There was a thread in the NBA forum about which lottery team has the brightest future... Maybe the Blazers future isn't THE brightest, but I think we have a chance to build a contender in the near future.
I posted the following in the NBA forum:
Quote:
Maybe not the brightest future, but the Blazers are in somewhat decent shape. Lot of flexibility this offseason. Too bad our owner sucks.. We really need a GM to form a plan and choose a direction to go in.
The only players under contract next season are:
Lamarcus Aldridge
Wesley Matthews
Luke Babbit
Elliot Williams
Nolan Smith
Kurt Thomas is also under contract next season, but I think he will retire or get waived
Moves we can make:
Team options for Johny Flynn (we might use that one) and Hasheem (no way we do that for almost 6.5 mill!).
Batum, Chris Johnson and Hickson are RFA’s and unless they get ridiculous offers we don’t let Batum and Hickson walk. Hickson has performed well and has really been playing for a contract (I hope he wants to remain a Blazer).
Resign Rhino Craig Smith. Fan favourite and tremendous hard worker/hustle guy.
Crawford and Shawne Williams have player options. I don’t know if Crawford will pick up his, but I think Shawne will (good money for him). Hope we can get rid of Crawford.
Maybe do a sign and trade for Raymond Felton? If we can get a deal done. Or just let him walk.. I want him gone.
Pryzzie might stick for another year, since he just signed with us. Would be great.
2 lottery picks coming in, one from the Nets (will be top 10, is top 3 protected)
Depending on who we resign we get to spend some money on FA’s as well.
Where do we go this offseason.. who do we keep and who do we let go?
Re-sign Batum for no more than $9-9.5M.
Attempt to sign Deron Williams.
If not, attempt to sign either Lou Williams or Dragic; and Hawes.
Re-sign Hickson for no more than $5.5M.
Flynn I am re-signing cheap to be our backup PG if we have money left (under $2M per year)
Keep our 2 picks unless something really enticing comes along: Draft a big and a PG or wing.
Re-sign Przybilla cheap (not sure what the max is I'd be willing to spend, just make it similar to what he gets paid now).
Let Crawford and Felton walk.
Rhino is a toss up. If we have roster space left and $ but no other prospects, I have no problem keeping him, but he certainly is expendable.
I'd let Crawford and Felton both go.
Resign Batum, Pryzbilla and Thabeet.
I'd like to pick up some combination of Kendall Marshall, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones with our first round picks.
Would love to get Deron Williams, but if not, then there's Dragic, Hinrich or maybe even Bayless. If we could package our 2 second rounders and move up, I'd love to grab Fab Melo out of Syracuse. If we stick with our picks in the second round, I'd like to look at guys like Jared Cunningham, Kevin Jones, Quincy Acy and Robert Sacre (Oregon State, W Virginia, Baylor and Duke). Just saw that Crawford opted out. Whoever we bring in to coach, I hope he freaking runs this team, as much as I respect Coach Nate, his offense killed me.
I also wouldn't mind trading our first pick (from the Nets) for either the Rockets 2 first round picks or the Celtics 2 first round picks. I like Tony Wroten out of UW......curious to hear what others think of Myers Leonard - one of my coworkers is a big Illini fan and he's big on the kid, but thinks he's making a mistake coming out early......
I also wouldn't mind trading our first pick (from the Nets) for either the Rockets 2 first round picks or the Celtics 2 first round picks.
I would probably want to keep the 6th pick (or slightly worse; assuming they don't win a top 3 pick) over the 14th and 16th from Houston; and no way I would trade the pick for Boston's 21 and 22.
I just wonder who that could be? Any suggestions for a specific trade?
aaron brooks would be a good fit and could prob be attained for relatively cheap...
.... rajon rondo maybe? if celts collapse, he'd be a guy i'd like to look at
say what you want about character issues.... that guy can ball
hard to get into specific trades considering we only have 5? players signed for next season currently.... i'd like to exclude elliot williams from trades unless it's a no brainer i really like what we've seen from him thus far.
aaron brooks would be a good fit and could prob be attained for relatively cheap...
.... rajon rondo maybe? if celts collapse, he'd be a guy i'd like to look at
say what you want about character issues.... that guy can ball
hard to get into specific trades considering we only have 5? players signed for next season currently.... i'd like to exclude elliot williams from trades unless it's a no brainer i really like what we've seen from him thus far.
I'd be cool with trading both picks for Rajon. But for a guy like Brooks who jumps around from team to team, I'd rather shoot for him in free agency than give up a lottery pick for him.
I wouldn't mind Brooks, but Dragic is my first pick out of free agents (after Deron Williams of course). Of the point guards in the draft, I'd like to get Kendall Marshall from North Carolina.
Who do we resign and who walks this offseason
