Masbee

Schilly

Apparently JRob and I think alot alike, although I like hanging on to DA and trying to move Bonzi if possible.

mook

That guy always has some interesting points.

I think he's got a great point about the Minnesota matchup in the first round. Especially in a best of 7 series, I don't think home court is really going to matter that much. It's only a one game advantage of 7 games, and I really think Portland can get good production out of Sheed, Pip and either Bonzi/DA/Sabas for four games, which is all it'll take to beat them.

That trade to dump Sheed for (essentially) Kwame and Stack sucks. We never have a problem getting decent shooting guards, so who cares about Stack. Kwame may someday be as good as Sheed, but Sheed is as good as Sheed right now. So why do it? Camby is just another broken down coulda been.

Getting Laettner sucks because it's just one more veteran to put in front of Woods.

He never does get to his long-term plan for Bonzi. I guess he leaves him at SF, where he's already been mostly a failure.

Anyhow, a decent article regardless.

Qyntel's Shadow

DA is one of the few guys that brings positive character and produces. Sure, he can't take contact as well as many others, but if that's his biggest knock, I'll take that over Bonzi's: indifference. Of course, trading Bonzi as a BYC2 isn't easy, it will be easier than it would have been this year.
Moving through JR's 4 step process, though, I'm not a fan of everything.
Step 1: swapping Rasheed for Stack, Laettner and Brown? Honestly, I'd rather switch my affiliation to the Suns than cheer for Christian Laettner Brown could become something given enough time, but would DC really trade away Stackhouse after picking him up just last year? I really wouldn't think so. In the end, I'm leery of 1 for 3 trades anyway. Could the Blazers trade 'sheed for one guy? No, but getting more bodies pressuring for minutes is part of what killed the team 2 years ago. Maybe a Rasheed S&T next year would work better than a contract year trade.
Step 2: DD for GP. Can't argue with this. Dale, I love ya, but GP running the show would be worth trading height and DD's constitution in the post. If Milw really can't get a better offer, the Blazers would be foolish to pass this up.
Step 3: DA for Camby + (Andersen/White). Sure, if we can replace DA with Bonzi like I said above. I don't think that would work under the cap, though, and just Bonzi for Camby (pulling Andersen/White from the deal to make it work), after trading away DD, would leave the post positions very injury prone.
Step 4: resigning AD. yeah, I like what he brings, and if they can sign a reasonable contract, he's a keeper.
Ultimately, there are too many different things that need to line up to make all of his ideas work out. By wanting to keep DA, the whole deal unwinds. The Blazers would be very exposed inside with Camby and Sabas sharing the Center spot. If the Wallace 3 for 1 were to go down, that would just spread talent (helping in the Center situation), but not improve the overall product enough. Resigning Booms would help in the Center, but he's effectively a year out of the league now. Same with Dud's.
If steps 2 & 3 were switched: DD for Camby & Andersen/White and Bonzi for GP, maybe....... just musing.

__________________
Standing in the shadow of the next 6'8" great, but this time, from the Volunteer State!

Schilly

There is no such thing as BY2 anymore. The base year status only lasts one cantract year now.

Qyntel's Shadow

Oh. Regardless, Bonzi makes less than Camby and DA do, so step 3 would need to be modified in order for the deal as proposed (DA for Camby & Andersen/White) to include Bonzi instead of DA. The more I think about this deal, the less I like it.
Now, Bonzi for GP in a S&T... that I like, but if Milw wants something other than cap room for GP, they could probably get better offers. I still believe Milw made that trade to clear cap room not with the intension of retaining GP with a new contract. If that's the case, it will be interesting to see where he lands this Summer.

__________________
Standing in the shadow of the next 6'8" great, but this time, from the Volunteer State!

HOWIE

If you can turn Bonzi Wells into Gary Payton you do it in a heartbeat. He may not be a Super Star anymore, but he is not a black hole either!

__________________

Trader Ed

I usually like Jeff Robertson, but I do not like his trade sceanrios.

Trading Wallace in his scenario is not good IMHO. we can get far better in return and with less players than Stackhouse, Laettner, and Brown. I think we can trade Wallace and maybe another player for a higher quality player in return. We can even throw in a draft pick and $.

I would not trade DA for that bunch in Denver either. IMO DA is a player you want to keep along with Zach and Q. He has a very good effort each and every night from a hustle standpoint. I think if the offense was more balanced he would have a better FG% than he has. He is athletic and when in a transitional offense does better. Much like the whole team.

I agree I would resign Daniels. My poush is to keep the good charecters to build chemistry with. Keep the hustlers and effort players. Get rid of the lazy bones and bad attitudes.

I would keep the following
PG Daniels
SG Anderson
SF Pippen, Woods, Patterson?
PF Randolph
C Davis, Sabas

I would go after Payton as a MLE only
Resign Pippen and move him back to SF (If his health is good, although he may need to retire now)
Resign Daniels as a backup to Payton
I would move Wallace, Wells, McInnis and Stoudamire for 1 very high quality and 1 good quality player in return. Go after a high scoring SF and a center. Move Patterson if it helps

Move Davis back as a PF and let Zach share minutes as well
Move Woods to SG aka Clydes athleticsm

It can happen.... we have the makings for a good make over...

PG Payton?, Daniels
SG Anderson, Woods
SF Trade?, Pippen?, Patterson
PF Davis, Randolph
C Trade, Sabas, 2003 Draft pick (Perkins?)


Z as center with Sabas and a notable scoring SF would be perfect with Payton at the healm. Giving up Wallace, Wells, McInnis and Damon would fit really well.

__________________
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

HOWIE

I would like to see Portland go after a bigman in the draft and start look towards the future with Randolph and Woods. That is going to be your core in a few years. What is going to make them better? Payton is going to be good, but if you could land a Tony Parker he would be a better choice for the long haul. If Cleveland would do a trade of Wallace, Wells, and Stoudamire for Big "Z" and the number one pick that would make life in Portland very interesting next year. Portland may have missed on Michael Jordan, but if they had a shot at Lebron James, would they pass on him too?

__________________