If the Blazers use pick #3 I suspect DeRozan may be a veteran trade target of the Blazers. Likely he wouldn't cost near as much as other allstars but he does give Dame a win now player, as well as a close personal friend that was in his wedding. It would be the Blazers first current allstar added to the team in trade since Pippen/Smith way back in 1999 If we trade for DeRozen my preference would be to send out Nurkic, filler (Little) and pick(s), then use the MLE on a center such as Naz Reid plus a vet min center. The team is better positioned to win now than in quite a while, has a nice blend of very promising youth and accomplished vets, but can pivot to a final win now trade later with Dame-DeRozen-Grant if that core ultimately looks good. Or it can pivot to a great rebuild around Sharpe - Ant - (Scoot or Miller) if that veteran core ultimate isn't as good as needed. We don't lose any key assets. I want to see how improved Sharpe is next season, see how soon the #3 pick can contribute, and then work on making final decisions with the last Blazer moves. Dame - Ant - Mays Sharpe - (Scoot or Miller) DeRozen - Thybulle Grant - Watford Reid - vet min - Eubanks Other ideas I've heard is for example @wizenheimer which is Ant for DeRozen, a pick, and our 2024 pick debt returned. This would be effectively multiple picks more than my Nurk trade, gives us better center depth, plus a more balanced rotation. I'm very concerned we could greatly regret trading Ant in the second scenario though; Dame - Mays Sharpe - (Scoot or Miller) DeRozen - Thybulle Grant - Watford Nurkic - Reid - Eubanks But I love that both scenarios have the Blazers drafting BPA at #3 along with Sharpe for our future. Either lineup is not a contender and will ultimately require another move.
I love the addition of DeRozan. It does work in the now, and the future. Good job. And they might be able to add another quality Vet at mid season.
OMG please make this madness end but before I rip into this idea and it deserves to be ripped into please explain how you think trading out Ant and bringing in DeRozan would make the Blazers better in the long run. I am giving you and anyone else who likes this idea a chance to sell this idea to some fans who think this is a crazy idea. ...... Go -- I will check back on this thread in a hour or 2
the DDR idea is something I've been pushing, not because I think it's a wonderful trade as much as I think the acquisition cost would be significantly lower than the other options I've seen and I'm thinking the cost is getting lower than it was as it seems the Bulls have decided to tear it all down and start over. And in the realm of compromise this seems like the type of deal that would keep Dame happy AND allow the Blazers to use the pick. I guess I'm assuming Miller falls to 3. If it's Scoot that complicates things I wouldn't move Nurkic in the deal just because the Blazers do need a decent C and I don't see one on the horizon (and don't trust free agency) at the same time, I'm not sure the Bulls would have much interest in Simons. Maybe, but it seems kind of a stretch. So I'd wonder about a 3 team deal where Portland can squeeze a little more value out of the situation
When the alternative is trading both Ant and #3 for Siakam type of veteran that still won't have us contend - yes trading Ant for Derozen and picks is much better for the future. We still get to use #3. Read in the post - I prefer trading Nurk to Ant. I'd like to keep Ant. I prefer the #3 over anyone on the team outside Sharpe.
Why would the Bulls not have interest in Simons? If they are rebuilding they are probably looking to trade LaVine and Caruso for picks. I'd think Simons would be perfect for them. They might ultimately trade for him - let him lead the league in scoring - and flip him for more the following summer. But I see no reason a 23 year old Simons that is one of the leagues most dynamic scorers on good efficiency wouldn't be great for a rebuilding team. Personally I'd ideally like to retain Simons unless its a move to have us contend which these are not.
Its a good point about Scoot - yeah I'm not sure a Dame DeRozen Grant core with Scoot drafted at #3 makes as much sense as Miller. With Miller and Sharpe theres enough minutes available at all 3 positions of SG/SF/PF to keep everyone happy. But Scoot and Dame seem to overlap and DeRozen/Grant kind of overlap as well. DeRozen and Scoot also don't have great 3 point shots. Its fine to have one of them, but much more difficult to have them both getting large minutes.
I know you're high on Simons and have been for quite a while I was hopeful for Simons last summer, but not anymore. I've seen enough of Dame/Simons, and I don't think Dame is going anywhere. Portland was well served by dumping Zach Randolph to make way for Aldridge. I think they'd be well served by doing the same with Ant-->Sharpe
I don't mean to make Blazer fans ill. My ridiculously stupid trade ideas are ridiculous and stupid. I'm an OG Blazer fan. Been through the good & bad Blazer teams. When we're told Richie Frahm is a heavily talented prospect, and he's out there airballing 16 footers, eventually we learn to deal with crummy Blazer teams. Portland has always found a way to build through the draft, and bring exciting winning basketball back into town.
Actually that's a good analogy. If ZBo had his off court issues resolved as he eventually did in Memphis. Pair him and Aldridge we would've had a much better roster against Houston in the playoffs where we lost with Rudy or with Dame when we lost to San Antonio. If we had gotten something of use in a trade for ZBo then fine, trading him away may have been worth it. Instead we got Steve Francis, that didn't do anything for the Blazers even though as you mentioned it made room for Aldridge. The Blazers need talent, not dumping players for a poor return to make room for someone. The Blazers don't have an 8 man rotation, so dumping rotational players shouldn't be a consideration. I think Sharpe can get some minutes at SF and Dame needs help as he enters his mid 30s. Plenty of opportunity for all 3 of them in the rotation.
who said anything about "dumping Ant for a poor return"? I sure didn't. I just don't think his talent is as good, or his value is as high, as you do.
