David Lee May Be Blazing New Trail In A Couple Of Days

After losing the battle for Hedo Turkoglu's heart, Kevin Pritchard of the Portland Trailblazers has turned his focus onto restricted free agent David Lee. Despite his fabulous season of personal records in which he had the second most double doubles in the league, Lee was not a priority for the Blazers considering that the Knicks could match any offer by July 15th and perhaps leave the team without any free agent it coveted.

David Lee, despite his defensive deficiencies, may be a good fit for Portland as a starter or off the bench backing up LaMarcus Aldridge. Reportedly, Lee would balk at being a back-up but one has gotta believe that $9 Million or so will sooth the ego, especially if Lee is the part of a great team. With a healthy Oden in the rotation, Lee's matador defense may become irrelevant.

Portland must decide whether he is worth the money or the potential hassle of getting involved in a sign and trade. Perhaps the best move is to offer a contract the Knicks are unlikely to match, but that may seem awful expensive for a back up. On the other hand, NBA Champions are known for haivng starter quality sixth men. David would be a good choice for Portland. Losing him without gaining something in return, even if it is more 2010 cap space would be a travesty.

Who grows their own draft choices and let's them walk away before signing talented old farts on the decline such as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill.