Trade Idea Realistic trade options for summer of 2023

I thought Dame signed Blevins.

 

I agree in that we need more traditional centers on the roster than 1. We need someone to bang with Jokic, Embiid, etc in the playoffs as well as the grind of 82 games. But they don't all have to be on $70 million contracts. I'd prefer 2-3 of these players on the roster at smaller contracts.

Traditional center means yes in a small part shooting threes, but more the mobility on the defensive end. Nurk can't guard in space or guard opponents effectively when they go small. He is much better in drop coverage but often thats a poor strategy against shooting guards as well as a different strategy than Chauncey often implements.

So Nurkic can be played off the floor, or be ineffective when the other team gameplans for it. This is evident by Nurks 3-13 postseason record. His 1.1 3pts per 36 minutes last year isn't enough volume to make a significant difference, even if its a nice trend compared to his career averages.

Even though I'm less bullish on Nurk than you are; I still believe he is more effective than a replacement level player, and can be a rotational player on a very good team. So the team should keep him on the roster and play him if healthy. I just see his effectiveness as being very easy to replace by a competent GM who wants to allocate that salary slot to a more critical position; if that GM has the simple competency to acquire cheaper traditional center backup big men.

 

Neil was the GM; so he gets the bulk of the credit. Doesn't matter if the team, scouts, assistants, etc was leaning towards Dame previously or not. Neil had the authority and the believe from Paul Allen to go where he wanted to with those decisions. So he rightly gets credit for drafting Dame even if it was someone elses initial suggestion.

Do you likewise hold it against Cronin, the main cap expert, that the Blazers signed Turner to that stupid contract? What about matching Crabbe? Or losing Aldridge for nothing? Or sending first round picks out for irrelevant veterans? The GM is either responsible for all moves or none of them, you can't single out the good moves in Neil's tenure to others but hold the bad moves against him. That is if you want to fairly judge Neil. If you just want to hold up a pitchfork to Neil and spew off delusional nonsense - then please carry on.

 

Neil was hired well after the scouting dept AND Paul Allen, identified Lillard as their guy

 

I still think Nurk is underrated guarding in space. I don't think that was the issue whatsoever defensively. People think Eubanks was good guarding in space but that led to him switching far too often and ultimately getting burnt, and half the time Eubanks didn't know where to be on rotations or in transition.

If they find a Nurk upgrade I'm absolutely cool with that. Just have to many holes and weaknesses to focus on getting rid of the one guy who shores up our two biggest ones. Just need a legitimate backup C behind him (wish we would've gotten Hartenstein in the Hart deal).

 

I identified Dame as THE guy as a high schooler, and was all aboard with the Sharpe pick. Many others did too.

Doesn't mean we'd all be good GMs.

 

What has he done that is poor?

 

Are the Blazers interested?

 

I advocated for signing Hartenstein and Looney instead of Nurk last offseason... combined they signed for about the same money as JN somehow commanded. At the rates they signed, either would clearly have been a much better option to have in the fold. The Blazers are a ways away and shouldn't be overpaying for yesterdays that never were

STOMP

 

If you have to ask that question then you already think that nothing he's done is poor and that's silly.

 

Looney wasn't gettable for Nurkic so I don't see the point in your advocation for him. I've been a Hartenstein fan for a while. Sure. It be nice to have arguably the two best bang-for-your-buck centers in the entire league. Nurkic is an average starting C and is paid like one.

 

Great tactic

 

Lol sure you did

 

I remember it was said, that Dame was dominate and very impressive during Chicago Combine scrimmages.

 

So many people fell in love with us picking him. We needed a PG and he was the PG to take. Most of us were just hoping no one else jumped on him before our pick.

I think the team having him in for more than one workout plus Dame's demeanor did make most of us want him as a Blazer.

 

i see, then OK.

Because as I had read it, I thought he meant he wanted Dame while Dame was in HS. Which is an asinine claim because unless people were in AAU tournaments and could somehow foresee Dame's improved work ethic 4 yrs later, he was not an NBA prospect in HS.

 

Look through the draft thread from that year. 90% + of this forum wanted Dame after the team posted his interview with Mike Rice.

 

Were they capped out when they resigned Joseph? If so, that makes more sense as to why they didn't go after better options which were signed for much less.

Next season Nurk will be the 11th highest paid Center in the league. Without considering contracts, it's pretty easy to list 16 guys I'd rather have on the roster in 2023-24 plus many others I'd be at least as good with having.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/rankings/cap-hit/center/

STOMP

 

Basketball players make so much money nowadays. It’s insane.