However, what about Rudy for the Charlotte #1?

I tend to agree with Eric. Although the Wolves are a team I like to follow, their assets aren’t compatible with Portland’s needs. If, however, a three-way trade could be constructed that nets Portland a veteran 3rd option-type-scorer, we’d listen to the offer.

Portland needs: Veteran PG & SF capable of creating their own offense if needed. They must also have the basketball IQ necessary to play solid team defense. Rookies need not apply.

Rudy is a solid piece to our puzzle. I’d go as far as saying he’s just short of being one of our core players since he’s such a great complimentary player. I fear the price we’d ask would make a deal difficult, if not impossible. To make matters worse, Portland will be under the cap this summer, making it harder to pry any solid player away for cap relief purposes. The longer free-agency goes on without us having addressed our needs, the easier it will be to get Rudy out of Portland.

I’d hope that the Wolves get themselves a coach in place, and establish their style before making any more moves. I’d be curious to hear your suggestions for the position. I’d recommend one of our assistants to you. Coach Monty Williams is a strong, up and coming coach with a knack for teaching the game to young players.

To David Khan: Don’t let Rubio force your decision. If he wants to go, make him give you three teams that want him. From there it’s simply a matter of getting the best deal. If none of the deals are worth a #5 pick, let him play in Europe. The better he plays there, the stronger your bargaining posture becomes in any trades for his rights. If he sucks in Europe, he didn’t cost you any wins because you’ve been developing Flynn. You have the luxury of time…he doesn’t. Negotiate accordingly.

If Rubio stays, you let Portland struggle with Bayless, Blake etc, watch them realize that improving from 50 wins to championship contender status is just as difficult as getting out the lottery, showcase Johnny Flynn with RR in Spain for another year, then make this trade next offseason when Portland doesn’t improve, Bayless fails, Flynn has a solid year, and Fernandez becomes a redundant piece with one of the best SG in the league in Roy.

It sounds to me like the Wolves’ and Blazers’ needs don’t match up too well directly, so probably some third team would need to be involved (Boston maybe? Flynn to Celtics, Rondo to Portland, Fernandez to Wolves as a starting point? No idea how the contracts balance out, just an idea off the top of my head.)

Here’s the result, FWIW.

done done and done… we’ll take 1 or 2 crap contracts back if we have to, but really he’s just not going to play for mini. won’t. and can’t. his buy out at a #5 pick just won’t work.

I know that the team can contribute to it, but is mini really equiped as well as say portland to negotiate a buy out? (reading between the lines here, SPAM is able to grease the wheels much better than any entrepenuer out of mini can.

Honestly Mini is gonna want to much for him, and Portland won’t want to give it up. We’re just tight like that.

if we had taken Stephen Curry?

I realize this is a hypothetical within a hypothetical, but would Curry for Fernandez go down? Curry seems to fit the job requirements given by both dan_the_man and Steve The Hedge.
-“A serious swing-for-the-fences kind of young guy”
-“a 3rd option-type-scorer”
-“capable of creating their own offense if needed”
-“the basketball IQ necessary to play solid team defense.”

To use my own words, it seems like the Trailblazers value Steve Blake for his ability to stretch the floor and commitment to playing an efficient team game on both ends of the floor, but wish he were more of a scoring threat. Is that not Curry? What’s more, their ability to effectively run their offense through Brandon Roy with Curry off the ball means they needn’t be as concerned about his ability to develop as a pure point guard.

I like the sound of a adding a fernandez type player at the SG. Would give up Flynn but not much else for it.

but as said above, Love is too good to play backup PF behind Aldridge, and not good enough to supplant him, it is possible though, that his game would work in portland, if we got rid of Pryzbilla, Love actually would complement LMA in a smaller line up because Love does center type stuff (rebound, outlet) a lot where aldrige does more PF stuff, posting up, running the floor, defending perimeter, etc. (not that both guys can’t do a little bit of everything) not worth trading pryz. IMO though. Yeah, Love could make up for what outlaw lacks in the 2nd unit, but like David Lee, he wouldn’t get enough minutes in the 2nd unit for how quality he is.