Rumor Damian Lillard Would Like Blazers To Acquire Deandre Ayton

https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom...g-in-the-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/

Obviously, we need to be below the apron after for it to work, but the new trade rules really increase flexibility in trades. Nurk, Little and Keon would work financially. So would Watford in place of Keon.

 

Ayton, Turner, omg Embiid chatter. If Coach Billups demanded better defense from his squad, the desperation for a strong defensive Center would taper off a bit. Instead, Coach runs an offense only team, then packs guys into a busted 2-3 zone, and keeps his fingers crossed the opponents don't get hot from downtown.

 

Fanspo doesn't seem to be working properly lately. It also says Nurk for Ayton straight up works.

 

then either Fanspo is wrong or they are already using the trade rules from the new CBA, which don't take effect until July...and might not make the trade work even then

the current rules:



Ayton's current salary is 30.9M. Meaning the Blazers would have to send out 24.7M in salary to make a legal trade

Jusuf Nurkić $15,625,000
Nassir Little $4,171,548
Keon Johnson $2,681,040
Trendon Watford $1,563,518
Jabari Walker $1,017,781

so, about 25.06M. That took all 5 salaries. The one mitigation might be Knox and his 3M team option, but I'm not exactly sure if he can count as a trade credit until July

note: if anybody is interested in changes to the trade rules that take effect in July:

https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom...g-in-the-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/

 

I would not add Ant into an Ayton trade. I don’t think Ayton is the answer.

 

And after July 1st, you wouldn't need 5, just 3.

 

Agreed.

 

We better hurry: https://pippenainteasy.com/2023/06/...vucevic-nearing-multi-year-extension-chicago/

 

Give me five minutes and I can make Nurk look just as good.

 

If I could get Franz and pick 6 for pick 3. I would be willing to trade Ant and Nurk for Ayton and Payne.

 

You better notify Joe of this one.

 

Hmm. If Dame was cool with us picking adding a guy in the draft and adding a potentially impactful player every year as a compromise, I’d take him up on that.

Last year was adding Sharpe and Grant.
If the cost of adding Ayton resulted in Wagner and a Thompson twin? I’d probably take that 10/10 times. The problem is Scoot would have to still be on the board and ORL would have to believe in Scoot that much to give up Wagner and another potentially great prospect for Scoot.

I’m not sure I’d up give up Ant for Ayton, even if we get Wagner, but I could be convinced to grab Ayton to make Dame happy. Between Ant, Sharpe, a Thompson, and Wagner, we have multiple guys that could be viable for being the post-Dame era leader learning under him until he wants to dip.

 

Portland Out: Simons, Nurk, Little, Keon, Knox, 23
Portland In: Ayton, Gary Harris, OG Anunoby,

Toronto Out: OG
In: 11, Little, Knox

Orlando Out: 11, Harris
In: Simons, Keon

Phx Out: Ayton
In: Nurk, 23

Toronto gets another lotto pick, and an ok prospect in Little for OG, Orlando lands a lead guard for the 2nd of their 2 lottery picks. Phx sheds a bunch of salary, still retains a serviceable C, and lands a late pick. Portland retools with Lillard/Sharpe/OG/Grant/Ayton, and still has the #3 pick to be able to use on Scoot or Miller.

 

Lillard draws a crowd. Having a big man in Portland that is a serious alley-oop threat & a has a zone breaker 15 footer, is instrumental in improving the Blazers offense. Defensely, Ayton can hold his ground a bit. It's a perfect choice to build the Lillard contenderish team, or at least be playoff relevant.

Nurkic and the #3 rookie? The Suns new owner is crazy, but he's not stupid. Phoenix will definitely want Anfernee and the pick (Scoot) as they badly need a PG and a 3rd offensive option to relieve pressure off KD & Booker.

to me... Ant & #3 for Ayton sounds like a dream deal for Phoenix, and a marginally improved Blazers team to appease Damian's need for a better roster.

 

The idea that #3 would be in play for Ayton is beyond crazy. They didn't want to match for Ayton but had to just because they couldn't let his value walk out the door. Ant on his own is probably worth Ayton but you are right that the Suns will be ambitious. I think Ant and Nurk for Ayton and Payne should work but they might require pick 23 or a future first to get it done.

 

wait a minute for chrissakes....are people actually thinking that #3 + Ant for Ayton is a good idea? WTF?

 

this would be amazing but no way Masai trades OG for #11. he’s way too obsessed with winning deals to let OG go for that. It would be an admission of defeat.

 

NOT ME!