With Aldridge being 29 you don't trading for young players/picks If you want to do that you trade Aldridge, not Batum It's "win now" mode per Olshey. The #8 pick isn't helping the Blazers contend in the next 2-3 seasons
cleveland has 30+ MM in cap space as well i believe, depending on if they waive AV, his salary is only guaranteed for 4MM next year
No, but wouldn't the point be to trade for Aldridge while maintaining their cap space? If they want to keep their cap space, they have to match his 14 million.
Was initially the deal I thought of when I saw it. My issue is not really caring for anyone a ton at 8. Well, also don't like dealing away Nic. But assuming Embiid, Wiggins and Parker go top 3, I think Exum goes 4 to Orlando. I dunno who Utah takes at 5, really. They are kind of like the Kings of a few years ago, where they're tough to peg because they have a young/potential guy almost everywhere. Burke, Burks, Hayward, Favors, Kanter. So obviously, just go BPA. Marcus Smart? Julius Randle? Boston next maybe taking one of the others, or Vonleh. Just looking at DX, starting at 7, they have Vonleh, McDermott, Gordon, Saric, Nurkic, Stauskas... None really jump out to me as someone I'm desperate to grab. I'd likely go Vonleh there if I had the pick, and bank on Bosh-like upside potential, maybe. I don't care for the spot, really. But, going off of that, moving Batum #8 has starting salary of roughly 2.3.. It creates an additional 9 million in cap space, with Mo opting out, we'd have roughly 11-12 or so. Could easily sign Deng in that amount to replace Nic. I just think we'd miss Nic's playmaking over Luol. Maybe you split it and go after something like Ariza and..I dunno.
I'm gonna be dead serious honest here, I totally understand the not trading a proven all star for a pick. If Cleveland called and offered #1 this year plus fillers I would have to say yes. Wiggins is a very very good defender. I am a bit scared of giving Lamarcus 127mill for 5 years. We could go into next summer with Wiggins, Lillard, Thompson and Robinson and a boat load of salary cap. I know its a huge risk but IMO thats the kind of risk teams like Portland have to take to get to the next level.
Nic was so key to our offense though. I would much rather trade Wes if I had to choose between the two of them.
We're going to have a fun month of talking about this stuff, i was worried this place was going to be dead until the draft/free agency.
I agree. Deal aint getting done with Wesley. I don't like moving Nic, because of his PnR abilities, and need for another playmaker in the lineup. Just throwing shit out there for discussion really.
Yeah dealing Nic for a pick makes zero sense. If we are trading vets for picks it would be Aldridge. I don't make that move when we have a second round playoff team. It's more likely we have a surprise addition from a young bench guy on the roster now or veteran free agent that gets us to contention. Nobody thought Rolo would be the stud center he became; if Neil can have another addition like that this summer we will be a contender. That is far more likely than tearing our team apart and hoping a few young rookies realize their potential. Now if I'm Minnesota I jump on that #1 pick deal for Love. Cleveland would be willing to pair a better young player like Waiters for Minny to eat a bad contract and give Cleveland even more firepower to entice LeBron or Melo. With Love and Kryie and a veteran defensive free agent I think Melo would consider going there for a year. Win a title in the town LeBron never could! Then Melo could go back to the Knicks next season when the Knicks have cap space and a 2015 high lottery pick to similarly flip for a veteran.
I just don't see it, Wiggins is a few years away from being DeMar Derozen. Yes thats a fun athletic all-star but thats not going to make a team a contender. He doesn't have LeBron or Durant upside. The comparisons to McGrady are silly; Tracy had a great outside shot that Wiggins doesn't. Even with that Tracy never won a playoff series.
