Spring Break
Master plan for Blazers: trades, free-agents, draft picks
Ben Bradea
Issue date: 5/18/09 Section: Sports
Kevin Pritchard, are you out there? My plan for the Blazers this off-season will put them over the top and make them a sure-fire contender for the Western Conference crown. I am not suggesting a major overhaul of the team, rather minor tweaks which are necessary for this team to grow and, honestly, to weed out some of the players that will stunt the Blazers' run at a championship.
The checklist can be started with players who will not be re-signed to the team next year when their contract expires this summer. These players include Channing Frye, Michael Ruffin, Raef LaFrentz and Shavlik Randolph.
Another player that is expected to be gone this summer is Sergio Rodriguez, who has expressed the desire to find a new situation in the NBA and has all but expressed his farewell to the Blazers' fans. One way or another, not many people expect him to be back.
The Blazers will be about seven-million dollars under the cap which means they will have the chance to be active in the free agent market, even though I think they will make their hay through trades. Here is my six-step plan for the off-season.
Step one: Trade Sergio Rodriguez plus the Blazers' 24th overall pick for the New York Knicks eighth overall pick. With the eighth pick in the draft, the Blazers can acquire a back-up banger power forward in DeJuan Blair. Blair would be a great fit for the Blazers as someone who can add major muscle to the second unit. This trade, however, is more about setting Sergio free and freeing up back-up point guard minutes for Jerryd Bayless.
Step two: Trade Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw for Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls. Kirk Hinrich is a well-mentioned player who really stepped up in the playoffs this year, providing the Chicago Bulls with great defense, penetration and shooting. Trading Outlaw would free up the small-forward minutes for Nicolas Batum and the re-emerging Martell Webster next year, who is hyped to have a break-out season.
Step three: Sign free-agent Joe Smith to a two year contract worth $3 million. Joe Smith is a solid jump shooter who doesn't turn the ball over and rebounds the ball well. He is a good defender and would be the back-up power forward to Aldridge until DeJuan Blair develops.
The checklist can be started with players who will not be re-signed to the team next year when their contract expires this summer. These players include Channing Frye, Michael Ruffin, Raef LaFrentz and Shavlik Randolph.
Another player that is expected to be gone this summer is Sergio Rodriguez, who has expressed the desire to find a new situation in the NBA and has all but expressed his farewell to the Blazers' fans. One way or another, not many people expect him to be back.
The Blazers will be about seven-million dollars under the cap which means they will have the chance to be active in the free agent market, even though I think they will make their hay through trades. Here is my six-step plan for the off-season.
Step one: Trade Sergio Rodriguez plus the Blazers' 24th overall pick for the New York Knicks eighth overall pick. With the eighth pick in the draft, the Blazers can acquire a back-up banger power forward in DeJuan Blair. Blair would be a great fit for the Blazers as someone who can add major muscle to the second unit. This trade, however, is more about setting Sergio free and freeing up back-up point guard minutes for Jerryd Bayless.
Step two: Trade Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw for Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls. Kirk Hinrich is a well-mentioned player who really stepped up in the playoffs this year, providing the Chicago Bulls with great defense, penetration and shooting. Trading Outlaw would free up the small-forward minutes for Nicolas Batum and the re-emerging Martell Webster next year, who is hyped to have a break-out season.
Step three: Sign free-agent Joe Smith to a two year contract worth $3 million. Joe Smith is a solid jump shooter who doesn't turn the ball over and rebounds the ball well. He is a good defender and would be the back-up power forward to Aldridge until DeJuan Blair develops.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Ryan Mann
posted 5/17/09 @ 11:18 PM PST
OUTSTANDING.
I hope the Blazers listen to you, because you laid a very nice framework. We all know that they have the foundation, but they definitely cannot be idle this offseason if they hope to improve and compete next year. (Continued…)
Brandon Goldner
posted 5/19/09 @ 10:04 PM PST
Not that your article isn't well written and thoughtful, but Blake and Outlaw for... Kirk Hinrich??
Hinrich has already approached the receding years of his career, during which his stats have not been stellar (14ppg, 6apg for the career, and career-lows of 9. (Continued…)
jae
posted 6/07/09 @ 10:43 AM PST
That all sounds great except I would get a different point guard than kirk hinrich. He really isn't that much more of an upgrade than blake except that he plays better defense. (Continued…)
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