Will Roy's Reputation and Game 4 Heroics Save him from Getting the Axe?

[Built Ford Tough]

Most likely amnesty cut: Brandon Roy

 

How likely to use amnesty this season? Slam dunk

 

Other amnesty candidates: Marcus Camby

 

Analysis: If there's a more interesting amnesty conundrum out there in 2011, show us. Because of Roy's stature in the organization and the community, it's still hard to imagine Portland going through with letting him go. Rewind to his franchise-player flashes in Game 4 of the Dallas series and it gets even harder. The reality, though, is that Roy has deteriorating knees, more than $50 million guaranteed left on a cap-clogging contract that runs through 2014-15 and little else on last season's highlight reel apart from that Game 4 eruption

 

Although there's an undeniable sense in Rip City that the Blazers will be tempted to give Roy one more season to regain something resembling his old form, one rival exec insists that "Roy would be gone for sure if [Rich] Cho was still there" ... and that it's only a matter of time even without Cho in charge.

 

Cutting ties with Roy, expensive as it'll be, is the only way they can truly start over. The Blazers, if they kept him for even one more season, would have a payroll approaching $75 million when the season starts.

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7147880/nba-most-likely-amnesty-candidates

 

This is definitely the most interesting situation, like mentioned. It must be hard to simply sever ties with a player who has given so much to a franchise but looking at is rationally, the only logical decision is to use the clause on him. It was well known prior to the draft that he had serious knee issues and his knees have only gotten worse after enduring the grind of an NBA season since 2006. He is never going to be the player he once was and will be paid like a superstar despite his play being less than half of what is expected of a star.

 

It is definitely going to suck having to simply let a player like Roy go considering his history with the franchise, but at the end of the day, it is a decision that needs to be made for the betterment of the franchise.

[Newman]

As much as I love the guy, they need to use it on him. Since amnesty won't allow him to return to Portland immediately after, he can go join a contender where he would definitely be useful.

 

If Roy does stay, he is definitely going to play 20 minutes per game at most and with Felton and Matthews as the backcourt duo, it is hard to imagine Roy squeezing either of them out of the starting line-up.