Deng wants $12.5mil

[HoopsFanAZ]

Deng would be an upgrade for the Blazers. That much isn't particularly arguable.
At around $12.5 mil?
A trade is doable with his BYC by adding LaFrentz and players like Frye, Webster, and Blake. On Chicago's side, they'd be adding either Nocioni or Hughes. Chicago has until October 31 to get an extension done.

Portland won't do this because
1. They'll wait to see what they have
2. Deng can easily take QO and be UFA next season where a sign and trade by Portland sends out less than is taken back (Deng)
3. The cost in players (not his salary) will be less next summer.

Should the Blazers do a trade prior to October 31 to get Deng?
Tough call that I won't mind either way ... but yes. Do it.

[Yangsing]

For 12.5 million? No thanks. Injuries, sub-par season, and doesn't fit with the current Blazers roster.

[mojomarc]

Can someone explain to me how a SF with a PER nearly as high as Aldridge, with the ability to be a very good wing defender now and a superb one later on, with a sweet mid-range game, and only two fewer double-doubles than Lamarcus, Travis, Martell and Frye combined, all while maintaining low foul rates and better assist/turnover rates than any of the four mentioned above, is a poor fit for us? A year ago we would have done handsprings to get this guy.

[cucad8]

Can someone explain to me how a SF with a PER nearly as high as Aldridge, with the ability to be a very good wing defender now and a superb one later on, with a sweet mid-range game, and only two fewer double-doubles than Lamarcus, Travis, Martell and Frye combined, all while maintaining low foul rates and better assist/turnover rates than any of the four mentioned above, is a poor fit for us? A year ago we would have done handsprings to get this guy.

Do you want cap space!!! or Luol Deng(boooo). With our cap space, we can get anyone!! We can even get Luol Den.....wait a minute. Yeah, I would definitely be doing handsprings to get this guy. One down year, and everyone bails. Amazing. Not just Portland, but all team's fans seem to have this giant group that immediately bails on a guy after a rough patch, but if it is their own guy, insist he will work through the problems, and have all of the excuses at hand. He is a big improvement over Webster and Outlaw combined. And, might even be younger than Outlaw, I think. Too lazy to look right now. Only 23 or 24 though. Ah well. Hopefully next year we get to see this prize everyone talks about.

[mojomarc]

Do you want cap space!!! or Luol Deng(boooo). With our cap space, we can get anyone!! We can even get Luol Den.....wait a minute.

[JD45]

Can someone explain to me how a SF with a PER nearly as high as Aldridge, with the ability to be a very good wing defender now and a superb one later on, with a sweet mid-range game, and only two fewer double-doubles than Lamarcus, Travis, Martell and Frye combined, all while maintaining low foul rates and better assist/turnover rates than any of the four mentioned above, is a poor fit for us? A year ago we would have done handsprings to get this guy.

Powerful stat work.

[Zyme]

Um, why does everyone keep forgeting that we have francis' balloon of a contract coming off the books after the end of the year. That, sitting at a cool 17 mil, with a sign and trade is more than enough to bring in a Max contract. We have enough pieces to dump LaF's contract and bring Deng while at this time next season we could still bring in a max star.

[Sinobas]

If we did sign Deng, it would probably spell the end for either Webster or Outlaw, because one of them would be completly cut out of playing time. I don't see anyone better than Deng that we could get as a free agent next year.

I personally would rather trade Webster, since he disappears for long strechs of games, and doesn't seem to have the right mentality to take advantage of his skills. Webster, Diogu, Lafrentz, Sergio and a 1st.

[mojomarc]

If we did sign Deng, it would probably spell the end for either Webster or Outlaw, because one of them would be completly cut out of playing time. I don't see anyone better than Deng that we could get as a free agent next year.

I personally would rather trade Webster, since he disappears for long strechs of games, and doesn't seem to have the right mentality to take advantage of his skills. Webster, Diogu, Lafrentz, Sergio and a 1st.

I think the "disappears" comment is more related to how Nate uses him than Webster himself, but I do agree that he's likely the one to go if we get Deng. Deng would be the clear starter, and Travis would be the SF off the bench and would get 15-20 minutes per game. I think he's proven that he is effective coming off the bench (not sure about how he'll react to the minutes), whereas I think Webster is a guy who needs to get into the flow earlier, and the earlier the better.

[Wizenheimer]

as painful as it is personally...( ), I 'll have to agree with Mojo that Deng would be a great "get" for the Blazers.

As far as trading for him, I seriously doubt that Portland has enough to interest the Bulls or win a bidding war if Chicago decided to move Deng.

Assuming he signed for 12 million first year, his BYC amount would then be around 6 million. The first thing is the Blazers would have to take Hughes of the Bulls hands in order to have a hope of interesting them.

Hughes makes 12.87 million so Chicago would be sending out 18.87 million in salary and could take back within a range of 15 - 23.7 million. The Blazers would be taking in 24.87 million so could send out a range of 19.8 million - 30 million. So in that case, the working range is 19.8 million - 23.7 million.

1st part of trade: Lafrentz, 1 of webster/outlaw, diogu, sergio, 3 million for deng & hughes
2nd part of trade: 2009 1st + 3 million for a bulls future 2nd

That's about the best the blazers could do without dipping into the 'big 3' & Rudy. And I doubt the Bulls would bite.

of course the Blazers could go for it and offer:

lafrentz, outlaw, webster, blake, diogu, 2009 1st, 3 million
for
deng, hinrich, and hughes

The Bulls dump 2 of their 3 long-term albatross contracts in that trade and gain some young players, a draft pick and cash. Of

The blazers would be thin at SF with Deng and Batum, but they would have strengthened their backcourt. And with the cap-plan DOA, they could start looking at using the MLE to fill holes in the roster.