Kevin Love AGAIN (with poll)

Also, let's be clear, that came from the Cavs beat guy, Jason Lloyd, not Quick.

 

This opinion is totally fine! I just don't like his health being touted as a main reason for trading him. They saved $2 million to not have Skal be a part of their future plans. That's a financial decision. If Skal was still on the team it wouldn't change any part of your post.

 

I was pretty neutral on Quick until I heard an interview with him a couple hours after the trade deadline. He couldn't even answer if the Blazers were still in the luxury tax or not after the Skal trade and said he doesn't know much about the cap or how that works.

 

That all is fine, and Quick usually doesn't float rumors out there.

But this came from the Cleveland guy, who presumably has sources closer to them than Portland. It's totally feasible that he simply omitted salary fillers from his scenario.

 

But once again, Cleveland was not in a position to save the Blazers money like Sacramento was. It doesn't make sense that Portland would've been willing to add salary either given every decision they've made since the season started.

 

But what if they already decided he wasn’t gonna be part of the team next season before the injury? The injury just made it easier to dump him now, since he wasn’t gonna help them anymore this season anyway. Remember, he wasn’t supposed to be in the original rotation. So why not trade him and save a couple mil? These theoreticals are fun, because they can’t really be proven either way.

 

And you frequently post trade rumors that aren't even possible.

 

Don't overthink this man, it was an offhand comment made in a chat, rehashing something he prolly found out over a month ago.

 

See I don't get this line of thinking because to me that is just an excuse for mismanaging the cap. Skal had been fine this year, especially considering in my opinion he's more of a PF than a true C. He was often playing C with all guards around him (ironically until the game he got hurt). Not wanting to keep a young athletic big with that skill set who would likely be cheap to re-sign in the off season and still has some potential to pop brings around a whole new set of questions.

 

Nah man, it bugs me when people who get paid to do this stuff say things that don't make sense and everyone eats it up like it's 100% true.

 

I think the thing we can reasonably takeaway from this info is that we are seemingly OK with making the massive longterm financial commitment for Love, albeit without giving up any assets to get him. This was also earlier in the season when we figured Nurk would be back in Feb and we were still more likely to get to #8 than we are now.

Plans change. I keep saying it, I think Nurk's calf strain and setback threw a wrench into Neil's plans.

 

This line of thinking is exactly why it makes me mad that people believe this crap, lol.

Every. Single. Decision. Portland has made since the season started has been financially motivated but now because some guy reports some rumor that isn't even possible under the CBA people assume this means Portland was willing to take on Love's contract?

The only way this makes sense to me is if it got Portland completely out of the tax this season but trading straight up with Cleveland would be very difficult to achieve that.

 

Yeah I agree Skal is strictly a PF, and that’s why I think it’s possible Olshey could’ve just decided Gabriel was a better project (I would agree) as he offers a little more versatility and more intriguing skillset.

 

Teams priorities and goals change over the course of the season.
Early December, Portland's offer could've easily been for Love & TT. By mid-January the Blazers season is going to pot & they decide to pivot and try and save $.

 

Nope. Skal could have been signed with Bird Rights - thus not impacting the ability to use the MLE or other exceptions.

 

Sure, the Hood injury likely changed everything for this season but in other statements that Cleveland reporter suggests that this offer was on the table until Bazemore was traded which doesn't match what is actually occurring with the Blazers.

 

With all the positive things they've said about Skal and his development and the fact both he and Gabriel were restricted free agents plus the fact that Gabriel had played less than 26 minutes for the Blazers at the time of the Skal trade, I have a hard time believing that they knew Gabriel was a keeper and Skal wasn't. You could be right, I just wish $2 million wasn't worth giving up on one of them.

 

so capholds for bird rights only affect teams below the salary cap and then only impacts the amount available to sign free agents. correct? and thank you.

 

Basically yeah, the cap holds would have to be renounced (thus losing the bird rights) if you wanted to use cap space but if you're over the cap it doesn't matter other than trying to forecast if a team has the Full-MLE or the Tax-MLE available.

For example the Blazers have Whiteside's full bird rights. So if they signed someone to the Full-MLE and got hard capped it would possibly put a limit on how much they could offer Whiteside but it wouldn't change them being able to sign him up to that amount without having to use an exception.

 

so despite the bird rights to skal, signing would have been problematic if the priorities were young whiteside and 'free agent X' at the full MLE, and staying below the hardcap depending on whitesides offer? possibly gabriel also impacts and is impacted by these other signings though to a lesser extent? Melo? seems flexibility for using trade exemptions impacted too? what is really available this offseason money wise if the blazers use the full MLE and then wish to avoid hard cap and/or the apron's limitations on trades and flexibility in executing them?Not the number if the blazers were going all in but being prudent till viewing next years group and their performance on the court. a very rough figure is enough to satisfy my curiosity. thank you. For using your brain and experience manuevering around the cba.