Trade Deadline: February 6, 2025

This is an idea I've had for decades, but there should be an "EXPENDABLES" NBA franchise, possibly without a permanent base, they hop around among states without NBA teams, that consists of all the players that other teams don't want but can't get rid of. Those teams still have to pay their salaries, but they no longer count against the cap (and this team has no salary cap).

Who would be the starters on the current version?
Jusuf Nurkic/DominAyton
Anfernee
Patrick Williams
Grant Williams

It's good for the players, because they actually get to play and showcase their wares so either their real team finds a trade for them or they can do a Westbrook when their way-too-large contract expires. But they're not stinking up the lockerrooms with bad attitudes or taking minutes away from younger guys who need to develop.

 

Bradley Beal and Butler. What happens when they win it all!

 

That's Inconceivable.

 

In the interest of making that team's appeal greater, they should hire Whitsitt as GM and either Mike Dunleavy or Paul Westhead as HC to make it "The Biggest Shit Show in the World".

 

Is Westhead still alive?

 

Not with Joe Cronin

 

That's not what I meant.

 

SI.com had a trade idea of Ayton to the Pistons for Ron Holland II, Isaiah Stewart, and a 2025 second-round draft pick

not the worst idea but the Pistons are not that dumb anymore -- last year maybe but now that they brought in Langdon to head things that team is starting to show they have a direction ... unlike the Blazers but maybe Cronin can prove me wrong and trade a vet or two soon.

I will say it feels like Pistons get the shaft in this deal -- Blazers might have to add Rupert to the deal ( I would not ) but I think that would make it more fair

 

They just took Holland in the lottery. That's beyond awful for Detroit. I mean, shit, Stewart alone is better than Ayton. There's no way they entertain that. Rupert aint closing the gap.

 

Damn this would be fantastic but I'm afraid it won't materialize.

 

This back and forth right here is comedy gold!

 

Cronin is too old to conceive.

 

Cronin not the only one who fucked up

 

What type of picks could we get from Houston?


In looking at their picks available, I think Portland could get 3-4 second rounders.

 

I'd still love to hold out for a 1st, even a late one. We sold off 2 seconds last year because of roster crunch. Obviously there's more moves to be made, and 4 2nds can help grease the wheels on future deals. I'd just hope to get Houston and OKC to bid against eachother, since each have a lot of picks they CAN move.

 

first thing is that Londale for Timelord works. It would put Houston over the tax line but not over the 1st apron. It would also drop the Blazers far enough below the tax line that they could use the TPE from the Lillard trade....if they wanted. In fact, if Londale's contract is not guaranteed, then maybe the Blazers can immediately waive Londale putting them 15M below the tax line. That could mean they could use their full-MLE (12.8M) as a trade chip. With the 250K auto-credit on top, that would mean the Blazers would have a 13M lever available to pry a 1st round pick from some team desperate to cut salary

now, I'm not sure all of that is accurate, but if it is, then leveraging a 1st round pick for Timelord might be less of a priority

right now, Houston's 2025 first would be the 27th pick. But Houston has the right to swap it's first with Phoenix; and currently, that Phoenix pick could fall in the 12th-15th range. Houston won't trade that for Timelord. Their 2026 first? maybe, especially if Houston believes they will be a top team next season

looking at their incoming/outgoing 2nd's, most of Houston's 2nd's will be late 2nd's and that's not very appealing, even if it was 3 or 4 of them. Still, to clear that much salary before the trade deadline might be enough to land an extra first, one way or the other

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/future_drafts/detailed

 

From what I can see, houston is 10 million under the tax, so adding RW3 wouldn't push them over.
As for Londale, his contract this year is fully guaranteed. However, even without the mle stuff, he could still hold value to teams looking to shed next year salary if we flipped him.

 

His contract is now fully guaranteed for this season. No way to cut him and get $15M below the tax line.

His future seasons are all non-guaranteed though.

 

ok then....delete the Londale-->MLE idea

still, if the Blazers can leverage Houston's 2026 first for Timelord while deleting Timelord's 13.3M salary next year that's a pretty good deal

and, it probably would still be a good deal with 2nd's instead of that first