Offseason of talk about LMA potentially leaving the Blazers

[Wizenheimer]

Funny how times have changed over 6 months...

it's closer to a year then it is 6 months and that's what happens when time passes

two things:

* when Aldridge said those things the Blazers looked to be on an upward trajectory. The win over Houston was still fresh, the bloom was on the rose, and the team strengths seemed to control the outlook. Since then, the trajectory has not only flat-lined, it appears to have curved downward dramatically, and the team flaws seem like huge obstacles

* the NBA announced the new TV deal(s) and the financial dynamics have changed things...we really don't know yet how much

[JasonStern]

LMA quotes:

I just want to get a five-year deal. I feel like that's the best decision on my part."

"I want to be the best Blazer — ever," Aldridge said. "If I stay the rest of my career, I should be able to catch Clyde by then. I should be able to leave a mark on a big-time franchise that is going to be seen forever. And I will be able to say I played here my whole career. This city has embraced me and grown with me. I have so much history, it just makes sense to stay."

I'm looking forward to signing the five-year deal when the chance comes."

I can't' imagine leaving Miami

amazing what a difference a few months can make.

I don't think Portland will get anything in trade if Aldridge leaves, not unless he's determined to go to a team that has no cap-space.

I thought the whole point in Aldridge leaving was that it gave him the best chance of winning. none of the contenders realistically have max cap space available. thus if he wants to go to a contender, he'll either have to take less guaranteed money on what is likely his last big money contract (barring something like a one-year deal), or find a sign-and-trade deal that works for both teams.

[Norm2953]

I'd be curious who exactly is pushing LA to consider other teams. Portland can offer more money
and the team next year if he returns will be solid. His agent likely would prefer signing with Portland
but is he listening to his peers in the league who are into the big 3 teams?

[Dame Lizard]

Portland needs another All Star, and Lillard needs to develop a floater (which is amongst the worst amongst starting PGs in the league), and then Portland will look good going into next year.

I'd downgrade Batum into a Courtney Lee quality player, to allow us to sign that All Star (and FYI I have no clue who we'd sign, all I know is that I'd rather downgrade a player of Batum's quality to get an All-Star elsewhere).

Even if LMA resigns, I fear we'll be a constant 1st round/2nd round exit team if Lillard gets near the D-Rose max. He's accomplished a lot in his career so far, but given he came into the league playing like an All Star from the get-go, he hasn't shown the improvement to be able to command that kind of future superstar money.

John Wall got it, but Washington didn't have much of a choice (mind you Portland doesn't either.......).

[skoharry]

ok so if we lose all our FA including kaman. then I have a few options for each position as to who we could sign to replace them
PF - greg monroe, david west, or tristan thomspon
SG - danny green, gerald henderson, or iman shumpert
C - omer asik, roy hibbert, or jordan hill
backup C - kosta koufus, kevin seraphin, or henry simms
backup SF - jared dudley or tayshaun prince

[GreenRiddler]

I don't know if losing Lopez will be very high, his play this series and going back a month makes him look pedestrian. Lost a big pay day with that, even if he looked like 1/3 of himself he would've got Marcin Gortat like money. Now I think he is more likely to get 10 a year.

[GreenRiddler]

I'd get rid of Nic Via Trade let Rolo go and retain Wes. No point in keeping AAA either. Lillard is a hard call given his age. I'd keep him. NO probably gets canned if LMA bolts.

[PDXKnight]

Supposedly Boston is willing to deal a first to offload Gerald Wallace. If la bails Gerald Wallace and a future Boston first in exchange for our cap space would go a long way towards a rebuild.

[PDXKnight]

ok so if we lose all our FA including kaman. then I have a few options for each position as to who we could sign to replace them
PF - greg monroe, david west, or tristan thomspon
SG - danny green, gerald henderson, or iman shumpert
C - omer asik, roy hibbert, or jordan hill
backup C - kosta koufus, kevin seraphin, or henry simms
backup SF - jared dudley or tayshaun prince

None of those guys really would get us to championship caliber basketball. If these are our only options throwing the towel for a draft pick seems like the better option. Monroe is the most talented guy on that list but he would make us just good enough to not suck and just bad enough to either miss the playoffs or be a perpetual first round exit. If we sport a lineup of Lillard and none of the current starters we will be well on our way to adding a top five pick on a rookie contract which is far better than being stuck at mediocrity

[GreenRiddler]

Uhh....It is the west no such thing as a treadmill team. the Grizz LACs Warriors Spurs and the Mavs have all lost at least once in the first round,this is the first time this iteration of the Blazers would have lost in the first round...under excruciating circumstances too.

[Wizenheimer]

Supposedly Boston is willing to deal a first to offload Gerald Wallace. If la bails Gerald Wallace and a future Boston first in exchange for our cap space would go a long way towards a rebuild.

doubtful

Boston has what...the 16th pick this year? The last time the Blazers had the 16th pick they got Luke Babbitt. That's not a "long way towards a rebuild"....it's a further step back

[PDXKnight]

Uhh....It is the west no such thing as a treadmill team. the Grizz LACs Warriors Spurs and the Mavs have all lost at least once in the first round,this is the first time this iteration of the Blazers would have lost in the first round...under excruciating circumstances too.

how does being in the west make it impossible to be a treadmill team? there are plenty of teams that make the playoffs only to fizzle out soon after or continually make the playoffs and not exit the first round for years. Portland, Denver, GS, LAC, MIN, NO, and Utah have all had their share of first round exits in the last decade. A couple of those teams have broken that barrier now but ultimately there's always gonna be a couple teams that gets stuck in first round exit mode for a few seasons

[PDXKnight]

Supposedly Boston is willing to deal a first to offload Gerald Wallace. If la bails Gerald Wallace and a future Boston first in exchange for our cap space would go a long way towards a rebuild.

doubtful

Boston has what...the 16th pick this year? The last time the Blazers had the 16th pick they got Luke Babbitt. That's not a "long way towards a rebuild"....it's a further step back

Well it's not like the cap space will matter anyhow if it's a total rebuild

[JasonStern]

it might have to be something like Gibson + Hinrich + McDermott + a 1st for Aldridge, and even then, the Bulls might balk.They are doing pretty well without Aldridge

the Bulls are leading 3-2 against a .500 Milwaukee team that lost Parker and had to buy out Sanders, with one of those wins coming in double overtime, and yet Blazer fans consider that doing pretty well. this just shows you how sad our team is right now.

[The Sebastian Express]

I guess until otherwise I will believe in his loyalty and legacy talk. LaMarcus from all accounts is big on being recognized and respected for what he does. He wants to be remembered and I do believe he wants to be remembered as the best X of all time at place X. If he goes to San Antonio or Dallas he will never be those things. He could win multiple championships with Kawhi but he will never pass Kawhi in Spurs history, let alone Duncan. He will never be seen as greater than Dirk (and I have no idea how he would win a championship or compete in Dallas, which obviously can be seen in San Antonio under certain circumstances).

Even if he never wins a championship here, which is an entirely different conversation, he will end up holding every major record in Blazers history if he stays. Someone else mentioned that he'll never be the best Blazer in term of regular season (Walton), or playoff success (likely) (because of Drexler and Walton), but he will likely be known as the best Blazer player ever. And I think being remembered, respected and recognized is huge to him.

So I don't fret too much because fretting won't make his decision for him. We'll just see come the summer.

[Redeemed]

ok so if we lose all our FA including kaman. then I have a few options for each position as to who we could sign to replace them
PF - greg monroe, david west, or tristan thomspon
SG - danny green, gerald henderson, or iman shumpert
C - omer asik, roy hibbert, or jordan hill
backup C - kosta koufus, kevin seraphin, or henry simms
backup SF - jared dudley or tayshaun prince

Piston fan here. I hope it's ok for me to comment. I come in piece with a few thoughts on the power forwards.

Greg Monroe would work well with Lillard. Monroe is a high skilled big with a myriad of low post moves who does the vast majority of his damage in the paint. He will not stretch the D like LMA, but he will hit the cutter and get the opposing team in foul trouble. He has underrated defense (good one on one; poor help side defender) which can and has improved. Moose is definitely on his way out. Dumars blew this big for our franchise. He slighted Moose by not offering him an extension (which Moose wanted) AND by signing Josh Smith. Some other franchise will benefit greatly from our buffoonery. Maybe it'll be you.

David West would be a good addition. West brings toughness and skill. You won't have to worry about Zach Randolph and his bully ball, because West can match him there (strength for strength). Good team defender.

Tristan Thompson is a significant downgrade. He's really raw with a low ceiling. He's more athlete than basketball player.

Questions about LaMarcus Aldridge. I have in the past about him being a really sensitive and tempermental guy who is easily offended. During the great Brandon Roy days, I read LMA was offended that the team was being handed over to Roy. And again when the team drafted Greg Oden, LMA was said to feel like the odd man out. Recently articles surfaced about LMA feeling like the team treated him like a project during his early days and had no real committment to him.

Is there any truth to LMA allegedly being a moody dude? Or has the franchise sold him short during his time there?

[DaVoiceMaster]

I'd like to find a way to get Brooke Lopez. The Blazers need a big down low. That will help the 3 point shooters and even help Aldridge plus it would give the Blazers another scorer on the floor versus whatever Rolo gives you.

I want nothing to do with Brooke Lopez for a simple reason:

in the last 4 seasons, he's missed 144 games due to injury. That's 36 games a year....almost half a season. He has bad lower legs and he seems to alternate between nagging minor injury and serious injury. Blazers can't ignore their history and that makes Brooke too big a risk, IMO, especially with his salary

besides that, I don't see any practical way the Blazer could trade for him because of his salary, and I haven't heard he'll be opting out

All good points!

[The Sebastian Express]

ok so if we lose all our FA including kaman. then I have a few options for each position as to who we could sign to replace them
PF - greg monroe, david west, or tristan thomspon
SG - danny green, gerald henderson, or iman shumpert
C - omer asik, roy hibbert, or jordan hill
backup C - kosta koufus, kevin seraphin, or henry simms
backup SF - jared dudley or tayshaun prince

Piston fan here. I hope it's ok for me to comment. I come in piece with a few thoughts on the power forwards.

Greg Monroe would work well with Lillard. Monroe is a high skilled big with a myriad of low post moves who does the vast majority of his damage in the paint. He will not stretch the D like LMA, but he will hit the cutter and get the opposing team in foul trouble. He has underrated defense (good one on one; poor help side defender) which can and has improved. Moose is definitely on his way out. Dumars blew this big for our franchise. He slighted Moose by not offering him an extension (which Moose wanted) AND by signing Josh Smith. Some other franchise will benefit greatly from our buffoonery. Maybe it'll be you.

David West would be a good addition. West brings toughness and skill. You won't have to worry about Zach Randolph and his bully ball, because West can match him there (strength for strength). Good team defender.

Tristan Thompson is a significant downgrade. He's really raw with a low ceiling. He's more athlete than basketball player.

Questions about LaMarcus Aldridge. I have in the past about him being a really sensitive and tempermental guy who is easily offended. During the great Brandon Roy days, I read LMA was offended that the team was being handed over to Roy. And again when the team drafted Greg Oden, LMA was said to feel like the odd man out. Recently articles surfaced about LMA feeling like the team treated him like a project during his early days and had no real committment to him.

Is there any truth to LMA allegedly being a moody dude? Or has the franchise sold him short during his time there?

I think he might be projecting a bit. I think he was a little soft to start with, but not in a personality kind of way. He just had a thin body coming into the league. Also Nate played him on the perimeter too much when he was coach because he always had those switching defenses. LaMarcus is a sensitive guy in that he's both really quiet and to himself (which is obviously perfectly fine, so am I) for the most part and that he remembers everything said about him, perceived or not. The journalists and some of the fans were not so kind to him. I think the organization always had faith - but Roy was more developed and, frankly, a healthy Oden would've been more talented and physically domineering. Which isn't a slight on LaMarcus. I think he would've surpassed Roy even if Roy had stayed healthy.

[Redeemed]

ok so if we lose all our FA including kaman. then I have a few options for each position as to who we could sign to replace them
PF - greg monroe, david west, or tristan thomspon
SG - danny green, gerald henderson, or iman shumpert
C - omer asik, roy hibbert, or jordan hill
backup C - kosta koufus, kevin seraphin, or henry simms
backup SF - jared dudley or tayshaun prince

Piston fan here. I hope it's ok for me to comment. I come in piece with a few thoughts on the power forwards.

Greg Monroe would work well with Lillard. Monroe is a high skilled big with a myriad of low post moves who does the vast majority of his damage in the paint. He will not stretch the D like LMA, but he will hit the cutter and get the opposing team in foul trouble. He has underrated defense (good one on one; poor help side defender) which can and has improved. Moose is definitely on his way out. Dumars blew this big for our franchise. He slighted Moose by not offering him an extension (which Moose wanted) AND by signing Josh Smith. Some other franchise will benefit greatly from our buffoonery. Maybe it'll be you.

David West would be a good addition. West brings toughness and skill. You won't have to worry about Zach Randolph and his bully ball, because West can match him there (strength for strength). Good team defender.

Tristan Thompson is a significant downgrade. He's really raw with a low ceiling. He's more athlete than basketball player.

Questions about LaMarcus Aldridge. I have in the past about him being a really sensitive and tempermental guy who is easily offended. During the great Brandon Roy days, I read LMA was offended that the team was being handed over to Roy. And again when the team drafted Greg Oden, LMA was said to feel like the odd man out. Recently articles surfaced about LMA feeling like the team treated him like a project during his early days and had no real committment to him.

Is there any truth to LMA allegedly being a moody dude? Or has the franchise sold him short during his time there?

I think he might be projecting a bit. I think he was a little soft to start with, but not in a personality kind of way. He just had a thin body coming into the league. Also Nate played him on the perimeter too much when he was coach because he always had those switching defenses. LaMarcus is a sensitive guy in that he's both really quiet and to himself (which is obviously perfectly fine, so am I) for the most part and that he remembers everything said about him, perceived or not. The journalists and some of the fans were not so kind to him. I think the organization always had faith - but Roy was more developed and, frankly, a healthy Oden would've been more talented and physically domineering. Which isn't a slight on LaMarcus. I think he would've surpassed Roy even if Roy had stayed healthy.

Thanks!

[Billy]

IIRC, there was also some tension between Roy and LMA due to a perceived slight during their rookie year. It wasn't until the next year when they shot a commercial together and got stuck in the same room/trailer for an extended period that they smoothed over some of their issues. Even then, I don't think they ever got "close".

This article: http://www.csnnw.com/article/aldridge-r ... ds-court-0 is kind of interesting. I think it also maybe sheds a little amount of light regarding Aldridge's "moodiness". It does seem that Aldridge was bugged that Roy didn't text him directly, and instead went through a mutual friend (Crawford) to congratulate LMA on being named an all-star.