http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/60257/flurry-of-trade-talks-surrounding-draft

And to keep it real that's a fair offer....I guess the Blazers expected the Cavs to also offer Waiters/Thompson and Varaejao... so the Cavs would Melo themselves.

3G4G wrote:

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

I wonder if Lillard was thought of being on a competitive level as Kyrie coming into the league? Sometimes the chance is worth taking, in this case if I were Portland I'd think long and hard about it, because Aldridge is not really in the same age bracket as Lillard and they won't be good enough to break through the West anytime soon....

Lillard
Oladipo #1
Pick #10
Pick #19
Batum(Flip Batum for a Top 10 grab Porter)
Pick #39
Pick #40
Pick #45

There you have an extremely cheap team(with talent) who can all grow together at the same time around the same age built in 1 yr practically.

There just has to be a better trade out there for one of the few legitimate post players in the NBA. Two 1st round picks in a bad draft just isn't enough.

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

Just goes to show that the top 12 picks or so in this draft are suspect. Save for Trey Burke who probably goes around 5 or so (maybe higher), I think the real value start around 12.

Jmpasq wrote:

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

Its possible but doubtful the only thing is Aldrige is 27 so if your building towards 2 seasons from now I could understand trading him. I wouldnt trade him for this years 1st though. I would want more then just those 2 picks.If I got Waiters as well then I would do it

Actually in July he'll be 28 so you might as well say he's 28.

3G4G wrote:

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

I wonder if Lillard was thought of being on a competitive level as Kyrie coming into the league? Sometimes the chance is worth taking, in this case if I were Portland I'd think long and hard about it, because Aldridge is not really in the same age bracket as Lillard and they won't be good enough to break through the West anytime soon....

Lillard
Oladipo #1
Pick #10
Pick #19
Batum(Flip Batum for a Top 10 grab Porter)
Pick #39
Pick #40
Pick #45

There you have an extremely cheap team(with talent) who can all grow together at the same time around the same age built in 1 yr practically.

good point, but LA has a game that seems to age well and really he has added to his game, dude has a turn around jumper in the post that is deadly, sort of a dream shake.. i would give it a run with him, lillard and batum.. that is a nice core.. I would take that in a heartbeat..

3G4G wrote:

tkf wrote:

3G4G wrote:

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

I wonder if Lillard was thought of being on a competitive level as Kyrie coming into the league? Sometimes the chance is worth taking, in this case if I were Portland I'd think long and hard about it, because Aldridge is not really in the same age bracket as Lillard and they won't be good enough to break through the West anytime soon....

Lillard
Oladipo #1
Pick #10
Pick #19
Batum(Flip Batum for a Top 10 grab Porter)
Pick #39
Pick #40
Pick #45

There you have an extremely cheap team(with talent) who can all grow together at the same time around the same age built in 1 yr practically.

good point, but LA has a game that seems to age well and really he has added to his game, dude has a turn around jumper in the post that is deadly, sort of a dream shake.. i would give it a run with him, lillard and batum.. that is a nice core.. I would take that in a heartbeat..

They have to go against

The Spurs

The Thunder

The Clippers

The Nuggets

The Warriors

The Girzzlies

The Rockets

Sorry that's not a good enough core to grow with when Aldridge is 28 and will need another deal soon. I don't see a ton of impact players flocking to Portland either.

You sell high....maybe ask Cleveland for some of their second round picks this yr too. I don't know but Portland is a 7-8th seed team at best for the next 2 yrs. This is how franchises get themselves stuck in mediocrity because they want to hold on to their binkies too long.

i would be fine either way... but yea, the west is no joke.. LA is a good player, but the blazers have to be that much Better, comp is stiff.. so yea this would be a swinging for the fences move for portland, and sometimes you just have to do that... and remember, all it is costing you is Aldridge, this won't hurt portlands future one bit, or their flexibility..

Jmpasq wrote:

tkf wrote:

3G4G wrote:

tkf wrote:

3G4G wrote:

VCoug wrote:I wouldn't do that trade either if I were Portland. Does anyone think that a player coming out in this draft will be better than Aldridge? I don't.

I wonder if Lillard was thought of being on a competitive level as Kyrie coming into the league? Sometimes the chance is worth taking, in this case if I were Portland I'd think long and hard about it, because Aldridge is not really in the same age bracket as Lillard and they won't be good enough to break through the West anytime soon....

Lillard
Oladipo #1
Pick #10
Pick #19
Batum(Flip Batum for a Top 10 grab Porter)
Pick #39
Pick #40
Pick #45

There you have an extremely cheap team(with talent) who can all grow together at the same time around the same age built in 1 yr practically.

good point, but LA has a game that seems to age well and really he has added to his game, dude has a turn around jumper in the post that is deadly, sort of a dream shake.. i would give it a run with him, lillard and batum.. that is a nice core.. I would take that in a heartbeat..

They have to go against

The Spurs

The Thunder

The Clippers

The Nuggets

The Warriors

The Girzzlies

The Rockets

Sorry that's not a good enough core to grow with when Aldridge is 28 and will need another deal soon. I don't see a ton of impact players flocking to Portland either.

You sell high....maybe ask Cleveland for some of their second round picks this yr too. I don't know but Portland is a 7-8th seed team at best for the next 2 yrs. This is how franchises get themselves stuck in mediocrity because they want to hold on to their binkies too long.

i would be fine either way... but yea, the west is no joke.. LA is a good player, but the blazers have to be that much Better, comp is stiff.. so yea this would be a swinging for the fences move for portland, and sometimes you just have to do that... and remember, all it is costing you is Aldridge, this won't hurt portlands future one bit, or their flexibility..

Would u do it for just those 2 picks though. I would need another good asset to get it done. If I was Cleveland Id be going after Nikola Peković instead. Or give 3 years 45 million to Bynum with only this season Guaranteed. The Cavs still have 2 more seasons before they have to max out Kyrie. They dont need to rush.They could make a deadline move with Varejao and a young player to.They could be being smart and putting it out there and if they bite they bite if not go in another direction. They still have a lot of young assets and draft picks

for portland, I would want something else as well, but those two picks are not bad at all. The key is, will portland be willing to take that step back to potentially take 2 forward? Lilliard is young as is batum, making that deal will set you back a bit, but quickly the rewards can be great..

EnySpree wrote:They should have made that trade in my opinion.....

The argument that Aldridge us 28 says it all.....they could have went for that Maryland kid and drafted a shooter at #19......

Since they didn't do that they are looking to win now.....my question is are they looking for a center to play with Aldridge? Can they help us by sending youth and Wesley Matthews for Chandler?

for the cavs, the east is not as tough and LA with kyrie would not be a bad fit at all...