love the guy, and will be sad if he goes, but I love the blazers more. I think we can get better rounded production from the back-up 4 spot.

but I just think his trade value should be pretty high and his necessity to the Blazers is dropping. It’s a perfect time to trade him.

Not enough minutes for him in a contract year, and it seems that negotiations next summer could be very interesting. With his unrestricted status and lots of free agent money available, I wouldn’t be surprised for a team jilted by the megastars to overpay him. Just today there was a hoopsworld article about him being a fallback option for the Nets…. the Blazers can’t afford to put serious money into Travis when Greg, Nic, Rudy, Brandon, LaMarcus, etc. will demand big bucks.

His value to another team is higher than it is to the Blazers in all probability, due to there being a lack of minutes available in Portland.

Also, where is his head right now? He’s been replaced twice this offseason, first by Hedo and then by Millsap. Though both plans fell through, he certainly can’t feel great about his position in Portland. I’m sure he’s also looked at the depth chart and seen Nic explode in Europe.

It would seem mutually beneficial to trade him at this point.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=13583

That’s probably overrated. But if such an offer came in next offseason, the Blazers couldn’t hold him. Maybe they won’t be able to do so anyway, if he wants more playing time and a starring role for his future a team like the Nets, Grizzlies, etc. are better for him. However if he wants a championship, he’ll have to settle for a contract similar to Martell’s, and that should be a very fair deal for both sides.

I don’t see Travis getting traded any time soon – and wouldn’t want to. As of right now, you’ll be hard pressed to find a player who provides instant offense incl. good outside shooting, not being afraid to take big shots, and better rebounding or defense on the 3 or 4 spot for around $4 million per season. So matching contracts with interesting players to get for him isn’t easy, and teams aren’t likely to trade those players to us either.

And not as long the Blazers have no idea how Martell will come back. Maybe if Martell is putting up solid minutes and numbers at the deadline and Nicolas is showing that they should really play him rather 30 than 20 minutes, that’s when the minutes crunch on SF gets so tough (incl. Rudy/Roy playing some time there) that one guy has to and will want to go. Travis won’t be happy and best used backing up LaMarcus for 10-15 minutes a game, and there are other PF backups who would fit that job description better.

but it isn’t an issue of liking or disliking him or saying to trade him for whatever the Blazers can get or even to trade him today. What he has brought to the Blazers over the last two years is scoring ability off the bench and a second go to guy in the fourth quarter. These have been essential to the team’s success.

What I would like to see happen is Webster to prove he is back 100% and ready to step into the role Travis played last year coming off the bench. Start Batum and bring Webster in as scoring punch off the bench with Rudy. I would also like to see if Miller can step up and be a 4th quarter contributor and clutch playmaker. If those two things happen, Outlaw can then be moved for something the Blazers need, a back up PF who can rip down rebounds and shut down a low post threat on D.

It isn’t an issue of moving him to move him, but he has enough missing from his game that if you can replace what he brings with other players, why not use him to get what you need?

those of you who think we can get more out of the backup 4 than what travis gave us must have only watched the playoffs. Sure it left a bad taste in my mouth, but Travis despite his fault is well above average at the backup 4. I wouldn’t want him as a starter but as a backup he’s a great piece, just like Blake. Outlaw should stay.

He’s a clutch shooter in the fourth quarter and doesn’t hesitate to take the game winning shot if it’s there for him. He’s athletic and committed to improving his game, even if he’s not the most savvy player on the team. He’s 25 years old and not in his prime yet, but has a full seven years of NBA experience.

The Blazers have spent that time turning him into a legitimate offensive threat, I don’t think they want to deal him for less value or lose him to free agency. But Travis isn’t anxious to leave. He quietly signed the three year extension in when he could have commanded more money in the open market as a restricted free agent. If the team has a role for him, I think Travis stays.

If Travis hits the game tying shot with 5 seconds left in game 4, do you still vote for him to be traded? Even if the Blazers go on to win the series? We lost that second set of games in Houston by a combined four points. Everyone remembers Travis missing that shot, but Brandon turned the ball over with 10 seconds left and us down by two in the same game.

Travis was money for us last year, and he was pretty darn good the season before too. No way you trade that guy. There are going to be situations where a guy like Travis is exactly what the team needs to win.

Travis has been a key player for 2 years now. He creats his own shot, and has improved in every catigory every year. Travis creates as many advantages as he does disadvantages on the court. This will be his last year with the Blazers though. I expect Boston, or Clevland to take serious looks at him this off season.

no other reason

He doesn’t do anything except score and doesn’t even do that efficiently. Batum is already better than he is and he’s just a 20 year old kid from France. It doesn’t help that his defense is awful.

I don’t like him playing the 4, and I don’t want him taking minutes from Batum.

And that’s what we should be doing. He just brings so much to the table offensively. He can run, shoot, jump high, twist and slash ….. and he does all this at 6’ 9". Nate nearly always had him on the court in crucial 4th quarter minutes last year. That should tell us something.

I’m not against trading him IF the right deal comes along. There’s no reason though to dump him off just to get rid of him. He helps more than he hurts.

Voting keep but would be ok with a trade that brought back better talent.

The chances of landing a veteran backup PF for him are minimal. His contract, $4M, as I recall, is manageable. What he does on the floor is not replicable. His defense is middling but not terrible. His inability to pass is incorrigible. But the way he can leap to get his shot is phenomenal.

There’s always a deal at the trade deadline if it becomes a problem. Realistically, he’s going to leave to free agency after this season and his role will be filled by The Inferno in the near future.e

Until after we see whether or not Webster is recovered. If he is and can contribute, we trade Outlaw. If not, we have to keep him.

Not just because he is one of my favorite personalities on the team, and a much liked piece of our team chemistry. I marvel at his athleticism and jumping ability. He has developed into a shooter. I’m not sold on all the “celiling” pronouncements. I think he can learn as he is motivated. I think his failing in the playoffs was a motivator. I think he wants to be with the team, and will respond to coaching to help him with his weaknesses.
I like the drama, the “oh no, oh yes!”. He is fun on and off the court. If it comes down to we don’t need what he has to offer, then good for him to go where he can be fully utilized and appreciated. We have not established that we have little use for Travis on the bench at this point. It is not like he is costing us a lot.
I like that he gets out there and does “have fun”. He can enjoy the big shot. He keeps it a game. You don’t have to work to get Travis to “have fun out there”. I like his attitude. As long as he is happy here, and not making a lot of demands, I’m glad we have him available. And I don’t expect him to be going anywhere soon.

Outlaw is one of my favorite jersey to wear at an opponent’s arena

If he’s an RFA, I could see another team making him an offer that the blazers are unwilling to match.

Either way, I think it’s probably in the Blazers best interest to let him walk if they don’t trade him this season.

#25

For now. He’s proven that he can be an effective weapon off the bench and he helped us win a lot of games last year. However, I think he looked absolutely horrible in the playoffs. I think he might want a trade after next season with Batum, Webster, Cunningham all taking his minutes. It would have to be a trade that was good for both the Blazers and Travis for me to say trade him.

He’s frickin’ hilarious and probably has a ton of locker room value. Who keeps the team in good spirits after a loss? Doesn’t that contribute to a quicker adjustment for the next game? Plus, knock on wood, he’s healthy and stays that way. Nate trusts him, obviously, as a successful offensive option. He doesn’t complain off the bench. He doesn’t get down on himself because of all the bitching/trade talk WE do about him here.

Am I wrong? Doesn’t every team need one clown?

- one very missed (by the team) funny offensive forward
+ one very ‘tough’ defensive forward
= one very different vibe

P.S. Berkeley, I realize your post (rec) is very similar and I considered posting as a reply but I think I hit a few different points.

Oden – Killer Whale
Roy – Shark
Andre – Penguin
LMA – Salmon
Batum – Barracuda
Bayless – Dunkleosteus (a prehistoric shark)
Travis – Trout
Blake – Guppy
Of course a few names would need changed.

If the options are keep Travis or give him away, then definitely keep him. And if nobody’s offering anything good for him, keep him. But he should be (as he has been for the past year or so) on the market.

I think the interesting question is how much you need to get back to let Travis go. I would love the Blake + Outlaw for Conley deal the Blazers turned down last year – but with the vast improvement in Conley’s game since that offer was on the table, it’s unlikely Memphis agrees to anything like that.

Another interesting name is Udonis Haslem. Is he worth a ton more than Trout? I think they might have roughly comparable value. Haslem makes more dough, but if pieces could be worked out, and Martell got healthy, Haslem would make a lot of sense for Portland.

plus he is clutch. but he is going to go. i will miss him. he has great trade value as well

Is there some big need to trade Travis that I do not know about? Will the Blazers immediately win a championship if is he is gone? I don’t think so.

Yes, Travis has weaknesses, but he also has some pretty amazing strengths. My biggest problem with him is the way he is used. McMillan’s robo subbing patterns don’t make him accountable enough in the short term (for his periodic lack of effort). Even his own mother criticized him last year for waiting until the fourth quarter to start playing. Surely McMillan is smarter than Travis’ mother?

I say play him when the effort is there, and sit him when it is not. Many people seem to be underestimating the toughness of DC and JP. We are fine for now. Travis can be used as a spare part for now if we so decide—we need to trust McMillan and KP a little bit on this one. And personally, I want to see Andre Miller’s effect on him.

Three “What to Do With Travis” Fanposts in less than 30 hours. He keeps the wind in our sails, even in the Horse Latitudes of August, bless him

keep him around until a better hand comes along or you get priced out.

The trade Travis’s may have the larger number of votes …

… but when you have jscot, timbo, ann, twodeep, berkely, and bowdown on your side, numbers don’t matter.

JUST BE PATIENT!!!111

But in fact, as much as I love Trout, I think it’s about time for him to go jack up jumpers elsewhere. As I’ve written before, for all his offensive brilliance, he makes A LOT of boneheaded plays. And if you look at championship teams, you’ll notice a pattern: they make very few dumb plays.

Great teams don’t beat themselves: they make you beat them. When your opponent gives you a gift, you gain more than the board, the stop, or the score. You gain confidence. I want the Blazers to be a team that demoralizes the opposition with relentless execution—not one that gives them confidence by throwing the ball away, failing to block out, missing defensive assignments, etc.

Sorry Trout: you’re clearly a great guy and a talented ballplayer. You’ve been great fun to watch and I wish you the best. You’ll be missed around here. But this team is ready to move to the next level now.