Players under contract next season and salary in millions: Dame 39.3 CJ 30.8 Covington 13.0 Nurkic 12.0 Simons 3.9 Little 2.3 Elleby 1.5 Likely on the team; DJJ 9.7 player option Collins 7.0 qualifying offer Likely Free Agent Powell (11.6 player option) Free agent Melo Kanter Giles RHJ No 2021 draft pick as that will go to Houston. Portland will no longer have any restrictions on trading a future first round pick. https://www.spotrac.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/yearly/cap/ 1 The biggest question is Norman Powell, can the team resign him? 2 Kanter is a great backup option to resign. 3 Melo I think I would let him walk, especially if we first resign Kanter and Powell, then we don't need his offense. 4 DJJ I would guess will try another year at his 9.7 since he has fallen out of the rotation. 5 Collins I would give the qualifying offer but let him walk if he gets a multi year Meyers type of offer, way too much recent injury history. 6 Does the team want to try and extend Roco, Nurkic, or Simons? Nothing has to be done at the start of the offseason, but all will be on expiring contracts so it might make sense to extend or explorer trades 7 Who can we get for the MLE (likely tax MLE)? 8 Is the team willing to pay the tax? If Powell leaves for nothing maybe the Blazers dodge it again, but if he resigns I think they have to pay. It will be nice not having a hard cap, that probably cost us a few wins as we couldn't fill the bench during injuries.
I think DJJ leaves. Why would he want to stay here unless we bring in a coach that says he wants to work him into the rotation? I also think Little is going to take his minutes. Also, does CJ get traded? Does Powell move into the SG spot? Do they keep trying the three guard lineup? I think they let Kanter go. I think we need a center who can trap and shoot the three.
DJJ might stay just for the salary. If he can get close to the $9.7 million or more years I agree he leaves. If not, he probably stays and trys to build his value or work with the team on a trade. What centers trap and shoot the three? Anthony Davis shot 26%, Jokic doesn't trap, and those guys are MVP level. Maybe Embiid might qualify, but he is a top 3 MVP, more of a solid defense than trapping. They could use a stretch big as the 10th man; but thats more of an MLE or veteran minimum player. Kanter is great for an affordable 15-20mpg backup or emergency starter. He has obvious major flaws, but he has elite best in the NBA skills as well. Plus the team can both resign Kanter and sign an MLE player. He has accepted being out of the rotation in Boston so if he gets beat out of the rotation I don't believe he would be disgruntled as someone such as Melo might.
If you're DJJ, and you're not in the rotation anymore, would you want to stay on a team that might not even play you next year? That's not going to help his contract options. I think he is going to leave. For centers, you're listing conventional bigs. I'm not talking about big bigs. Maybe Collins can be that guy. I'm not convinced though, honestly.
I would bet good money Jones will pick up his option. He’s not in a position to pass on nearly 10 million dollars and I don’t see anyone else offering him something similar. Once he does pick it up, Olshey will probably use him in a trade like he did with Hezonja.
A lot of players would take multiple years/less money over one year/more money. If you're DJJ, you might be worried that this is your last chance at a long term contract. He MIGHT stay if Stotts is fired. But the guy has completely fallen out of the rotation. Would it be worth the risk to you if you were in a position where you weren't able to prove you're worth a new contract?
Trade CJ to NY, he'd be happy with that. I'd like to expand it to a 3-way with a S&T Derozan (2 years, 20 million a year?) and maybe find a way to snag Quickly, Mitchell Robinson, or picks. Re-sign Norm. Sign Cory Joseph for stability and an extra ball handler and Maurice Harkless for injury insurance for Roco and Nassir. Dame/Powell/Derozan/Roco/Nurkic Joseph/Dame/Harkless/Covington/Nurkic - half court unit/pick n' roll Simons/Derozan/Powell/Little/Collins - open court, Derozan iso unit
The Blazers might think they want to keep the three guard lineup. Not sure how Powell would feel about that. Also, DeRozan is an AWFUL three point shooter. I think the game has passed him by a bit.
why would anyone give jones a multi year contract? He’s been benched by two different playoff teams now. He’s not a scorer, so what’s the upside exactly? You can pay RHJ the minimum to do the same job.
On paper, DJJ looks like the much better offensive player than RHJ. 48% from the field and 31% from three looks a lot better than Jefferson's career 21% from three. This year Jones has a TS% of 57% and RHJ has a TS% of 54%.
Actually, I was thinking "why would Charlotte do that?" They have LaMelo who needs the ball in his hands.
PER: RHJ TS%: DJJ FTr: RHJ REB: RHJ AST: RHJ STL: RHJ BLK: DJJ BPM: RHJ So Jones is slightly a less shitty (but still shitty) shooter and he blocks more shots. Everything else leans towards RHJ. So how does that justify a multi year contract? They’re both closer to minimum contract caliber players and Jones would be dumb to pass on $9m, because the odds he ever sees that type of money again are slim.
Are you going off career or this season? Because realistically we really can't use this season's stats for RHJ. The dude has BARELY played. I included his TS% but it's pretty close to his career averages. I mean..... the sample size is absurdly different.
At the moment I want NP to play both wing positions. He should be the starting SF. He often played the same role in Toronto. My top 9 are: Dame, CJ, Ant, (and NP at guards) NP, Little at SF Covington and Collins at PF Nurk and Kanter at center. As far as cheap contracts, I would try to keep Giles. Obviously, I do not see their practices but from what I can see in mop up duty, his 3 pt shot has potential. Could he be a stretch 4? (He has decent handles and passing abilities as well) If not then they need to find someone who is. Elleby I keep for another year. RHJ I try to keep on the cheap. He is what he is and nothing more, but we can always use a defender who can guard several positions. DJJ I like, but I would encourage him to leave....strictly from a cost standpoint. I don't think Melo stays. NP I give 20 million to. Kanter 6 million (Give or take 1 million)
Something like this: NYK: Toppin, Knox, 21' 1st (~#21), + 23' 1st (Dallas) -> CJ + This is slightly more than the price we paid for RoCo Rockets: Wood -> Toppin, Knicks 21' 1st (~#21), + Knicks 23' 1st (via Dallas) + Get more youth and picks Blazers: CJ -> Wood, Knox + Portland gets significant salary relief and a better fit + I'd be OK with flipping Knox to another team as a reclamation project for a couple of 2nds. Assuming all goes well, this would be the roster: Dame, (FA PG via Tax MLE - TJ McConnell?), (Rookie @ Min) Norm (@$20/yr), Simons, Elleby RoCo, Little, Jones?, Knox Wood, Collins (@$5/yr), (FA Big via min) Nurk, Kanter (@ $5/yr) That should put us at ~$148M for the year (Tax line should be ~$136.5M) Dame - $43.7M Norm - $21.0M Wood - $13.7M Roco - $12.9M Nurk - $12.0M Kanter - $5.0M Collins - $5.0M Simons - $3.9M Little - $2.3M Jones - $9.7M Knox - $5.8M Elleby - $1.6M FA - Tax MLE - $8.0M Min Roster Spot - $1.6M Min Roster Spot - $1.6M
Ingram is the guy I would insistently try to trade CJ+ for. Don't know what it would take, but I have to believe that CJ/Zion would be a more complementary pair than Ingram/Zion is.
