How are you going to make sure they’re of “equal” value? “Hey we just traded the 7th pick for the Spurs 2023 and 2025 pick, we have no clue where they’ll land in the lottery or if they’ll be good, but woohoo!” Which means both those picks have less value than the current #7 pick … that’s why we would be able to get 2 picks for it. And if you’re rebuilding you need talent now, not 2-3 years from now.
Your first sentence is the reason I don't want to trade the pick for a veteran. The Blazers still wont be a contender. That would be an even worse version of the Roco/Nance trades.
Yes a Spurs pick in a few years could be worth less than the #7 now, but it could also be worth much more, possibly even the #1 pick if there were no protections. To get equal value for the #7 you'd need a skilled GM both in evaluating the value of future picks and negotiating a trade. I have concerns if Cronin could do either of those well. But in theory if he could, trading for future picks could be a strategy that allows the Blazers to resolve the other questions of their future direction first. Are the Blazers rebuilding or winning now around Dame? That has not been clearly answered. Delaying the picks could first allow the Blazers to try and build a winner now that is a question mark for many if it can be done, resolve the question if eventually the team will trade Dame and rebuild..... but do all of that without sacrificing draft equity of the #7 pick for win now veterans that become another mismanaged sunk cost in a few months if the team fails to win.
This is an interesting exercise I guess, but it’s not the way I would approach this off-season. To me, the essential thing that needs to happen in order to contend in Dame’s window is finding the right Robin to his Batman. Do whatever is necessary to make that move using whatever assets the Blazers have available to them and then fill in with other pieces. I don’t see anyone available in the draft who is going to be good enough quick enough, so trading the pick if needed to acquire that second banana is fine. Using the pick to acquire a third banana would be dumb. Using it to acquire a future stud is okay only if there are other means to get a Robin.
But if the Robin can't be acquired via trade this season, but a possible Robin is in the draft needing a couple of seasons to put it together, do you do that? Portland is not contending next season in my opinion. Draft Robin.
Yeah I agree with this. Some years there might be a Jimmy Butler, or Kawhi, or heck even Ben Simmons available via the trade market for a #7 and other assets. It doesn't look like any of those star level players are available this time. So what do the Blazers do? Just drafting the BPA at #7 and hoping for the rare chance they are a Robin would be better. But Dame and Cronin rhetoric unfortunately lead me to suspect they will reach for the best player they can get in trade; and try to cram that third/fourth banana into the Robin role.
I would venture to say no. Both Dame and Ant are duplications when on the court together. If you mean a one two punch from starting and the bench, sure, but I picture Robin being a starter in another position. Dame and PG or Dame and AD type of batman and robin. I see Simons as another CJ, if put in the starting lineup with Dame.
Simons may be a Robin, but his D will have to improve AND the forward spots have to be fixed with Nurkic as a #3. Dame, Simons, OG, Grant, Nurkic with Hart, Ingles, Winslow, Watford + … I’m happy, but using the 7 could get a star. It is possible. On one end of the court, Sochan may be that guy. Our Draymond. Sharpe. Mathurin. I’m actually hopeful.
One thing we don't what kind of team we got when everyone is healthy as the roster is now. So the GM has to look at first. If we trade down to it's has to be with the Hornets because there still quality in that range.
Ayton - he’s available this year! sign & trade Nurkic and #7 to PHX and get Ayton with Dame….then have fun building around this dynamic duo for the next 4-5 years! Nab Randle or Woods using the trade exception and give them 2025 Bucks #1 pick
I think this topic needs resurfacing one week before the draft. I would be irate about... 1. Trading #7 for Grant. 2. Over-drafting someone at 7 like Duren/Daniels/Dieng/Griffin and doing nothing else. 3. Trading #7 for Collins/OG without other assets coming back. 4. Using our TPE on a non-starting caliber player. 5. Trading Hart/Ant/Dame. 6. Not picking up Bledsoe's contract and just paying him his $3.9 mil. Seriously, this would achieve nothing if we are operating above the cap and would waste yet another possible asset. Things I could be talked into, but still be dubious: 7. Trading down from #7 to another lottery pick while getting an asset (depends on the asset; 13+15 for 7 is OK, 9+20+25 for 7 is OK, 7 for 12 + Dort is unappealing). 8. Taking Shaedon Sharpe. It's a risky move, but I would trust that they'd have done the homework on him more than just going ga-ga over a workout.
