With all the TrailBlazers' Big Men down..is Gortat good as gone?
With all of Portland's big men suffering serious injuries this season, it would seem to me that they would be looking for a C with starting potential...Does this mean that Gortat is going to be gone here soon?I know that they were looking at him in the off season.... I am not sure if they are any big men out on the free agent market but is this possible? What would we get in return?
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Portland is certainly more desperate now after Pryzbilla's injury.
The two players on their roster who are attractive to me are Bayless and Rudy Fernandez.
Gortat for Rudy Fernandez + Patty Mills (We could offer them some cap relief by working the TPE into another trade with swapped seconds or something like that in order to sweeten the deal).
Gortat for Bayless and a 2nd. I know people are going to scream that Bayless is worth MORE than Gortat, but let me explain…
1) We are trading big for small (a big no-no), so Portland needs to sweeten the deal a little bit to make that happen. Plus, Bayless is still young and relatively unproven whereas Gortat is young, but proven on the playoff stage.
2) They are desperate. They hold no power, other than pretending they will let this season die, now that Pryz is out.
I tend to think people on here are beginning to undervalue Gortat (if that’s possible) due to his poor start to the season, but the fact remains, that he is a starting caliber, legit 7-foot center, and those are not easy to come by. He is a valuable commodity and we should “win” any transaction involving him.
by TragicMatt on Dec 23, 2009 11:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I should explain why I want each player...
Bayless: This is obvious. We need a young PG and he is great. The only downside is that he could potentially cause a battle for the starting spot, but I think Jameer is old enough adn mature enough to handle the pressure.
Fernandez: After Vince’s time is done, I would be very comfortable with a rotation a SG/SF that included Rudy, JJ, Pietrus, Barnes?, and others. I think Rudy is a great piece and I would love to have him on the team. This is definitely a move with an eye towards the future. Also, with Gortat moving on, Bass will move to Backup C, thus giving all backup PF minutes to Ryan. The end result is that Rashard would NEVER slide down to the 3, creating more potential minutes at the swing positions for the newcomers.
by TragicMatt on Dec 23, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'd rather have Batum than Rudy.
And/or I’d want to know Rudy’s back is completely cleared. Back issues just don’t seem to go away in this league.
And with Bayless, there’d be no battle for the starting spot this year. For playing time….maybe, but Bayless has A LOT to learn still in terms of decision-making, Stan’s system, and leadership before he unseats Jameer no matter how much of a natural talent he is.
Oh, and the people who tend to scream that Bayless > Gortat are either Portland fans or folks who don’t closely follow the Magic and know of Gortat only from a distance and think where you went in the draft indicates how good you should be.
by magicfaninTN on Dec 23, 2009 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not speaking to a contoversy this season,
but in the seasons to come, Nelson v Bayless would certainly be a point of discussion.
by TragicMatt on Dec 23, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it would be.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 23, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No offense to Rudy but the Magic need a premier wing player to replace Vince Carter.
And Fernandez isn’t that guy. Would he be a nice fit with Orlando? Absolutely, but to expect him to step in and fill in for Carter is asking for too much. Besides, I doubt Kevin Pritchard would trade Rudy.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 23, 2009 5:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
why do we need to replace Vince?
2 years left
by jtam on Dec 26, 2009 9:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Age.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 27, 2009 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, we should really ’win’’ any deal with Gortat. Luckily, Otis has made sure we trade Gortat for something instead of losing him for nothing.
by derekk on Dec 23, 2009 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i guess gortat cant be traded right now
bass could be traded. i like the idea for bayless or fernandez. judging from the situation i think we hold the card to demand what we want. i also like that they would include nicolas batum in the trade. he can defend the ball and he can shoot the treys with a lot of upside. i think he fits well with svg’s system. having him gives the magic french defenders that can shoot treys.lol i tried the trade machine and i tried bass for bayless and batum and it worked
in OTIS we TRUST...
by Hbkid on Dec 23, 2009 12:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Gortat can be traded, just not too the Mavericks.
If he is traded in-season, multiple teams, or TPE’s, will probably need to be included since he is a base-year player.
by TragicMatt on Dec 23, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No, it doesn't mean Gortat is gone now that the Blazers need a big man.
Marcin is nearly an impossible player to trade because he’s a base-year player, as TragicMatt said.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 23, 2009 2:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Ironically Eddy
One of the few teams that have a way to acquire Gortat is Orlando with the TPE.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
Oh, hes in the laegue two and Jayson Thomson and that Boggins dude on Milwokee, and Occur for the Jizz. Its a talented laegue.--Kfan in Korea
by pookeyguru on Dec 23, 2009 8:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ironic is the right word to use in this situation.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Great thought tho. As an option, The Magic can trade the whole TPE as a separate entity and not for a player, then that team can use it on Gortat. I think so but Im not sure.
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 4:37 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
You don't trade a TPE, you fill it.
And that’s money that Orlando is responsible for, if it decides to make a move like that.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Actually the more I think about it. Portland may just cash in this season.
We’ll see.
by magicfaninTN on Dec 23, 2009 3:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Seems pretty likely to me
Treat it as experience, figure out where some of their kids are at, have a look at guys who wouldn’t normally get a lot of playing time. Maybe call someone up from the D-league.
Unless they think they’re a playoff contender with Gortat and that money would make a huge difference to them; or they don’t trust their guys long term, it doesn’t really make much sense to trade away a good young asset for a temporary starter.
by eltharion_doa on Dec 24, 2009 8:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Blazers aren’t showing it yet, but after awhile (if Pryz is out a long while) they will be very desperate. Magic can deftly throw Gortat out there and it would do more than save a sinking ship. Bayless and their best defensive wingman, I suspect it is Batum, plus fillers and Juwan would be my choice. Prolly too much for them, but I wouldnt take much less at all either lol. I hope the Blazers stay just fine tho, LA and Roy can will it to a good record until most of them are healthy again.
by derekk on Dec 23, 2009 5:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Bayless and Batum plus "fillers" for Gortat would be way too much.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 23, 2009 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think you’re overvaluing a guy who is mostly a benchwarmer for when a team is healthy the last couple years. I look at him and wonder why sometimes but when you also factor in that he’s a guard and Gortat’s a 7 foot athletic highly defensive big man, I want more than Bayless. He has looked very good at times recently tho. I would make a deal if it included Batum. I think Batum as been noted as an elite defender and if such is true, I would maybe want him more and have him or MP start.
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 4:47 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think I'm overvaluing Bayless.
In any case, I do agree that Batum would be an excellent fit with the team.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, We can deftly agree on Batum. I wonder what kind of injury he has and his timetable. He has a decent 3 stroke as well, and low turnovers. He could be, dare I say it, a sort of Tayshaun Prince-lite, but younger and with more potential/athleticism I suspect.
The thing I like on Bayless, is his FT rate is high, meaning he’s a aggressive player with energy. His shooting was horrific last year, but seems better this year and I cant tell which one is the outlier.
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 6:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We could only use 1/2 of Gortat in a trade.
He’s at 5mil+ , but his trade value is only 2.5 until the season is over, plus he has to approve any trade. There is no way he is traded until the season is over.
by NC Magic Fan on Dec 23, 2009 6:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
From Hoopsworld
It is very unlikely that the Magic trade Gortat because he is subject to base year compensation. Because his salary increased by twenty percent from one season to the next in Orlando, he becomes very difficult to trade.
If Orlando wants to deal Gortat, they can only bring back a player worth fifty percent what he is currently making. This season, he is making $5,854,000 so the Magic can only exchange him for a player worth $2,927,000. This makes it nearly impossible to get equal value for Gortat.
It’s also tough to sell a team on a player who is averaging just 3.5 points and 3.6 rebounds yet still getting paid the full mid-level exception. While he has shown flashes of brilliance and a lot of potential, Gortat has never been an everyday starter so it’s still a big risk to acquire him.
by NC Magic Fan on Dec 23, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
that was a good article to read
and it points out that portland may be more interested in bass than gortat too. same thing tho in return for orlando; bayless, batum, if magic want to pull a trigger on it.
by derekk on Dec 23, 2009 9:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The other thing about Portland is they may not want to trade for Gortat.
If they did what do they do next year? Then they would have three very good centers, but no star.
If Portland is in “win-now” mode, then they trade for Gortat, but it will cost them in the future.
by TragicMatt on Dec 23, 2009 9:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Good points. I think Pryz is declining alil bit tho, but good points.
by derekk on Dec 23, 2009 9:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And, he may have opted out of his final year next year.
But that’s less likely if he’s coming off a season-ending injury, b/c team won’t be as sure if he’s healthy.
by magicfaninTN on Dec 23, 2009 10:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Good point. Bass is more likely to be moved, theoretically, than Gortat.
But neither player will be traded. At least, not right now.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, Hoopsworld is saying many teams inquired about Bass. Portland seems the most interested as it is mentioned. Otis understandibly doesn’t want to move someone just acquired who could prolly be developed over time defensively and can already make good offensive impacts every game.. But.. If it’s a backup PG to groom and play a dynamic 1-2 PG punch with OR a player like Prince fro
DET.. I think it’s worth it and there’s two pretty good guys at PF for the Magic alrdy (that Rashard and Ryan fellow).
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 5:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Depends on the player, sure.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i just heard
brandon roy got injured
in OTIS we TRUST...
by Hbkid on Dec 23, 2009 10:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
That's old news.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 2:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Let's not tinker with our roster...
until we show some glaring weakness/es (I don’t see any)…Gortat is coming around, being active in the lane, blocking/changing shots, running the floor…we have shown flashes of a clamp down defensive, just need consistency as erivera and BenQ have been saying since October(fest)!
by mike in munich on Dec 24, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
They deftly don’t have the continuity the Lakers and even Celtics have, but adding 1 more piece is ok if it’s gonna help correct a issue or upgrade a spot. They’re still a lot of time. And if the player is young, then there’s no reason not too also. Tho the right vet is better.
by derekk on Dec 26, 2009 9:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
The Blazers don't have anyone we want.
Bayless is a poor fit for this team — he’s an undersized SG (please don’t fool yourself into thinking he can run an offense) with a shaky three-pointer. He’s like Leandro Barbosa, if Barbosa weren’t a three-point threat. Would some team want a guy like that? Sure. For the Magic, I’d rather have Redick — a little less athletic, but he has the three-point shooting touch, and he plays smart.
Fernandez… eh. Yeah, he can shoot the three. But is he any good? He looks to be about exactly the same player he was last year — his steals are up, but so are his turnovers. Everything else? Much the same. And yeah, there’s that injury problem. Again, if you’re making me choose, I’ll take Redick.
Tell me again how Batum is not just a younger, less developed version of Pietrus or Barnes? You know, nothing against that — we just have enough of that type of guy already. Athletic wing player, strong defender, can shoot the 3, not a volume scorer… SEEN IT. Move on.
Outlaw, Webster and Blake are lousy players, Andre Miller is too old, they’re not trading Roy or Aldridge… who
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
by 3.3seconds on Dec 24, 2009 5:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yea, I feel like this at times too. Especially with Bayless and Fernandez like you said. I do think Batum has some really good defensive abillity tho. If he can be consistent, he can steal our SF starting spot and play it a solid 24 mins a game. I dont know for sure how any of them tho, I dont watch them enough.
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 6:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You have to look ahead, though.
There’s no guarantee that Barnes will be back next season. A player like Batum could be useful.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 24, 2009 6:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This is true also. Batum is only 21 yrs old too.
by derekk on Dec 24, 2009 9:46 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I guess...
…if that’s what we WANT at SF. I feel like having nothing but Pietrus/Barnes types at the position — physically gifted but raw defense/energy guys — hasn’t worked out great for us. Not that having ONE of those guys isn’t good, but I’d prefer the ability to put a more skill-based kind of guy out there at SF.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
by 3.3seconds on Dec 25, 2009 3:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Tayshaun Prince anyone? Hehe. But also, I believe Batum is already a better perimeter defender than everyone the Magic have except Pietrus. Also, given his age, 21, he can improve greatly. You’d have some great young players, Dwight 24, Ryan 21, Batum 21, Nelson 27, Pietrus 27, Gortat 24.
by derekk on Dec 25, 2009 5:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Well, that's what Turkoglu was last year (skill-based kind of guy at SF).
It all comes down to the personnel on the Magic.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 25, 2009 10:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, exactly. VC’s got all the skills now. Now you want that CLee type guy back. A great defender with a 3 and some athleticism. Barnes needs that 3 to come back but I think his D is improving alil.
by derekk on Dec 26, 2009 9:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I like Barnes' defense.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 26, 2009 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know...
I guess it doesn’t make sense to want a more prolific scorer at SF. We’re already struggling with finding enough shots for everyone.
2004 Tayshaun Prince would be basically the ideal guy to have in that role… 2009 Tayshaun Prince has a lot of question marks. And I guess the question is, is Batum that kind of guy? I don’t know him that well, to be honest.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
by 3.3seconds on Dec 28, 2009 2:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Batum said it himself he wanted to be more like Prince.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 29, 2009 3:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, then, he might be someone to look at in the long run.
But I don’t know that he makes this team better immediately. And I’m not sure we need to make a trade — especially for a guy like Bass, who (as far as I know) doesn’t want to leave. If we’re trading unwilling players half a year into their contracts, that very well might hurt our ability to attract free agents in the future.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
by 3.3seconds on Dec 29, 2009 5:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Batum might make the team better.
His ceiling hasn’t been realized yet, as a player.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 29, 2009 6:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, yeah, in the long run, maybe.
But if the goal of the trade would be to make the team better right now… I don’t think anyone would say Batum as of December 2009 would necessarily get playing time over Barnes and.or Pietrus. He certainly has more potential than either of those guys, but he wouldn’t improve the team immediately.
Now, if Barnes or Pietrus got injured or something and needed to be replaced — that’s another matter. We’d need a second SF, and Batum might do that. But I think any trade we would make at this point would be for now, and/or possibly to cut salary. And now, we don’t need a SF unless he’s an upgrade over Barnes/Pietrus.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
by 3.3seconds on Dec 29, 2009 8:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I have suceeded....
Learned a lot… and had a long fanpost!!!
by Bonafidebrother on Dec 24, 2009 6:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Its weird reading about my team on another site...
that being said, If we could workout a trade for Gortat I would be in favor of it. But I really don’t see anything happening. Some here seem to think Portland would be desperate to make a trade… which is totally not the case. We’re still one of the youngest teams in the league, there’s no rush to win now. And there’s no sense in trading away our young talent for a quick, temporary fix. Our window will be in a few years. And the only people that are even an option to be traded would be Outlaw, Blake and maybe Rudy (only cuz he need more pt) Bayless and Batum are WAY overvalued by the Blazers, neither of them are going anywhere.
by In Walks Rudy on Dec 30, 2009 3:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I think plenty of people here realize that the Blazers probably aren't in a rush to make a move.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
by erivera7 on Dec 30, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
ding ding.......
Just one man's opinion...
....."running mac games as if your name was Scott Skiles".....
"mark my words...we will draft 2 corners within the first 4 picks" - 2009
by hwyatt3 on Jan 3, 2010 3:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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