On paper, Randolph is almost a franchise player. On paper.

On paper the Randolph trade is a really atrocious deal, but something like it probably had to be done to preserve the team long-term. Right now the Blazers are looking two or three years down the road, when Roy and Aldridge will (hopefully) be looking for substantial contracts, and with Oden (hopefully) to receive a max deal shortly thereafter. Buying out the clinically depressed Steve Francis this summer and offloading Randolph’s eleventy-billion-dollar contract should (hopefully) mean this can happen under the cap.

(If the idea is for Steve Francis to actually play basketball for the Blazers, however, it suddenly becomes one of the worst trades in history. Oh well.)