FanPost

Realistic 2013-14 Roster Projection

So I get so tired of reading ridiculous ideas about what the team should do in the offseason. As a Blazer fan, I've learned that usually the most boring results occurs. As fun as it is to speciulate blockbuster trades where we trade our overpaid players for starters on great contracts, there's no incentive for the other teams to do these deals. Why would Phoenix trade us their appropriately-paid, starting Center? Same question for Houston and Asik (although, I get the Dwight Howard scenario..). If another team is going to give us one of their serviceable centers, it's going to be someone more like Nene (3 years / $39M).. "Hmm.. how old is he again? Did you say three years..? Let me look at Meyers Leonard's stats again, I'll call you back." or Kendrick Perkins (2 years / $18.5M). "Oh, sorry, I have cable. I watched the Thunder this year."

The tough thing about Portland is it's not so much which free agents will fit the team, it's about which free agents that we can make work are willing to sign here.

I love the idea of Iguodala -- he's probably going to try to win a championship somewhere else. I like the idea of Tyreke Evans -- there's no way he'd ever sign here. I'm intrigued by Al Jefferson.. he's not coming here. We need to expect less exciting free agents.

I'm also in the (minority?) opinion that Wes Matthews is the perfect SG for this team. Versatile defense, good three-point shooting, good character and he's overpaid but not by much. He's exactly who I want starting next to Lillard. This paragraph probably shoots down my credibility for many of you, so be it.

Anyways, I just wanted to throw out a guess about what might happen in this offseason:

Eric Maynor - renounced for the capspace but could be re-signed for something like $4/$3/$3. Perfect backup point guard for this team. Seemed happy last year.

Pavlovic -- non-guaranteed. Cut.

JJ Hickson -- would be perfect fit as our backup PF/C. Seemed to like Portland. We'd have to overpay him, maybe $6/$6/$6 but would be extremely valuable bench player.

Veteran center -- I'm going to say Dalembert -- Two years, $3M/year. Starter and mentor to Leonard and Withey.

Backup SF.. I've spent most of our capspace already so we're going to have to take a flyer on a cheap veteran or young guy to compete with Claver. The names I come up with are Dunleavy, Casspi, Walton, Aminu, Wes Johnson, Martell Webster.. honestly I have no idea. It depends on who is interested in Portland. Let's call this person SF2.

Here's the roster:

Lillard / Maynor

Matthews / McCollum / Barton / Crabbe

Batum / SF2 / Claver

Aldridge / Hickson / Freeland

Dalembert / Leonard / Withey

The bench minutes go to Hickson, Maynor, McCollum and Leonard (and I guess SF2 depending on who that is..)

I'd watch that team! And, honestly, that's what I want more than anything. A team that I'd like to watch. Sorry, dreamers.. that's my goal at this point.