Trade Idea
My idea for a trade a offer...
Anderson Varejao + Alonzo Gee + 1st overall pick to Portland for LaMarcus Aldridge + 10th overall pick
I don't think Portland will be going anywhere with the roster that they have and Aldridge is their best player that will get talent back to the Trail Blazers, not to mention they get to choose #1 for who they want. Imagine a McLemore and Lillard backcourt.
In terms of the Cavaliers, they get a star player to pair up with Irving BUT still manage to get another lottery pick at #10. Who are their options? Dario Saric, Giannis Adetokoubo, Alex Len, Shabazz Muhammad and Steven Adams. Cavaliers WILL become competitive and still have another lottery pick. They can stash away a European rookie for quite some time or slowly bring along Len and Adams behind Aldridge and Thompson for some added depth.
Aldridge
Thompson
Muhammad (if they choose Shabazz Muhammad)
Waiters
Irving
What do you guys think? I have other options as well if some of you guys/ladies don't agree
Portland wouldn't do this but I'm guessing Cleveland would.
Anderson Varejao has played in 81 games... in the past three seasons. 25 the past two years and 31 the season before that. He's great when he's playing, but not so great when he's hurt which is the majority of the time.
Then throw in Alonzo Gee who is an average at best SF who would come off the bench in Portland.
Then after that Portland does get the #1 pick which would most likely be Noel after losing Aldridge (could be McLemore though.) Either way, neither player makes up for the loss of Aldridge.
Cleveland would be all over this though. They get an all star caliber talent in Aldridge and move down nine spots in a weak draft where there isn't much variation between the picks. Sure Portland would like to have the #1 pick, but their not moving Aldridge for it.
Portland isn't going to get rid of him, and they shouldn't.
Varejao's trade value has deteriorated into next to nothing. Early in the season when he was leading the league in rebounding I was really hoping they were gonna trade him.... But they didnt, and he got injured again.
If we're speaking hypothetically (which is all its ever gonna be between Cavs and Portland for LA), I'd imagine they'd want a young PF in Thompson, the #1 overall pick, and maybe a protected pick in 2014. There's no way in hell Portland is going to throw the #10 pick in when Lamarcus Aldridge is CLEARLY the best player in the trade.
Because that's the only way that trade is happening.