We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

Exactly, Amen could be Scottie Pippen reincarnated. The upside is HUGE.

 

How the hell does someone even develop that shot.

 

Huh? I've reread and I see no mention about the 3rd pick and other assets being included... regardless does responding to one part of a post automatically include the part not quoted? I took issue with this...

If the Blazers trade away Lillard they don't need an all NBA player in his prime who has a ton of immediate value to contenders right now

...because yeah of course they would. Bam is a tremendous talent and will likely remain one for many years going forward. Swap him out for Dame straight up regardless of contract issues and I think Portland is a better team today and tomorrow. With any luck in a couple of years Ant + SS + the #3 would be ready to make a real splash with a 28 year old Bam

but thats not happening, so whatever

STOMP

 

Well I guess I assumed it would be obvious an all NBA player in his prime that is 25 would have a much higher cost. Of course if you can get him in a steal of a trade you instead just do that same as with any player that can be acquired at a huge discount. If Portland can get Giannis or Luka or Embiid or Jokic at a discount of course you do it. I'm going to assume Bam and any all NBA players even if lesser than those other names will still have a massive cost to acquire them though.

That's why it doesn't make sense for the Blazers to acquire one of those All NBA players in a trade for Dame, they will have to pay a huge cost because other teams that are trying to contend immediately would be willing to pay that additional cost in a trade; and be in a superior position to reap those rewards. It makes more sense for the Blazers to get numerous assets back if they ever trade Dame, such as multiple draft picks, young talent, and the opportunity to improve their own lottery picks.

If the Blazers are going to acquire a current All NBA player they should instead keep Dame and send out their other assets to contend immediately.

 

I guess I wrongly assumed we were talking about what you posted.

Btw, to the best of my knowledge Bam didn't make an All NBA team this year or ever... on that I'm going to bed

STOMP

 

Wagner would change life in Portland down the line, if not right away. That would give us four starters who could realistically get their own shot on a consistent basis. I think he can average more rpg if Chauncey encourages him to crash the board so he can run the break more. Defensively, he’s at least as good of a defender as Hart in a 6’9 frame, and is still growing as a playmaker.

A trade-down to #6 with Wagner for #3, #23, and Nas is an idea I’ve liked for awhile. At worst, we would get both Wagner and Ausar.

Sharpe is an ideal SG size with a long wingspan who will be an elite scorer and good/great defender against PG-SF.

Franz is big enough to play both SF or PF and is a threat to both score and distribute. Also can guard smaller players fairly well early in his career. Video below is a compilation of Wagner guarding guards like Harden, Beal, Lamelo, and others.



Amen, at 6’7 in shoes, would be the most physically imposing PG but can also guard PG-SF. That’s three guys that could be part of your future who all defend multiple positions and make plays for others. If Dame wants out, an overhaul of assets for Dame, Grant, Nurk, possibly Ant if he doesn’t fit at long term PG will be used to find a long term C and PG.

I imagine that in their primes, we could get away will having a great starting PG that isn’t a great defender, or maybe even play Amen at PG full time and find another SF/PF that.

Ant/Sharpe/Amen/Wagner/_____

or

Amen/Sharpe/Wagner/_____/_____

Either of these starting lineups will be a problem for the other team on the perimeter.

 

Can any of them play defense? There is only 1 ball

 

With size/length, top shelf athleticism & the mindset the Thompsons are both thought to have excellent defensive potential.

STOMP

 

sure seems you're not willing to consider any possible scenario as having any positive value, unless it starts with trading Dame

 

yeah, I think if Orlando wanted the 3 bad enough they might be willing to trade 6+Wagner for it. It's probably a long shot though. I'm not sure if the 23 would be needed to grease the wheels of the trade. They are already loaded up with guys on rookie scale deals. Cole Anthony, Suggs, and Panchero will all be due for extensions in a 2 year period; adding 3 more players including two lottery picks due for extension a year later might be overload.

so they might be more interested in a future first than the 23. By the way, Blazers could absorb Wagner into their TPE so they wouldn't need to send Little. I'm fine with Little being part of the trade though as it would preserve the TPE

I want Dame to stay and I'm positive he won't be traded unless he asks out and I think the chances of him asking out have steadily decreased over the last couple of months. So I won't worry about scenarios where Dame is traded, I'll leave that to others here...

but when you start hypothetically constructing 'realistic' rosters after the draft and into the off-season, I think any roster that has Ant as the starting SG and the 2nd or 3rd option immediately fails. If your scenario panned out, he'd be standing in the way of Sharpe and Amen/Ausur/Whitmore (I'm more intrigued by Whitmore than either of the Thompson twins). Last off-season, I was more than willing to give the Dame/Ant combo a chance to prove it wouldn't be a rinse/repeat of Dame/CJ. But one year was enough to convince me it not only would be a repeat, it might even be worse because Ant is so fucking bad at defense...Nolan Smith level defense

so I want him moved and without the 3rd pick as leverage I don't see a lot of realistic targets. I know you don't like the idea of DeRozan, and I'll admit my main attraction for an Ant/DDR trade is for Portland to get all their 1st's back, maybe without giving up 23, But I also think DDR is a better player, by quite a margin. He's not a good defender but he's a lot better than Ant. And unlike Ant, DDR is a wing, versatile enough to switch between SG/SF; and he's much much better at running an offense. And it may give Portland that future 1st to grease the wheels of the Orlando trade

Dame
DDR
Grant
Wagner
Nurkic?

with the youth of Sharpe + Thompson/Whitmore + Watford (only 22) waiting in the wings and 1st off the bench; as well as Thybulle for defense; maybe Eubanks for hustle and energy; maybe a 23rd pick; maybe Knox for shooting. And that could still leave the MLE, BAE, TPE for additional help

 

I've been calling for these exact moves for a while. I think 3 and Ant is worth Wagner, 6 and 11. That's Amen or Ausar and at 11 Hendricks or Lively. 23 Nnaji, Clowney. 43 Sasser, Vukcevic, Prosper
I think the league is trending towards teams building their lineups around a creative PG and 2-5 being almost interchangeable. Sharpe, a Thompson Twin, Wagner, Hendricks, Clowney. That's a long, athletic, strong defense, good shooting, good playmaking, young, well balanced group that I think 1 ball would be enough for.

 

If Cronin could pull this, I for one, would be okay with not blowing it up this offseason. Even better if he could move Nurk for someone who fits the system better.

 

Point of attack defenders: Amen Thompson / Ausar Thompson

 

I kinda feel like we're going to trade the rights to Scoot for Amen + change to Houston. I'll take Eason and or their later pick.

 

I will say that DDR has not looked like he has slowed down. Maybe because he is less reliant on athleticism compared to most. I do hate giving up Ant for a 34-year old though

 

The head position is also just baffling.

 

Oh, come on… no it isn’t, he does that out of necessity! It’s the ONLY way he can still see the hoop, through that shitty shooting form of his!

 

https://ballislife.com/the-evolution-of-michael-kidd-gilchrists-ugly-jump-shot/