Gary "Hard Cap" Payton

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by SharpesTriumph, Jul 6, 2022.

  1. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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    The hard cap just complicates things all season. Realistically if we were never in the KD sweepstakes, a KD trade theoretically to certain teams like the Raptors or Suns would lead to a player being available in either scenario that until this point was either untouchable (Mikal Bridges) or the asking price was too high (OG Anunoby). Dame would LOVE to get Mikal. If you take out obvious star players, Mikal would be on the top of Dame's wish list, and it's not even close for 2nd.

    Phoenix to this point has told anyone calling about Bridges no thanks and wouldn't even consider it. However, since the Pacers ruined any chance of including Ayton in a trade for KD, Mikal for the first time would almost have to be a part of the trade for it to work. The Suns have that connection because they drafted him, watched him grow, and he's been a big part of their success. The Nets would value him too of course, but they wouldn't have the same pride of being "their" guy that the Suns currently have. Same thing applies to OG. Both of those guys become more realistic targets if they're part of a KD trade.

    Could the Blazers still make it work? Sure, it's still possible to trade say Hart/Nas/Winslow to match and still be under the hard cap, it's just weird that a front office that got credit for being different and not afraid of taking a big risk would essentially eliminate themselves from being able to take said risk.
     
  2. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    So we can sign Meyers Leonard to a $30mill/year contract and then trade him for KD!
     
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  3. LayneStaley

    LayneStaley Well-Known Member

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    We are a lottery team again if Nurk goes down. Eubanks playing starters minutes would be very bad.
     
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  4. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    We’re a lottery team again regardless bro.
     
  5. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Wanna bet?
     
  6. BankTeller

    BankTeller Well-Known Member

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    That’s very true. My biggest fear is they try to salvage the season by trading guys like Nas, Sharpe, etc for a C.

    I would much rather get a lotto pick in a very deep draft. But with Dame, Ant, and other guys, we’re not gonna suck enough to get a high lotto pick and it likely wouldn’t justify another lotto season.

    It’s going to be tough. The only guy I would want to give up is Hart atm, only because he has a PO next season.
     
  7. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    Please note that by "we" he means the Lakers!!! He's probably right. :)
     
  8. STOMP

    STOMP mere fan

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    Injuries will undoubtably hurt some of the projected playoff teams, but today on paper I see both the Blazers & Lakers on the outside looking in.

    STOMP
     
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  9. tykendo

    tykendo Don't Tread On PDX

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    So are your beloved Lakers
     
  10. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Some if not most Blazers fans don't understand the hard cap and possibly believe this.
     
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  11. HoopsFanAZ

    HoopsFanAZ Well-Known Member

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    Tank-o-Rama: Houston, OKC, San Antonio, Utah
    Teams we can count on: Sacramento
    Will be overrated, again: Minnesota

    Eliminating any optimism on my part, the Blazers finish in the Top 9 in the West. Yet, a number of early predictions rushing to the bottom. Really?
     
  12. damianlillard

    damianlillard Well-Known Member

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    How good you think we will realistically be?
     
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  13. Shaboid

    Shaboid Well-Known Member

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    I'd rather have this Gary at his salary than have paid Gary Trent Jr., I think.
     
  14. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    My issue with trading GTJ at the time of the trade was I didn't understand why we would trade a guard for another guard. We had Dame/CJ/Ant. I was hoping we'd move GTJ for a forward. I still don't get it. Neil was a moron.
     
  15. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    We all knew that CJ was the player who should have been traded at that point anyway....and yes, for a forward. Trent starting at the 2 with Ant coming off the bench behind him and Dame was what everyone but Neil wanted to see.
     
  16. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    upload_2022-7-19_12-12-7.gif
     
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  17. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't gamble on the Blazers on the post-season , but for the regular season I expect a consistent effort on defense and depth are going to win a lot of games.
     
  18. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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    I know you're joking, but the most we can offer Meyers is about $4 million, so that doesn't work either.
     
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  19. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    If everything that Sly says is a joke, how do we know he isn't joking? :dunno:
     
  20. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Not if Meyers legally changes his name to Kevin Durant. Then they can be paid the same and we can trade one for the other.
     

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