Summer key IMO is solidifying the Point with best fit. Then adding a good back-up D @5. I'd then be satisfied with waiting until February to make the last piece fit for another good spring run.
What if you don't have to gut the roster. If there's a way to get LMA and even add a pretty good point guard in the process plus keep Ariza and the bulk of the team. Would you take LMA then? Well there is. Just trade Howard. Before you say that's crazy just remember LMA averaged 23 last year has a real shot besides the alley oop (he does pretty good too) and shoots over 80% at the line. He also averages 10 boards just one less than howard over the last couple of years. Yeah you lose some rim protection but he is no slouch there. In todays game he is a really good alternative to Dwight. They are both the same age but Howard depends on athleticism and LMA plays the game more like Duncan. He should be around longer than Dwight. And Howard will always be a terrible ft shooter who has to sit late in games when you need him most. The question is simple... Is LMA at least close to Howard. If the answer is yes than trading Howard now for LMA is something you have to consider. You can trade Howard to a team with Cap space and make room for LMA. In the process you can also pickup a point in the trade. Someone with a lower salary but who still makes it possible to sign LMA. You also start the process of making room for another star next year. You need a capologist to figure out the numbers but trading Howard and getting something is better than waiting for Howard to opt out next year and getting nothing.
Marc J Spears Spurs coach Gregg Popovic, forward Tim Duncan & guard Tony Parker expected to attend LaMarcus Aldridge meeting, a source told Yahoo Sports. 8:51pm - 29 Jun 15
I just hope morey makes the best move and go for a top PG....if you can get LA without trading Dmo, the flipping Dmo to another team for a quality Pg would be great.But it wont. id prefer a top PG over a PF...Then we wait till 2016 ...Durant will listen.
Is morey going to execute trades for TJ papa prigs Dorsey in the coming days? Or most likely trade deadline?
Grand conspiracy theory but we took KJ in a trade to sit him on the bench and depress his value just enough so Hinkie could have him back in a short team friendly deal. In exchange, Philly takes all the salary we need them to in order to get a free agent like LMA.
The difference would be does Portland want those assets freeing up the cap to go to them or another team.
Most of the assets (Prigs, Papa) are non guaranteed. Ariza could be kept or traded away for a pick to free up the cap. It's Dmo, Jones, Capela, Dekker, Johnson, etc that would make Portland willing to play along.
Of course and those are the players you might have to add to other outgoing salaries anyways to clear space.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So, LaMarcus visit order again, starting Tue at 9 PDT: LAL, HOU, SA, PHO, DAL, TOR, NYK. (No need 2 meet with POR; they're already offered.)</p>— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/615707912678309889">June 30, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
