Open Mic: As the Blazer's GM, I will trade...
If I were able to be the GM for any team in any sport I would select the Portland Trailblazers. They are poised for a run at greatness. The roster is stacked with every coach’s dream and nightmare: too much depth. So first, let's analyze the roster and spotlight the strengths and weaknesses.
The frontcourt is crowded. With Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Channing Frye, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Raef LaFrentz there are simply not enough minutes to get them all time. Oden and Aldridge are untouchable but the other three are available for the right price.
This is a strong point for the team. Oden and Aldridge provide offense while Oden and Przybilla provide excellent interior defense and rebounding. The weaknesses are primarily foul trouble and injuries. Since Travis Outlaw often slides into the four slot, Frye and LaFrentz will only make appearances due to deep trouble from fouls and injuries.
The small forward spot is currently manned by three part-time players; Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster, and James Jones. Outlaw plays the four at times while both Webster and Jones have gotten long looks at shooting guard.
Outlaw provides athleticism and the ability to create his own shot. Webster and Jones are excellent shooters but need to have their shot set up. They can score in bunches but are not otherwise spectacular.
Outlaw is untouchable but the others can be moved for the right price. This is a position of interest as far as upgrading.
The backcourt is an interesting situation. Brandon Roy is locked in for years to come and in Rudy Fernandez we have a potential stud to back him up. Last year Webster, Jones, Jarrett Jack, and Steve Blake all took turns backing him up.
With Roy and Fernandez there is plenty of firepower and excellent passing ability. Roy is an above average defender, though how Fernandez plays in that regard remains to be seen.
Point guard is currently a rotation of Blake, Jack, and Sergio Rodriguez. Blake provides veteran leadership, low turnovers, clutch long distance shooting and decent defense.
Jack is a good penetrator who can score in bunches. Rodriguez is the fastest of the guards but his defense means he can only be on the court for a short time. With improved defense his minutes will increase as he has the best court vision of any of the point guards. This is our other position of interest.
We have plenty of trade bait. With the purchase of the 27th pick in the draft we have five picks that, combined with Frye, LaFrentz, Przybilla, Jack, Webster, Jones, and Rodriguez give us plenty of options to trade.
There are two ways to go.
The preferred way, and, at this point the better option, would be a package of draft picks and reserves in exchange for a key veteran or two. Ideally we would like a point guard but the available options are few.
New Jersey is unlikely to part with Devin Harris who we feel would be an excellent choice. Kirk Hinrich is less of an upgrade and we would not part with much to get him, certainly no more than the 13th pick and Jack.
That leaves the draft. It is unlikely we would be able to induce Chicago to move the 1st pick to us, though if they would take a package including a couple of draft picks and perhaps one of our point guards or even big men, we can make it worth their while.
Our other option is packaging the 13th pick and Jack to move up in the draft far enough to ensure ourselves a shot at Augustin, the second best point in the draft behind Rose. That is certainly something we will look at.
For the small forward, rumors abound that New Jersey is looking to move Richard Jefferson and Detroit is looking to move Tayshaun Prince. Of the two we would prefer to acquire Prince. His versatility would work well with our current roster and his defensive presence at a key position would be a very positive step for us.
Ideally, we would package two to three of our draft picks and either Frye, Jack, or Jones. Or whoever we need to move to make the numbers work, to acquire Prince or Jefferson. Jefferson's contract is not a good one so to make that move we would want them to take LaFrentz.
It seems logical to think a player and the 13th pick might move us far enough in the draft to pick up Augustin or Russell Westbrook or, barring that, to snag Joe Alexander.
If we cannot move players and picks for Prince, Jefferson, (or less likely) Hinrich or Harris then we will most likely use the picks on some overseas guys we can stash for a couple years. The lineup will be hard to crack and we do not really have space for more players at this time.
Any way you look at it, we have the goods to move and the patience to wait for the right deal.
If the worst thing that happens is we trot out a lineup including as many as four players who will likely be All-Stars in their careers (Oden, Roy, Aldridge, and Outlaw) and capable role-players who fit in nicely, we have still made a huge leap forward and should win in the neighborhood of 50 games.
