Trade Blair

[co_laper]

I think this summer is the best time to sell Blair.

First off, he's clearly not in the rotation. The future big man on this team is Splitter. You can't pair him with Blair on your frontcourt because then you'll have two non-shooting bigs and that's not going to work. To me, that means his future on this team is not as a starter.

Second, this is just the best time. I don't know what you can get. Perhaps a draft pick when we get close to the draft, or as a package with another player. But this is the second time Blair got benched entering the playoffs. I can't envision his stock being much higher than it is now.

Third, if I have to pick the closest thing we have to an unhappy player, it's got to be Blair. He might not have shown it, but if you look at his situation, there is no way he's as happy as other guys on this team. This year, like last year, he didn't really do anything to deserve benching or being out of the rotation. There was nothing he did wrong. If anything, I thought he did all he could. His lack of size is his biggest problem. I think all fans know that he's better off as a backup big who brings energy and rebounding. He could actually do this with us in the future, but at the same time he's been a starter and I'm sure he felt he's been good enough as a starter and feel like he wants to look at a starting job and starter minutes.

My biggest hope is to trade him for a pick in this year's draft. But it's got to be atleast a first round pick. A late one is alright. We're pretty set upfront. Resigning Diaw is a must. Then we have Duncan, Diaw, Splitter, Bonner. That's solid enough. A project big man could be great. We need another Ian Mahinmi here. A big and athletic shotblocking center. Or we could surely use a PF with shooting range as a future replacement of Diaw/Bonner. I truly doubt we'll ever see Splitter becoming a jump shooter. His form, even with Chip's tutoring, isn't right. His left shoulder sticks all the way up.

[Nolan]

With the way Diaw's played we have to bring him back and that basically leaves Blair on the end of bench.

I've been a huge Blair supporter, but he just hasn't made the strides I thought he would so I have to agree with you its time to move on.

He could be a solid 3rd or 4th big on a decent team. I think he needs to be in a situation where he's not relied on to play as much center as he has for us. If he can go to a team that'll play him at the 4 and just let him rebound and wreck havok in the paint he can be an effective player.

[Wickzki]

Is he athletic / quick enough to handle playing the four for twenty minutes a night?

With his well documented deficiencies I wonder whether the Blazers who need all of the big men help that they can get (especially if someone offers UFA J.J. Hickson a better deal than the Blazers can offer) would be wise to make a move for him?

[co_laper]

He's still young, so I think he's got potential to be better than he currently is.

If he wants to be a starter, he needs to be with a Center who can actually stretch the floor. Blair IMO is pretty athletic and quick for a guy his size. He's always been nimble on his feet. He has learn to finish very well in pick and rolls. He will never be a star player IMO. His potential is a lot like Reggie Evans. Got to learn to be dirtier, and focus on rebounding.

Looking at his shooting form, I doubt that'll ever be good enough as a championship lever starter. He needs to be a complementary role player to a Star Center who has some range. Sadly, they don't exist anymore in this modern day.

[batmana]

I also agree that now might be the time to try and trade Blair. He's been amazing for us considering he was a 2nd round pick in a draft in which we didn't have a higher pick and was effectively a lottery-type talent. We just rolled the dice on his ACL-less knees and they held up so far. But on the other hand it would be meaningless to trade him for a 2nd round pick. If we cannot get a 1st round pick, I say keep him and try to trade him some time during the next regular season as he is getting rotation minutes and his stock is probably higher.

As for next season, re-signing Diaw would be great. I also expect us to get Erazem Lorbek from Europe, it's almost been acknowledged by both sides that this move will indeed happen. Lorbek is a jump-shooting big who might have range as far out as the NBA 3-point line, and is 6-11 at that but he is no NBA center, he is strictly a PF. Still, that makes enough bigs, I think - Duncan, Splitter, Bonner, Diaw and Lorbek.

Looking back at the George Hill trade I can't stop admiring our front office's job - draft an absolute unknown in Hill from IUPUI out of all colleges at the end of the 1st round and then be able to make him an almost complete player so that you trade his rights for a much higher 1st round pick that turns out to be Leonard who's a very impressive rookie already, and a European prospect that the Pacers probably never had any intention of bringing over - a prospect that you absolutely love and planned it so that he is a free agent the following summer and is willing to come over...

[Nolan]

He's still young, so I think he's got potential to be better than he currently is.

If he wants to be a starter, he needs to be with a Center who can actually stretch the floor. Blair IMO is pretty athletic and quick for a guy his size. He's always been nimble on his feet. He has learn to finish very well in pick and rolls. He will never be a star player IMO. His potential is a lot like Reggie Evans. Got to learn to be dirtier, and focus on rebounding.

Looking at his shooting form, I doubt that'll ever be good enough as a championship lever starter. He needs to be a complementary role player to a Star Center who has some range. Sadly, they don't exist anymore in this modern day.

Nah he's different than Reggie. He's more of a Malik Rose/Jason Maxiell type, undersized 4 that can score, rebounder and just bring a ton of energy to floor. I don't know why he's gone away from his aggressive style over the last year (I think starting had something to do with it) but he's need to get back to playing that way.

[Donald Kaufman]

His value has never been lower than it is right now. What exactly could we get for him that would be worth pulling the trigger?

[Nolan]

His value has never been lower than it is right now. What exactly could we get for him that would be worth pulling the trigger?

A 2nd or two? If we keep Diaw his values only going to go down.

[Donald Kaufman]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but we could've got a lot more than a 2nd for him after his rookie or 2nd year.

But I guess we couldn't expect much more than that now.

[BillyGM]

Would you consider Ed Davis?

[Ballings7]

I'd take Ed Davis... I like his game as PF with size and toughness who's agile, to come off the bench.

[Nolan]

Would you consider Ed Davis?

In a heartbeat.

[batmana]

Would the Raptors consider Blair for Davis? Davis is younger, has better athleticism, has better size for the position and has ACLs

[ifrclone]

How about trading him for Darko and then adding Novica Velickovic from Real?

If there is one coach in NBA that can light a fire under Darko's a.s Pop would be it.
Novica, on the other hand, is tough as nails...

Those two would be an awesome bench combo, especially if you guys can swing a deal for Batum.

De Colo, Manu, Batum, Novica, Darko....that would be some bench....

[batmana]

Darko... Please. Last GM who thought he was an NBA player offered him his current contract, I doubt you find another team that thinks the same. There is no coach that can make Darko relevant.

[Ballings7]

Darko's actually a serious defensive presence and can hit the mid-range shot, an effective passer and rebounder as well, not really good in the post but has moves there to score

A bust, but not a bad player by any means... his size and shooting touch alone gives him relevancy in the NBA

We need another big with size, can't just have Splitter/Duncan I wouldn't mind if we got Darko at all... or somebody like (not saying to get but as an example) in the 6'10" range with some length.

[LongLiveIverson]

What about a sign and trade Danny Green and Blair for Thad Young and a future first or 2nd
Young is a perfect versatile athlete that would thrive off the bench. Him and Duncan would be a very very nice Big Small combo. He can also play the 3 effectively with great ball handlers like Ginobli and Parker to feed off of

[duppyy]

I could see you guys trading blair and get a late 1st round pick to pick up Andrew Nicholson in the draft.

He seems like a Spurts type of draft pick.

I don't think Raptors would give up Ed Davis for blair.

[lakerhater]

GSW would probably trade 2 second rounders for him and then watch as the Spurs draft a couple of foreign players that end up being substantially better then anybody on the W's future roster.