Baby for Outlaw

[nasbahceltic]

What do you guys think of a sign and trade deal of Baby for Outlaw?

First of all Portland has the cap space to do a deal outright for Baby, but then again we can match any deal they make so they would have to vastly overpay for us not to match it. By going the sign and trade route they keep Baby's salary at a reasonable level.

The legitimacy of this deal would be contingent on a few things, such as Ainge signing a Vet 4 like McDyess or Sheed & Portland not being intent on keeping Outlaw. That last part would be the achilles heel of the deal as I think Ainge would be all over this deal as long as he's acquired another big (or 2) to fill Baby's spot. Anybody familiar with Portland's stance on Outlaw at this point? I would love to have the guy coming off the bench backing Pierce and playing a little 4 as well.

[BobbySura]

how does baby fit behind aldridge and oden/pryzbilla and why would they want to pay baby the money he's gonna get to be on the bench?

[nasbahceltic]

how does baby fit behind aldridge and oden/pryzbilla and why would they want to pay baby the money he's gonna get to be on the bench?

You think Baby's a starter? I don't think so and I doubt many teams are looking at him to be their starting 4 next yr nor for the future.

In terms of his fit I think he's an ideal fit coming off the bench for Portland. With Pryz & Oden both being inside players he allows Portland to keep the floor spread with his 18 footer just as they would with Aldridge. Baby also gives them a nice energy guy off the bench who's already got a championship pedigree and been further in the playoffs than any of the key players on their roster.

Add that to the fact that Portland has expressed the desire to fill the backup 4 position this offseason I would say Big Baby makes alot of sense for them.

[threrf23]

This actually, potentially makes very good sense for Portland. They have Webster/Batum to play minutes @ the 3, and Outlaw's contract is expiring anyway.

They do have capspace though, so they probably have various options.

I would be open to such a deal. Outlaw is young, improving, fits what we need, and has looked good at times when I've seen him play. But he is also expiring and I am not sold on him and do not necessarily think we couldn't do better using the MLE.

[GuyClinch]

I like it. It would be a nice move for the Cs and give us more of a prototype 3 to spell Paul from the bench.

[humblebum]

I don't know just looking at Portland's roster it certainly doesn't seem that they need anymore girth in their frontcourt with Oden and Pryzbilla there. And though Davis provides depth at PF behind Alridge I don't think that they need Davis at somewhere near $5 million. In some ways the Blazers are trading one redundant (they do have a couple other SF's in Batum and Webster), but homegrown player for a redundant player in Davis.

From the Celtics perspective I'd be all over it though based on what I've seen of Outlaw. He seems to have a decent stroke from mid-range and questionable from distance. But he has great athleticism and could really help keep Paul rested. Which is clearly a top priority going into the offseason.

[rambo_ortega]

very good trade. the c's need length while the blazers get bulk down low.

[DorfonCeltics]

I agree it's a fair trade from both sides but Outlaw would have to agree to a similar extension around $4 mil per. Then you could try to get Sheed and Dice with the MLE and lock down Stephon for the vet min and you're set.

[Ed Pinkney]

I like Outlaw and a back up for Pierce is clearly a priority. My worry is that potentially leaves us with Scal as the starting 4 as Garnett is still a question mark and Powe wont be ready till Feb.

[DelMonte West]

I'd be over this in a heartbeat. I posted in another thread how he'd be my ideal pickup over the summer. Great size, length, age, athleticism, defense, etc. Really can't go wrong.

Plus Davis could start at C for the 41 games Oden misses.

[campybatman]

Looking at Portland's roster, they've the most depth in the back court. Conversely, they look thin in the front court. In 2010, Portland's core of players will reach free agency. Everyone from restricted free agents Aldridge, Roy and Rodriguez to unrestricted free agents Przybilla, Outlaw and Blake. So, they'll need to decide on who to sign longterm now or next off-season.

I like the trade suggestion, but, if I'm Portland, I don't exactly think Davis is what the team needs. He's an undersized power forward who seldom rebounds, blocks very few shots and who's weight and conditioning is always a concern. And he's limited offensively and is even less of a play-maker. I think of Davis as a career role player and not as a full-time starter.

Portland could be more inclined to trade with Chicago for Tyrus Thomas for Outlaw than Davis.

Edit: Here's clarification on Portland's immediate plans, and more reason to believe as I'd pointed out that it's unlikely that they would've an interest in Davis.

Portland also needs a player behind LaMarcus Aldridge who can rebound and score off the bench. They will be playing most likely alongside Przybilla, so the Blazers would need post scoring in the second unit – which is something Channing Frye couldn't do last season.

Look for Portland to bring in a veteran point guard and power forward, and then draft another center or two and perhaps a bigger shooting guard in the second round.

There are a few players who will not be safe from trade rumors, most notably Rodriguez and probably Travis Outlaw. Both can make solid contributions, but may not be the just-right fit for Portland. They are both cheap and could he used to help facilitate a move for that needed veteran. Or the Blazers could simply divide up their $7-8 million in cap space for the veterans they need.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12691

Several sources with knowledge of the situation have informed me that Nate Robinson has been telling people he wants to head back to the Pacific Northwest and sign an offer sheet with the Portland Trailblazers.

But at this point, another source close to Blazers tells me, there is no interest from the Portland’s end. Portland desperately wants to add a veteran lead guard, which will allow superstar Brandon Roy, and Nate’s childhood buddy, to play the two. They feel it is his natural position.

I’m also hearing that Roy hasn’t gone out of his way to endorse Robinson. Roy knows a veteran one would be a huge addition.

Much like Denver, who added Chauncey Billups, and even Dallas who brought in Jason Kidd, the Blazers feel a veteran quarterback will allow them to take the next step in next year’s playoffs.

http://www.theknicksblog.com/2009/05/21 ... t-so-fast/

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

My buddy is a Portland fan and he kinda chuckled when I threw this trade at him. He thinks Outlaw will probably be shopped this summer, but thinks that for that kind of money, they might as well just make an offer for Brandon Bass, whose name is being thrown around on their board.

[sunshinekids99]

Not a bad idea, but I'll pass on Travis Outlaw. Not a very good defender as I've heard from Blazers fans. I've also heard he's more a me player than a team guy. I think there would be better options out there.

[Zin5]

It makes a lot of sense on both sides, especially with how Portland pursued someone like David Lee last deadline to be their backup. Outlaw's a nice return, but I don't know if we should want to give up Baby considering the uncertainty with KG and Powe before we have a backup plan lined up.

[joneb]

Whenever Perkins was out of the game, we would have nobody that could hold their position in the paint against the Dwight Howards, Yao MIngs, and Shaquille O'neals of the world. Having Outlaw would be nice, but we would need to add some bulk up front if we made this move.

[BillessuR6]

I would absolutely love this trade! Of course, we would have to add a jump shooting big if this deal went through...

[ParticleMan]

Not a terrible idea, but I wouldn't do it.

Outlaw has a low BBIQ and isn't a good defender. He's a lot of athletic potential but at this point he is what he is, which isn't that great on balance.

Baby isn't a starter but he's a solid role player who is smart. Plus he is a big which is more valuable, and he is a versatile defender. I think we'd actually be OK with a rotation of KG, Perk and Baby. It's just when Baby has to be a starter we suffer.

I'd rather keep Baby and fill our SF/SG hole elsewhere, these guys are a dime a dozen. Plus hwo knows Walker or Giddens might make a leap this offseason, much like Baby and Powe did in their 2nd years.

[cisco]

Like others have said, we need to keep BBD to keep bigs such as Howard, Yao, Duncan out of the paint. Sure, some of them can just shoot over him, but keeping them out of the paint is half the battle. BTW, pushing Howard out of the paint is as good as stopping him.

[sully00]

On a couple of things:

Portland doesn't have any "cap space" they only have the MLE.

Because of Base Year Compensation rules Baby will only return 2.8 mil in trade on a maximum MLE contract of 5.6 mil To sign and trade Baby he will have to be in a much larger trade.

At the moment this team needs two bigs before it does anything else, we can't move a 4/5 for a 3 to play 12 mpg behind Pierce.

If it becomes apparent that Baby's market is 25-30 mil and Boston isn't going to go there a deal with POR I could see would be for Pryzbilla who I imagine they would want to move before they spend more money on the front court. Scal and Baby or TA, Giddens or Pruitt , and Baby would be enough to make that happen.

Don't love it but don't hate it either.

[avi623]

Just to put in my two cents:

I would do it in a heartbeat. The thing that really troubled this team most all year was the lack of athleticism and scoring from the wing off the bench. While I agree we may want to move BBD while his stock is high, there are two problems with this though:
1) I don't think Outlaw wants to continue coming off the bench. He is still young (24?) and probably sees himself as a starting 3 in this league, which would not happen in Boston--I don't want that to become an issue.
2) Portland has no real reason to do this. They can get more for Outlaw than just Davis. Plus, as someone else pointed out, I don't think he really improves that team very much.

It's a good thought, but I don't think it is particularly realistic.