Deal or No Deal

[April 16th, 2008]

The Trail Blazers head into their fifth straight playoff-less season this week having exceeded expectations after losing top draft pick Greg Oden to injury.

And the current set of building blocks in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge should be enough to keep General Manager Kevin Pritchard from pulling his successful see-what-sticks NBA draft hijinks of recent years.

But the team appears unhappy with its point guard situation. And with Oden’s return—plus the possible arrival of Spanish superstar Rudy Fernandez—some unlucky players must go to make room. (The team made one move April 14, waiving Darius Miles.) But who—on one of the Blazers’ most likable teams—is disposable?

Travis Outlaw: Proven himself as an indispensable sixth man, adding new tricks throughout his breakout season. The knock was always his poor finishes at the rim, but lately, the lanky forward has looked more confident throwing down. Tempting to trade while he’s hot, but anyone who has watched T-Law knows there’s more upside ahead. [NO DEAL]

Jarrett Jack: A tease! The former Georgia Tech star made a convincing argument in the final batch of games to stay, but that also increases his trade appeal. Portland doesn’t need a score-first point guard, and despite his recent efforts, that’s the role Jack wants. [DEAL]

Channing Frye: A fan favorite because he’s a laid-back, funny dude with interests outside basketball. Luckily, Crinkle Cut has also shown his versatility—and more importantly, desire—since center Joel Przybilla went down April 6. [NO DEAL]

Steve Blake: Rarely puts up gaudy numbers, but his assist-to-turnover ratio is good for a point guard. And after Brandon Roy, he’s the biggest calming influence on a Blazer offense that breaks down more often than my Xbox 360 (damn you, Microsoft!). Besides, dealing Blake for a second time would be cold as ice. [NO DEAL]

Sergio Rodriguez: His run-and-gun style has fallen out of fashion, and Portland has yet to give him meaningful minutes. It’s hard to imagine coach Nate McMillan handing him the keys any time soon (even with his compadre Fernandez probably arriving next year), so, though we all love him, it may be time to set Rodriguez free. [DEAL]

Martell Webster: He rests atop a lot of folks’ cut lists. And with his uneven play, that’s no surprise. But Webster’s troubles have more to do with confidence than lack of ability, and some instant confidence (cough, Oden!) is on the way. Webster’s trade value remains low, anyway, so there’s no real reason to ship him out. Besides, he’s only 21. [NO DEAL]

James Jones: Considered by many to be the key player in the Blazers’ 13-game winning streak, Jones has a chance at free agency this summer, so he’s in the driver’s seat here. McMillan loves guys in the JJ mold (heady, tough and deadly from long range), so barring a big deal, look for the Blazers to try and keep him around. [NO DEAL]