Trade Ideas Thread

This would be my dream offseason that includes a CJ trade:

1) CJ, Ariza, #16 -> Harris, Thybulle, Richardson, #21

2) Harris, #21, #46, future protected 1st rounder -> Love, #5

So pre-Draft, you have a team of Dame/Trent/Richardson/Love/Nurkic/Collins/Simons/Little/Hood/Thybulle with the #5 pick.

2020 Draft:

3) Draft Advija with #5–hope he grows into a guy who can replace CJ’s playmaking one day.

2020 Free Agency:

4) Let Whiteside walk.

5) Re-sign Melo to 2 year deal for vet min or part of the MLE.

6) Sign Napier with part of MLE.

7) Sign Henson with rest of MLE.

8) Re-sign Gabriel for min salary.

9) Extend Trent.

So you would roll into next season with

Dame/Trent/Richardson/Love/Nurkic
Napier/Thybulle/Advija/Melo/Collins
Simons/Hood/Little/Gabriel/Henson

Keep in mind that Aldridge could possibly be in POR if he ever gets bought out and clears waivers. Richardson will likely decline his player option in 2021 so he will be a trade piece. With all of our picks plus Love/Collins/Simons/Hood’s salaries, I think we’d also have the necessary pieces to pull the trigger on a trade for a disgruntled star in the next 2 years if there is one.

This would be my ideal summer. Would love to hear what you guys think about my 2 trades and whether or not they’d be worth pursuing for all sides.

 

My honest opinion:
- Cleveland trade makes 0 sense for Cleveland.
- That's your dream offseason? Seems like a lateral move at best.

 

Why does that make 0 sense for Cleveland? My thought process for Cleveland was that they’ve wanted in a draft full of uncertainty, they might not find a SF in the draft that will be better than Harris anyways. If the first three players end up being Edwards/Wiseman/Ball, do you see them picking Okongwu or Toppin? They have Love and Nance in the frontcourt, plus Drummond will most likely opt in. Are they going to grab another guard?

Why do you think it’s a lateral move? And yeah, I was going to be realistic with my dream. It’d be absurd (until recently I guess) to suggest a trade scenario for Middleton or someone unrealistic like that. But do I think PHI would seriously consider that deal? Yes. Do I think the Cavaliers with do Cavaliers things and consider that trade? Yes lol. Therefore, they are part of my dream offseason.

If you had pick #5, who are you grabbing?

Appreciate the feedback.

 

My dream offseason:
Move #1
MIL Gets: C.J. McCollum, #16, 2021 POR 1st
POR Gets: Khris Middleton, #24

Move #2
SAC Gets: Anfernee Simons, #24
POR Gets: Nemanja Bjelica (TPE), #35

Move #3
Package #35 & #46 to move up and select G Jahmi'us Ramsey

Free Agency
Sign Maurice Harkless to 2 years, $12M (MLE)
Sign T.J. McConnell to 2 years, $7M (BAE)
Resign Gabriel & Hoard

*Hezonja opts out and leaves

Lineup
Dame / McConnell / Ramsey
Middleton / Trent / ?
Ariza / Hood / Little
Harkless / Bjelica / Hoard
Nurkic / Collins / Gabriel

 

It makes no sense for Cleveland because they're in rebuild mode, Harris isn't remarkably better than Love, and he's on a worse contract, so no way theyd trade a top 5 pick for that swap and filler.

Okongwu would be a great fit for Cleveland. Avdija would be too. A rebuilding team isnt going to pass on a big because they have Larry Nance Jr... they're not building around Nance or Love.

Middleton is far more realistic than Cleveland taking that trade.

Nothing from the past suggests that Koby Altman would trade a top 10 pick for a middling veteran on a bad contract.

 

McConnell isn't a free agent.

 

Get a defensive SF/PF. Jeremy Grant or Jae Crowder are examples. Might need a cheaper more attainable version or two of them and hope one improves.

Get a veteran backup PG that could be a useful backup but not complain much if pushed to 3rd string.

Let Whiteside walk.

Don't offer Melo more than one year salary.

Don't give Collins an extension. He needs to prove his play next year.

Lock up Trent, I think his max is 4 years 50 million which is fine.

 

* Portland has really needed a solid backup PG since Mo Williams left. Pretty clear Olshey doesn't value signing one when he's such a fan of CJ and Simons as backup PG

* the drop of production and impact Whiteside has from starter to backup was pretty drastic. He averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds off the bench and his defense was quite a bit worse as well, although he did have some critical blocks. If that's the gauge, it looks like a 4-5M a year to me at most, and I'd doubt the Blazers can re-sign him for that

* if Melo won't re-sign for a vet minimum, he'll hog a chunk of the MLE. His presence, or absence, won't alter Portland's trajectory any

* Collins doesn't deserve an extension, unless it's for quite a bit less than the MLE, but he's one of Olshey's guys and we know those guys get overpaid

* Trent still has another year on his contract and I'm thinking that a player needs to have finished his 3rd season on a deal in order to be eligible for an extension. But maybe that's a rule from the previous CBA

 

Crowder is an UFA and he’d fit very well if we could persuade him to be a Blazer.

 

So I like @pougie trade #1 and I would not make his trade #2 or #3. In that scenario I would let Melo and Hassan walk. Trade up with the two first rounders to get a better impact player in the first round. I would use the MLE to get Michael Carter Williams and Nerlens Noel. Re-sign Wenyen and Hoard. Rotation would be Dame, Gary, Richardson, Harris, Nurk, Zach, MCW, Thybulle, Hood, Noel, and hopefully that first round pick. That doesn't give us a ton of bench scoring but we would be a defensive juggernaut and hopefully that higher first rounder could be a scorer or Ant develops and gives us that scoring off the bench.

I also like trade #1 from @BonesJones I however would not do trade #2 or #3. I would start both Gary and Middleton at the wings. I would again pick up MCW and Noel splitting the MLE. I would likely start Ariza or Collins if he showed growth at PF. I would draft whoever had the most value at 24. I'd re-sign Wenyen and Hoard. Let Hassan and Melo walk. The rotation would be Dame, Gary, Middleton, Ariza, Nurk, Collins, MCW, Noel, Hood and maybe Wenyen and/or Nas would develop to get into that rotation. Again, I think we would be so much better on defense and would have a potent offense. I again know that bench scoring would be lacking so I would hope Ant could step up or our first rounder would be a scorer that could get some minutes to add some punch but we would be a defense first team.

In both of those scenarios if Stotts is still coach the starters are going to get almost all of the minutes anyway. I would also pick up a defensive lead assistant coach who could provide some accountability. Oh and I don't give a shit about what Rio decides to do.

 

He only has $1M guaranteed for 2020-2021. I think there's a chance they waive him.

 

Couple things:

1.) My whole idea was to get versatile defenders that could guard 1 through 4 at SG, SF, and PF, providing a high level of switchability. Hence: Middleton/Ariza/Harkless.

2.) You say you wouldnt do the trades to bolster our bench but then say bench scoring would be an issue if we didnt. A bench of McConnell/Trent/Hood/Bjelica/Collins would feature three 40% 3pt shooters from last year, 3 good defenders, and would be a top 3 bench in the league.

3.) I think if we really want to contend we shouldn't be counting on Ant to step into a big role next year.

 

Yeah, your plan isn't horrible or anything, I just want Gary starting at the 2 next season, I don't really want to retread Moe and I think Trent/Middleton/Ariza provides great defensive versatility, in fact I don't think any of your starting 2-4 could guard the 1 as well as Trent. Just my opinion. The team that I was suggesting still has a ton of shooters and a ton of versatile defenders both starting and off the bench. So if you look at it as a defense first team, we don't need an instant offense guy off of the bench like McConnell, just a facilitator with defensive switchability like MCW. It's also important to point out (and I know you know this) that it's not a platoon system, it's a rotation and with Stotts the starters are so important because they play such heavy minutes.

 

Trent is a bit undersized to guard 3s and cant guard 4s. I'd rather have the versatility in the starting lineup, then be able to bring I'm Trent for any of those 3 and maintain that high level of defense against bench lineups, where Trent would be able to have an easier time with backup 3s and 4s.

McDonnell's top skill is his defense, he's not an "offense first guy". Regardless, he was just a random PG. You can replace him with whoever. The plan doesnt hinge on him, I just like his fit.

We've never given Stotts a bench nearly as good as the one I came up with. Stotts should have the best bench of his coaching career next season unless Olshey mightily screws up.

 

I think they should offer him the $3.6M BAE. If he wants more, then move on.

 

I guess I'd be OK with that but I'm not sure if Portland will want to hard-cap themselves, especially if there's a significant drop in the salary cap

 

I'm assuming the tax would be the same, not additionally punitive due to a pandemic that's already punishing teams.

 

I like your moves. What is your thinking as to why Milwaukee would do the CJ for Middleton trade?