With the #7 pick, the Portland Trail Blazers select....

I compare Duren to Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks. That is not a 7th pick.

 

This doesn’t seem right.

 

agreed

as much as I didn't like CJ's game...or rather, his game mixed with Dame...at least CJ established and proved himself over several hundred games. He had established norms that Ant has only matched for a stretch of a couple of dozen games. And, CJ established those norms while sharing the court with Dame. That's something Ant hasn't done yet, and in fact, when CJ came back from the punctured lung and started alongside Ant, it seemed to knock Ant out of his rhythm quite a bit.

I'm hopeful for Simons. I'm even hopeful, with some reservations, for a better mesh between Dame and Simons than Dame and CJ ever had. But a 25 game stretch is fairly weak confirmation of an established game. At this point, there's quite a bit of hype behind Ant and it's unclear if the hype is justified

 

Duren is more skilled facing the basket, much better passer.

 

I trade Simons/ '25 pick from Bucks in a sign and trade, for Grant and the #5. Simons is the perfect 2 guard next to Cunningham. Grant is no longer in Detroit's plans and makes too much money. He only gets in the way of Stewart & Beys development. Then i draft Keegan Murray with the #5, and Bennedict Mathurin with the #7 pick. You have a lineup of Nurk, Grant/Murray (depending on readiness), Nas, Mathurin, & Dame. You have Hart(6th man, extended minutes), Ingles, and Murray/Grant in your shortened 8 man rotation. Re-sign Eubanks to back up Nurk, and pick between Watford, Winslow, Williams, Elleby, and whoever you sign as a sharpshooter in free agency for the extended rotation during the regular season. The only way i trade the #7 pick is for John Collins, PERIOD! Grant is a nice role player, nothing more.

 

Can't S&T Simons until after the draft is over. At that point, it would look like obvious collusion if that swap was made.

 

I think collusion has been standard operating procedure in the NBA for years.

 

Yet you never see a S&T with a recent pick.

 

A trade of our pick for John Collins couldn't be done either till after as well. But there would be an agreement between the Hawks and Blazers before, and then the Blazers would pick the player the Hawks want at #7.

 

Why?

 

We could even agree to and have the media anounce the trade before the draft, it's done all of the time.

 

But Collins is under contract. Simons is not.

 

also, Bledsoe's salary, even if guaranteed, isn't enough to get the trade done during the draft. After the moratorium it would be enough. Obviously the Blazers could add Brown to the trade and make it work, but the 7 for Collins might be enough on it's own

 

Incorrect.
Bledsoe + #7 for Collins +16 could happen today if they wanted.

Bledsoe has a '21-'22 salary of $18.1M. Portland can take back up to an additional $5M in salary.
Collins has a '21-'22 salary of $23.0M - so it barely fits under the criteria.

 

Good catch.

 

you're right about that....for some dumb reason I was using the formula for a tax-team...125%. But since Blazers aren't a tax-team (and wouldn't be after the trade), they can use 5M

 

If Atlanta would consider that, I would do it.

The move 16 + TPE for Grant.

Dame/Ant/Grant/Collins/Nurk

with Hart/Little/Winslow off the bench.

Still have MLE to fill the rest of the roster, that is super enticing.

 

Man... I still just have a hard time seeing that team as a true contender. I don't know. Would we really be better off than maybe hitting big with the 7th pick?