I mentioned KAT as a guy I’d want on the Blazers as well earlier in the season and someone wisely pointed this out to me: $53m in 25-26, $57m in 26-27, and a $61m PO in 27-28 is a disgusting amount of money for someone who’s played 51+ games just once in the last four years. I’ll pass on KAT.
This is kind of where I'm at. Hear me out. First you have Sharpe decline the dunk contest and work on his game. You trade away Hart and Payton and bring in some length. Possible decent role players. You finish this small home stand before the break and try to win the last few games. 10 day mini camp during the break. Last 24 games you see what happens? If this falls apart in the first 5-6 games after the break you start moving toward the draft. They won't be in the 1-3 spot but they could grab a 4-10 spot and who knows? Luck sometimes happens? It's happened before. Remember Nurk is out trying to get healthy. If he comes back energized and they do well on the road trip that is ahead of them they might make a little noise?
He said "Play-in". If the Blazers can make the playoffs I'm all for it. Just my take. If that means win through the play in to get there I'm all for that as well. Always play to win unless that path gets shut down for the last 20 games. Then you make sure Lillard, Grant, Nurk, Simons don't get hurt. Play Sharpe as much as possible and get him experience. Again you got to remember who you are talking to here. I'm terrible about hating the idea of losing on purpose. Just kills my soul.
You could be right but unless we are way out of the 10th spot I don't think they will "look towards the draft" until April 2nd. Right now we are in 10th but the Lakers will pass us thanks to the fucking Jazz taking Westbrook's contract off their hands. Minnesota is the one team that could drop who is above us and what happens with these teams will be a factor too: Jazz, OKC, SA, and Houston. Will they all tank?
Again. My take on this would be the wrong approach I'm certain. I absolutely abhor the very idea of trying to lose. It just goes against my very core as a human being. So until it's absolutely fruitless in any way I will promote winning.
I've seen this repeated a few times and its totally false. Blazers can trade Nurk, Little, Knox, and or Keon at the draft. Depending on the level of star maybe Simons is in the discussions as well. In free agency the Blazers could do trades by sending out those as well as one or more of Reddish, Thybulle, Winslow, or Eubanks on a new contract. If the Blazers are able to land a $30million star in the summer matching contracts will not be a blocker. Yes it might need to be more creative than in other years where they had a number of 5-12 million contracts sitting around. But its certainly something any reasonable NBA front office salary cap personnel can structure.
Well, with the present roster, he doesn't have much choice except to wait. Although he still might pull this group into the playoffs. I doubt that he will allow them to limit his minutes.
Right. Who knows what can happen to teams for the rest of the season. Who might be surprisingly available....
If the Blazers missed the playoffs and didn't get number 1, it would probably be best to package the pick with the Knicks pick and trade for a good player.
If the Blazers have a lottery pick and a draft pick why don't they just draft BPA? Trading those picks for "a good player" won't have the Blazers contending. So isn't it better to be patient and try to hit on some rookies?
That ship has sailed. Prime Dame's chance to contend with vets likely ended back when the team traded four starters for Hart and Didi starting with the horrific Clippers trade. If the Blazers can flip draft picks for a legit star, plus keep all their rotational veterans, then construct a contender; well sure go ahead and explore it. I'm just not going to count on some miracle such as that happening. So the likely case is the Blazers need to have patience to build with youth; not the band aid "good" veteran additions they've been trying over and over while giving up picks the last decade.
You can't honestly think there is any other route outside of the draft. Our trade assets are crap. There is no path to putting a contender around Dame outside of drafting the next superstar.
So no one wanted Sharpe? I am glad they did not trade him, but to say we do not have any trade assets is incorrect IMO
I think it's worth making a mental list of Cronin's "moves to build around Dame". None of them have provided anything concrete. Just go down the list, start with CJ and end with GPII. I know, I know you are saying "Grant!". Grant did not sign his deal. If Portland is "forced" to give him the max to keep him then that is another huge negative for Cronin. If he walks then CJ and Nance yielded the FRP and Reddish from NYN for Hart and THAT'S IT. GPII was another massive failure. Embarrassing signing that yielded in return SHIT SRPs, a number of which will never convey. 100% on board with new ownership and new GM
We have ownership that won't go into the tax and are a franchise that has to overpay players to keep them after their rookie deals. We should be living through the draft. I obviously meant in regards to being able to trade for the ingredients for a contender around Dame. Show me the path of how you leverage Sharpe into a contender?
