We already provided you evidence. Caris Levert yielded more in a trade than Norman Powell and Roco on an expiring deal. If you polled NBA execs around the league, I'd bet at least 85% would rather have Powell at his contract than Levert. You can keep ignoring this but the evidence isn't going to go away. Cronin got taken for. That's just fair evaluation. He could have and should have gotten back more in those trades.
Oh good. Walk me through this. How would we be better off? Why would we want Rubio at $26 million per year? How does this help us achieve the goals of gaining financial flexibility?
an unfounded assertion about "85%" is not "evidence" it was 'reported', before the trade, that Cleveland really wanted to add size in the back court because of Garland and Sexton both being small guards. LeVert provides the size at 6'6. Powell wouldn't. LeVert is also a much better ball-handler and passer. that's a bad comp for the Blazer trade because there is no way (99%) that Cleveland would have paid a 1st round pick to add Powell to Garland and Sexton
Got it. So this deal is very similar and that's assuming they would want to do it. Which, I'm not convinced of. You have to really reach to be pissed off about that IMO. And not that I love the Clippers deal. I don't. But these kind of moves are what those guys (with those contracts) were worth. And we don't know the details of the negotiations. We weren't going to make a needle moving deal based on the players we traded. It just wasn't going to happen unless things all fell the right way. And frankly, I think Cronin did a pretty good job at getting a decent shot at moving the needle by getting a chance at grabbing a lotto pick. It didn't work out, but at least he swung for it.
So is right now a time for GMs and assistant GMs to huddle together and discuss strategy, keeping their thoughts in house or are GMs whose teams are out of the playoffs (26 of the 30) calling each other and talking about potential deals and already gauging the value of their picks and the players that might have been made expendable because of where they're picking?
Probably some of that but my guess is that things don't start moving till after the draft combines and workouts
Very disappointing Cronin horrible performance so far trading 3 starters for an overpaid Bledsoe and Didi got him a long term extension. Sending prayers to preferred destinations instead of getting the Blazers the most talent. Giving into other GMs requests a week early because Cronin was afraid of teams being able to negotiate. Believing cap space could get Ben Simmons or other pipe dreams. I'm not sure what option this signifies of the short term plans for the Blazers, it's either cheap, delusional or evil: A. Jody/Vulcans prioritize money savings over all else both in Cronins directives as well as his cheap salary and no expense to search for GM. Cheap B. Jody/Vulcan actually believe Joe has a real chance to build a winning team around Dame and is better than available candidates. Delusional. C. Jody/Vulcan have a sinister agenda to want to see the team fail, such as get draft picks and trade Dame. Maybe there is an ability to move the franchise to a different city if low attendance from Paul Allen trust. Evil. I can't think of a worse time in the last few decades to be a Blazers fan. Even with John Nash as GM we had more promising young talent on the roster.
A ,seems like what is going on to me. Right now being a fan is awful, we are going to see Dame waste what he has left here and be in purgatory for many years. There is just no way we can build a contender with Dame with what we have. Blazer fan until the end but my god is it going to get ugly for the foreseeable future.
You're funny, pretending that those trades didn't also net Keon Johnson, Justise Winslow, Josh Hart, and a couple draft picks. Not that those make the return great value, but it's ridiculously disingenuous to only name Didi and EBEC.
The draft is and always pretty much has been a crap shoot. Tanking is taking a big risk and comes with some karma....we're trading the pick I'd predict so as the 7th pick seemed to be destiny from the start with this draft....it's to be expected. Fortunately we have options and flexibility. Now Joe can work the phones and fill out the roster. We have Hart, Winslow, Ingles, Johnson, Williams and Louzada added to the team going into camp....to me Winslow and Hart are going to change our defensive skillset from day one. Tired of people acting like Norm, Roco and CJ didn't just get bounced out of the first round of the playoffs. Norm bricked a layup and two freethrows that would've beat the Pels at the end of the game....we didn't want to lose in the first round but the guys Joe traded all did...I'm ready to move on from all of them. Hart put up 44 pts after the break for us....that's a two way player right there. I think next season will showcase some good Blazer basketball. Winslow plays like a young Iguodala.
I have said it so many times. "Addition by Subtraction" is a legitimate concept. Requires folks to think outside the box, just a little. CJ, was a nice player, but he was holding the team back, we all know this. roco & powell are nothings. If anything, they have peaked already. River, you are so wise to acknowledge what Hart & Winslow will bring. They are like missing ingredients this team has needed for years and years. Personally, ridding the team of CJ, and the other two deadbeats, and just getting Josh and Justice was more than a great move. Now, I am not saying this will be a successful playoff team in 2022-23..(the league is just amazingly talented, got some catching up to do) But they will be 1,000X better.
Yet another example of the "Either/Or" mentality. This is a project, you do understand that, right? If you do, than why disrespect the league?