Denny must have become a Miami fan because this suggestion suddenly makes me want to take whatever Miami are offering
I think a Bulls package may actually be better than anything Miami can give us? -LaVine -Patrick Williams. -Return Blazers pick we owe Chicago (finally free up our picks) -2029 unprotected -2028 swap unprotected -2030 swap unprotected -2028 2nd round pick -2029 2nd round pick -2030 2nd round pick They currently owe their 2025 pick protected three years top8-top10 until 2027 to the Spurs. There is a way for us to get swaps with them or possibly another guaranteed 1st round pick out of this but its complicated with Stephen restrictions and may require us to use one of our picks of less value to go back to them to free that up. But honestly LaVine, Williams, two picks two swaps three seconds is just better than the vast majority of these Miami rumors. We might even be able to flip LaVine to another team for more assets later.
Here's a super fun idea - do a 3 way trade where Ant goes to the Spurs for two firsts, neither of which is the Spurs own pick. One first to the Blazers (2027 unprotected Atlanta). Second first is Chicago getting their picks back. Then Chicago would own all their future picks. Chicago can thus trade us 2024 2026 2028 2030 picks of their own all unprotected (4 picks) They can trade us back our own pick. So thats SIX first round picks plus we get LaVine. Ok maybe Chicago gets to put some protections on the pick or not give up all those picks.... but the point is it may be much easier for some teams to free up picks then it appears at first glance.
Blazers depth chart would thus be; Scoot Sharpe LaVine Grant Ayton We go from owning 6 future first round picks to 12! I don't like the idea of Sharpe at SF if Ant or Dame or someone is there.... but you might be able to run with him and LaVine splitting the SG/SF spots.
Why would the Bulls do that? An AS + 4 1sts for Dame would be asinine, and I would be livid as a Bulls fan if that happened. Zach + Williams + filler + unprotected 1sts in ‘26 and ‘28 would be a fair package for Dame. I would shop Zach to the highest bidder, and there will be a lot more teams interested in Lavine as opposed to Herro. The Nets, Thunder, Raptors, Hawks, possibly the 6ers could be among the teams interested in Zach.
I was proposing it more as the theoretical max Chicago could send as it's widely believed Chicago has no ability to give us enough assets in a Dame trade. I agree an actual deal wouldn't have Chicago give up all of that. Would need to find some middle ground fair value.
Another idea is do a 3 way where LaVine goes to Charlotte for two picks. Nets us 4 first round picks in total plus Williams.
I don't want to trade Dame for Lavine, makes absolutely zero sense with our direction, but also find the narrative around him amusing often times. Lavine is essentially Devin Booker with worse PR. If someone suggested a deal centered around Dame for Booker, I imagine most here would be all over it, but for Lavine, it's widely panned. But they're very similar, with Booker being a little better playmaker, and Lavine being a better shooter for their careers.
It's actually shocking how similar their stats are. Only difference is that Book has won lately and Lavine has still yet to win a single playoff game in his career.
I'm not interested in LaVine as the solution at a key starting spot who will be here for 5+ years along with Scoot/Sharpe. But he's a legit all star talent, 5 years younger than Dame, locked up long term. Should have more trade value than Jerami Grant in the future. Kind of lets us move on from the Dame era, is a way better piece than any of the Miami shit, and gives us both on court flexibility as well as trade flexibility. We can keep LaVine for a year or something as Scoot/Sharpe build up their roles without being overwhelmed. We can also explore flipping LaVine for a good return when something is available, without the pressure of the current Dame situation. The Dame situation does hang over the team like a bit of a black cloud. I don't think we should just drop Dame for poor trade value, but it would be nice to move on to a new chapter if we can.
good point...to illustrate: Booker has 5 years on his contract(s) at 52M/year; LaVine has 4 years at 44M/year (Dame has 4 years at 54M/year which kind of shows that all the angst about his extension is way overblown) LaVine + a bit more in prospects and picks isn't a bad generic return for Dame. The issue as I see it is if Portland trades Dame for a high priced younger veteran, it need to be, it must be, for a 2-way wing, not another guard ****************************** unrelated but am I the only one who has noticed that S2 has been slow and a bit wonky the last couple of days?
