Source: If Blazers losing by mid-Jan, LMA will ask out

DusterBuster · Post #1 » by **DusterBuster** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 7:29 pm

Brian Berger says that according to someone he's talked to within the Blazers, if the team is losing big and clearly lottery bound by January, Aldridge will want out and start asking for a trade.

Obviously we don't know about his source, but it really shouldn't come as a surprise if true considering Aldridge's age and that the Blazers are in all likelihood embarking on a rebuild. Without the Blazers being surprisingly successful, they should start shopping Aldridge and be proactive like the Jazz were with DWill instead of reactive like the Magic were with Douche Howard.

Joshumitsu · Post #2 » by **Joshumitsu** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 7:51 pm

Yeah, it makes sense. I, for one, would like to see Aldridge go to OKC. Harden for Aldridge. I'd actually stop hating OKC (mostly Westbrook) at that point.

Lillard
Harden
Batum

Then, we can try to get Zeller, Noel, Shabazz, or Wiggins in the next few years.

re49gb_2gho32fp · Post #3 » by **re49gb_2gho32fp** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:01 pm

The credibility of the 2nd/3rd hand source aside, ALdridge expects Lillard to contribute to .50 in his first two months as a rookie? Seems rather naive.

Unless blazers finish the season as top 4 worst team, which would be an epic embarassment with current roster compostion, would PA really be persuaded into dealing LA and enter a full rebuild?
My hunch says no.

Agenda42 · Post #4 » by **Agenda42** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:05 pm

It's only natural for Aldridge to want out at that point. Whether the Blazers will trade him, that's another story.

DusterBuster · Post #5 » by **DusterBuster** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:10 pm

shaolin wrote:The credibility of the 2nd/3rd hand source aside, ALdridge expects Lillard to contribute to .50 in his first two months as a rookie? Seems rather naive.

To be fair, NBA players, stars in particular, aren't exactly known for being logical or reasonable when it comes to their expectations.

shaolin wrote:Unless blazers finish the season as top 4 worst team, which would be an epic embarassment with current roster compostion, would PA really be persuaded into dealing LA and enter a full rebuild?
My hunch says no.

Chad Buchanon sold Paul on starting a rebuild when, just 6 or so months prior, Rich Cho got fired for that kind of thinking.

I don't think the Blazers would ship out Aldridge without first exhausting all possible options of building a contender around him, and they do have a little time to do so. However, they'll likely come to the same conclusion we already are at as fans, it's not possible. The Blazers need to look at the likes of Denver and Utah for how to trade a star. Outside of the Lakers, trying to appease a star never has and never will work. I'd like to believe Paul Allen and his 20ish years experience being a NBA owner would realize this very very basic fact.

Again, the Blazers need to be proactive with Aldridge.

SinceClyde · Post #6 » by **SinceClyde** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:15 pm

Unnamed source = not really worth a read

lukeyrid13 · Post #7 » by **lukeyrid13** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:38 pm

I've said before but LMA probably will not and should not be given the ability to act like a cry-baby if it ever gets to that point. 1x All-Stars who can't lead their team to playoffs or even .500 seasons are not guys that you placate to their every need. He may say he wants out but I doubt other GM's let alone our own really would care all that much

Jack wore plaid · Post #8 » by **Jack wore plaid** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:56 pm

Not at all what he said, but school starts soon, so these threads will start to diminish

Post #9 » by **DaVoiceMaster** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:00 pm

I thought LMA was ecstatic with the Blazers draft. The Blazers went after Hibbert which LMA loved. Unfortunately, they didn't get him and LMA had to know the percentages were pretty low at that point. What else did he expect the Blazers to do? I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. If the Blazers do end up needing to move him, I would start with Utah. Get a couple of their bigs!

Post #10 » by **Billy** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:15 pm

Well, if the source is accurate, my hope is that Portland is pro-active with Aldridge. I am of the opinion that Portland would be wiser to search for a bidder before things become a large problem. I don't want to move Aldridge unless Portland can't accelerate their rebuild, but I hope that if it becomes apparent that he's not going to want to stick around if things go bad that they move him now and do this rebuild right.

Ideally, Portland would be able to wait until next off-season to see where they are. If they strike out on FA's and only receive a ho-hum pick due to being just good enough to not be considered horrible, it might be time to begin searching for a a trade. Of course, if Aldridge forces the issue and Portland has an inkling that he's unhappy, I think you have to move fast and begin the rebuilding in earnest right now.

It was mentioned on another board, but LMA for Harden + Ibaka could be intesesting. Of course, Portland has to hope they are bad enough to finally land a Kevin Durant-esque player to actually battle OKC in that scenario.

rasta_marley · Post #11 » by **rasta_marley** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:41 pm

Give Aldridge to OKC? I don't know if I like that idea. I mean I don't want the lakers or heat to win a title but I don't really want OKC to either. I am of the same notion that we might need to consider shopping aldrigde if we can't be contenders in a few years. However I myself would like to trade him to the East Coast. I could just see us trying to beat OKC in the playoffs later on only being beaten because we gave them Aldridge... I am good on that!

Regardless I don't think that the PA is going to be in a hurry to trade him and I don't think that he should be, also I doubt that Brian Berger really knows what he is taling about.

Post #12 » by **Billy** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:52 pm

rasta_marley wrote:Give Aldridge to OKC? I don't know if I like that idea. I mean I don't want the lakers or heat to win a title but I don't really want OKC to either. I am of the same notion that we might need to consider shopping aldrigde if we can't be contenders in a few years. However I myself would like to trade him to the East Coast. I could just see us trying to beat OKC in the playoffs later on only being beaten because we gave them Aldridge... I am good on that!

Regardless I don't think that the PA is going to be in a hurry to trade him and I don't think that he should be, also I doubt that Brian Berger really knows what he is taling about.

Not sure if getting both Harden and Ibaka is giving him away. That said, I could see some hesitancy given the fact that there would be a lot of teams looking for a #2 or #3 guy who will look to over pay. Throw in the fact that Portland already overpaid for a #3 type of player, and it could back fire. potentially having 35 million or more tied up in Batum, Harden and Ibaka would be pretty difficult to justify.

That said, if Portland moves Aldridge my hope would be that it would be for the best deal available. I don't want to see OKC get a title either, but I also don't want Portland to accept 25 cents on the dollar to send him to East. If anything I think it's been proven that the big markets will find a way to get the super star. Even if that means they have to wait a year or two to pry them away at a cut rate. Might as well get the most that you can.

Post #13 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:48 pm

This is some BS.... Has Aldridge reacted to this rumor from an unnamed source?

GreenRiddler · Post #14 » by **GreenRiddler** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:24 pm

SinceClyde wrote:Unnamed source = not really worth a read

This x9000

Post #15 » by **DaVoiceMaster** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:25 pm

Aldridge may not even know about this rumor. I gotta believe he knows there is no quick fix to get the Blazers on top. He was stoked about the draft, would have loved to get Hibbert, but even he had to know that was a long shot. I just don't think he can be all that jacked out of shape. He has to know it will be at least 2 seasons before the Blazers are ready to even make a move in the West. If he is jacked out of shape though, I would look to move him sooner rather than later. Grab a couple of young players and a draft pick. Don't wait untli everything becomes public (a la Orlando). Move him quickly (a la Utah). Houston may be a good trade partner since they have lots of young'ns and draft picks and Aldridge is from Texas.

GreenRiddler · Post #16 » by **GreenRiddler** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:27 pm

I am not surprised at all, after the Dwight-mare people like Berger and Ziller are gonna scour the inter-web for the next thing to talk about so they can get hits in August.

It just diminishes their respectability as Journalists and will keep people like me away for good.

Post #17 » by **DaVoiceMaster** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:39 pm

Dwight-mare.... I hadn't heard that before, but I like it!!!

Shem · Post #18 » by **Shem** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:09 am

DaVoiceMaster wrote:Aldridge may not even know about this rumor.

He does now for sure. I tweeted him about it.

Shem · Post #19 » by **Shem** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:11 am

DaVoiceMaster wrote:I thought LMA was ecstatic with the Blazers draft. The Blazers went after Hibbert which LMA loved.

You're right on the money with this post. And he also stated that for the Blazers to get better, it starts with him getting better first and he made that point during his interview during one of the Blazers Summer League games.

monopoman · Post #20 » by **monopoman** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:13 am

Yeah, this source sounds like its just trying to stir up trouble where there is none.

Aldridge has been ecstatic with every aspect of the Blazer off-season and this team looks far more promising then last season.

So unless Aldridge is just talking about his situation in a negative light in extremely private circumstances this sounds like complete and utter bull.