tlongII
06-24-2010, 09:39 AM
http://mobile.oregonlive.com/advorg/pm_29234/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=0CBB3C2C755C317C1EB1D AFF420ECD74?contentguid=1ahvsWq4
The Trail Blazers hold a couple of marginal draft picks. They don't have room under the NBA's salary cap. They aren't a player in the pursuit of the league's generational superstar. Still, there's an unmistakable sense of urgency at One Center Court today.
There are already a half dozen teams that have made clear that they're not as interested in winning as they are in saving money. There are others who are inclined to play the 2010 NBA draft straight up, make a pick, nothing more. But the truth is, you are either predator or prey on a day like Thursday.
The Blazers are hunting, and you have to love it.
Owner Paul Allen just spent the last half year battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He's liquidated some of his businesses. He fired his NFL coach, Jim Mora Jr., and hired a guy out of the college football ranks who has proven he'll win at all costs.
Allen's basketball coach, Nate McMillan, has one season remaining on his contract. McMillan has decided (read: been instructed) to rework his coaching staff, and add assistants with head coaching experience. I don't like the way Allen is handling his general manger, but Kevin Pritchard is now operating with the motivation of a day laborer who wants to come back tomorrow. He knows his job is probably lost, but he's trying to save it anyway with a trade that could alter the future of the franchise.
We've heard a lot of talk in the past week about Portland's increase in activity. Executives from around the league are talking to the Blazers about possibilities, one of which included Minnesota reportedly offering Thursday's No. 4 overall pick in exchange for forward Nicolas Batum.
The Blazers turned that one down.
And wisely so, because Chris Paul is suddenly a possibility in Portland.
The point guard the Blazers have long coveted, told reporters that he's not opposed to leaving New Orleans. Said Paul: "If we're not committed to winning and trying to get better so we can contend with the Lakers, Celtics and all these other top teams, then I'm open to being traded."
Welcome to "Operation CPDX3."
Because in recent years the Blazers had the expiring contracts of Arvydas Sabonis, Nick Van Exel, Damon Stoudamire and Raef LaFrentz and failed to get anything in return. That can't happen in 2010 with the two biggest expiring contracts on the team — Joel Przybilla and Andre Miller.
The Blazers are acting like a real sports team. They're trying to improve. They want to win. And there are few days in a season — let alone a decade — like today, when it comes to changing your luck.
Paul is a luck changer. He'd look wonderful alongside Brandon Roy in the backcourt. Those two bookends, and everything else is filler. Including a trip to the conference finals. Which brings us to those who can't make the trip with the rest should Portland want to get this deal done.
Trade bait includes Przybilla, who will exercise his player option and become an expiring $7.4 million contract next season. Also, Miller, who has a team option after next season. Maybe, too, Martell Webster and Rudy Fernandez. And if extreme measures are needed, I'd give up anybody but Roy if it meant getting the deal done.
The Hornets owe Paul $50 million over the next three seasons. Owner George Shinn has a proposed sale that is being delayed by financial shortfalls, and if he's truly looking to play prey, the Blazers feel like an organization in position to assume the role of predator.
Shinn said Wednesday that he's committed to winning and views Paul as the "cornerstone" of the franchise. But that will have to be backed up by moves, not words, and I think Shinn is smart enough to see that the window has closed in New Orleans.
The Blazers don't have to make a franchise-changing trade today. But they have to do something big between now and February's trade deadline. Portland must leave that period dramatically better off than it was when it entered.
It begins now.
The Trail Blazers hold a couple of marginal draft picks. They don't have room under the NBA's salary cap. They aren't a player in the pursuit of the league's generational superstar. Still, there's an unmistakable sense of urgency at One Center Court today.
There are already a half dozen teams that have made clear that they're not as interested in winning as they are in saving money. There are others who are inclined to play the 2010 NBA draft straight up, make a pick, nothing more. But the truth is, you are either predator or prey on a day like Thursday.
The Blazers are hunting, and you have to love it.
Owner Paul Allen just spent the last half year battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He's liquidated some of his businesses. He fired his NFL coach, Jim Mora Jr., and hired a guy out of the college football ranks who has proven he'll win at all costs.
Allen's basketball coach, Nate McMillan, has one season remaining on his contract. McMillan has decided (read: been instructed) to rework his coaching staff, and add assistants with head coaching experience. I don't like the way Allen is handling his general manger, but Kevin Pritchard is now operating with the motivation of a day laborer who wants to come back tomorrow. He knows his job is probably lost, but he's trying to save it anyway with a trade that could alter the future of the franchise.
We've heard a lot of talk in the past week about Portland's increase in activity. Executives from around the league are talking to the Blazers about possibilities, one of which included Minnesota reportedly offering Thursday's No. 4 overall pick in exchange for forward Nicolas Batum.
The Blazers turned that one down.
And wisely so, because Chris Paul is suddenly a possibility in Portland.
The point guard the Blazers have long coveted, told reporters that he's not opposed to leaving New Orleans. Said Paul: "If we're not committed to winning and trying to get better so we can contend with the Lakers, Celtics and all these other top teams, then I'm open to being traded."
Welcome to "Operation CPDX3."
Because in recent years the Blazers had the expiring contracts of Arvydas Sabonis, Nick Van Exel, Damon Stoudamire and Raef LaFrentz and failed to get anything in return. That can't happen in 2010 with the two biggest expiring contracts on the team — Joel Przybilla and Andre Miller.
The Blazers are acting like a real sports team. They're trying to improve. They want to win. And there are few days in a season — let alone a decade — like today, when it comes to changing your luck.
Paul is a luck changer. He'd look wonderful alongside Brandon Roy in the backcourt. Those two bookends, and everything else is filler. Including a trip to the conference finals. Which brings us to those who can't make the trip with the rest should Portland want to get this deal done.
Trade bait includes Przybilla, who will exercise his player option and become an expiring $7.4 million contract next season. Also, Miller, who has a team option after next season. Maybe, too, Martell Webster and Rudy Fernandez. And if extreme measures are needed, I'd give up anybody but Roy if it meant getting the deal done.
The Hornets owe Paul $50 million over the next three seasons. Owner George Shinn has a proposed sale that is being delayed by financial shortfalls, and if he's truly looking to play prey, the Blazers feel like an organization in position to assume the role of predator.
Shinn said Wednesday that he's committed to winning and views Paul as the "cornerstone" of the franchise. But that will have to be backed up by moves, not words, and I think Shinn is smart enough to see that the window has closed in New Orleans.
The Blazers don't have to make a franchise-changing trade today. But they have to do something big between now and February's trade deadline. Portland must leave that period dramatically better off than it was when it entered.
It begins now.