The Blazers would have too much money invested in the SF spot. Webster just signed a 4-year deal, Outlaw is well into his contract, and Batum is showing he’ll be around awhile. Marion has a better all around game – but the Blazers are big on attitude – and Marion carries too much star and too little team around with him. On a practical level, with Portland’s lineup, you’d really need to be swapping at least one of their SF’s, then figuring out how to keep Marion – assuming the Blazers could keep him on his game and in uniform for another 5 years of so. Otherwise, it’s a one -shot deal and the Blazers know they need to do some growing before talking about a championship.

If I were you – I’d concentrate on Hinrich and try to figure out how to get him in a Blazer uniform. That might get you some help.

One poster suggested a Fernandez/Hinrich deal to include the LaFrentz contract and one of your PF’s. That deal had two problems. In the first case, the Blazers have 4 PF’s under contract, and if Oden now starts giving them 20-25 minutes a game the Chicago PF would basically be collecting splinters on the bench most of the time. Then, you have Ferandez vs. Hinrich. If I was Chicago, and I could get my hands on Fernandez, there’s no doubt that he and Rose would light it up. It may be his first year, but the kids no fluke. As Wade, or any number of the players on the Olympic team will tell you, they expected him to do well in the NBA. He’s playing under 30 off the bench is averaging 15.4 ppg, and is the definition of energy and knowing how to move without the ball. If he moves on to 35 ppg, he’ll be a legitimite 18 – 20 ppg player. Combining him and LaFrentz was simply giving up a little too much.

It’s tough to put some of these deals together. Portland has a solid 20 year old rookie in Bayless sitting on the bench, and Chicago needs an SG. The rookie is green – as they all are, so it was natural to point at Fernandez, rather than the rookie.