Sure we can use the draft but my response was about the post suggesting we trade Grant to a contender and get a young stud in return who plays the same position. What contender is going to do that? We already have a higher pick this year than any pick a contender would give us unless it is 3-4 years away.
I've always wondered what would have happened if Paul George hadn't got Covid, had played in that play-in game against the Pels, and the Pels lost giving Portland the 7th and 11th picks in that draft would Cronin have actually paid an 11th pick for Grant? Either Duren or Jalen Williams would look good in a Blazer uniform still that would have been nothing like the 2017 draft...not that was failure squared speaking of failure and Portland's need for an elite forward, how about that Nance trade and what the Bulls accepted for Lauri Markkanen: Olshey actually chose Nance over Markkanen and he did so while obligating Portland's 1st round picks till 2028. geeeezuzzz
Don't forget that Detroit had to take on Kemba Walker's awful contract as well. I do not believe Portland could have done that. I was vocal wanting Duran.
Walker wasn't part of the Grant trade. Portland had created a big enough TPE with the CJ trade to absorb Grant's contract
Correct, but for Portland to get the pick that landed Duran they would have had to take on Walker. That was the price. Portland was committed to getting Grant, not the pick that netted Duran. In hind sight they went after the wrong player in my opinion.
Yeah, this trade was far more about Detroit taking on contracts with their cap space as it was about the Milwaukee first. That said, Duren was certainly a good choice once they got there.
