The rumors that Portland is seeking wing and big help were all but confirmed by GM Neil Olshey in a recent radio interview. Olshey ran down his wish list: a shooter who can pass and play smart defense. In other words, a player who is not currently on the market.
The Oregonian looked at some potential trade targets, one of which was Brandon Bass:
Contract status: $6.95 million this season.
Who would Portland would give up: (Thomas) Robinson and (Dorrel) Wright and a draft pick.
Why Portland would do it: Bass is an active, big body with nine years of experience.
Why Boston would do it: Celtics have shown an interest in acquiring draft picks.
Potential roadblocks: Bass is undersized, and is not a particularly good passer.
Robinson and Wright are both expiring contracts. I’m assuming the pick will be a 2nd rounder because there just isn’t enough of a market for Bass to warrant a 1st rounder. I’m assuming Danny Ainge would take that offer at the deadline.
Wilson Chandler, Chase Buddinger, Marvin Williams, Arron Afflalo, Jermaine O’Neal, Ian Mahinmi and Andray Blatche are some of the players mentioned in the article.
Marcus Thornton wasn’t mentioned, maybe because of his size (he can’t play the 3) or his salary ($8.6 million). But he’s certainly a strong shooter who has shown willingness to defend regularly here in Boston.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
