This team is not "much more talented" than what Joe got. The hardest thing to get as a small market team is marquee talent, perennial all nba players. Joe had one in Dame and there were role players around him. So yes we have potential high end star talent but until that potential is realized it's a hope not a reality. Also none of them even look as high end as Dame and we're going to need two guys that good to really contend and not just pretend like we're contending like we did under Olshey during Dame's prime. There's just a lot of work to do and retaining Jerami and Ant as long as Joe has, has been a one foot in and one foot out approach to the rebuild. The same should be said about not flipping Rob immediately because of his health risks. I'm just saying if Joe has a vision for this team he is either not executing it or it's terribly flawed. Getting a dude who refuses to use his talent and size in Ayton and picking a guy who in today's NBA can easily be played off the court in Clingan, definitely is getting bigger but I don't know how much functional size that is. Tou and Deni look like brilliant acquisitions, that fit what Joe said he wanted to do. I still have a lot of hope for Scoot and Shaedon at some point in their careers (if kept together) being in the conversation for best back court in the league... but again that's just hope. We still need a sure fire all nba guy. I really think this draft has three of those but we're not committing to having the best odds of getting them and instead we're having Ant lead us to victories and Jerami doing the same here and there and sorry but that makes this rebuild feel directionless.
I saw that the Hawks lost Jalen for the season…here’s an opportunistic trade to keep Atlanta afloat for playoffs while they develop their other two young studs Dyson and Risacher. Atlanta receives: Grant Ayton Portland receives: Capela (expiring) Nance Jr (expiring) Hunter More small filler (Zeller, Kobe?)
The definition of talent is: Talent - a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude Unrealized talent is still talent. The problem with NBA talent is that it is only "cheap" to acquire when it's unrealized which is what rebuilding teams do. I still maintain that the current team is more talented than the team Joe inherited when he became a GM. A lot of is unrealized and might never realize - but that's the situation for rebuilding teams. The Blazers can not get talent without draft and trade capital - so extending Ant and Grant was reasonable, you can't lose talent for nothing. Getting Ayton was again a necessity to get off Nurkic's contract and enable the Dame trade, so he is/was a good swing. You can't say he is too conservative and yet complain that he takes some swings that do not pan out. All I am saying is that being consistent in JoeCro's assessment is paramount, otherwise, it's really hard to take it seriously. Look, no one, including JoeCro himself in whatever heard from him publicly said that this is a done deal, but I think that the assessment you made is honestly, incorrect and unfair. The vision is clear and the willingness to take some swings is apparent. At some point, you can come and say, sure, you tried and you failed. My opinion is that rebuilding a team from one that is bereft of assets as the one he inherited takes time - and not every step on the way is going to be great. My judgement is that he is trying to acquire talent and get size - and that he is willing to take some swings. Some of them are bad (GP2, but it was really before the rebuild phase when Dame was still committed), some are sub-par (DA and his inconsistent play, Scoot and Shae so far), some are meh so far (Jabri, Kris), so are too early to judge but are promising (Clingan, Rupert) and some are wins (Deni, Camara).
Hunter is better than Grant, and Capela is at least comparable to Ayton. What's Atlanta's incentive for this?
Yeah I noticed that too. Let's hope his assumption is correct even if Joe hasn't given us a lot to indicate that it will be.
I thought Hunter is out injured a lot (played over 60 games once in past 5 years). But I just looked at Grant, and he isn’t an ironman either. But Grant plays PF, where they need help. I thought Hunter was a SF? The future at forward for Atlanta is Jalen and Risacher, and Grant can back them up both in a solid 3 forward rotation. As for Ayton/Capela, yeah, comparable, but Ayton has more potential scoring punch and is under contract longer and is younger. haha, yeah I’m reaching to clear out big vet money!
I did just see a tweet where ATL supposedly reached out to CHI for a Capela-Vucevic swap, so maybe they actually are looking for an offensive upgrade at center. So, perhaps the Capela/Nance for Ayton part of your proposal might be viable. If so, I'd be on board.
Capela is expiring and maybe doesn't want to stay. But; you're right, I don't think they would want to trade Hunter and if you take him out you need to throw in about 6 players from Atlanta to make it work.
I'd do this trade without getting any picks. Ant to Orlando is the one part I can see the other team maybe having interest in though. I don't see why the Kings or Hawks would be interested.
if Clint comes to Portland I sure will convince him to stay. I am in Atlanta next week to meet him for an article. It’s 3 days before the deadline. I hope I will not be unlucky here
Ha, so you would trade 6 players for essentially Huerter? I assume you were not one of those complaining about Joe's Clipper trade, because that would be beyond hypocritical.
Norm was much better back then as well as better today than any of Ayton Ant Grant so there's nothing hypocritical. Norm was on a great contract and Covington was expiring. Bledsoe and Didi are on the Blazers salary cap today. Also back then with Dame it was less clear we were going to rebuild so a Norm player could've been retained or flipped for other vets to try and win. Obviously the Blazers are not in that position to go for wins today. If anything Ant Grant Ayton just get in the way of other team priorities today. There's a reason the league was furious the Clippers got that haul and pushed to create the 2nd apron. It's because the Blazers clearly lost the trade. Grant and Ayton have negative value so I'd love to get cheaper shorter contracts for them. Grants contract, going until 2028, has the most downside of any deal on the current Blazers roster. I'd want to hold onto Rupert in the Ant deal though especially if we're not getting a pick. Minor change, but I doubt Orlando values Rupert for much so better to keep him here a year. I believe he's the youngest Blazers player.
One of them happens and I'll be happy, two I'll be ecstatic. All three I'll flip my criticisms and lead the Cronin fanclub.
