Posted 11/26/2012 3:54 PM

I'd never trade him. Loyalty has value, he's coming off surgery and played 3 recent games with a sprained wrist. This year is about building chemistry and in my opinion, he's a huge part of that. We want a championship in the future we need to keep the 9th best offensive player in the NBA. He sacrificed the Olympics to have early surgery to come back this season as it is. He's also worth every penny in my book. As of now he's 27 and in his prime. Great teams stay together and it's sorely lacking in sports these days. I want his jersey in the rafters one day and hope a championship is next to it. Stotts predicted before the season that it would take 30 games this year to gel and we're 11 games in.

Posted 11/26/2012 4:46 PM

Not ready by any stretch at all to trade LaMarcus (honestly, 28 is not that much older than the rest of our core to be concerned, their prime years will still overlap), but I think giving him the excuse that "it's the system" that's hurting his numbers is a little off, cuz it's supposed to be a system designed around a PF-based offense. Problem is, Aldridge and Stotts have somehow agreed that it's ok for that PF to play more like a stretch-4.

I think we're lucky that Batum and Lillard have stepped up to their roles so much, because as loyal as I am to Aldridge, I feel like he's sliding the wrong direction right now. I agree with Riverman that he's a key part of our team, and they just need time to build chemistry and work out the kinks, but I'm surprised by how many of the "kinks" are coming from LaMarcus, and not from other players like Nic, JJ, and our rookies. He's shooting the least shots from inside 15 feet than any year outside his rookie season, he's taking more jumpshots than literally any other player in the league (even guys known for jumpers), and he doesn't seem to think there's a problem with that.

I don't want him traded, I want him to play every game of his NBA career in a Blazer jersey. But I want him to play every game as an allstar power forward, not a nearly-7ft-tall, 15-foot-jumpshooter. That's a waste of talent.

Posted 11/26/2012 7:07 PM

he played GREAT today

Posted 11/27/2012 7:50 AM

Welcome back Frog! You know how to make an entrance, don't you? Careful, many of our fellow Blazer fans on these boards attempted a Tanya Harding job on me for suggesting such insanity.

This team has an all-star PF...but he wears #21, and has been forced into playing the 5 to accomodate an underperforming (save last nights game v Detroit) "tweener" player in the 4 spot. He has done so admirably and without a word, and been the only Blazer to bring it every game. Said it before the season even started, amidst all the optimism on here, especially relative to the "uptempo style" Stotts was going to be implementing. Hard to run when you're constantly pulling the ball out of the net. Start JJ at the 4, Leonard at the 5 and see what happens to your rebounding numbers and interior defense. Deal LA for some depth before a starter goes down for the remainder of the season with a fatigue related injury. Hope not Lillard, or the Garden will look like the Palace did last night and these boards will be as dead as apparel sales.

Outside of Dallas' ONE ring, which I am calling the exception, I challenge readers here to name me a championship team constructed completely around a "tweener". Go one step further. In Olshea's words, name me a team with "sustained success" at the highest level built around a tweener. Good luck.

If LA is not going to rebound OR do some biz in the paint, get out the way or YOU slide to the 5. Hickson is throwing up near all-star numbers thus far, and with significantly less court time, sharing 5 minutes with a rookie, playing out of position.

Posted 11/27/2012 8:57 AM

Disappointing season for LMA so far.  Given everything that's happened on this team I don't think it's fair to judge 11 games in.  But, over sentimental homers also need to keep things in perspective.  Loyalty is great, but this is a team made up of professionals.  LMA is a very valuable asset to this team, both as a player AND as a trade chip.  If we didn't shop LMA we'd be doing this team a disservice.  

Posted 11/27/2012 9:34 AM

I wouldn't, let's let this team grow together. LA is good, real good, not flashy but real solid, the kind of player you want to go forward with. lets keep him until his contract is up then evaluate him.

 

Posted 11/27/2012 10:44 AM

I'll name two championship teams built around a tweener, Dallas Maverics and Detroit Pistons

Posted 11/27/2012 10:56 AM

defining fans as "sentimental homers" is something I've never quite understood. Call me old school but being loyal to your team and supporting its growth is not a character flaw. Throwing players and coaches under the bus after bad games, injuries, etc is in my opinion negative affirmation and in my 6 decades of playing and following sports, not something that is coached. We're starting a completely new season with about half a team of rookies who've never gained any experience on the NBA level. I think some patience is due while it unfolds. Stotts knew this when he took the job. To me, the "I need instant gratification to be a fan" attitude is getting really tired. If you don't like this team there are 29 other ones to root for and support. 

Posted 11/27/2012 11:36 AM

The riverman has spoken. Anyone who thought we were going to win a ring this year isnt realistic. Our issue is what its always been and will continue to be.... no defensive post presence. Meyers is going to have to get nasty. And i mean rabid dog mad. Lillard also can stand to be a bit more selfish.

Posted 11/27/2012 12:23 PM

Shananigans!!!.. Name me 1 championship caliber team that doesn't have the presence of an all star caliber PF.... Crickets.... ( I''m talkin real PF, even the ones who play the C for their team but are true PFs) .. If you think JJ is all star caliber you are out of your mind, I think he's great, provides a lot to this team, but there's no ay ou can tell me he's an all star at this point.

If you'd like to debate that JJ is an all star than I suggest you start a new message board lol. LA is a proven all star, and he still is, but he's getting used to his new role.

I love how impatient people are, and than you call us patient fans who consider ourselves loyal to players who deserve to be on this team "oversentimental homer fans"?? No, I actually want the same thing you want, a ring. And I'm not blindly swinging for the fences saying that it is possible with the core group we have, given Mayer improves.

 

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Posted 11/27/2012 12:31 PM

What's even more humorous is that this post is coming off of a day when Lamarcus scored 32 points, 10 rebounds.

 

Oh and the game b4 when he didn't play, We had the wrst offensive performance of the year. Just sayin

Posted 11/27/2012 2:12 PM

Posted By knorton181 on 11/27/2012 12:31 PM

What's even more humorous is that this post is coming off of a day when Lamarcus scored 32 points, 10 rebounds.

And we lost...to the Detroit Pistons. His defense was non-existent, either as Detroit had their way with us. Now I know we don't start a traditional center, but if he's so invaluable to this team, then be better start controlling that paint and blocking shots. And there's no excuse for his rebounding numbers to be so low. He's nearly 7-feet tall and his wingspan is crazy, allowing him to cover a lot of ground.

 

Look, I like LA. But if you take off the red and black glasses, you'll see he's been declining since the tail end of the 2011 season. We would be smart to move him now and get some value before it's too late. We did it with Crash (look who we got in return for that move!) and we'd be smart to do it with Aldridge as well.  This team just has too many holes to fill before we can be considered contenders and with a weak draft class and weak free agent class, why not use one of our best trading chips to boost this team in the long-run?

Posted 11/27/2012 2:50 PM

no to trading him thats rediculous he's a proven asset 

Posted 11/27/2012 3:38 PM

LaMarcus had 10 rebounds in that game and did block shots. We didn't lose the last two games, the other teams won. That's going to happen. Give the Nets and Pistons some credit here. On opening night we beat the Lakers and I saw so many Lakers fans posting how they lost that game and blaming players and coaches, not one said the Blazers beat us. When any team wins a game especially at their home court, it's a win..not a loss by the competition. No team in the history of the NBA has won 82 games. Neither has any team lost 82 games

Posted 11/27/2012 6:43 PM

How is he declining? I've never been blind to doubt that he has had a rought start, but it's just that Clyde,just the START of the season..

And as for my other post, I gaurantee you until the Rockets get an all star PF they wil never have a shot at the title, for all the "assets" that they have. And that team is ideally what you're asking for this team to do, which is backwards.

Aldridge is a building block, not a "trade chip"

Posted 11/27/2012 7:24 PM

I'm pretty sure the Spurs would disagree with any bad statement about a "tweener" as the framework of a championship team...

Posted 11/27/2012 10:32 PM

yea ppl and there rediculous talk about trading aldridge only time I'd say trade him is if he was expected to walk at the end of his contract but that has yet to be seen 

Posted 11/27/2012 11:11 PM

Lebron was called a tweener. He is the framework for a championship team now. He won a championship without a true center or great pt guard. There are numerous examples. Spurs didn't win with a legit center in David Robinson until Duncan showed up. Knicks didn't win with Patrick Ewing. Jordan won with the bulls with Luc Longley, Will Perdue and Bill Wennington at the post...not really great centers. It's about team, not individual definitions. Pistons won with a 6'9 Ben Wallace in the post...we have JJ there right now. There's no set formula for winning a championship except for great coaching and a solid team system that gets the best out of it's players. The future is also not exclusively defined by the past. It's a different game now. 

Posted 11/28/2012 4:05 AM

i wouldn't trade him this season, but i can see the trade talk beginning by the end of this season and getting bigger next season. he's a gasol type of guy, a great second. i think however he refuses to be that. his refusal to play center when he's best suited to fill in the position suggests to me that he's not a team-first player. he's out of the age range of our core group of the future. he says he's not a jealous type, but really he does seem to be. his defensive efforts have come into question. these are the initial symptoms of a star slowly falling out with his team.

hickson has really blossomed in our city and made aldridge replaceable to some degree. my kind of a trade is...

LMA for Marcin Gortat, Michael Beasley, Wesley Johnson and some picks.

(can you imagine how good of a sixth man Beasley will be in a K-State-like fast pace system and also so close to the legal state of Washington...?)

Posted 11/28/2012 5:18 AM

@knornton...I believe my post reads "near all-star numbers". I wouldn't begin to argue that JJ is having an all-star season. What I WAS attempting to point out, was his double-double average, consistency game in and game out, and his good 'ol fashion bring your lunchpail to work everyday work ethic. That's leadership, and characteristics Lillard also possesses. Also, I was aware of and even mentioned his performance v Detroit when I posted. My problem? We only play Detroit twice a year. If I'm paying near max money, I better get performances like Monday nights more than every dozen games. No excuses.

Like Clydefrog, I do like LaMarcus and truly hope he shuts me up and that his game v Detroit was what we can and will now see on a more consistent basis. You can't be surrounded by overachievers and be an underachiever and not expect to draw criticism...especially when your paycheck features a few extra digits.

Posted 11/28/2012 5:26 AM

@riverman...much respect. Love reading your posts. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying and please don't label me less of a fan of this team and it's players for simply wanting to hold them accountable. I do not worship any man no matter what uniform he wears, and I do not consider any athlete to be pedestal worthy. The fall from said pedestal is a long one, just ask MJ or Tiger. These guys play a GAME for a living and make MILLIONS doing it, depending upon those, like ourselves, not nearly as financially fortunate to support their efforts with our wallets...and in this challenging economy, steadily declining disposable income. My job security, my pay is based on performance...so should those professional athletes expecting and demanding our support. Like my fan statement has read for years, I'm all about passion and pride. You go out there and play with both, regardless of the outcome, I'm your biggest fan. Period.

Posted 11/28/2012 8:59 AM

BDawg,

This is why I quit posting for a while.  It is hard to be a loyal fan and speak with truth on this board.  For example, you and I have both been critical of Batum inconsistent play and we get accused of being dis-loyal.  I would like to see some of these people live in So Cal and put up with the crap I do defending my Blazers. 

The reality is, if we do not get players who are willing to bring their lunch pale like JJ and be aggressive in the paint and also play defense we will never be a playoff maker. 

It takes more than jump shots to win in this league.  Players that are willing to sacrifice themselves like JJ is what Portland needs.  LA has proven time and time again he is not a Low Post Player. I am beginning to agree with you that if we are re-building, trade him for a bunch a Lottery Picks and build around Damian and possibly Batum for the Batum Lovers.  Sign JJ to a reasonable long term deal and move on.

LA will never win a championship unless he is willing to play in the Low Post so move him to a team where a team needs a PF that can shoot outside jumpers and not play in the low Post.

BDawg I support yor comments as you say what needs to be said.

Posted 11/28/2012 10:39 AM

Nobody said you're not loyal, just impatient.

If we had done what you had wanted we woud have traded Batum away, yet he is playing the best he ever has & did gain consistency..

So both the fact that he is not a lunchpale player and not a low post player go hand in hand right?
Because JJ is a low post player right? I think you guys expect perfection, good luck trying to find it, often times it's luck, not trading away your good players. Is Dirk a lunch pale player? I could name so many ways you're "theory for championship success" is not all black and white like you seem to think. Many would say Damian doesn;t have elite vision of a Pg, but he still plays extremely well.

 

If we didn't have LMA right now, which we didn't against the Nets. Our offense turns to a bowl of mush. JJ has no consistent offensive game, he's not a target though, but without Aldridge it would be much easier for big men to target JJ as the weakest offensive link.

And wait so @BDawg, you expect 32 pts & 10 rebound games once every week? I wouldn't expect that from any player no matter the contract lol. That's icing on top of a cake, not the whole cake.

Look, He's 8th in the league in PPG, I agree he needs to be more efficient, but the entire offensive scheme is different than anything he was used to. I just hope you reconsider looking at a player solely for what they can't do(cause seriously guys, you could do that for any player in the league), especially not the one who led this team out of disaster.

Just like performance evaluations at work BDawg, you also need to understand this wasn't expected to be a 100M race, this was a long project where expectations grew even more than before, and in several different ways. I think he's playing very well given he is the player who's style is being asked to shift majorly, give it time.

Posted 11/28/2012 10:54 AM

Against Detroit LA put up 32 pts..many in the paint, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals and some assists. Coming off 20 pt games with a sprained wrist and back spasms the night before. Gasol isn't even in his league. Of all the bangers that make a living in the paint we have Bynum and Bogut who are chronically injured because of it and Howard coming off spinal surgery and not looking great. There was also Pryz and Oden who were unable to stay on the court. Paint players often have short careers and are often injured. LaMarcus is going to have a long productive career. Who do you trade a guy like him for? I can't think of one player value for value

Posted 11/28/2012 1:52 PM

Let those other teams burn out.... WE ARE KEEPING L.A. !!!

Posted 11/28/2012 9:41 PM

Just a comment about the statement that this is Lillard's team...the kid is great but that's a stretch in my opinion..he's not LaMarcus, Nic or Wesley yet Last 3 games he's come back down to earth on the road and has some growing to do. This is LaMarcus' team first and formost. Lillard will be a big part of future success but he's not taking the team on his shoulders this early...a few games, sure, but we're 15 games into an 82 game season. 

Posted 11/28/2012 11:23 PM

TRADE HIM!!!

Bipolar p.o.s haahha

He is beasting  in the post then he starts taking twos

EVERYONE in the chat was soooo mad when he caught a bad pass from Damian, two Wiazards playrs were out of the play because they were after the loose ball, A WIDE OPEN LANE and he took a LONG 2

Posted 11/29/2012 6:55 AM

The trend is what it is, whether some choose to live in denial or not. Hickson is clearly and consistently outplaying LA, with less minutes and out of position. I posted earlier in this thread that I wouldn't argue JJ was playing at an all-star level. That may change as this season continues to develop. What I WOULD argue, is that Hickson is this team's most legitimate candidate this season, at this point, and that should be a reason for concern.

Posted 11/29/2012 7:31 AM

Posted By riverman on 11/28/2012 10:54 AM
<p>Against Detroit LA put up 32 pts..many in the paint, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals and some assists. Coming off 20 pt games with a sprained wrist and back spasms the night before. Gasol isn't even in his league. Of all the bangers that make a living in the paint we have Bynum and Bogut who are chronically injured because of it and Howard coming off spinal surgery and not looking great. There was also Pryz and Oden who were unable to stay on the court. Paint players often have short careers and are often injured. LaMarcus is going to have a long productive career. Who do you trade a guy like him for? I can't think of one player value for value</p>

Agree that a one-for-one wouldn't likely return equal value, however a package of LA and 2 unproductive, expiring contract bench players could return some quality reserves, players with ability to be consistently impactful. In this scenario, Portland, while admittedly giving up alot, receives more in return. Our starters need relief, sooner rather than later, before inevitable injury due to fatigue again rears it's ugly head in the Rose City. If the suits plan on resigning JJ, this will happen. I like the front three of Hicky, Leonard, and Batum as we begin the rebuild.

Posted 11/29/2012 9:40 AM

JJ putplaying LA. Now this thread has reached my final goodbye

Posted 11/30/2012 8:59 AM

See ya.  Your black and white view of everything is 1) incorrect and 2) not helpful to discussion.  I suggest you stick with the absurdly sycophantic fans on Blazer chat if you can't tolerate a rational discussion about this team.  

Posted 11/30/2012 10:17 AM

Posted By uprised on 11/30/2012 8:59 AM

See ya.  Your black and white view of everything is 1) incorrect and 2) not helpful to discussion.  I suggest you stick with the absurdly sycophantic fans on Blazer chat if you can't tolerate a rational discussion about this team.  

Could not have said it better my self.

Posted 11/30/2012 10:19 AM

I'm giving the bench 30 games to let the cream rise to the top. We need a handful of double digit scorers to spell the starters..

Posted 11/30/2012 11:25 AM

Not a bad mindset river. Let's just collectively hope the starters make it that long without injury. Conflicting agendas are complicating this situation almost beyond description. My guess at this point is, if Stotts doesn't make some adjustments in his rotations, redistributing minutes differently, before the conclusion of this extended road trip, a fatigue related injury will sit somebody down.

Posted 11/30/2012 11:37 AM

Give me a starting rotation of 4 JJ's & Mathews and three of them off the bench and we would make it by the first round of the playoffs.

If Stotts keeps playing starters 40 minutes a game you are absolutely correct.  There will be a major injury before Christmas.

Posted 11/30/2012 5:27 PM

Welcome back LaMarcus! Please, take your coat off and stay awhile.

Posted 11/30/2012 6:50 PM

Posted By BDawg on 11/30/2012 5:27 PM
Welcome back LaMarcus! Please, take your coat off and stay awhile.

Nice Low Post Tonight but still lacking on Defense.

Posted 11/30/2012 7:35 PM

Honestly, Wesley has been playing under his potential since his second season of being here. Everyone has really and it's frustrating. If we are going to rebuild, why not legitimately rebuild. Trade Lamarcus for a young guy who is going to be efficient on both ends of the floor while being a motivator. Yes, LA is the centerpiece of the offense but right now we need someone who can play both defense and offense, as well as motivate this team.

Posted 12/01/2012 12:39 AM

LOL.. Sorry but there's just no way I believe JJ is better than LA, no matter which way you look at it.. Wait, who was the only player who showed up against the Celts?.. But I guess I'm the irrational one for believing that trading the best player on your team isn't a good thing (unless he's made it clear he wants to go)

What gets me is I do not comprehend what makes you so sure that you know more than a) most blazer fans, b) most nba fans, c) most nba analysts, c) our current GM and coach, d) the last GM and coach, e) history of the NBA.. You see I wasn't uspet at the beginning of this thread, but when you tell me JJ is "consistently" playing better than an all star (should be two time), whom is the vital reason why this team isn't the bottom of the NBA right now, I have a reason to disagree. My points in previous posts^ are completely overlooked, so in what way have you actually made this a "rational discussion," or wait, maybe this is just a discussion board for people who think JJ is better than LA, sorry I guess you shouldn't have put question marks at the end of the title!

But no, I'm just incorrect and "Black & White." Maybe you guys should say, hey guys, maayyybbeee trading LA would make our team worse.... Just maybe. Oh and btw, this discussion itself is black & white, bud: trading LA is what's best for this team, or don't trade LA. Sorry for not believing that's a good thing and sticking to that belief1 :O

P.S. It's totally fine for you to make a message board, but you should understand there are people who will express their opinion that will not line up with yours, and plenty who would completely disagree. Don't just dismiss the opposing view as "in denial" or else this becomes a pretty lame board. Or maybe you should just make a discussion board and just respond to yourself. Definitely don't call me out because I don't agree, though.

Posted 12/01/2012 12:42 AM

Dammit I screwed up the lettering lmao.. the alphabet goes a, b, c, d, e, f.. See, I do know something!!

Posted 12/01/2012 2:48 AM

I have got to jump in on this one. First off some one asked who had a championship team without an allstar PF? The Bulls they had Jordan and Pippen and a good team around them, deep bench, I think their Pf was Huxley who was nowhere near all star and was made better by Jordan I think you could probably equate him as not as good as JJ but close.

Trading LA would be a double edged sword I like the idea if it was done right. Unfortunately it would have to be to a crap team to get a high draft pick and decent bench players and a consistant shooter. I know he is young but he has also had 2 hip surgeries and a weird ticker. Arguably his best season came when Andre Miller was running the show and Broy was down. It is a good way to package up Babbit and Smith and get some return off of them otherwise they are just getting cut. I believe if we get a good SG we can move Wes to Bench  and he can come in and spell either the 2 or 3 and still get massive minutes. Maybe Freeland can play C-F and get someone in the trade to help out or maybe from the Stampede.

The downside of trading LA is our season will go to hell even worse than what it is if done wrong and next season's draft picks is bust.

Oh yeah if Canolli is our defensive coach he probably needs to go back to the video room. I know the players like him but he not doing a very good job.

Posted 12/01/2012 10:12 AM

You just named the Bulls and Jordan though...We need Michael Jordan lol

Posted 12/01/2012 10:30 AM

If I'm tinkering with our roster, the last place I mess with is the starting 5...there are bench players I'd send to the Stampede at this point and unsigned players I'd replace them with or give D league guys a shot. I think Olshey is on the phones right now and scouting the D league to find those guys. Glad to hear you're on the mend knorton!

Posted 12/01/2012 11:37 AM

It is not time to trade Lamarcus right now.

He is back to his old game, or that is how it seems from the past 3 games. I dont care if he only had 17 against Wiz but the shots he took were not long 2s. (Most of them wernt)

He is finally looking like a leader and all star this season. If we keep our great our starting lineup and keep Leonard and Barton and maybe some veterans next year we can be very good BECAUSE

- Improved and mature Leonard, Damian, Barton, and maybe even our wings

- A lottery pick or a trade involving our lottery pick

- Going through Free Agency with a lot of cap space.

Not saying we dont have to make any changes this season, but next season we are going to be MUCh better

Posted 12/01/2012 11:40 AM

Still would like to see Lamarcus and the rest of the team play better D tho. 

Posted 12/01/2012 1:25 PM

My two cents is this: By the time we get our act together and become a legitimate team again, Lamarcus will not be staying for much longer in my opinion. Yes LA is "back" to banging down low supposedly but he is the All-Star. He needs to be the one who gets into peoples faces and demands more from them. It shouldn't be Wesley Matthews and a bench player by the name of Jared Jeffries who starts getting upset after losing to the worst team in the NBA. Yes our starting lineup is pretty good for the most part, yet who else do we have to work with in terms of making deals? Most of the guys who were available from free agency are picked up by now. We are facing a season where we either play the starting 5 ridiculous minutes or just play the bench a decent amount of minutes, even though we are bound to be a top 6 pick in the lottery. As for your comment KNorton about history and everyone saying we need to keep LA, people are wrong all the time. That's why Wes Matthews was not drafted and most people said on draft day that we should of picked up Andre Drummond. Ok...some people said to pick up Drummond. Still, the NBA is not an exact science. There are different ways to do things. As far as that whole making the team better statement goes, losing to the Wiz/pistons and having a losing record isn't a good indicator. We need long term as well as the right now. I don't expect them to make the playoffs but at least keep the morale of the team up. 

Posted 12/01/2012 9:36 PM

ALDRIDGE IS NO DOUBT THE HART AND SOUL OF THE TEAM AND IF WE TRADE HIM THEN FINE LET HIM GO TO ANOTHER TEAM AND BE MVP THERE, ILL BE HAPPY FOR HUIM BUT JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT ITS HARD TO GET OR EVEN TRANSFORM PLAYERS INTO A PLAYER OF HIS CALIBER. WHEN BROY WAS HAMPERED BY HIS KNEE INJURIES LA STEPED UP AND DECIDED HE WOULDNT LET THIS TEAM FALL. URE DAMIAN IS GREAT AND SOMEDAY HE CAN BE MYP TOO BUT WOULDNT IT BE GREAT IF WE HAD 2 MVP CALIBER PLAYERS RATHER THAN 1. HE MIGHT TURN OLD BUT LETS KEEP IN MIND THAT HE COULD BE LIKE DIRK NOWITZKI. 

AS FOR THE BENCH SITUATION WHAT IF WE DO BAD THIS SEASON AND GET A LOTTERY PICK (WHICH WE PROBABLY WILL) WHY DONT WE JUST TRADE THAT DRAFT PICK FOR ATLEAST 2 GOOD BENCH PLAYER. I KNOW ITS NOT MUCH BUT THINK ABOUT BARTON AND FREELAND ARE ALREADY IMPROVING PLUS ELLIOT WILL PLAY NEXT SEASON AND WE STILL HAVE ALOT OF CAP SPACE TO SIGHN GOOD BENCH PLAYERS. 

TRADING ALDRIDGE DOESNT MAKE A WHOLE LOTTA SENSE WHEN HE IS A BUILDING BLOCK AND A HUGE PART OF THIS TEAM ALONG WITH LILLARD, BATUM, AND MATHEWS. IF WE WANT TO WIN TRADING LA IS NOT A WISE CHOICE. I MEAN WE COULD HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST STARTING LINE UPS IN THE NBA AS LONG AS OUR PLAYERS KEEP IMPROVING. SURE WE ARE LOSING NOW BUT ITS ALL PART OF THE REBUILDING PROCESS. NEXT YEAR I HAVE NO DOUBT THE BLAZERS WILL MAKE A RETURN TO THE PLAYOFFS.

GOOOOOOO BLAZERSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

Posted 12/01/2012 9:45 PM

Agreed^ I mean the caps were a bit much but ya know you pulled em off, they didn't come off too agressive lol

Posted 12/02/2012 8:11 AM

Posted By schwabbii on 12/01/2012 1:25 PM
<p>My two cents is this: By the time we get our act together and become a legitimate team again, Lamarcus will not be staying for much longer in my opinion. Yes LA is "back" to banging down low supposedly but he is the All-Star. He needs to be the one who gets into peoples faces and demands more from them. It shouldn't be Wesley Matthews and a bench player by the name of Jared Jeffries who starts getting upset after losing to the worst team in the NBA. Yes our starting lineup is pretty good for the most part, yet who else do we have to work with in terms of making deals? Most of the guys who were available from free agency are picked up by now. We are facing a season where we either play the starting 5 ridiculous minutes or just play the bench a decent amount of minutes, even though we are bound to be a top 6 pick in the lottery. As for your comment KNorton about history and everyone saying we need to keep LA, people are wrong all the time. That's why Wes Matthews was not drafted and most people said on draft day that we should of picked up Andre Drummond. Ok...some people said to pick up Drummond. Still, the NBA is not an exact science. There are different ways to do things. As far as that whole making the team better statement goes, losing to the Wiz/pistons and having a losing record isn't a good indicator. We need long term as well as the right now. I don't expect them to make the playoffs but at least keep the morale of the team up. </p>

Agree Schwabbii. There is a far greater disparity in pay vs on court contributions currently, between LA and JJ, and this team is rebuilding. Both are wanting a starting role at the 4. The operative word here, is 'currently'.