Hypothetical Trade Discussions - Portland

[jemagee]

Portland is a team with a lot of young talent that went on a nice run last year and impressed some people before falling short of the playoffs (but without looking, I think they finished with a better record than the sixers right?)

They are a team with A LOT of assets, maybe too many to consider keeping long term, but they don't really have a solid veteran leader to help these guys out, even for a year, and that veteran hole is very clear at one major position...Point Guard.

The sixers have a point guard who is a veteran, is in the last year of his contract, and has expressed, if not completely directly that he's a 'west coast guy'.

So, would you explore trading Andre Miller to Portland Trailblazers for maybe some young talent from that roster...what would it take for you to get it done...Without looking at rosters or salaries, I would have to guess that pryzbilla would have to be in any deal to make salaries match, and pryzbilla is a fine back up (better than Booth in my opinion) if not a little bit over paid for a little too many years, but maybe the other players you get back are worth the pryzbilla contract.

So what would you want back from the blazers to do such a deal if anything (within the realms of possibility would help, it's doubtful that oden, alrdridge roy or even bayless would be available:)

Just something new to talk about

[bebopdeluxe]

Looking at how Speights has performed this summer (and knowing how untradable Evans' contract is), I would think that any move that we make with Miller should be for either 1) a PG (either a young, promising one or an established guy like Hinrich) or 2) a high-quality shooter of a SG/SF...and didn't the Blazers just draft Bayless?  And have Fernandez and Rodriguez on their roster?  And there's talk about Koponen making the team?  Why would they want Miller?

I am still hopeful that Chicago is something like, say, 19-and-31 at the All-Star break, and may be willing to swap Hinrich for Miller for the cap relief.

[WayOutWest]

Brandon Roy is there guy, I doubt they want to bring in a guy like Miller to start and he's too expensive to be a reserve.  The Vanilla Gorilla is a tough commodity to get in today's NBA with guys like Diop making huge bucks for half of Pryzbilla's contributions.

[jemagee]

My thinking on miller is that all those names you mentioned are young, inexperienced and maybe they need a mentor for one year to learn behind, and miller is ideal since his contract expires...his preference to be on the west coast indicates to me that his re-signing in philadlephia is unlikely (and i don't even know for sure i'd want him to re-sign with the sixers at his age)...plus I have a concern about millers age and his 'drop off' in play that will come at some point, if it comes this year then his trade value plummets as he's ONLY a contract and nothing else.

The Bulls are always a good option but if Hinrich is getting moved, I think it'll be this off season, and dependent on whether or not they keep gordon, lots of rumblings that people think hinrich can be a two guard.

[jemagee]

Brandon Roy is there guy, I doubt they want to bring in a guy like Miller to start and he's too expensive to be a reserve.  The Vanilla Gorilla is a tough commodity to get in today's NBA with guys like Diop making huge bucks for half of Pryzbilla's contributions.

Barndon Roy is their guy, at shooting guard, if all the writings are to be believed, he's not a point guard, most of their points currently have zero NBA regular season minutes but they are a team that should challenge for the playoffs, and long term thinking, no way they can keep ALL thsoe guys when their rookie deal are up, can they?  That's like a knicks size payroll?

[WayOutWest]

Brandon Roy is there guy, I doubt they want to bring in a guy like Miller to start and he's too expensive to be a reserve.  The Vanilla Gorilla is a tough commodity to get in today's NBA with guys like Diop making huge bucks for half of Pryzbilla's contributions.

Barndon Roy is their guy, at shooting guard, if all the writings are to be believed, he's not a point guard, most of their points currently have zero NBA regular season minutes but they are a team that should challenge for the playoffs, and long term thinking, no way they can keep ALL thsoe guys when their rookie deal are up, can they?  That's like a knicks size payroll?

I thought he was going to be their guy at the PG spot, don't follow them much so I don't know for sure.  I know they can't hold on to all their talent but that doesn't mean you get rid of it now in case you can't later.  They need to keep this group together a couple of years and see how they look in the WC.  They were impressive last year without Oden, can't imagine how good they can be next year.  Keep in mind Portland still has those deep pockets so if any team can hold on to talent it's the Blazers.  They're still owned by the Microsoft guy right?  If he still owns them they are not shy about approaching Knicks territory in regards to payroll.

[jemagee]

Yes they are owned by the mcirosoft guy (paul allen, technically not with microsoft for a long time, think vulcan partners and charter communications ) and he's not a guy afraid to spend, but as far as Roy goes, he's more likely their 2 guard than their future point...

I worry that the sixers are going to hold on to miller all season, let him walk, maybe advance to the second round of the playoffs and then have a gaping hole at point guard next off season but less assets (and draft positioning) than this off season to improve - now maybe louis williams can take another HUGE step this season assuming he's re-signed and be the kind of point guard the sixers need to contend for a title, but I still think his upside is 20-25 minutes per game 6th man.

So by trading Andre Miller this off season the 'need' becomes more immediate to the sixers...heck, marcus williams of the nets might be on the market, i'd be happy getting him somehow (not for miller)...but what do the sixers have the nets would need...

[Sub]

I would agree that Miller's expiring deal alone would be enticing. Problem is, what would you want and what would they be willing to give up. One of those young PGs would have to be included, IMO. My preference is Kopponen, but you'd still need a vet to plug into the starting lineup. Would you take back Pryzbilla if it netted you Kopponen and a future 1st?

[WayOutWest]

Yes they are owned by the mcirosoft guy (paul allen, technically not with microsoft for a long time, think vulcan partners and charter communications ) and he's not a guy afraid to spend, but as far as Roy goes, he's more likely their 2 guard than their future point...

I worry that the sixers are going to hold on to miller all season, let him walk, maybe advance to the second round of the playoffs and then have a gaping hole at point guard next off season but less assets (and draft positioning) than this off season to improve - now maybe louis williams can take another HUGE step this season assuming he's re-signed and be the kind of point guard the sixers need to contend for a title, but I still think his upside is 20-25 minutes per game 6th man.

So by trading Andre Miller this off season the 'need' becomes more immediate to the sixers...heck, marcus williams of the nets might be on the market, i'd be happy getting him somehow (not for miller)...but what do the sixers have the nets would need...

I agree that trading Miller is a priority since he's indicated he's playing on the wrong coast, but I don't think Portland is a realistic trading parter considering their youth, talent and contracts.  It's been proven that expiring contracts are valued in this league so IMO if the Sixers plan on solidifying thier back court they will use Miller's contract but IMO they will have to take a bad contract in return to land a young talent.

[DuckyNinja]

If you make a trade with Portland, you're not getting back anything that could fix our starting PG hole this year or in the future.  I think that a trade with Portland would hafta happen much closer to the deadline.

[jemagee]

It's been proven that expiring contracts are valued in this league so IMO if the Sixers plan on solidifying thier back court they will use Miller's contract but IMO they will have to take a bad contract in return to land a young talent.

I believe recent history has proven that they aren't as valued as much as they once used to be, unless maybe they expire in the 2010 off season so you can free up cap space to make a futile (I think) run at the 'big three' of which i think lebron is the only for real one, for various reasons.

But Miller isn't just an expiring contract, he's still seen as a above average point guard who can mentor a team for one year as their young inexperienced point guards are learning the NBA, heck maybe portland moves him at the deadline cause someone has asserted themselves already, but at this moment I don't think miller is just a contract, at the trade deadline he probably is just a contract and personally I think the value of expiring contracts isn't as much as it was a few years ago.

[jemagee]

If you make a trade with Portland, you're not getting back anything that could fix our starting PG hole this year or in the future.  I think that a trade with Portland would hafta happen much closer to the deadline.

Didn't think it would, just think the first step in fixing the point guard situation is making it a bigger problem than it is right now

And getting portlands first round pick in 2009 (i mean seriously, do they need another one) would probably be helpful since even with miller i think they might miss the playoffs again.

[DuckyNinja]

If you make a trade with Portland, you're not getting back anything that could fix our starting PG hole this year or in the future.  I think that a trade with Portland would hafta happen much closer to the deadline.

Didn't think it would, just think the first step in fixing the point guard situation is making it a bigger problem than it is right now

And getting portlands first round pick in 2009 (i mean seriously, do they need another one) would probably be helpful since even with miller i think they might miss the playoffs again.

Fine, then how about Miller and Smith for Blake, Pryzbilla, Webster, and the rights to Koponen?  Blake could be a really mediocre starter for us who can hit the 3 and run an offense without doing anything special, Koponen could be the backup PG, Webster is a backup SG/SF who can hit the 3, and Pryzbilla could be a backup big man who's contract expires with Green and Evans.

[jemagee]

Ooooh...a back up SG/SF who cuts into willie greens minutes?  I'm all for that

[DuckyNinja]

Ooooh...a back up SG/SF who cuts into willie greens minutes?  I'm all for that

I think what we really need is a "gangsta" SG/SF, one who will just cut Willie Green.