More Blazers/Wolves speculation: Blazers may make run at Pek

[DaVoiceMaster]

I don't think the Blazers will have the cap space to make a toxic offer for Pekovic. They will most likely have only $11 million. Doesn't the new CBA have some kind of limit on toxic contracts now? Besides Pekovic, what other centers are out there and available the Blazers could go for? Dalembert has been mentioned. Anyone else that would be worth pursuing?

[DusterBuster]

I don't think the Blazers will have the cap space to make a toxic offer for Pekovic. They will most likely have only $11 million. Doesn't the new CBA have some kind of limit on toxic contracts now? Besides Pekovic, what other centers are out there and available the Blazers could go for? Dalembert has been mentioned. Anyone else that would be worth pursuing?

I came away a lot more impressed by Pek from last night than I have been in the past. I think his rebounding numbers would bump up considerably if he were starting next to Aldridge than he's able to get playing next to Love. Having someone that big in the middle would be nice, so I might be coming around to the idea of offering him a toxic contract. Load the deal up with some signing bonus's and a trade kicker. That said, I was kind of surprised to see that Pek is noticeably shorter than Aldridge. Anyhow, if the Blazers do decide to go after Pek, I'm more open to that now than I have been in the past. I still think it'll end up being a fools errand like the Hibbert offer was, but if it makes the Wolves pay more than they wanted, I'm OK with it.

Dalembert is pretty washed up imo. I'd sooner go with someone like Zaza Pachulia if the Blazers are looking at a discount short-term journeyman type of C.

I still really like the idea of signing Al Jefferson (at the right price), regardless of what other people think. I think his low-post game would be a good fit next to Aldridge.

[Wizenheimer]

I don't think the Blazers will have the cap space to make a toxic offer for Pekovic. They will most likely have only $11 million. Doesn't the new CBA have some kind of limit on toxic contracts now? Besides Pekovic, what other centers are out there and available the Blazers could go for? Dalembert has been mentioned. Anyone else that would be worth pursuing?

I came away a lot more impressed by Pek from last night than I have been in the past. I think his rebounding numbers would bump up considerably if he were starting next to Aldridge than he's able to get playing next to Love. Having someone that big in the middle would be nice, so I might be coming around to the idea of offering him a toxic contract. Load the deal up with some signing bonus's and a trade kicker. That said, I was kind of surprised to see that Pek is noticeably shorter than Aldridge. Anyhow, if the Blazers do decide to go after Pek, I'm more open to that now than I have been in the past. I still think it'll end up being a fools errand like the Hibbert offer was, but if it makes the Wolves pay more than they wanted, I'm OK with it.

Dalembert is pretty washed up imo. I'd sooner go with someone like Zaza Pachulia if the Blazers are looking at a discount short-term journeyman type of C.

I still really like the idea of signing Al Jefferson (at the right price), regardless of what other people think. I think his low-post game would be a good fit next to Aldridge.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&p1=jeffeal01&y1=2013&p2=hicksjj01&y2=2013

comparison between Jefferson and Hickson. The only real 'advantage' I see for Jefferson is that he scores 3.4 more points per36. Of course, to do that he attempts 5 more FG's and has a 25% higher usage rate.

Hickson is a better rebounder at both ends of the floor, and is more efficient offensively. I don't think you could say either is that good defensively, but I'd bet at least that Hickson can out-work & out-hustle Jefferson

I don't see much reason to go away from Hickson and towards Jefferson, assuming the contracts would be about the same. And of course, it's entirely possible that Jefferson will get a bigger deal.

if the Blazers were going to shoot for a big-time FA 'big' man, the best FA available will be Josh Smith. He has some flaws to be sure, but a front-line of Aldridge-Smith-Batum would have some interesting attributes, especially on the defensive end

of course, Josh Smith set loose in the 'Stotts-No-3-is-a-bad-3' offense could be a real head-slapper

[DusterBuster]

I realize Jefferson isn't a popular opinion around here Wizen, but you're not going to change my mind on it. I still like him next to Aldridge, just a gut feeling.

As I said, it would have to be at the right price for Jefferson.

Josh Smith is interesting if the Blazers just want to completely dump the C position. I think he's going to get a pretty massive offer from the Rockets though, so I could easily see him being out of the Blazers price range. He's been on the Rockets radar for awhile and he'd fit their roster perfectly. Not to mention moving from Atlanta to Houston is a much easier move than Atlanta to Portland. So I'm not sure I like their chances at being a real option in the Smith sweepstakes. There's also a good chance the Hawks just resign him. They've never been above handing out a ridiculously overpriced contract before, so yeah, like I said, I think there's too much competition for Smith.

[Sabzi]

Jefferson is atrocious on defense. He's definitely not the missing piece for the Blazers.

[DusterBuster]

Jefferson is atrocious on defense. He's definitely not the missing piece for the Blazers.

None of the FA's this summer are "the missing piece" for the Blazers.

[Sabzi]

Jefferson is atrocious on defense. He's definitely not the missing piece for the Blazers.

None of the FA's this summer are "the missing piece" for the Blazers.

Let us not waste time then with asinine suggestions.

[DusterBuster]

Let us not waste time then with asinine suggestions.

We're on a internet message board. That's nothing but asinine suggestions.

I'll waste my time as I please thank you very much!

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I would much prefer Pek to Jefferson. I also think Pek would be considered a very good rebounder in the right situation, which Portland would be. Dude just knows how to get boards. He is also very good at scoring near the rim, which we need.

His defense isn't great, but all things considered I would still prefer him to Jefferson/Dalembert/Smith.

[cucad8]

Am not really interested in Pek or Jefferson, personally. I'd like to see Aldridge in the middle more, and signing someone like that will push him outside even more often than he already is.

[DusterBuster]

I would much prefer Pek to Jefferson. I also think Pek would be considered a very good rebounder in the right situation, which Portland would be. Dude just knows how to get boards. He is also very good at scoring near the rim, which we need.

His defense isn't great, but all things considered I would still prefer him to Jefferson/Dalembert/Smith.

I totally agree. Pekovic's rebounding instincts are a lot better than his stats give him credit for. I think most TPuppies fans are right that Love ends up cannibalizing a lot of the rebounds that would normally go to Pek. Playing next to Aldridge, I think he'd easily average over 10 boards a game.

So yeah, given the option of any FA frontcourt player this summer (not named Dwight Howard), I'd take Pek over all of them too. I just don't have a lot of hope in the Blazers being able to offer him a big enough contract to convinces the Wolves not to match.

I like Jefferson should the Pek situation go like I believe it will with Minny matching.

[GreenRiddler]

Since Cj Mccolum is out, I hope we draft a big like Noel to help us protect the middle, and go for a spark plug guard off the bench, I just don't think Pek is gonna help our number 1 problem Defense. Although beggars can't be choosers and wouldn't mind him for the right price but then Minny would just match so a waste of time.

[DusterBuster]

Since Cj Mccolum is out, I hope we draft a big like Noel to help us protect the middle, and go for a spark plug guard off the bench, I just don't think Pek is gonna help our number 1 problem Defense. Although beggars can't be choosers and wouldn't mind him for the right price but then Minny would just match so a waste of time.

How in the world are the Blazers going to draft Noel? He's pretty much a consensus Top 4 pick at the least, more likely a Top 2 pick. The Blazers production would have to fall off a cliff and even then I just don't think they're going to get THAT bad.

[Norm2953]

There's a French player with a 7'9 inch reach who is supposed to be a shot blocker
but drafting another big after drafting Meyers Leonard in 2012 seems to overkill.

My guess is Portland would pick BPA if they kept their pick. If they lose their pick
it just means they more to spend in free agency. I think signing JJ Hickson to a new
contract for MLE money, picking BPA in the draft and signing a shooter in free agency
would be a sound strategy this summer.

[ebott]

I'm not sure the Blazers are even going to have a pick this year. Bobcats get our pick if it's lower than the 12th pick. This team has won a lot of games simply because it cares this much. I'm not sure that is gonna get wain over the course of the season.

[call.me.dude]

Since Cj Mccolum is out, I hope we draft a big like Noel to help us protect the middle, and go for a spark plug guard off the bench, I just don't think Pek is gonna help our number 1 problem Defense. Although beggars can't be choosers and wouldn't mind him for the right price but then Minny would just match so a waste of time.

How in the world are the Blazers going to draft Noel? He's pretty much a consensus Top 4 pick at the least, more likely a Top 2 pick. The Blazers production would have to fall off a cliff and even then I just don't think they're going to get THAT bad.

There's a thing that's called the lottery

So while it's highly unlikely (since Noel currently is No. 1 in my book), but you never know. It's probably a pipedream but it would be amazing.

[DusterBuster]

Since Cj Mccolum is out, I hope we draft a big like Noel to help us protect the middle, and go for a spark plug guard off the bench, I just don't think Pek is gonna help our number 1 problem Defense. Although beggars can't be choosers and wouldn't mind him for the right price but then Minny would just match so a waste of time.

How in the world are the Blazers going to draft Noel? He's pretty much a consensus Top 4 pick at the least, more likely a Top 2 pick. The Blazers production would have to fall off a cliff and even then I just don't think they're going to get THAT bad.

There's a thing that's called the lottery

So while it's highly unlikely (since Noel currently is No. 1 in my book), but you never know. It's probably a pipedream but it would be amazing.

I've heard of the lottery....... I also know the history of the lottery since it went to the weighted system they currently use. Since 1994 (when they started the 1000 combination lottery), the lowest team to ever get the #1 overall pick was the Bulls when they started the lottery night in the #9 slot in 2008. In other words, calling it just "highly unlikely" that the Blazers get the #1 pick is putting it mildly, to say the least.

There's a MUCH better chance that the Blazers end up paying off their pick debt to Charlotte when you compare it to their chances of winning the lottery.

Once Portland's schedule catches up to them some and maybe an injury or two hits the starters, I think you'll see their wins/losses ratio slip so that they're a lottery team. But I think they're good enough to stay in that 10-14 range where no team has ever won the lottery with the current system.

[Wizenheimer]

Once Portland's schedule catches up to them some and maybe an injury or two hits the starters, I think you'll see their wins/losses ratio slip so that they're a lottery team. But I think they're good enough to stay in that 10-14 range where no team has ever won the lottery with the current system.

no team has won the lottery, but I think two or three teams have moved into the top-3

[GreenRiddler]

I find it hard to believe that we are gonna lose our top 12 protected pick. There isn't 12 teams I can look at an say we are better than. 7-10 yes 12? No I can see us getting a 10th overall pick and possibly jumping into the top 3 if we are really lucky.

I don't know when but we are gonna fall off a cliff with wins, the main reason we beat Minnesota was because they were missing key players, ditto Mem. We are not a very good team, most defiantly on the defensive end, we are 21st in point differential, the only team in the playoff race with a -2 differential. We are really good (or lucky?) in games decided by 5 pts or less, we have NO depth. there is nothing that tells me we will make the playoffs or be close enough to it to lose our top 12 pick.

That is a good thing though, look at Utah they could of had a 13 or 14 overall pick and selected a possible rotation player, instead they lost miserably to the Spurs. I don't want to lose miserably to the Clips, I'd rather we get decent pick and a crack at selecting a good young man to add to our core. It's not tanking if we don't get rid of talent to lose like GSW did last year. We just have to make sure to not add any.

[GreenRiddler]

On another note, Ben Mclemore is really growing on me, I was hesitant at first cause he has the some shot creation problems as MATTHEWS, but he is soo gosh darn athletic and could turn out to be a good piece with batum and him on the wing for Lillard. I have seen to many dunk misses from Wes to last a lifetime. he's basically a better version of Bradle Beal who I was high on this year

I would prefer mclemore to Goodwin since goodwin needs the ball in his hands to be effective and will turn out like a Reke Burks type bust since he has a broken jumper and bad offensive instincts and off the ball play.