The super Melo to Portland thread + The Big Blockbuster

People need to stop bashing NO when literally nothing has happened. Now... If we trade Mo to get rid of Butters while taking RA's contract....

TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS...

 

Well, NYK have a GM now at least. Not sure if it affects things.

 

If the Blazers can move Leonard+Harkless and receive no salary in return it would put us at around $114 million and let us use the full MLE (8.4M). There are a few good free agents still out there like Jonathan Simmons, Derrick Rose, etc. Using the full MLE would put us over the luxury tax again of 119 million, but we would only be about $3 million over the tax instead of $15 million. Being $3 million over the tax threshold is a $4.5 million tax bill. Being $15 million over the tax threshold is a $49 million tax bill. Big difference. Also, the Blazers could probably move Davis and his $6.7 million salary at the deadline for nothing or close to nothing, assuming he's healthy, which would put them below the tax again.

Let's assume we sign Jonathan Simmons after moving Mo+Leonard. In essence, it's like replacing Mo with Simmons, saving $45 million in tax, and opening up an emergency roster spot as well. Not sexy for sure, but a creative way to fix some of the issues of last year's disastrous spending season. That is, until next season when Nurk is eligible for his extension, and we are forced to move one of Turner/Crabbe, but it definitely buys us more time.

 

So, basically this trade hasn't happened because no one wants our shit (Meyers) and no one wants HOU's shit (Anderson). Both of those guys were just signed by their current teams a year ago. Sure is a lot of buyer's remorse involved in this rumor.

Ironically, if this trade does go through in this permutation, a year from now, all three teams may be suffering from buyer's remorse. Us, because we got stuck with Anderson; NYK, because they got stuck with Meyers; and HOU, because they got stuck with Melo. This could be the rare 3-team trade that makes all three teams worse.

BNM

 

I think Simmons gets 10M+

 

No.

 

Well those are two guys we signed late last year, maybe neil thought he would wait to see how much they improved over the year and was hoping to create an attractive asset. And now has given up.

 

I don't know what you guys are all crying about needing to move bloated contracts for.

Neil and Paul knew exactly what they were doing last summer. Use the money or lose it. So they used it to tie up some assets. They knew they were entering luxury tax levels. Now they are trying to move some of those assets to improve the team. I've heard no one but guys here say that the cap or the tax is a problem right now for this team.

So, we couldn't sign a free agent this summer? We can't any summer anyway.

I think a lot of people here are barking up the wrong tree. It's about improving the team, not getting out of contracts.

 

If he was going to get $10 million he would have gotten it already.

 

The lux tax projection last year was $127 million. Then it became $122 million, then it got revised again this offseason to $119 million. That $3 million difference represents ~$10 million in additional luxury tax payments for the Blazers. Sure Allen could pay it, but it's pretty safe to say that Olshey and Allen thought they were paying for a better team at this time last year. Certainly they thought the team would be better than the 44 wins before, not worse. I don't know about you, but regardless of how much money I have I'd feel pretty pissed about paying an additional $50 million in tax payments for THIS team, especially knowing how bad they were before Nurkic, and then having Nurkic's extension looming. Reality is starting to sink in that all the guys that got paid last year, even Harkless who is on a pretty good deal, are pretty much a bunch of mediocre role players. We also have a log jam of these guys, especially with the rookies coming in. Losing Harkless and Leonard for nothing really may not be that bad, we may not even have signed them last year.

 

Yea he does he is telling them how bad you want to get rid of Melo and how bad you want Harkless. Neil telling them we are doing you and Houston favor by taking Anderson so you guys complete this deal but your going have to Leonard to make the salary to match.

 

From who? Do SA castoffs go elswhere and get paid like that?

 

This whole trade is some bullshit.

 

I'm still guessing NO is pushing Meyers and Turner and getting back Anderson and Ariza. That or Meyers and Mo for Anderson and a pick.

 

The longer this draws out, the more I hope Neil is holding Daryl Morey's feet to the fire until either Neil gets what he wants, or says fuck you and walks away.

BNM

 

YAASSSSSS!!! Trade Aminu, Butters, and Davis. That's a MUCH better deal.