NBA Rumors: Adios Rudy Fernandez, Welcome Wilson Chandler?
With the majority of the transactions in this year's NBA offseason completed, most teams are done dealing for now. Trade winds are still swirling in Denver with the possibility of Carmelo Anthony being dealt prior to the beginning of the regular season, with the fear of the Nuggets getting Lebron'd.
The Nuggets aren't the only team that needs to unload some of its key players. The Portland Trailblazers have an urgent need to unload shooting guard Rudy Fernandez. While Fernandez has the talent that many teams covet, his current relationship with the Blazers is so bad that "it can't be fixed" according to his agent.
Fernandez was recently fined $25,000 for publicly demanding a trade and has been ignoring all contact from Portland's organization. This situation isn't going to be resolved, so the Trailblazers need to trade the guard. The team has been offered a first round pick in next year's draft by the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls, but the Blazers should pull the trigger on the offer presented by the New York Knicks. This offer would send Fernandez to the Big Apple and send Wilson Chandler out west.
From the Knicks' standpoint, the trade makes sense. New York is a bigger market and D'Antoni's system is perfect for Fernandez's style of play. The starting job at shooting guard is up for grabs in New York and Rudy could have a fresh start by playing a bigger role as a starter.
While the deal makes sense for the Knicks, it is genius for the Trailblazers. Right now, the Blazers have Brandon Roy (SG), Fernandez (SG), Wesley Matthews (SG/SF), Nic Batum (SF) and Luke Babbitt (SF). It is a lot to ask of a rookie to assume a regular role and Babbitt may not be ready to contribute right away, but we can consider the Blazers two-deep at shooting guard and one-deep at small forward; Matthews can play both.
If Fernandez is traded, then Matthews can backup Roy and Chandler can back up Batum, making the Blazers two-deep at each position.
Chandler will be a good complement to Batum because although Batum can score, he is more of a defensive stopper. Chandler is efficient in both scoring and rebounding as he averaged 15.3 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Both of these young players have high potential and will be a great tandem to man the small forward position.
In this proposed trade, the Blazers get bigger. Besides the point guard position the probable rotation is full of players with good height for their position.
PG: Andre Miller (6'2") Jerryd Bayless (6'3")
SG: Brandon Roy (6'6") Wesley Matthews (6'5")
SF: Nicolas Batum (6'8") Wilson Chandler (6'8")
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge (6'10") Marcus Camby (6'10")
C: Greg Oden (7'0") Joel Pryzbilla (7'1")
The Portland Trailblazers have youth, talent, athleticism, defense and height and are one of the most promising teams in the league. Ruling out injuries, the Blazers are in my opinion the favorites to be a top three team in the Western Conference.
Portland is going in all the right direction, and cutting out its cancer in Fernandez would help cut out any distractions in a run at the title. It's imperative for the Blazers to dump Rudy Fernandez and they should acquire the young promising forward in Wilson Chandler while they can. Get the job done Portland.
