Blazers try wheeling
08/03/03
JASON QUICK
Trail Blazers general manager John Nash says the team could make a trade today
-- if it wanted to.
The problem, he says, is that other NBA teams are not offering fair value in
return.
"There are a number of teams pursuing us, but what is being offered is not
commensurate to what we would be giving up," Nash said Saturday.
So the Blazers' much anticipated summer of change has remained stagnant, even
though Nash insists he has had conversations with several teams, and the talks
included every player on the Blazers roster.
Normally one of the most active teams in offseason trades and free agent
signings under former executive Bob Whitsitt, the Blazers have become one of
the most cautious under the newly hired Nash and president Steve Patterson.
Part of the Blazers' caution has been because of a desire to reduce payroll,
but a large factor has been an unwillingness to take on added headaches.
"There have been several players I could have acquired who were good players,
but we passed because of their baggage," Nash said. "At least we know the
players who we have and the baggage they have. But we are wary of taking on
other players who might bring some new baggage with them."
The Blazers were rumored to have nixed a trade last week that would have sent
Damon Stoudamire, Arvydas Sabonis and Bonzi Wells to Dallas for Michael Finley,
Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel. Nash would not confirm that rumor, but he did
say that Dallas has been a team with which he has talked trade.
Nash has made it clear that the Blazers are seeking to change while achieving
a three-pronged goal -- maintaining their playoff streak of 21 consecutive
seasons, improving their image and controlling their payroll.
"It is easy to accomplish one, or even two of those goals at the expense of
the third," Nash said. "But it is hard to take action and satisfy all three of
those goals simultaneously.
"I would hope there will be some change, however I can't promise it," Nash
said. "The word I would use in terms of my approach at this point is prudence."
Entering this week, Nash said the Blazers are not on the verge of making any
deals. That could change, however, once the team determines the future of
Sabonis, the 38-year-old reserve center.
Nash said the Blazers are still "weighing their options" whether they want
Sabonis to return, and Sabonis has not informed the team or his agent whether
he wants to return. The team and Sabonis have until Aug. 15 to decide. This is
when Sabonis' $7 million contract becomes guaranteed. Nash said the decision
from both parties probably will linger until the final day.
"But it is our belief that he wants to play," Nash said.
If Sabonis returns, Nash said he feels comfortable with a roster that he
breaks down as having two point guards in Stoudamire and Jeff McInnis, two
shooting guards in Wells and Derek Anderson, two small forwards in Ruben
Patterson and Qyntel Woods, two power forwards in Rasheed Wallace and Zach
Randolph and three centers in Dale Davis, Sabonis and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje.
"Unlike a lot of teams, we are pretty much in balance position-wise," Nash
said. "We have a couple of players we feel are very productive at each
position. Talent-wise, this is a good team."
But that doesn't mean Nash is content with heading into October's training
camp with those players. It's more a matter of whether other teams are willing
to make what Nash and the Blazers see as a fair deal.
"We are still having a lot of conversations, none of which have gone anywhere
yet," Nash said.
--
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