Free Agent Gary Payton II to the Blazers

What does that have to do with the hard cap?

 

Now, see, if I said that, people would go apeshit...

 

Hey Joe.

Just fyi:

 

forget trades like that now that Portland is hard-capped

 

Yup. This is pretty much the team. Not many options left at this point.

 

1. Now, Simons has to show he’s worth the dollars. If so, great to keep (now and for the future) and in future trades.
2. Nurkic getting 4 [edited from 5] and $70 Million is a decent to good contract and less than his predicted high range. Is he staying or will this be a S&T?
3. All the guards … obvious trade(s) coming. They wanted Hart to play next season just as a guard — that was telegraphed. Minutes at SF likely if he stays. IF. GP2 telegraphed after smoke of Dort (who got PAID) and Thybulle. He’s a DOG.

Trade winds are blowing for the Blazers.

[This not to imply I saw GP2 happening. Nope. With the $$$ for Tucker, trimming Thybulle looked more likely. I like the GP2 signing. I’m in. What trade(s) is coming? No predictions from me … though Ayton looks possible if the Nets want a different mix.]

 

So if Dame/GP play all the minutes at PG, Ant won't play any minutes in the role where he was most successful. Doesn't seem like the best use of talent or $$$.

 

your two examples:

Giannis & Middleton.....Kawhi & Siakam....the two teams you're talking about each had a pair of two-way all-star wings. Not only that, one of each pair was a top-5/MVP level in the league. The "lumbering C's' were simply lower level role players. Gasol had a 13.6% usage rate in the playoffs; Lopez 16.8%. Nurk's career rate is over 24%. And of course, the Blazers are a damn long ways from having one all-star wing, let alone two

 

GPII isn't a PG, and likely won't see minutes there. He's a short 2/3 that makes up for it with great defense. Ant will still be the backup PG.

 

IMHO, GP2 is a SG on O.

 

He's a center on offense. He plays the corner and cuts/slashes. Also shoots corner 3s.

 

let's try coming up with one...

* let's see, Nurk at 15M + Hart at 13M; so, 28M outgoing

---> Ayton signs for 30M so that 30M works with the Blazers....maybe; just as long as it doesn't breach the hard cap...uh oh

BUT WAIT!!...the Suns, because of BYC are credited with only sending out 15M. But in order to absorb 28M incoming, they have to send out at least 22.4M. Who fits that? either Landry Shamut at 9.6M or Dario Saric at 9.2M. But neither of those players can come to Portland because Payton's kind of loopy contract hard-capped Portland

so then, whichever player/asset Phoenix had to add would have to go to a 3rd team. But for a 3rd team to get involved, they would need cap-space or a TPE to absorb that player because that team couldn't send a matching salary to Phoenix because of Ayton's BYC or to Portland because of the hard cap. I know!!...let's get a 4th team involved!! (imagine green font with that one)

and if a team could be talked into that it would take draft pick assets. Phoenix wouldn't be sending any and would probably be demanding a pick themselves.

So it would be Portland adding pick(s) to the Nurkic/Hart package

I have a solution to this conundrum: fuck Ayton then forget about Ayton. He ain't worth it

 

Enter Detroit?

We still haven't finalized that deal.

 

Stop. He is not ideal to be a full time defender of the 3. He has a substantially smaller reach than Powell did and everyone bitched about him.

Payton is a better defender than Powell, but length does matter.

 

The ol' fuck and forget.

 

Payton is not a 3. Stop trying to justify this signing if we make no other moves.

He played miniscule minutes at the 3 this year.

http://www.82games.com/2122/21GSW4.HTM

 

You don’t think they can find another guard who can score 7 points a game and play a little defense?

 

They did not play him for the 7 ppg. They played him for his defense.