As a Blazer fan for the past 30 years, who has seen most games either as a ticket holder or on TV over the years, here's my take of what seems so obvious to me and others I talk too as well.  It is like the nursery rhyme of the Emporor Wears No Clothes, which was seen only by the child who was not politically correct to say what everyone was seeing, but couldn't say.  Maybe, what I am about to write is off base and will rankle some feathers of other die hard Blazer fans who believe everything they hear and can't quite accept the politically incorrect version of what their eyes are seeing and comments heard from those they so want to believe.  This will be a bit long.  Oh well, there's always a delete button.  I've rarely posted, but feel I must.  Maybe this will stir up some interesting rebuttals and convince me I'm wrong in so many areas, but I doubt it, so here goes -

1.  First, I have some real concerns with McMillan as a coach who I believe is only as good as his players, not a coach who makes them better.  Some mediocre coaches have good to excellent records inspite of themselves, because of the quality of the talent they are surrounded with while others with poor records are actually much better coaches than their records would suggest as their coaching talents gets the best out of the least.   These coaches are often unceremoniously dumped (fired) as if the mediocre talent they have to coach should somehow do the impossible.  Unfortunately, I don't believe the latter is the case for McMillan.  I believe he is riding the wave of the roster Prichett has put before him on a silver platter, but which is at risk of crumbling from frustration and dissention, much like the feelings last year of Frye (given away for nothing and is now resurecting in Phoenix) and Sergio (which lead to his being virtually given away and now thriving when given a chance to play his game in Sacramento the last 4 games) and I suspect are smoldering now among more than Andre Miller, Jerred Bayless and Rudy Fernandez.  Further, is anyone impressed with McMillan's robotic substituion tendencies and patterns, apart from the debacle in Utah the other night when he threw in the towel early and allowed Bayless to show a glimpse of what we might expect if he were given quality minutes and gave Cunningham more than trivial minutes.  Minutes from Nate generally are fairly rigidly doled out, regardless of how one is playing.  Obviously, there are some exceptions as in the Utah farce.  Further, I don't see any evidence that McMillan is a capable in the flow of the game strategizing coach, someone who can make adjustments on the fly as other top tier coaches seem to be able and willing to do with their personel, especially in the playoffs, where he has been so out coached in my view.  McMillan may be a wonderful non-game coach, drill sargent, whatever, but I just don't see it under the lights.  I would love to see McMillan not follow his roboticness as in the Utah game, when it could be seen from the very outset that the Blazers were going to be buried with their lackadaisical approach to the game from the opening whistle.  The time out should have come within the first minute for him to get in their faces and turn it around before it was 11-2 or something after 2:30 minutes.  It would be so refreshing to see substitution patterns not pre-ordained, because of matchups not making sense relating to the usual patterns of minutes awarded, etc.  While it sometimes occurs, it is a rarity.

2.  Brandon - McMillan made a major blunder in my view to so publically annoint Brandon as the "second coming" and saying many times that "this is Brandon's team."  No it isn't (or shouldn't be).  It should be his (McMillan's) and all the players making up the Blazer's, team.  McMillan happens to be the coach of a budding superstar in Brandon, but it should not be viewed as his team.   While McMillan may believe his world revolves around Brandon, no player should become bigger than reality for his team without losing credibility of the rest of the team, being viewed as a coach who doesn't treat everyone the same, that there are two sets of standards.  The risk is for the development of a team of the "haves" and "have nots", those with the ability to screw up without accountability and those who play looking over their shoulders (Sergio, Jerred, Rudy, Frye, over the past two years are just examples).  This phenomenon is clearly at play on this team now and was there last year as well.  It has just so become clear to some with the addition of a premier point guard over the past decade who the "annointed one" is having difficulty adjusting to, and I believe has passive aggressively (maybe not knowingly on purpose) played in the manner that has sabbatoged Andre's ability to bring what he is still capable of bringing, namely, the ability to get everyone involved, especially Oden and Fernandez, but also Brandon if he would allow.   The worst of this I've seen was the recent Warrior debacle where Roy often made no efforts to help Andre, standing around, making no efforts to come to the ball when there was a need, at least once leading to a steal of the ball because of his nonchalant play.  We keep hearing ad nauseum that "this is Brandon's team."  Now with his obscenely fat contract and it is "his team", why should he adjust to the new dynamics of the team roster and what others bring to the table if it doesn't fit what he is comfortable with.  It means he would have to change/adjust, and why (he asks) should he be asked to do so if everything was so hunkie dory to award him with the contract he was awarded for what he has done in the past when paired with Blake.  It appears that McMillan acqueses (?sp) to the likes and dislikes of Brandon, anything to keep him happy.  Brandon's play, or lack of, in the Golden State game for anyone else would have have had him yanked from the game, as Andre was so unceramoniously in the last Utah game.  The communication between coach and players, other than with Brandon, LA and now maybe Oden, has been atrocious.  While McMillan says any player can come to him anytime with his concerns, he needs to initiate this much more than he does.  The fired coach of the Nets had the respect of his players from what has been said about him since his firing, because he dealt with the last spot on the roster player just like the top guys.  This is definitely not so here in River City.  It sounds like major decisions go through Brandon to get his blessing on major matters, anything to make him happy.  Brandon's comments recently indicate his own perception of his having nobility status, that he has final approval, that his teammates happiness will only occur if he is happy, etc.  That, plus his not honoring his country by standing in the hall during the national anthem most night, is bordering on viewing oneself as above everyone else, a prima donna view.  Brandon must develop (comes from the coach's help and his desire) the ability to move without the ball to get easy assists from others, not to just pace himself and turn it on when he wants, as he does at end of games.  Watch him.  He is terrible in moving without the ball, which is what makes the combination of he and Andre so painful to watch.  It is not that Andre has lost his abilities as a point guard.  Rather he is playing with someone who just wants the ball to do whatever he wants to do with for himself.  For those wanting us to sign Chris Paul as a free agent, the same would happen, but even in a more magnified manner.  How sad.  Having said this, I think Brandon is a budding superstar, but he needs to come back to earth and make adjustments in his game like everyone else is expected to do.  He will always be able to take over games when it is on the line in final minutes if that is what is needed, but that is NOT what is needed for most of the game.  We need a team, not just Brandon, if we are ever to achieve to the next level.

3.  Blake - What is up with McMillan's cover for the incredible mediocrity of Blake. 

     a)  Yes, Blake hits 3's in mid-games when the game is not on the line, but he has choked more often than not when games are on the line in shooting or free throws in pressure packed situations (Orlando I think last year at home with 4 of 5 missed free throws at the end of regulation and then in the playoffs).  He has no abilities to break down the defense or provide penetration abilities such as Jerred (11 foul shots in about 20 minutes against Utah the other night from penetration for the most part) or Miller. 

     b)  Blake has minimal assist making abilities unless he makes an unspectaular pass to Brandon of LA from which they shoot and score, giving him one of the limited assists per game he gets.  Of course he has few turnovers.  Playing with such lack of risk always leads to few assists, but the rewards then are few.

     c)  Blake does not (likely can not) provide the up tempo game that our roster would thrive on with Andre and Jerred with the current roster except Blake and Brandon  who seems to prefer the  "give me the ball and let me create for myself" game, which doesn't require that he do much more than trot upcourt (save himself) and then do his one on one magic.  That may be great to have that ability for the end of games, but it destroys the offense of the team for the bulk of games when everyone is so dependent on Brandon or LaMarcus.

     d)  Blake is an atrocious defender of the now many super quick point guards in the league.  Jerred has shown that he has the quickness to play head to head with these top tier guards in defending them and will only get better with more experience/playing time.  Other teams are playing very young players significant minutes and being rewarded in doing so, and so should the Blazers.   

     e)  One of the best things that could happen for the Blazers would be for Blake to be traded to force the issue of this being a game built around a team of many gifted players, not just the "annointed ones".  I don't see that happening, unfortunately.  At this point, I think Jerred has conducted himself more professionally in holding his obvious frustrations as one could have ever hoped for, but, like Sergio last year, I don't think it will last, at least beyond this year if McMillan doesn't show more trust in him and his abilities.  I wonder what Pritchett thinks that he can't say publically if different from Nate.  We keeping hearing that Jerred is one of the hardest workers on the team and spends a huge amount of time and effort to improve his game.   He has and always will be a player who can penetrate and score.  His outside shot this year looks much improved, I suspect from Bayno's working with him.  With more playing time, his assist making abilities will also improve.  They already have, as has his shot and shot selection.  His defensive abilities and work ethic toward that haven't ever been in question.  The problem if Blake doesn't start is that he would harness the second unit which is so full of verve and energy that must not be dampened when you have such energetic and capable race horses.

4.  Andre - Unfortunately, unless Brandon has a metamorphosis as a player to one who is willing/can move without the ball to be set up, their playing effectively together is doomed.  This is not Andre's fault.  Andre is the only one who seems to know how to or have the ability to feed Oden and get him involved and with easy shots for him.  Unfortunately, neither Blake or Brandon provide that for Oden.  It is no wonder as I watch this why Oden's offensive development has been stymied to some degree, since he is mostly on the court with Brandon and Blake.  I suspect if stats are kept of the time he is on the court with Blake and Brandon vs others, it would be very telling.  Oden's offensive game MUST be allowed to flourish.  You don't draft a guy with his potential without so doing.  I've been impressed by Andre's comments of team first, when I know he has to be agonizing, much like Jerred over what is going on.  It is probably true that he will provide the most when paired with other players than Brandon who does nothing to allow Andre to do what he does and has for his entire career, namely get the most out of everyone else's abilities.  Is there any wonder of the very positive comments Oden has made of Andre.  Andre brings out the best of what Oden can bring at this point in his career.  It was very telling in pre-season when Andre's play was singled out by a reporter in a very positive manner to Brandon, who immediately deflected that to defend Blake's play rather than acknowledge Andre's play.  Good grief.

5.  Oden - See above comments about he and Andre.  I think Greg has made huge strides to show he has the abilties to become what we had all hoped from him when he was drafted.  His offense is much improved and will continue to depending who he is surrounded by and whether he is given the confidence of getting him involved, as Andre has done when together, but much less so when paired with Blake and Brandon.  He is an after thought with them.  Also, I am impressed with his improvement in foot work and fewer fouls.  I don't agree with McMillan's yanking him early as he often does.  Let him learn as he uses up his fouls. 

6.  LaMarcus - When is LaMarcus going to be the tough big man we so need?  I remember last year he so hated the label of being a "soft" big man, the same label that Frye has held his entire career.  Unfortunately, then, as now, it is so absolutely true, especially on defense.  LA relies way too much on his gifted athleticism and not as much on just being tough and on fundamentals, such as blocking out.  What an incredibly gifted athlete LaMarcus truly is, but what a waste of much of it.  He truly has the potential to be a superstar power forward if he only had the Karl Malone mentality.  I hate it when we start games force feeding him and he is content with setting the tone with a jump shot.  If he hits he, he seems content to stay with it.  While he has a phenonmenal outside shot, it sets a lazy tone for him and others when he does it rather than play the inside game he is also so effective at playing, but at the cost of being banged up a bit. 

7.  Rudy - Cut him loose.  Give him whatever slack he needs.  Let him do what he does.  He is one of the most natural, basketball intelligent and unselfish (sometimes to his detriment) players I have seen with such talent.  To waste him as primarily a 3 point threat when he has so much more to bring is ludicous.   I see chat of "would you trade him for this or that player."  Have you watched some of his games when representing Spain on in the Olympics?  Some of his play has been mind boggling.  Take the harness off of this guy and let him play with abandon.  He is so energizing and exciting.  The entire team responds to this style of play far more than they do to Brandon.  If anything they stand around for Brandon, but energize with Rudy.  With some other coaches and other supporting players, like the coach of the Knick's or playing with Steve Nash or Chris Paul - oh my goodness.  Would that be exciting of what?

8.  Others -

a.  Webster -  He is only a shell of what I think he could become with the right coach and mind set.  He seems so wanting to please that he is not playing free and easy, leading to these yo-yo levels of play from game to game, never knowing for sure what you are going to get from him.=.  I fear another Jermaine O'Neal about to happen.  We risk giving up on his potential as we did with Jermaine when the coach at that time (Dunleavy) was too afraid to give him a chance though he tore up practices we hear, getting virtually nothing in Dale Davis in return.

b.  Cunningham - Where did this guy come from?  How was he so missed after playing for 4 years in college in a quality program like Brandon did?  There is something to be said for staying in for 4 years and maturing both as a player, but also as a person.  What a find for a second round pick.  This guy is the real deal.  He is so fundamentally sound and also another very gifted athlete.  He has so much more potential than Outlaw has shown after 7 years or so.  He is both intelligent on and off the court.  His basketball IQ must be pretty high and certainly far beyond that of Outlaw.  He does naturally what Outlaw can't do even with reminders/screaming in his ear.  He seems to do everything asked of him and well, has a great mid-range non-hesitant jump shot, is excellent at boxing out and rebounding and even shot blocking and is fearless.  I would keep him in a heart beat over Outlaw next year.  With the return of Batum next year, the two would be dynamos.  If Cunningham is this good right now, imagine what he will become if given the opportunity, which he probably will get, if only because he has ingratiated himself with Brandon.

c.  Prizbilla - A glue guy year in and year out.  What you see is what you get.  Andre will get him even more scoring opportunities around the hoop than he was ever used to playing with Blake and Brandon.  It is a blessing for him to be paired most of the time with Andre.

d.  Howard - I thought from pre-season that there would be more left in his basketball tank than what we've seen so far.  Now with Cunningham's play, I would give those minutes to Cunningham, first because he has so outplayed Howard, but also for his ongoing further development. 

e.  Mill - Yes, I know he hasn't played a minute and probably won't this year, but I credit Paul Allen for speaking up to keep him over Collins and Udoka who are going nowhere when this kid I believe, as Allen must, has a real future in this league as another quicker than lightening PG, who may have more PG instincts than Jerred.  I hope he recovers from his injury soon enough to get some NBADL experiences before next year.  He really played very well in college and in the Olympics against top competition. 

f.  Pendergraf - Seems also to have potential from the summer league play.  He also needs to get some quality time in the NBADL, but has certainly lost a lot of positioning as Cunningham has taken his opportunities and hasn't disappointed. 

g. Pritchett - I am one of his biggest fans, but I think he was saved of a collosal bad decision by Tukoglu's decision to stand him up at the last second.  Maybe by now he is less pissed and realizes how lucky being jilted he was.  Same for not getting Millsap.  I think we are far better off not having either of them and allowing this team to continue to jell.  I think of future trades or signings, if Brandon is king, then they need to take that into consideration more than I think they have so far.  For example, as much as I would love to steal Chris Paul in free agency, what we have seen with Brandon's inability (so far at least) to modify his game to accomodate what Andre brings, bringing Paul in would also probably not work, just like it probably wouldn't have had we been able to pry away Steve Nash.  Both of them, like Andre, need the ball in their hands to create and boy do they to the betterment of their respective teams.

Oaky, I feel better.  It's all off my chest.  Does anyone else see the emperor has no clothes?  If you missed out on nursery rhymes in your childhood, you likely have no idea what I'm talking about. 

Now, Go Blazers!

I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard that Hedu had jilted the Blazers and I think Pritchett and his underlings will ultimately do so as well.  Sometimes the best deals are the deals that came close that never happened.  This is one of those in my view for a number of reasons.  I think the Blazers got tunnel vision and locked in on Hedu for the veteran help he wouldl provide and playoff experience, but the price for 50 milllion or more was out of bounds for a 30 - 31 year old player who is peaked and ripe for the decline that so many free agents in all sports do when signed just as they have peaked.  There is no where to go but slide downward.  Further, Hedu was never a superstar, just a solid piece of a puzzle.  Unquestionable, Hedu will bring all the things said of him regarding his ball handling abilities for such a big man, a player willing to take big shots (I'll never forget his incredible lucky banked 3 ball against us this year as the game ended), and solid high teens scoring., but with suboptinal defense.  That is NOT the player you pay 50 million dollars over 5 years, even if he may have 5 years at that level,  Most players starting such contracts at his age don't deliver the goods at that level for more than 2 - 3 years, after which the team is stuck with an overpaid player for a while and the problems that creates beyond the salary cap.  LaFrenz is a case in point.  So is Rashad Lewis in Orlnado, the very reason that Hedu became a free agent.  He would have made less that Lewis who was rediculouslyl paid to bolt the Sonics, never being a player worthy of such.  Sure he is a deadly shooter, but there is so much more to this game.  Here are other reasons we should be happy Hedu is off to Toronto.

1.  He wasn't the most pressing need.  We have Roy and Aldridge for end of game scoring.  I suspect that Webster and Ferandez will continue to develop and also be willing to take the big shot.  Fernandez is there now for such. 

2.  The real needs are a starting point guard who has the ability to garner more assists per game, has a little daring and dash to his game, has excellent foot speed (including shuffling laterally), high level defense and an ability to take it to the hoop with aurthority as well as have a decent outside shot.  Of these attributes, Blake has the latter, but not even a mid range jumper.  It is a 3 or nothing, rare completion at the hoop, mediocre defense solely because of lack of foot speed at the level of the best, and his excellent assisst to TO ratio is because of his lack of daring and dash all the real top PGs have in the NBA.  Look at Tony Parker, Chris Paul, and Devon Williams.  They have the total package.  Blake has so little of this.  The position is our most pressing need and the names that keeping popping up are not the answer in my view.  Hinrich is a step above Blake, but is really quite similar except for a better defender and probably might get to the hoop a little better, but I wouldn't pay him anywhere near the Hedu money either.  Andre Miller is one I would take a chance on to the level of packaging Travis and Blake for him, but he is at best maybe a bit above the middle of the pack of PGs in this league and is 33!.  Felton from Charlottle is not even worthy of consideration.  Calderron is not likely available, and his defense is also suspect.  He guy I wish the Blazers would really go after in a trade mode, at the level they pursued Hedu is Devon Harris of New Jersey.  He is young enough and a real evolving star.  I would give Travis, Blake or Bayless and another to get him, but that might not be enough.  I thnk Bayless has much of what I listed that Blake doesn't have.  He takes it to the hoop with absolute authority and fearlessness.  I would hate to stiffle that.  I also think he has the mid-level and outside shot, but was always looking over his shoulder, about to be ranked.  McMillan is anything but an "attaboy" type of coach.  Why else does he carry the name Sarg?  Bayless has the footspeed to become a very good defender of other greasy slick PGs.  The only concern I have is whether he can ever gain the PG mentality, as his is that of a SG to this point, but he has the work ethic second to none.  I think folks like Bayless with make it happen.  He will not relent in his pursuit of excellence, which is a reason I would give him time and be patient. 

3.  What happens with Webster iand Batum if Hefu were to have come?  Webster is almost the same as a first year player by age, and has a world of potential, as does Batum.  I would FAR prefer to watch these two very athletic rising stars develop and push each other than be stiffled by the presence for 5 years of Hedu being here.  My fear is that we would give away one of them and watch a replay of when we gave away Jermaine O'Neal who we were told was outplaying the starters regularly in practice, but Dunleavy wouldn't give the young guy a chance.  So what do we do, we get an aging, past prime vet in David and watch O'Neal blossom as we thought he would in no time.  What a mistake.  I don't want a replay with Webster of Batum.  Hedu's presence would have force it or at best prevented their development.

4.  How about Rudy?  We hear both sides of his being not excited about his coming to no big deal.  I am one to know that Rudy has far more to offer than the 3 ball offense we saw last year.  Unleash him.  Let him go.  He has more basketball and court saavy than maybe any other Blazer.  Let him play.  Hedu would have taken some of him minutes if not Websters or Batum's. 

5.  What does the $10 million per year do when Oden, Webster and Rudy's contracts are open to resigning?  With Brandon and Lamarcus up to huge contracts very soon and the others following, where is all the money available to these, likely deserving players who have been here from the get go, loyal to the core.  Hedu is prostituing himself to the highest bidder, using us in his negotiations with Toronto it appears.  Teams that can't play players their due becuase of some bonehead contracts made to older players previously always seems to causes dissention.

6  Our second need wasn't what Hedu broght either.  It is a backup banger to Lamarus. Aldridege.  I know Lamarus doesn't like to be called soft, but he is.  He can play much tough, because we have all seen it, but he chooses so often to start the game with plays called for him where he settles for his beautiful jumper, which if he makes, he stays with to my lament, because he does have an excellent inside game as well.  Further, starting with the jumper sets the tone for him and the Blazers for settling for the easy way out.  The Millsap in the draft was Blair, but since they passed on him (so did about everyone), I would assume they beleive that Perdergraf at 6;10" offers even more of what 6;10: Channing Frye didn't.  I was so disappoint that Channing didn't come at the beginning of his past year as he ended the prior year which would have been just what we needed.  I think that Perdergraph will be just what we need for that backup PF position.  If they think not, go after Paul Milsap.  What an overachieving smaller power forward.  He did it throughout college and hasn't let up while at Utah.  If not him, and the Blazers are not willing to chance it on Perdergraph, there has to be others for that need that could be traded for without spending anything like what they threw at Hedu.

7.  We would have given up our rights to Joel Freeland and Petteri Kopponin as I understand it.  That is trashing two former first round picks.  Are we to view Victor Claver as throug away too?  I understand that Joel has the big body for a PF, runs the court well and has some offense.  What's up with him.  I know little about Kopponin.  Maybe hie is a lost cause, but they are both still so young and some don't develop for much longer.  Travis is a good case in point, and he has only developed his jump shoot.

3.  We may have kept Travis after all.  He game is so terrible apart from his Kobesque jump shots.  He has no basketball IQ, not willingness to pay the price to prepare for the seasons by coming into camp in top notch shape, has no defense and hasn't heard about rebounding, and we keep hearing that McMillan wants to use him at power forward.  That has tto be for being able to outquick his opporent PF offenseively, but he is an embarassment for his lack of motivation to play tough and rebound.

Well, that sums up how I see it. 

Thank you Hedu for jilting us.

Does anyone know the status of TJ Ford, currently playing for Indiana?  He is a true point guard whose career started well initially with Milwaukee after being picked as a 8th pick several years ago as I recall.  It was thought he would have a brilliant future in the NBA, but while with Milwaukee he developed back problems, sat out at year rehab'ing it and ultimately received full clearance as "healed".  When he came back, Milwaukee had Williams and Redd at the guard spots, leaving him odd man out.  Not sure if he had surgery prior to his trade to Toronto, where he played quite well, before being traded to Indiana in the Jermaine O'Neal trade.  It seemed he was doing OK with Indiana at the start of this season as well, but the team was not winning at the level expected.  For reasons I don't know, he has been replaced in the started position by Jerred Jack.  Based on all of this,  and what I think is truly a weakness of the Blazers at the PG position, I suspect he is available and not for a steep price in a trade.  I think he is a step up from Felton on Charlotte, definitely Conley on Memphis (wouldn't go there) and most other PGs that get bandied about on this site as "must have".  I believe TJ is still only 25 years old. 

So what do we have really.  Blake is stop gap at best as a starter, and I think not an effective backup where you need a spark, which he is not, apart from hitting wide open 3's really.  Think about it.  Of course he has a low assist to turnover ratio, because he plays so conservatively he has very few assists in the first place, leading to few risks for turnovers.  He is quite foot slow for an NBA PG, regularly being beaten by the quality, quick PGs of the league, the type winners have.  How often does the second unit come in after a lethagic start to the game only to get a piazza/verve/energy that stimulates the team and the crowd.  That comes from Blake only when he is hitting 3's, not from him defending or setting up others.  He has no significant mid-range game to compliment his long distance shooting which is impressive as the single real element he brings (my view) other than being a total team player without caring about stats for himself (he surely doesn't get them).   In fact, I find myself upset with him a lot for not taking better shots than others take in a heart beat.  Travis takes several crazy shots a game that you won't see form Blake take (even one) in an entire season.  Yeah, I know, Travis actually makes a few of them, so he keeps taking them.

While Sergio does penetrate, he is virtualy non-threat as a finisher.  Sergio compleing a layup is an adventure akin to Shaq's foul shooting.  TJ is a better finisher than Sergio who also after 2 1/3 years has not developed a reliable outside shot, no mid-range jumper and also not capable of defending the better quality point guards who penetrate on both he and Blake at will.  I have been very high in the past on Sergio, but my patience is wearing a bit with him. 

While Bayless may ultimately convert from a score first mentality guard to a penetrating PG among the best who can finish or dish, this all remains to be seen.  He is truly a work in progress it seems to me, but I honestly believe he has a world of potential, and I love his feistiness as we all saw in the last game.   He has within him a will to excell more so than most.  He will push himself like few others to achieve his goals I think.  He has a wonderful point guard physical qualities of quickness, tenacious defense that will only get better, what I believe will be a quality mid-range and deeper outside shot, an ability to penetrate like none of the others we have.  So his downside of the present is that he doesn't think like a point guard. Rather it is forced - the exact opposite to Sergio's mindset which calibrated too far the other way.  Who knows, maybe Sergio will muscle up a bit by next year and come back with an ability to complete a layup when he penetrates, and even someday develop a reliable mid-range jump shot if not a 3 pointer, which has fallen off of late. 

Therefore, since there are few (if any) quality PGs seemingly out there available (not wanting Felton or Conley), TJ Ford is intriging to me as someone who may both be available for little demanded in return and fill a void I think we really need now and in the future, and if healthy, may be someone to have around for a while.  If he were to come, either Blake or Sergio would have to go.  Like many others, I would not give Bayless away, since many have taken 2 - 3 years to come on like gang busters, and I think that will be him if not quicker if allowed to develop with playing time, which I would start giving now of some of Blake's minutes if nothing else is done at that position.  I think he deserves to show in more extended minutes what he can do.. 

Questions about TJ include:

1.  Is he physically healthy, especially relating to his back?

2.  Is he in the coach's doghouse?  What, for example, why is Jerred Jack starting over him after TJ started most of the seaon?

3.  Does he still have the quickness he once had? 

4.  What is his mid-range and long distance shooting like?