That may very well be the case. But nobody can be as bad as Turner! Except Aminu. I'm willing to take the gamble because I don't see a lot of value TO US in the players we're trading away - Vonleh doesn't play at all (ditto Harkless if we swap him for Aminu), we'll lose Bazz for nothing, and Aminu is taking up valuable PF minutes. At worst it's a lateral move - at best we balance the roster a bit.
Ok - this IS the Crazy Trade Ideas post! Trade Successful as per ESPN Trade Machine To: Portland Jordan (from Clippers) Crowder (from Cavs) Rose (Cavs) To: LA Clippers I. Thomas (from Cavs) Calderon (from Cavs) Leonard (from Portland) Portland’s protected first round pick To: Cleveland Turner (from Portland) Napier (from Portland) Clippers protected first round pick
I’ve seen some media types suggest Cleveland offer up the Brooklyn pick for Gordon and the only thought I have is people will be surprised at the return if/when Orlando trades him. I know I wouldn’t offer up a lottery pick for him. I view Gordon as a less efficient version of Shawn Marion. Complimentary piece. Talented. Skilled. But still just a complimentary piece.
And it wouldn’t work because they’d then have to match salaries, which Portland wouldn’t and shouldn’t be interested in.
Marion was a much more well-rounded player than Gordon. Gordon is more similar to Amare - offense but no defense. And Amare without Nash was garbage, injury or not.
Gordon no defense? That’s now at least two people that have suggested Gordon doesn’t defend. Whatever advanced stat you’re looking at....ignore it. Gordon is much better on the defensive side than the offensive.
I'll choose to cede the point without agreeing with you, due to the fact I haven't watched him enough to form a proper opinion either way. But from what little I've seen, I'm not impressed.
I haven’t looked at any of his advanced stats but if it suggests he’s been poor defensively, I think that’s more a reflection of the team he’s on rather than a lack of ability. His defensive talent/versatility is what got him drafted as high as he did imo. I think his ceiling is a two way player in the Marion mold.
I've been pushing for this scenario to play out for a couple of months now. It's super crazy and would require Paul Allen to just say screw it and pay out a ton of tax but I think it would be worth it by the summer of 2019. Trade #1 Pacers get Maurice Harkless (or Meyers Leonard if they prefer) and Larry Nance Jr Lakers get Ed Davis (or Noah Vonleh and Jake Layman works too) and Al Jefferson Blazers get Luol Deng, Lakers 2020 1st round pick (Unprotected), Lakers 2018 2nd round pick (via Denver), Lakers 2019 2nd round pick (via Chicago) Pacers have to take on the contract of Harkless but get Larry Nance Jr as compensation for doing so. They are going to cut Jefferson in the off season anyway so this makes it so they don't have to have dead money on the books either. For the Lakers this is all about clearing max space, if waived this summer Jefferson only counts $4 million against the cap which they could stretch out. The cost of getting rid of Deng's salary is a 1st round pick, two 2nds, and Nance Jr. I think they would be happy to do this. The Blazers get rid of one of their bad contracts but gain an even worse one but could be heavily compensated for doing so. My dream is that after making this trade the Lakers strike out this summer and still suck in 2019-20 making their pick a high lottery one. Trade #2 Hawks get Jordan Clarkson Lakers get $75,000 cash from Atlanta Blazers get Miles Plumlee (Using the TPE), and the better of the Hawks extra 1st rounders this year between Minnesota and Houston This trade also could work between just us and Atlanta if they don't want Clarkson. The Lakers get more cap relief. Hawks get out of their worst contract. Blazers get another pick. So now you might be thinking, why on earth would we add all these picks instead of improving the team now? First off, I don't think this really makes the team any worse than they already are but now they have a huge stockpile of assets. Plus they would be able to use the tax-payer MLE this season still for someone who is bought out and this summer. If they can just get through next year in good shape then in the summer of 2019 they'd have an incredible amount of trade pieces. The contracts of Turner, Leonard, Plumlee, and Deng would all be huge expiring contracts at that point. They'd have a bunch of (hopefully) promising young players on rookie deals including Collins, Swanigan, two players selected in the 2018 1st round, one player from the 2018 2nd round (likely a stash), one player from the 2019 1st round, and two players from the 2019 2nd round. Plus they'd have all of their own picks at that point and still have an unprotected 1st rounder from the Lakers (who will still suck). We would have just about any type of offer for trades that other team's would be looking for at that point. If Olshey found a good wing with just one of those 6 picks then we'd be set. The more quality those picks produce the better. Worst case scenario we just wait for contracts to expire and make a run at someone in the summer of 2020 like Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler. I know this really sounds like it is wasting at least a year and a half of Lillard's prime but I just don't see a logical way out of the position we are in and into contention this year or next year anyway so we not be primed to pounce whenever the next opportunity to get a Paul George or whoever becomes available? Right now it's pretty clear we don't have those pieces, short of another GM gifting us a lopsided trade.
If only the Knicks were willing to part with a future pick with Noahs contract. Would rather not help LAL land LeBron.
That's the beauty of it though. LA thinks they are going to get LeBron but I can't see him going there and they would've just given away a bunch of stuff for nothing. They could still be terrible in 2019-20.
After watching Jabari’s return tonight we need to offer picks and any player not named Dame/CJ/Zach to get him. He’s our best shot at a 3rd star in our current situation. Make it happen Neil.
Or here’s a crazy trade, not sure if we get better really, maybe a little. Nurk/Davis Gordon/Zach Fournier/Turner Pat/Turner Dame/Napier Meh
