Abdur-Rahim for Kidd?
Jeff Alworth
Poor old Damon Stoudamire, the Rodney Dangerfield of the Portland Trailblazers.
The New Jersey Nets have proposed a trade with the Trail Blazers that would include sending All-Star point guard Jason Kidd to the Blazers for disgruntled forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a source in the Blazers organization said.
Let's see, Damon Stoudamire, Sebastian Telfair, Nick Van Exel--what we really need is a point guard. Presumably, this means further trades down the road, but negotiations have just begun so it's too early to speculate. From one fan, here's a suggestion: a big man, anyone?
(Hey, progressives talk Blazers, too, right?)
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Sep 15, '04
The problem with getting rid of Abdur-Rahim, is the Blazers are then stuck with Zach Randolph. And while Zach is an exceptional talent, I've got a feeling he's also just another Rasheed at heart.
11:45 a.m.
Sep 15, '04
Personally, I'm so much more excited about Portland's new second professional basketball team. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to your brand new Portland Reign!
This ain't no semipro league - it's the ABA. They'll be playing games in the Convention Center.
Sep 15, '04
C'mon--when you have an opportunity to get the best PG in the NBA, you do it! (should I say world; damn if Arroyo for Puerto Rico didn't look good in the Olympics? And what about that white guy for Russia who went to Maryland and looked like a hipster gigolo--he could shoot...but they have no game to match Kidd or even Damon). They'll have to dump Damon or Van Exel (he scares me, but not like SweetDick Cheney)and Telfair is 3 years away from both drinking age and significant impact. Kidd is so unselfish and wonderful and would obviously improve the Blazers, no offense to Damon groupies.
I like Theo as our big man and if we could only convince Sabonis to put down the sangria and unfiltered pall malls (I must confess...I love when Sabo would smoke at press conferences). I think he still has game and the fact that he is big, cuddly and white as the rest of Portland would calm the acidic diatribes constatly leveled at the Blazers. I'm still pissed that Allen declared bankruptcy on the Rose Garden and his LLC; ehy can't we be pissed at him instead of reaking havoc on the misdemenaor behavior of a few players
11:58 a.m.
Sep 15, '04
And what about that white guy for Russia who went to Maryland and looked like a hipster gigolo--he could shoot...but they have no game to match Kidd or even Damon).
Nah, Jasikevicius is a pure 2 - he wouldn't work at the point for any team in the NBA, and there are multiple reasons he's not in the NBA already. BTW, he's Lithuanian - not Russian. Big difference, especially if you ask them.
Radio buzz is that Portland would have to send either a Telfair or someone else along with to match the salaries. I'm not sure I like that - if Cheeks is staking his job on a guy, trading him before the season starts isn't exactly fair. Besides, Telfair's got way more upside than Stoudamire. Damon just wants to get paid for doing nothing.
So I'd much rather see Damon get shipped along with Abdur-Rahim for Kidd and whichever Net makes it balance.
12:08 p.m.
Sep 15, '04
I'm not pissed at the players in question, I just want them gone. I'm pissed at Allen for sticking with a GM who hired those guys AND for declaring bankruptcy.
No amount of whiteness is going to make people overlook stupid, violent behavior. It's a matter of getting fed up--too much for too long and our tolerance is gone. Theo is the biggest crowd favorite at the moment and this town still loves Clyde, Jerome, Terry, Buck, Brian .... Maybe not the best of the best but very talented team players who worked hard. I don't think we need to apologize for those values.
It's not about race unless you equate "gansta" behavior with being black and that's as racist a concept as exists in the world.
Sep 15, '04
BTW, he's Lithuanian - not Russian. Big difference, especially if you ask them.
You're right...I need to get a little more specific and respect recent history and Gorby; guess I couldn't get away with saying, "Yeah...they all look alike anyway, what's the difference" (Geez...where have I heard that before?)--You're also right he is a "2" (off/shooting guard for the sports challenged)--they want Telfair because he's a homey from Coney Island and they wouldn't have to ingest all of Damon's big $$$$. I thought Damon had a really good year last year and always find myself rooting for him, considering his history and relationship to the community (I still can't figure out the whole Arizona thing with the doobage in plastic foil--DAMN!) But if you have an opportunity to get Kidd, you gotta do it.
Not to get off this mastubatory fix on sports, but I think we should all refer to Cheney as "Sweetdick" from now on...anybody want to join me in the "Sweetdick" camp?
1:54 p.m.
Sep 15, '04
Kidd's a great point guard, and if we were just looking for the final piece in a title run, I'd say great. But we need yet another point like we need a hole in the head, and Jason's getting a little long in the tooth. I'd take the deal if I could trade Kidd elsewhere for a big man. Otherwise, it seems like more trouble than it's worth. (Keep in mind that getting rid of Damon and his salary and Van Exel and his reputation, ain't easy.)
Sep 15, '04
I think that's exactly what we could do - Kidd is a hot commodity, even if he's graying at the temples, and lots of teams would be happy to give up a big man for him. I'm just not sure there's one out there that we really want right now -- they're all either overvalued or worthless.
I fear we are stuck with Damon as long as his ridiculous contract endures. What a f-ing mistake that was.
I don't think Z-bo is another Sheed. I just think Sheed was an influence on him while he was here. Zach has more of a brain than Rasheed, I hope, and maybe the more civic-minded guys on the team can work their magic and keep him out of emotionally stunted 4-year-old land.
On "sweetdick" -- this guy agrees:
t-shirt
He wore it at the convention - saw a pic somewhere but can't find it now.
Sep 15, '04
Brian!!!!! Oh, how I miss that guy and his sweet sweet dreadlocks.
And that game in the western conference semi-finals with the Jazz when he just stopped Karl Malone completely cold, I mean totally stuffed him, was the most beautiful thing to see.
I had such a crush on his play, his positive demeanor, and his sexy tattoos....
12:53 a.m.
Sep 16, '04
If it meant getting rid of Damon, I'd say let's have as many new point guards as it takes. But it doesn't.