One of the things Casey and I talked about in the shortly-upcoming podcast is how "tradeable" various players are, in response to the deluge of trade suggestions which will no doubt ramp up over the summer. Casey offered some interesting thoughts on the likelihood of the Blazers making a major deal and then we got down to business discussing each player. I thought it would be an interesting question to open up to all of you. As a discussion piece here's my assessment of each player's trade prospects, ranked from most tradeable to least. This is based on three factors: How much the Blazers want/need to retain the player, how much value the player has on the market, and a nod to contract status.
1. Rudy Fernandez
Where there's smoke, there's fire. And there's enough smoke surrounding Rudy to keep Vlade Divac soothed for at least a month. Rudy may not be the most obvious Blazer to trade in terms of talent, skill, or fit but his status is more volatile than anyone's right now. His low contract and offensive potential help his tradeability factor.
2. Joel Przybilla
This is a contract trade more than anything. He's got one year left. His status is questionable. The Blazers have at least two other centers. They'll want to shop him around. He's also a prime candidate for cap ballast if they go crazy and want to take on a higher salary. Only his injury keeps him from the #1 spot on this list as other teams won't want a whole year with him on their cap if he can't play.
3. Jerryd Bayless
Talent, low salary, and an odd fit make Jerryd an attractive prospect for trade.
4. Martell Webster
One of the things we mentioned on the podcast was that you'd have to be careful trading both Webster and Fernandez as you'd lose outside shooting galore. But Webster plays behind Batum who is also distance-capable. Nic will eat plenty of minutes. If the Blazers retain Fernandez they might look to see who is interested in Martell. Reception around the league is likely to be mixed but his mid-range contract might open up possibilities.
5. Jeff Pendergraph
There's no particular reason to advocate a trade for Jeff or not but he's the closest thing to a true throw-in contract the Blazers have.
6. Dante Cunningham
It's likely that Blazer fans are more excited about Cunningham's potential than most GM's around the league. But Dante would make an interesting throw-in for a major deal. Putting his name in there is more palatable than talking about Batum. I assume the Blazers like Cunningham but I'd also assume he could be package for the right price.
7. Andre Miller
The only way this happens is as part of a package bringing back a younger point guard. That's not likely at all. But it's possible.
8. Marcus Camby
The only way this happens is as part of a package deal in which Camby's salary and talent played an irreplaceable role. But again, it's still marginally possible.
9. LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus is base year. Even in a summer favorable to trading base year status players that's a tough sell. Plus he's the second most talented player on the squad and the second-leading scorer. The only way you could consider a trade is if you were sure you were upgrading his position. It's hard to find a clear upgrade that works.
10. Greg Oden
Some people are speculating (hoping?) that the Blazers might make a move with Greg out of frustration. The team can't afford to be frustrated though. They're married to the guy. You could not get equal potential back for him. If he has the potential to be a championship-level player the Blazers need to keep him. If he doesn't they'll have a hard time finding someone to take him.
11. Nicolas Batum
The remotely available players you'd trade a Batum-intensive package for can be counted on about three fingers at this point.
12. Brandon Roy
This is a similar situation to Oden. If he's healthy the Blazers need to keep him. If he's not you'll never get value for him. Besides, trading Roy would signal an enormous change in direction. The Blazers aren't ready for that yet.
That's my ranking, what's yours? And does your ranking of players you'd like to see traded differ from your ranking of players likely to be traded? Weigh in below.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)