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wayne.lamb's Blog

Return to blog listing -> Draft and Free Agency to become contenders
wayne.lamb

Jun 16

Draft and Free Agency to become contenders

By wayne.lamb Posted in: Blazers, LukeBabbitt
Okay, so let’s assume for a second that we have already selected our picks in this year’s draft, and since I’m writing this, we will use the scenarios that I think are most likely to occur. Selection 1: Damian Lillard, Perry Jones III Selection 2: Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard Suppose for the purpose of this exercise, we retain Batum and Hickson. Our squad now looks like this: PG Lillard SG Mathews SF Batum, PJ3 PF Aldridge/ Hickson C [empty]/ Pryz Or… PG Lillard SG Mathews SF Batum PF L.A./ Hickson C [Empty]/ Leonard, Pryz With these realistic draft choices, without any draft day movement, who do you want in Free Agency? Fill out your roster. Here are mine. Tell me how much you hate my choices or love them, and tell me why. #1-Hibbert unlikely PG Nash/ Lillard SG Mathews/ Tracy McGrady (+50%fg, +40%3pt) (It would be good to have a scoring backup on those many nights Mathews struggles. Split their minutes almost evenly.) SF Batum/ PJ3 (Develop ball handling and range, and he’s a possible all star next year, 2014.) PF Aldridge/ Hickson C Hibbert/ Pryz #2 PG Nash/ Lillard SG Mathews/ Tracy McGrady SF Batum/ PJ3 PF Aldridge/ Hickson C JaVale McGee #3 PG Nash/ Lillard SG Mathews/ McGrady SF Batum PF Aldridge/ Hickson C Kaman/ Leonard In all these scenarios, there is a veteran playing in front of every rookie. Meaning, there is depth, experience, room to grow, and trade value if any of these rookies go off and shine in an unexpected fashion (PJ3 becomes an all star, Batum is tradable). Essentially, we become playoff contenders with the addition of a decent veteran big and a great pg in Nash. The youngsters have a mentor in front of them, and the opportunity to move up in the rotation. Nash and Lillard can play like Kidd and Terry but potentially better I think. There is solid bench scoring in Lillard, T-Mac ,and Hickson. Also there is versatility in this lineup. Most guys can play two different positions. What do you think? Can you show me something better? Have I erred in some way? And… GO!

3 Comments

  1. It's so hard to tell. If Batum signs the first offer sheet he sees before we sign other free agents it really cramps our ability to maximize our cap space. Now, if we sign a free agent or two and Batum waits, then we could be able to go over the cap to sign Batum.

    Hickson is another interesting situation. We may not have his bird rights after this hearing with the league, meaning we won't be able to extend him a Qualifying Offer or match any offer he gets.

    I think if you sign Batum and Hickson, there just isn't going to be any real money left over to make a huge splash in free agency. I love Big Roy, but there's no way Indiana lets him go. I want Deron, but he's not coming here, either. Eric Gordon is fantastic but again, he's restricted and has an injury history.

    So personally, I'd rather use the cap space to take on a bad contract and get another lottery pick (ie: Okafor and the #10).

    by DHawes22 on 6/18/2012 9:38 AM

  2. Dustin, Hickson can be extended a QO without Bird Rights; however, to match any offer he receives we need to have cap space or cap exceptions. To match a 6 million offer to Hickson without his Bird Rights Portland would need around 1.5 million in cap space. With that Portland could use the 1.5 in cap space, their bi-annual exception 1.957 million and their room mid-level exception 2.575 million.

    by cmeese47 on 6/18/2012 1:26 PM

  3. I heard somewhere that we could use crawford in a sign and trade scenario. Is that out of the realm of possibility? Batum and Crawford going to a team with a good pg (wizards/cavs), could bring something good in return... and if Batum is serious about signing the first big offer, I'm tempted to say let hime walk. He must know the organization's position. Wouldn't he want to help the team be better by waiting, until the team is stacked better. They can still offer him a big salary. I don't get it... can somebody explain his selfish position, so it seems less selfish?

    by wayne.lamb on 6/18/2012 2:00 PM
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