Aldridge: Blazers "Make Sense" As Partner In Chris Kaman Trade
David Aldridge of TNT surveys the trade options for New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman, who was publicly put on the block this week by the team's GM Dell Demps. He includes the Portland Trail Blazers as one of six teams whose interest in trading for Kaman "would make sense." The names he includes as possible trade pieces might surprise (or horrify) you.
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The Blazers have a lot of young pieces, like Luke Babbitt and Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams. They have a potential breakout player in Nicolas Batum, who is chapped he didn't get a contract extension, and though the Blazers have always said Batum was off-limits trade wise, they need a long-term solution in the middle to ultimately replace 37-year-old Marcus Camby. They also have an owner who can easily write a $3 million check. (If we were really feeling conspiratorial, they also have a former No. 1 overall pick in the Draft who hasn't been able to stay healthy, and who probably could use a change in scenery to a place with next to no expectations for him.)
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Aldridge's other sensical Kaman trade partners: Atlanta, Cleveland, Golden State, Houston, Washington.
Zach Lowe of SI.com has his list, and he's not seeing a match.
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Kaman would be a luxury in case Marcus Camby, rebounding everything in site, wears down in this crazy season, or if the backup duo of Craig Smith/Kurt Thomas falls off for whatever reason. The Blazers could start a semi-interesting package with Raymond Felton (an expiring $7.6 million deal) or Jamal Crawford (with a $5.2 million player option for next season), but they need both, and neither holds much appeal for a rebuilding Hornets team.
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Kaman holds a $14 million expiring contract and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He is 29 years old but has played more than 56 games just once since 2007-2008.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
4 months ago
Ben Golliver
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I don't see a trade that works at all
Blazers are not going to give up Batum, and trading Camby for Kaman is a wash. Elliot Williams and Nolan Smith may still be in the Blazers plans going forward and I would not trade a first round pick in this year’s draft for Kaman either. Kaman’s contract is just too big to trade to, and Blazers don’t need another expiring contract, as most of the team’s contracts are expiring anyway.
When I first read this I thought it meant LaMarcus
ALDRIDGE said Kaman makes sense…thought OH NO…. if LMA thinks this makes sense it probably means good by Batum…and actually really wonder how EW is going to be in this league and would like the Blazers to play him a bit more…
Anyway, relieved it’s the writer Aldridge.
I was right there with you
I was thinking “How that hell would LA for Kaman make sense?!”
by Somethinclever on Jan 30, 2012 5:30 PM PST up reply actions
I like the other guy on the block...
Calderon. If we don’t have anyone else in mind for the PG spot, I would much rather have Calderon then Felton on our team at this point, especially if they would throw in a sweetener. This all depends on what our future plans are for the future..free agency etc. But I like Calderon’s game and I see him as an upgrade to Felton at this point. As far as big man help, Kenyon Martin would solve alot of our problems.
Not signing Oden to an extension would be a big mistake!!
Mother of god, no!
We are trying to get a better center not old man kaman who has terrible numbers and more injury prone. why pay 14 million for a scrub starter? We can trade camby and batum for one on,the rise and have joel freeland next year. MAYBE if we gave up our draft picks babbit and armon and no other players. If not then leave him
Formally known as: My_name_a_rudy
by Blaze_that_trail on Jan 30, 2012 9:22 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Kamen's 29, not 37
He’s got a 20/10 upside that he has hit when healthy….
Agreed that 14 mil is a bit hefty for him, but maybe someone to target in the off season for less?
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Kaman had one season where he average 18.5 and 9, and made the All-Star team as a dubiously merited injury replacement for Brandon Roy. That was the one season in the last 5 that he’s played more than 56 games, and one of only 3 seasons in his career in which he’s averaged more than 30 minutes per game. At 29 (he’ll be 30 six weeks after the trade deadline), he does not have 20-10 upside.
Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!
Exactly anf his numbers
Never can match what camby is doing now.
20+ rebounds and 2 or more blocks a night
Formally known as: My_name_a_rudy
by Blaze_that_trail on Jan 30, 2012 1:30 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
LOL
he’s a fragile, 29-year old, oft-injured, expensive, barely above average center.
His All-Star appearance was a fluke at the height of his career, which has passed.
His contract is for $14 million, so why would we give up Batum and whatnot for a guy who hasn’t played in more than 57 games 3 of the last 4 seasons?
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Jan 30, 2012 9:22 AM PST reply actions
"he's a fragile, 29-year old, oft-injured, expensive, barely above average center"
Doesn’t that mean hes perfect for portland?
Not funny.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
The fact that 2 major players on the Portland roster have gone down with injuries is true.
But the thought that Kamen’s oft-injuredness thus makes him “perfect for portland” is not “truth.”
So there.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
misfortune without the laughter?
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Jan 30, 2012 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
No it was funny.
Stop being so sensitive. If you dont like the joke keep your opinion to yourself
Formally known as: My_name_a_rudy
by Blaze_that_trail on Jan 30, 2012 1:31 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
THE INTERNET IS NO PLACE FOR JOKING AROUND!
NO PLACE!
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Servicable? Maybe, but probably not.
No drive, No heart, No thanks. He looks like he could use some sort of 12 step program too. How are his patellas?
Beer in the NW is Excellent.
maybe we could get him cheep next year with half his salary in Micro brews. ;)
Kind of like how the Ducks
lure athletes with the high grade Eugene Green?
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
Totally.
I’m fine with that.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
Pass.
Would require giving up too much of an already thin roster for a player who will most likely be injured a lot.
trading for Kaman “would make sense.”
uh, no, Kaman is more injury-prone than Camby and
Nicolas Batum, who is chapped he didn’t get a contract extension
not according to Nic. If Nic is chapped, it is because he hasn’t played up to his own expectations that would earn him a decent contract…
#7
Yeah, I think it was Nic's agent who was chapped.
Nic knows full-well he may remain a Blazer once the off-season market determine’s his price. He’s not going to pull a Rudy and start souring the relationship with his team.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
I watched Robocop 2 yesterday, I'm pretty sure this is the guy that becomes the bad, second Robocop, otherwise known as Robocop 2.
I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain
Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain_4.html#ixzz1IE4sPu16
by Tyler Durrden on Jan 30, 2012 12:09 PM PST up reply actions
I always wondred
Why would anyone do a drug called nuke? Sounds horrible.
by Sheed'sTowel on Jan 30, 2012 12:52 PM PST up reply actions
Got dem WMD's yo, WMD's
(The Wire reference for those not properly educated in the greatest thing to ever happen to television)
The smarter you are, the more likely you are to be tripping balls at any given moment.
/keep Batum/ /trade for Bogut/
I've found my twin!
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Jan 30, 2012 12:56 PM PST up reply actions
Uh...
….has played more than 56 games just once since 2007-2008….
….No…NO.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
no kidding
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Jan 30, 2012 12:31 PM PST up reply actions
Noooooooooo!
I worried that Batum might want to sign with NO after this season now. Makes a lot of sense—he’d start, be central to the offense, play well under Monte again.
But please, no, don’t bring in Kaman. Dude can’t play defense, has never played real well with his back to the basket, and he’s injury prone. Also very unlikeable, but that’s slightly less objective.
Except that Jermaine never really got much of an opportunity here
and Nic has had opportunity out the wahzoo. He started his first season and has gotten significant playing time every year. Maybe it’s up to him to sieze the opportunity at some point!
Batum has already seized the opportunity
Perhaps the biggest mystery surrounding Batum is why everyone thinks his current performance is inadequate. Batum’s current level of production is only inadequate if his ceiling is All Star level.
Safe to say that Batum still has room for growth – but being a top 10 SF in terms of PER at the age of 23 isn’t exactly “failing to seize an opportunity”.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 12:58 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Batum is also producing that PER against bench players.
by KevinRileyFTW on Jan 30, 2012 1:43 PM PST up reply actions
Not exactly
It’s no more true than saying Aldridge gets all his stats only against starters….
Rotations are mixes of players….
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 3:20 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah, I'm no fan of that argument either
Even if it’s true that Batum plays primarily against bench players (which, at best, is not entirely true) there’s still little evidence that playing against opposing benches improves a guys stats. Bench guys (and this is especially true of Nic) also have much less consistent roles than starters, which can disrupt their rhythm.
Lots of former bench guys put up similar or better numbers once they got a chance to start (or it simply became more advantageous for their teams to start them): Carl Landry, Wesley Matthews, Kevin Love, Paul Milsap, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, Manu Ginobili, Tony Allen.
Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!
His numbers aren't great! 11pts. 4 reb. 1 assist!
Shooting % isn’t great by any means either. He may be only 23, but he’s been in the league 3+ years and he was a starter his first year, although I’m not exactly sure why. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to keep him around, but it’s not the end of the world if we don’t. There are a lot of players in the league who he could help us aquire that would make us a better team. Not saying Kaman is one of them for sure, but we could sure use some offense out of that position. Batum simply hasn’t lived up to the hype that surrounds him in the eyes of many Blazer fans. Both of our best SF’s are capable of great games. Problem is both are equally as likely to lay a turd of a stat line on any given night.
Only if the Blazers are really concerned about clearing cap space for Free Agency 2012.
Any hope in convincing Howard and Williams that pairing up with Aldridge would make a big three to compete with Miami? Probably not.
"Anybody might guess beforehand that there would be blunders of the ignorant. What nobody could have guessed, what nobody could have dreamed of in a nightmare, what no morbid mortal imagination could ever have dared to imagine, was the mistakes of the well-informed." - G. K. Chesterton, The Common Man
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right, because Kaman is an expiring contract.
we’d dump him and get Howard and williams.
Incredibly unlikely IMHO. Stay away from Kaman blazers!
no kaman.
A displaced Sonics fan that has somehow emerged as a Blazers fan (and loves it).
by anitachampionship on Jan 30, 2012 10:27 AM PST reply actions
Awful idea. Camby is better than Kaman.
In other news, Dwight Howard would be fine with going to Chicago!
Camby's passing ability offsets Kaman's shooting ability
not to mention the rebounding. At the very least, Kaman and Camby are a wash – with one’s skills balanced by the others. That is one of the reason’s I wouldn’t mind adding Kaman – he would offer a different matchup option.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 1:02 PM PST up reply actions
I'm hoping Howard goes anywhere except New Jersey and LA ofcourse.
Possibly better our chances of getting D-Will.
BRoy #7
Yeah, I'm a big fan of Howard
and would HATE it if he played for El Fakers.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
i hope not Chicago
then that team would be crazy good.
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Jan 30, 2012 1:46 PM PST up reply actions
not against adding Kaman
But, very much against giving up Camby to make it happen. No other contracts match up that would make any sense.
However, I wonder if Kaman just gets waived? I can’t see him having any trade value other than as an expiring contract. Expiring contracts might be the most overvalued trade asset out there. For an EC to be valuable, the team with the EC has to be willing to take on salary.
NO does not strike me as a team seeking a long term contract or as having room to take on a bunch of players.
Now, if NO wants to package Gordon with Kaman, then they might get some interest.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 10:56 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Temporarily
And if the old cap rules apply:
teams cannot trade players under the following circumstances:
For two months after receiving the player in trade or claiming him off waivers, if the player’s salary is aggregated with the salaries of other players. However, the team is free to trade the player either by himself (not packaged with other players), or without combining his salary with other salaries to acquire a more expensive player, immediately. This restriction applies only to teams over the salary cap.
NO acquired Kaman on December 15th – so they could package him in mid February under the old rules. You would think that the 2-month requirement would be adjusted for the condensed season, however.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 12:53 PM PST up reply actions
Wallace's contract works straight up
Not saying that is a good trade. If it netted some draft picks maybe, but NO doesn’t seem to be in a position of wanting Wallace and no draft picks. Probably not what either team would want.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Jan 30, 2012 12:09 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Yep
I don’t see Kaman’s EC being worth much for this very reason. Trades that work don’t make sense.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Jan 30, 2012 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
Yup
Only way anything works is in a salary dump a la the Baron Davis trade, but I don’t see Demps as the type to take back a bad contract like that, not with Ariza and Okafor on the roster.
Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!
lol
the ‘best’ idea is trading Oden for him.
Then if Oden plays, Portland can reach a new ‘high’ in futility and frustration.
Such an opportunity !
Let's break this down...
Camby is OLDER than Kaman.
Camby is CHEAPER than Kaman.
Yet…
Camby is BETTER than Kaman.
We need to find a replacement for Camby as the starting center at some point. Probably some point soon. Kaman is SO not it, it’s not even funny.
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice they're not.
Calderon...
this guy is on the block as well. Maybe we could trade Felton and Babbitt for him and a second round pick? He would be a significant upgrade to Felton. Also Kenyon Martin would solve alot of our problems if we could win that bidding war. Doubtful, but its a nice thought.
Not signing Oden to an extension would be a big mistake!!
Deja Vu!
i feel like I just read this comment above. Wait a minute….
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Jan 30, 2012 1:47 PM PST up reply actions
haha
yeah I posted it up there but then I noticed all the comments were down here.
Not signing Oden to an extension would be a big mistake!!
enough with Calderon already
He is just not any good nor is he a good fit for this team
so...
who would you rather the Blazers get, or would you stick with Felton?
We need to keep Batum around.
Trade for Kaman and sell all long term contracts aside from LA and put stock into Dwight Howard and Deron Williams
BTW, I’m just having fun here. Doubt both or either Howard or Williams would come here.
trade
This frees up alot of money for this next summer. Puts our guaranteed salary at $20,053,061
With a salary cap of $58,044,000 that puts us $37,990,939 under the salary cap. This is can only happen if Jamal doesn’t pick up his option. And we don’t resign anyone.
How awesome would it be to sign both Dwight Howard and Deron Williams with max contracts. Their current salary for ‘12-’13 is $37,315,818 combined) Then resign Batum. And sign Camby to a cheap contract. Sign Joel Freeland from overseas. We’d have to shore up some positions but that looks pretty sweet.
D. Will, N. Smith
E. Will
Batum, Babbit
LMA, J. Freeland
D. Howard, Camby, K. Thomas
Again, all in good fun.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
Btw, I noticed we have a trade exception from trading Rudy. That's worth $1,246,680
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
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