Random Forum "Insider": Houston is on Aldridge's list...

I'd trade Asik and Parsons for Aldridge in a heartbeat. If you are willing to sell your soul to get Dwight's talents, why not sell your heart too to get LaMarcus's talents?

Aldridge has probably the most complete offensive game among all current PFs. And Howard is the best defensive big man. Together with Harden, we could instantly be top 5 in both offense and defense.

 

I believe they can, in principal, because it is not yet official until July 10th.

So instead of the original Robinson trade you do Robinson, Asik, Jones, and White plus 2015 1st rounder for Aldridge. If they still would give up any of those 2nd round picks/players, great. If not, consider it the cost of adding the White contract and a little extra for Aldridge. However, that would only leave us with about $15.8M in cap room.

Houston would have to give away Lin in that scenario. I guess it could still all depend on how much less Howard would take to set up that team, but you figure you would have to cut a minimum of $4M and more likely all $4.7M.

So better bet is doing the Robinson trade. Then trading Lin in a separate or 3 team deal.

I think the best bet would be a Lin for Calderone S&T to Detroit. If you can get Calderon to take like $6M then Houston has about $21.5M in cap space. That would be enough to sign Dwight to the max and leave enough money for Canaan to get a contract similar to Parsons.

Then you revisit Portland for a deal of Asik, Jones and White plus the 2015 1st. And any of those 4 2nd round assets back that is needed to get it done.

So you end up with:
Calderon/Beverly
Harden/???/Canaan
Parsons/???
LMA/Montie
Howard/Smith

With still the exception to work with and try to bring in someone like Garcia to backup the wings. Vet minimum for a veteran big. All while staying far away from the luxury tax.

I think those are pretty reasonable scenarios.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Blazers have been a movin' and a shakin'. I sense a LaMarcus Aldridge deal in our near future.</p>&mdash; Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/statuses/352893233036136448">July 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I doubt it after the Lopez trade, but whatevs.

 

And I understand the LMA deal is a stretch, but that is why I have no problem giving them back everything they gave up for Thomas Robinson, so essentially it is 2 trades, but they get Asik, Robinson, Jones and a 1st rounder for LMA and nothing else. I think that ends up pretty realistic.

 

It's from the lesser Sam though, so who knows.

 

Agree. Probably locks them into trying with LMA for at least this year until the deadline.

 

No, the trade was official.

It's the free agent signings and any trades that involve sign and trades of free agents that can't be official. There's a moratoriums on actually signings. There is no moratorium on trades (assuming there is no sign and trade involved). To complete a trade, all the two teams have to do is put in a trade call to the league and it's official once they approve it, which they will after they check that all the trade parameters are met and it's on the up and up.

The T-Rob deal did not involve any free agent signings. There was no moratorium on it that required waiting till July 10th.

So you can't reverse the T-Rob trade because it was already completed and approved by the league and is over and done with. T-Rob has probably already reported for his physicals in Portland and put on a new uniform.

The July 10th date only applies to free agent signings.

 

Not true. The deal is not finalized and is only agreed to in principle.

http://www.blazersedge.com/2013/6/30/4481152/wojnarowski-blazers-trade-for-rockets-f-thomas-robinson

 

Thanks for the correction.

 

"If it's Sam with an O just say No."

 

Bump!

 

Amico is less credible than my morning deuce.

 

I think Aldridge wants out of Portland because Lillard has been getting all of the spotlight over there and is viewed by some as their best player...after just one season.

Unfortunately, we don't have the assets to get LMA. We have nothing Portland wants.