For Blazer Fans (Part 1)

by Stumptown

Just for fun here’s a look at every team in the NBA with an eye toward whether they would make good trading partners with the Blazers based on they players they have, the players they need, the contracts involved and the likelihood that they would do the deal.  This turned out to be quite long, so I'm going to post it in two parts.

I’m not going to bother with every possible scenario or deal with things like whether the Blazers could get in on a trade for KG or Kobe.  I’m working with the premise that the Blazers would, for the right deal, be willing to part with Jack, Przybilla, Webster, Green, McRoberts, Outlaw, LaFrentz and Jones.  I’m sure they would trade just about anyone other than Roy and Oden if the price was right, but the Blazers clearly want to keep Roy, Aldridge, Frye, Oden and Sergio…and Blake at least for this year.  So, I’m not going to discuss those guys very much if at all.  Also, I’m assuming that both Raef and D Miles are basically untradeable because of their contracts and health.  Finally, I’m assuming that the Blazers really only need a new starting 3, so I’m looking specifically at trades that would net them a significant upgrade at small forward.

Atlanta

•n                  Available/Desirable – Josh Childress, Marvin Williams.  Both play the 3.  Both have the right timeline for age.  Both have manageable contracts at the moment.  Of the two I like Childress better because of his D and his shooting.  That said, he’s basically a better shooting Travis Outlaw with perhaps less upside.  Even with Acie Law playing well in the summer league and Speedy under contract, they could still use PG help and Zaza or the undersized Horford and S. Williams are the only options at the 5, so they may be interested in Joel as well.  A trade of Jack and Webster for Childress and Salim Stoudamire (an underrated NBA scorer) would work, but I don’t really like the trade.  I think that is too much to give up for a guy that is redundant of what we already have.  A guy like Childress fits, but isn’t a significant upgrade.

•n                  Willingness – I think Atlanta would be interested in both Prz and Jack, but unless you started talking about players like Josh Smith, I don’t think they have what Portland needs.

Boston

•n                  Available/Desirable – For the last couple years Paul Pierce might have been on this list, but that ship has sailed and his health and the pouting he would do if traded to a rebuilding team along with his timeline and his contract make him undesirable.  Otherwise, Jeff Green is an interesting player, but he is more of a shooting guard than a SF, so I’m not seeing much the Celts have to offer.

•n                  Willingness – I don’t think the Celts are a good trade partner because they are looking for veterans to help Ray Ray and Pierce win now.  Jack might be an attractive player for them since they don’t have much at PG, but they just don’t have much to offer.  Possibly Gomes, but I think the Celtics really like him and he makes so little money, he would be hard to trade for without taking back a contract like Ratliff which the Blazers do not want to do. 

Charlotte

•n                  Available/Desirable – Hermann, Morrison, G-Force, JRich, and Carrol can all play the 3.  Of those, only Morrison, Carrol and Hermann might be available.  Of those, only Hermann is desirable.  I think that guy is a stud even if he does look like Fabio’s skinny cousin.  Because he can shoot and is flexible enough to play the 4, he is a good fit for Portland, but I think Charlotte really likes him and the salary is so small, the trade is hard.  Plus, I’m not sure he is an upgrade (considering timeline) that makes it worth trading some of Portland’s prospects.

•n                  Willingness – Charlotte actually looks an awful lot like Portland in that it is pretty stocked with good young players looking to hit their primes about the same time.  They don’t really need Jack or Joel, so I’m thinking they wouldn’t be all that interested in what Portland has to offer

Chicago

•n                  Available/Desirable – I still wish the Blazers could have worked out a deal that brought Nocioni in for Zach, with other players involved.  I just think Noc fits the need better and would have provided better value for Zach.  Oh well, I have to move on.  The Bulls have Sefalosha and Gordon who would both fit a need for the Blazers (no point in even commenting on Deng).  But I’m not sure Thabo is going to be any better than Outlaw and Gordon might not be happy coming off the bench.  Still if we could trade Jack, Webster and one of this year’s picks (Green or McRoberts) and get back Gordon I would do it in a nanosecond.  But, of course, the Bulls would not.

•n                  Willingness – The Bulls are pretty set at every position except power forward or center where they lack any inside scoring and have guys who are so redundant they can’t really be on the floor together.  The Blazers had the perfect player for what they needed, but the Bulls foolishly decided to pass on a guy that would have made them the prohibitive favorite to win the East.  Now, I don’t see them having interest in any of the Blazers’ pieces

Cleveland

•n                  Available/Desirable – Pavlovic is really the only player here even remotely interesting.  Truth is, I don’t think he’s an upgrade over what the Blazers already have.  Man the Cavs are screwed in their attempts to improve.  I mean if Hughes doesn’t completely transform this year, they are stuck.  Anyway, no one here helps except Lebron and I have a hunch they would want to hold onto him.

•n                  Willingness – I’m sure they would love to get Jack or Blake as they desperately need for someone named Booby to be their starting PG, but they don’t have anything to offer.  I wonder why they didn’t make a harder push for Blake.  Seems like he would have fit well there.

Dallas

•n                  Available/Desirable – Josh Howard is the only player that fits the bill.  He’s a stud and would certainly help the Blazers.  I think he’s one of the top small forwards in the league other than the marquee guys.  Based just on the contracts, I couldn’t find a deal that works even if the Blazers took back a bad salary like Jason Terry.  Maybe there are salary cap loopholes that are out there that could make it work, but because of the base year compensation rules, it would nearly be impossible for Portland to offer anything close to equal value, at least before the season starts

•n                  Willingness – I could see Dallas having an interest in just about any of the Blazer players.  They could use help at the 1, 5 and 2, but the Blazers available probably wouldn’t seem that enticing.

Denver

•n                  Available/Desirable – Kleiza is a nice player at a cheap price, but is he an upgrade?  Not enough to ship out the prospects it would take to get him.  Otherwise the only player who fits is Melo and on top of his contract making it nearly impossible I’m guessing, and this is only a guess, the Nuggets wouldn’t be interested unless the Blazers were offering a package that included Roy and Oden and maybe not even then.

•n                  Willingness – They need someone to take Kmart off their hands.  They don’t need what the Blazers have.

Detroit

•n                  Available/Desirable – Both Prince and Rip would be nice additions.  And if they had somehow missed out on getting Billups back, then maybe they blow it up and try to start over and those guys might have been available….maybe.  but even if they were, Rip makes too much money and is really more of a 2 than a 3 and while Prince is nice, he is also expensive.  A deal for Prince would mean giving up Prz and Webster, which I think Portland would do in a flash, but why would Detroit?  As nice as a player like Prince would be, this ain’t happenin’.

•n                  Willingness – The Pistons could actually really use Przybilla, but wouldn’t give up Prince to get him.  They would give up Nazr and probably several others like Flip, but that doesn’t help Portland at all.  Nonstarter here.

Golden State

•n                  Available/Desirable – Al Harrington is an interesting option.  He is almost certainly available after last year’s playoff meltdown.  He would fit Portland’s system and can shoot a little.  He would give Portland a consistent scorer which they badly need and he’s still young enough that he could help down the road when the Blazers are good.  However, he is currently way overpaid and I just don’t really like him.  He was useless in the post season and seems like one of those guys that just doesn’t care that much and provides no positive leadership.  I don’t like the contract or the game enough to hamstring the Blazers financially.  Somewhat intriguing, but in the end, I don’t think this works.  What about Piertrus?  He’s an interesting prospect, but it would take a sign and trade and I don’t think he would offer enough upgrade if any to make it worth the trade.  Oh and while Belinelli burned up summer league, he has never been that great a shooter in Europe and the Blazers have Rudy coming next year who is better.

•n                  Willingness – GS doesn’t need what Portland has.  Personally I think they are still trying to get Yi or KG or both and I don’t think they like or should like the available pieces from Portland.

Houston

•n                  Availabile/Desirable – Battier would look so nice in a Blazer uni.  I mean, the leadership, the character, the defense, the shooting, he would be ideal.  Like a rich man’s Ime.  He makes almost identical money to Przybilla, so a one for one swap could work on the books.  Think the Rockets would be interested?  Yeah, me neither.  The Rockets really only need a power forward.  What about Frye and Webster and a draft pick?  It would have to wait a while since Frye was just traded.  That could make some sense for Houston, but I see them wanting to keep a guy like Battier.  Still, it’s nice to ponder.  Or how about Bonzi?  Kidding.  Just kidding.

•n                  Willingness – Frye would give them their missing PF and a starting lineup of Yao, Frye, TMac, James and Bonzi would be pretty dang good with Martel hitting open 3s off the bench.  But I think the Rockets want to give Butler and Scola a shot first and even then still don’t want to trade Battier.

Indiana

•n                  Available/Desirable – Danny Granger is really the only interesting player on this roster.  He’s a nice player that would be a legit upgrade over what Portland has.  I would rather have a shooter, but Granger’s good.  Problem is he makes so little other players would have to be involved.  Some combo of Martel, Joel and Jack would match up contract wise fairly well with Granger and Tinsley.  It doesn’t quite work, but is probably close enough to make something happen.  That said, do the Blazers want to take back an overpaid backup PG with health issues just to get Granger?  Probably not.

•n                  Willingness – they should be willing to do just about anything.  They were awful with this roster and need to be trying hard to make some moves.  I think they are trying to get someone to give them 85 cents on the dollar for O’Neal, but that might be tough.  In any event, they could use plenty of the Blazer players, but don’t have much to offer except really bad contracts.

LAC

•n                  Available/Desirable – Magette should be very available.  He has about the perfect skill set for Portland’s needs.  Then there is just that little issue of production, attitude, health and contract.  Pass.  After that, there’s…..nope, that’s it.  Nothing more to see here folks.  The Clips are in the lottery to stay.  Get ready for Elton Brand trade rumors to start around Christmas.  Wouldn’t a Brand back to the Bulls deadline deal stir the pot a bit?  Or maybe the Mavs?  Just wait for it.  It’s coming.

•n                  Willingness – shockingly, they don’t seem even willing to part with Magette.  They could use any of the Blazer PGs right down to the Finish kid.  But they don’t have much to offer unless it was a three team deal and this post is taking too much time as it is.

LAL

•n                  Available/Desirable – No Laker is desirable, ever.  Odom?  We’re still trying to get the smell of chronic out of the facilities.  Pass.  Walton?  We have the cheaper, higher ceiling version as a second round pick (McRoberts).  Pass.  Vujacic?  Still wondering why he is in the league.  Pass.

•n                  Willingness – The Lakers need nothing but someone with enough star power to keep Kobe in town and the Blazers don’t have that and wouldn’t offer it if they did.

See Part 2 of this post which covers the remaining NBA teams by visiting my profile.