NBA Free Agency Thread

[thomas time]

I still say try to get Al Jeff or Milsap, Utah has four big guys and I'm assuming Favors and Kanter will start sooner rather than later. J.R. Smith is going back to the Knicks and Camby is going there in a sign and trade.

[UOducksTK1]

i'm tempted to just move aldridge for expirings and picks. as said above, we're too competitive with him.

not so sure i wouldn't resign batum, though. he's young enough to still be part of a major rebuild.

This. I don't want to do this, but if we can't sign a good big man and some solid bench pieces, we are a lottery team again. Hibbert + Batum + a decent MLE signing would give us a good enough core to at least be talking about playoffs. Without that, no way.

[greenyellow]

With how many players they actually have (10 by my count), the Blazers still don't have enough money committed to comply with the NBA's minimum salary rule. I read that right now, they only have about $35 million in salary with that likely to only go up to about $40 million if Batum signs. They have to get up to around $48 to do that so they better start signing some people.

[oregontrack]

i'm tempted to just move aldridge for expirings and picks. as said above, we're too competitive with him.

not so sure i wouldn't resign batum, though. he's young enough to still be part of a major rebuild.

A lot of Blazer fans are in the same boat with Aldridge. He'll make them competitive enough so that the Blazers will be relegated to low Lottery picks that won't get Portland anywhere near the competitive in the West.

You can't trade Aldridge and hope your crappy enough to have a chance at the #1 pick. It's just a chance at the #1 not a guarantee. And even with a #1 there's no guarantee that player is going to be better than Aldridge. At some point you need to convince 3 top flight players to play for you. That will have to include some luck through the draft, keeping Aldridge, and convincing 1 other player as a free agent. Then you've got to fill in with semi-decent role players which for Portland probably means young guys that don't have the name or foreigners that they've drafted and can finally bring over.

i don't know if anyone said anything about a #1 overall pick, but greenyellow already touched on the logic of shipping off aldridge for cap space and picks. he's going to be on the wrong side of 30 before portland is anywhere close to doing something worthwhile, and that's if everything pans out. so why pay him?

[Boom]

We don't need to trade Aldridge to tank next season.

If we can dump Batum in a sign and trade... maybe Derrick Williams and a pick?

Then trade Wesley Mathews for an expiring

1st unit = Meyers Leanard - Lamarcus Aldridge - Luke Babbitt - Elliot Williams - Damian Lillard

2nd unit = Joel Freeland - Derrick Williams - Victor Claver - Will Barton - Nolan Smith

That looks like a top 6 pick (could be hard for the fans to watch)

And then try to target another potential all star in free agency next offseason.

notable free agents
restricted
James Harden
Serge Ibaka
Tyreke Evans
Nikola Pekovic (Make Minnesota pay for that Batum contract)

unrestricted
Doubtful - CP3, Bynum, Howard
Maybe - Josh Smith, Paul Milsap, Al Jefferson, and possibly Andre Iguodala if he opts out

With some luck the Blazers could be back in the playoff hunt next season.

But I think the biggest factor will be if Lillard pans out or not... If he's a complete bust... then they will have no choice but to trade Lamarcus for a complete rebuild.

[oregontrack]

man, i'd trade aldridge just because that scenario makes me feel really sad for him.

[greenyellow]

The thing is Minnesota is not offering much more for Batum than expiring contracts and mid to late 1st round draft pick. They've basically said no to Pekovic and Williams, which shows they aren't being serious in dealing with Portland. If they want Batum, offer something of value that will stick beyond next season.

[oregontrack]

williams has no value to me, anyway. tweeners are rarely successful in this league. i think he's going to go down in darko-levels of horrible #2 picks. of course, i doubt there's a wade or carmelo in that draft that makes the pick look even worse than it was, but william's not going to do anything in the pros.

[Boom]

Williams could be a good PF

Minnesota's not a good place for him.

[greenyellow]

Williams could be a good PF

Minnesota's not a good place for him.

As long as Love is there, he's not going to get enough minutes as a PF. If they get Batum, then he's not getting much time at SF either. He's supposedly back down to just under 230 lbs. and got his conditioning in order so I could see him being a SF full-time.

[Duck07]

Joel Freeland is coming over, 3 years 9 million.

[Boom]

Joel Freeland is coming over, 3 years 9 million.

That's a nice cheap deal for a backup big

[UOducksTK1]

williams has no value to me, anyway. tweeners are rarely successful in this league. i think he's going to go down in darko-levels of horrible #2 picks. of course, i doubt there's a wade or carmelo in that draft that makes the pick look even worse than it was, but william's not going to do anything in the pros.

I disagree, Williams has a lot of upside. Could be a solid 16ppg 8rpg as a starter IMO. Not star level, but he could be a very serviceable starter. SF maybe if his outside game grows?

[UOducksTK1]

Not gonna lie, I thought we'd never see him. Gives me hope for Victor Claver.

But yes, a very solid contract. Nice move GM!

[UOducksTK1]

Rockets traded Lowry for a lotto, nice for them. I think Lowry is horribly overrated.