The anatomy of a bad trade: Cronin: We have a guy who can't get to his full potential because our previous GM decided to put 2 similar players together that can't be all they can be when they are on the floor together. When this guy gets his own team, he will likely be even better and play at or near an all-star level. Langdon: Perfect, that sound like just what we want. We have a number of young players on cheap contracts, but we will only give you the absolute worst out of all of them, and will make sure there is no size involved. I would imagine you also want a 1st round pick with that. Cronin: That sounds perfect. But I'd like it if this trade works out for you and makes you better, that we get less and less in return. Please make sure that if you get better, we get screwed, and throw on some contingency protection for yourself as well for both now and in the future. Make sure not to include other assets that would replace that pick this year if it doesn't convey, and instead, give us a crappy pick way down the road when Dame will be turning 35. Langdon: Okay, if you insist.
Stahhhpppp. You have no right to criticize the trade because you don't know all the conversations had and it was obviously the best deal we could have had because I just know. Stop thinking we could have gotten a star player. Sheesh.
They have obviously interviewed or have candidates in the wings that have experience and one probable criteria was making trades. If you give someone the tag interim, its means just that, until they find someone else, or that person has earned a shot at the position. I would say no later than Tuesday either Jody and/or Kolde will either give Joe a vote of confidence and remove interim, or comment that a search continues, or even announce a new GM. They cannot let it linger. I guess?
Maybe since so many love the game of tanking and the synergy behind it, could they decide too, Oh hell, lets tank one more year, but no more after that? We did well at it....
In a very semantic post I'm about to make: The players did play to win. They just weren't good enough, and that was set up by the ownership, who technically does not play. Yeah Strenuus! Yeah semantics!
It's a hiccup for sure, but it ain't the end. Blazers still have a ton of flexibility, cap space, and their lottery pick. Teams will be looking to unload high salary talent to retool as well. John Collins could be on the move. Detroit needs to move Grant to truly start their youth movement. I'm not bailing the Pistons out by giving up too much. I like Grant as a role player, but he's not the be all , end all. The Blazers don't need to sell out to get him. If the Blazers are going to pay high for someone, it's Collins, not Grant. For what ever reason, Young fell in love with big lumox , Clint Can't Playa. Collins needs a change of scenery, and Hawks management seems willing to listen.
If the Blazers don't get the chance to draft Smith, Banchero, or Murray, i can think of worse outcomes.
If we don't get the chance to draft Smith or Banchero, or trade for an actual star to put next to Dame, trade Dame and start over.
you're making a giant assumption; that being that the Vulcans think Cronin fucked up "too badly" my assumption is that the Vulcans set the priorities and the #1 priority was to dramatically reduce current and future payroll. Cronin did that. He even secured a solid opportunity for another lottery pick, but the historical collapse of the Lakers and PG13's Covid + Kennard's injury helped the Pels negotiate to a bad outcome for Portland. I would not be surprised, at all, if the Vulcans were happy enough with Cronin's payroll savings that they forgave the rare confluence of events that jobbed the Blazers out of that draft pick besides all that, even if the Clippers had won last night, with Portland's luck, the Pels would have jumped into the top-4 pushing Portland to #7. As it is, the Laker's pick will probably do that
