We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

No I don't think Houston trades the Blazers any players on their roster - they would just trade the #4 pick. Maybe at most one future pick or one player that isn't in their long term plans.

Dame is likely worth less than Brown in a trade - and many are saying Brown is worth about the #3 plus Ant. The #4 on its own seems close to similar value in that context.

 

Hell no, we give up the best asset, and we have no way to contend.

Although yes its better than just Ant 3 filler for Siakam.... however its still bad.

Only way I look at it is if the Blazers can flip 13, future firsts for another allstar in addition to Siakam. If its a good enough star (Embiid Brown Bridges) maybe explore throwing Sharpe in.

But just that above move on its own - hell no

 

Dumb owner without patience. Happens pretty often in sports

 

Franz Wagner is worth more to me than the 4th pick. The 2023 6th and 11th picks are worth more to me than future picks.

 

Eason has a bright future in the league. I think Smith Jr could also still be a good player. I don't think Orlando is going to trade Wagner and the 6th and 11th. Or are you saying for Dame?

 

I think that is a bit too much for Portland.

I was just looking at the same scenarios. Dame can't be traded until July 9th or 10th at the earliest. If the deal is in place, but not executed until August - the #4 pick can be included for salary matching purposes.

Dame - $45.6M
Keon - $2.8M
Walker - $1.7M

for

#4 - $9.2M
Porter Jr - $18.2M
Smith Jr - $9.2M
Eason - $3.5M
'25 pick (no impact on cap)

Portland sends out $50.1M, and Houston $40.3M.

Houston could sign Harden to a Max contract, sign a center/PF (Barnes or Vuvecic?) to a $17M contract - then execute this trade.
Rockets would still have the $7M room exception to round out the roster.

 

Brooklyn has "a ton of great picks".....really??






They do have about 3.5 more first's coming in than they have going out, but one of the first's is conditional, could drop to a 2nd. And complicated swaps are involved. None of the certain 1st's are guaranteed to even be good, let alone great. Not a single guaranteed lottery pick, even one destined for the back of the lottery. And the ones that may be good are more than 4-6 years away from showing up even as potentially promising rookies...or not

and any trade with Brooklyn might require the Blazers to eat the fucked-up contract of Ben Simmons

 

I would probably reluctantly do this.
Ideally Portland could get either Precious or Koloko back as well.

 

My issue with Siakam is we already have Grant IF we did not have Grant then I might be open to a deal like that ( sweetened a little more on Raps end ) but might consider it IF all other avenues closed but with Grant all but re-signed it would make ZERO sense.

 

Yeah Siakam and Grant are a horrible duo. Totally duplicate all of each others defensive positives and cover none of each others weaknesses. Its basically the frontcourt equivalent of DameCJ or DameAnt.

Yes I know Siakam is a good rebounder and Grant horrific - I'm talking defense. Offensively yes the duo would be fine, just like any of the three of Dame, CJ, and Ant on offense are fine. But with a Dame team every other position needs thought put into the defense if there is truly any plans of winning now.

 

Grant is not a reason to upgrade the roster talent.

Besides Grant/Siakam can play together at either the SF/PF or PF/C. My preference would be Grant at SF because he's a terrible rebounder.

 

Not only Miller, but there are guys taken in EVERY draft outside the top 10 who contribute right away.

Let's get one.

 

Brooklyn also has their own picks in 2028, 2029, 2030. Yes they have plenty of unprotected picks to trade out - those Phoenix unprotected picks are great. What do they have - probably 6 years of them or something like that? Compared to a team like the Lakers or Clippers or Heat / etc that have just 1 or 2 years.

Yeah eating Simmons contract is fine - first the Blazers have to match salaries next season which is a wash. Then Simmons deal is an expiring contract. News flash - the Blazers are tanking the next two years if they trade Dame, they don't need production from that salary spot.

What is there; a 5-10% chance Simmons regains value as an expiring? Its not likely, but not impossible either. If so its a bonus. If not, well fine the point was getting the picks. Simmons is just salary filler, and would potentially get the Blazers even more picks to take that on which is great.

 

I feel like so many people on this forum don't realize how good Siakam is. The multiple comparisons to Grant as if they're equals.... Baffling. The guy averaged 24/8/6 last year and we are nitpicking about stuff? He'd be a definitive #2 that fits a positional need. And he plays defense.

The only worry for me is to ensure he has an extension in place.

And keeping Nurk while also having 13 and 23 gives you a chance to find a better fitting center as well. I think that deal is a solid triple for us if not a homerun.

 

Not sure you realize who Pascal is...?

 

Bridges is a star but Siakam is not? What in the world?

Just for your reference, Pascal has made two all nba teams but Bridges has yet to make a single all star game.

 

So you acknowledge offensively they work fine, and that Siakam is a much better rebounder, yet they are a "horrible" duo?
I still don't agree with this at all. Who would work better and still give us what Siakam brings offensively? I am guessing that most other
options will also have a weakness somewhere in their game. Siakam is a solid 230 lbs. Grant is a solid 210. I don't see a whole lot of similarities in their game.