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EGame wrote:If they are looking to unload salary with the pick, if they get something done, it would seem Paul is off the table because they got the relief. Unless, of course, Paul finally demands a trade.

This is what I'm thinking. If Shinn basically sells off his lottery pick just to save cash, it shows Paul that his whole press release wasn't completely honest and with all the turmoil that's already there, it could be the straw that breaks the camels back.

DusterBuster wrote:

DaVoiceMaster wrote:Here is my thinking about Greg Oden. The center position is probably the most difficult to fill (in terms of being a "good" center). The PG position is probably the next most difficult position to fill. Frankly, the SG, SF & PF positions are the easiest to fill, which is my reasoning for moving those players before moving Oden. Now, if it was a deal breaker, I would probably go ahead and do it simply because Oden has not been healthy thus far in his career, whereas Paul is a sure thing! It would definitely hurt though if he turns out to be a really good player!

Is the C position as important as it was in era's past? Look at the 2 teams who made it to the Finals this year. Their starting C's were a hobbled Bynum and an average Perkins. Perk is a good defender, but nothing special offensively. Bynum was pretty much useless except for a couple stretches throughout the playoffs. If you have enough talent amassed, you don't need an amazing C to get you a championship. You just need a competent one who can anchor a defense.

If the players aren't anything special, then the position is not as important, but if the player is pretty darn good, then the position becomes extremely important. Tell Orlando and Houston that the center position isn't all that important anymore. If you have a center who can dominate, then it is an extremely important position. I still think Oden can be that player, but so far he's only shown it in glimpses in-between injuries. The problem is, we just don't know if he'll ever be healthy enough to actually become that dominant player. If not, then a trade for Paul looks pretty darn good. if so, then "perhaps" a trade for Paul looks pretty darn good... for New Orleans! That's why i say, at this point, I'd probably do the trade simply because Paul is a given and Oden is still a possibility.

DaVoiceMaster wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

DaVoiceMaster wrote:Here is my thinking about Greg Oden. The center position is probably the most difficult to fill (in terms of being a "good" center). The PG position is probably the next most difficult position to fill. Frankly, the SG, SF & PF positions are the easiest to fill, which is my reasoning for moving those players before moving Oden. Now, if it was a deal breaker, I would probably go ahead and do it simply because Oden has not been healthy thus far in his career, whereas Paul is a sure thing! It would definitely hurt though if he turns out to be a really good player!

Is the C position as important as it was in era's past? Look at the 2 teams who made it to the Finals this year. Their starting C's were a hobbled Bynum and an average Perkins. Perk is a good defender, but nothing special offensively. Bynum was pretty much useless except for a couple stretches throughout the playoffs. If you have enough talent amassed, you don't need an amazing C to get you a championship. You just need a competent one who can anchor a defense.

If the players aren't anything special, then the position is not as important, but if the player is pretty darn good, then the position becomes extremely important. Tell Orlando and Houston that the center position isn't all that important anymore. If you have a center who can dominate, then it is an extremely important position. I still think Oden can be that player, but so far he's only shown it in glimpses in-between injuries. The problem is, we just don't know if he'll ever be healthy enough to actually become that dominant player. If not, then a trade for Paul looks pretty darn good. if so, then "perhaps" a trade for Paul looks pretty darn good... for New Orleans! That's why i say, at this point, I'd probably do the trade simply because Paul is a given and Oden is still a possibility.

Actually, it looks pretty darn good for both teams. If Oden blows up, he's at best a Top 5 center. As long as Paul continues to be Paul, he's a Top 5 PG. At absolute worst, a deal of Oden for Paul can never be anything worse than fair value.

I know Oden had great potential, but Paul is simply something you can't pass on. At a certain point you have to give up potential for a proven commodity. If you stick with potential for too long, you're more likely to get burned.

Here it is... throw in Oden with Miller Przybilla webster Rudy #22 #34 Cash for Paul Okafor Posey #11 (news from NO they don't want a 1st rounder / lottery pick) Then draft a center at #11 Greg Monroe / Cole Aldrich

Paul Bayless
Roy Miller (MLE)
Batum Posey Cunningham
Aldridge Okafor Pendergraph
Camby Okafor #11

Now thats a WCF team... Bayless, Mike Miller n James Posey coming off the bench you have a simple 9 man rotation with experience plenty of talent. Get it done KP... bring CP3 to PDX!!!!

It's already draft day for me... This day will be too long! I just can't wait!

Work is going to kick my ass today with all the rumors. Dang.

EGame wrote:Work is going to kick my ass today with all the rumors. Dang.

Definitely. With the World Cup of soccer i ve got to work a lot and i won't be able to!

Why would New Orleans take Webster? Sure, his contract is smaller than Posey's, but it's the same length and really isn't all that much smaller overall, $2 million per year so $4 million saved over the 2 years. I guess if they're penny pinching, it's better than nothing, but...

Because I couldn't find a way of getting them Oden and taking back Okafor AND Posey without Camby (no way he's traded) or Webster (or Roy or LMA but no)

How about....

To Milwaukee: Rudy Fernandez
To Portland: #15

Why? Portland is keen to move up to the lottery - the #15 pick is the first pick outside of the lottery. Milwaukee just acquired Corey Maggette and desperately need a talented perimeter scorer to fill the bucket in their starting lineup. Rudy would appear to be a natural fit for the Bucks lineup (Bogut - Mbah a Moute - Maggette - Fernandez - Jennings).

Milwaukee have an exception to take on Rudy's contract due to the Francisco Elson trade in February.

Portland draft Xavier Henry (6'6" 210 shooting guard, Kansas, freshman) and Craig Brackins (6'10" 229, power forward, Iowa State, Junior) with the two picks IF we kept them.

C: Camby - Oden - Pendergraph
F: Aldridge - Howard - Brackins
F: Batum - Webster - Cunningham
G: Roy - Henry
G: Miller - Bayless - Mills

RealGM does not want threads more than 100 pages because it boggs down the system or something. With today being draft day and as active as it seems the Blazers are, I can imagine this thread hitting 100 pages within the next few hours so I'm going to close this baby down and have started a new thread where you can carry on this conversation.

The new thread is titled "Official Draft Day Chatter - Shorts Part 2" and is stickied:

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1022858