Portland Trade/Gift to LA (Idea)

[indeedproceed]

Baron Davis, 1st round pick

for

Raef Lafretnz, Sergio Rodrig, Rights to Petteri Koppenon

This is not hello big time for Portland, but it is goodbye cap room this summer, and it means if they want cap room in the future, guys like Outlaw are not going to get resigned, esp when Roy and Aldridge come due in the summer of '10.

But this is a slam dunk to me in a lot of ways. Baron Davis is a superstar, even if his talent level isn't always superstar. The Blazers though, aren't superstars. Brandon Roy is a quiet lead by example kinda leader. Aldridge is a prima donna, and because of that is somewhat inconsistent. Oden is a budding all-star. The rest of the team are extremely capable role players.

Baron Davis is a man who loves a cause. He loves a reason to play. He needs that joie de vivre to unleash his considerable talent. I think in a clean, focused lockerroom like the one in Portland Davis could find a cause to get behind.

LA gives up the best player in the trade and the second best asset in the 1st round pick which will undoubtedly be high. They are making the vastly safer play here however, and are paying highly for it. They made a mistake in taking on Davis's contract, and I don't think its lost to management. Davis is apathetic, and that bad for everyone. They'd be getting back a talented PG in sergio and a talented prospect in Kopponen to help ease the pain, but mistakes like LA has made this season are not made good without sacrifice.

With Davis's contract off the books, They're 10 million under the cap next season. That, along with whatever they get back for the albatrosses they let go (Camby, Kaman, Randolph, etc.), they could be in a position to be a good team by 2010. Right when their money will become invaluable.