Not really related to this post, but are you saying you’ve heard Portland is interested in Butler, or is that just your guess?
Hey, much better salmon fishing out here! Yeah sofa is the land of lakes, but it so damn cold and flat back there. If Butler came to Portland he would fall in love with our mountains, high desert and ocean. The guy is a total outdoorsman. The mailman was too.
CJ for Butler: I would do it. You would do it. The Board would do it. I think Neil would do it. Question is: Would Paul Allen do it? I hope so. Would Minnesota? It's not looking like it. I'd love a CJ and Turner for Butler and anyone.
If there is real fear of Butler walking next summer, getting CJ on contract for 3 more years would be a massive coup for Minny.
I just want to interject (sorry, marginally off topic) that so many people seem to put 100% of the responsibility for trades and lack of trades on the Blazers GM, while seemingly ignoring the role Paul Allen plays in decisions that affect the team and the roster. It is impossible for me to believe that ANY move gets made, or rejected, without Paul Allen's review and approval. Paul should not get a pass on trades that happen, and especially not on trades that don't happen. Paul is the ultimate decider. Also, if anyone "falls in love with" players, IMO that would be the Trail Blazers Number One Fan, Paul Allen, and not slick talking, self dealing Neil Olshey. As for sticking with "his guys", I doubt someone like Olshey has any "guys". His focus undoubtedly is, and should be in this situation, his own personal success, which is okay because his personal success is directly tied to team success. I've also read posts insinuating, if not stating, that Olshey won't do "X" because he's afraid of taking risks. Seriously? No highly successful person becomes highly successful without taking risks. Sorry for the ramble. Carry on
Haha. So true. I'm not remembering the details, but IIRC they pursued a bunch of Blazers and ex-Blazers a few years ago.
So, if you trade CJ for Butler, are you going to play Butler at SF or SG? If you're going to play him a SG, then you've still got the hit and miss production of Mo Harkless at SF. If Butler starts at SF, then who gets the start at SG, Curry? Stauskas? Trent? I'd be a lot happier with making that move after we've seen how those guys perform.
CJ for Butler, then TPE for Courtney Lee. ET + 2nds for Koufos Dame/Lee/Butler/Aminu/Nurk Bench: Wade/Curry/Moe/ Collins/Koufos That's a solid top 10.
You work that out later... That's not something you worry about before the deal. Having said that, I'd personally start him at the 2 and have him play the 3 quite a bit in 'smaller' lineups.
Neil absolutely does have "his guys." Look at everyone he brought in that he had in LA. He drafted Aminu one pick before Hayward and Paul George, and was one of the first acquisitions he made after Aldridge left. He brought in Kaman. He brought in Mo Williams. He stuck with and extended Meyers to a ridiculous contract. He's clearing the roster of players who would play in front of his guy Collins. He has repeatedly mentioned the idea of letting ET run the second unit to justify the contract he gave him. You think PA is the one behind these moves?
I don't think Thibs would do this trade for reasons that Thibs love defense and I don't see him trading him to division foe.
Agreed. Dame, Butler, Harkless, Collins, Nurk If another dependable SG comes along then maybe you look at shifting Butler to SF, but I prefer him at SG.
I think the idea that the Blazers have to make a big move depends upon the interpretation of what the sweep by the Pelicans meant. If you go all "Gronk", then the third seed meant nothing and the sweep is indicative of major shortcomings with the Blazers' roster. If you go all "NO", then you don't ignore the great success of the regular season and "overreact" to the sweep. You look at the Pelicans and say they were a bad match-up and you look at how they were able to dominate (lack of scoring from the PF/C position, lack of scoring from the backup guards, injuries to ET & Mo). Once you've done that, then you try to address those specific issues. What we've seen NO do is get better perimeter shooters for the backup guards and let Ed go in order to get Zach more minutes, presumably to address the front court scoring. Assuming ET and Harkless are healthy, is that enough to resolve the Pelican advantage? It seems to me like both Zach and Mo are too hit and miss in the scoring department to say that those moves have adequately addressed the issues. If I'm Gentry, I'm still having Davis double on Dame and CJ until the Blazers prove that they can score consistently from the SF and front court positions.
But he let Ed Davis walk. He signed him. He traded for ROlo, and let him walk. He traded away Will Barton. He traded away Allen Crabbe. He made moves for Vonleh and Plumlee, and moved on from both of them. Let Connaughton walk. Napier.
