I have been sitting here trying to understand what the hell we're doing playing Simons and Grant. In a game against a team that is also trying to rebuild, and who did not play basically any of their veterans, we played our veterans 38 and 37 minutes so that we could barely beat them by 2. We aren't good enough to make the playin. We aren't bad enough to get a top 5 pick. What are we doing? How do we rationalize this? The whole point of trading Dame was to reset the franchise. Was this really what we were resetting for? A team that's not good enough to get the 8th seed? A team without a cornerstone player? So I have been noodling on it and this is the best I can come up with: Option 1: Billups is doing whatever the fuck he wants. He needs to pad his resume for when his contract runs out. I don't think the Blazers are bringing him back. He's pulling a Art Howe from Money Ball. He's playing the roster in a way that he can explain in job interviews. He could tell Joe to fire him if he wants him to play the roster differently and now the Blazers can't even really fire him because he had that win streak. Best case he somehow pushes us into the playin, which looks really good. Worst case we still suck and get a lottery pick. Doesn't hurt him either way. Option 2: Cronin has learned that Simons and Grant aren't worth anywhere near what he wants, so he's telling Billups to play them so that they can hopefully boost their value for the offseason. I think he HAS to know at this point that we can't have Scoot coming off the bench next season. It would be flat out moronic. This season is his last chance to boost their value. Simons has a contract coming up soon and Grant is only getting older and more overpaid .This summer is the deadline of deadlines. Option 3: Cronin doesn't care about the draft and is planning on putting together a package for a "star" this offseason, packaging our pick from 2025 with a 2029 pick, Sharpe and filler. Maybe he figures we have the pieces to put around a star, we're just missing the star and the best way to get that is a trade. Option 4: The team doesn't give a shit and is just treading water until they can sell. Those are the four scenarios I can come up with. Otherwise it just doesn't make any sense at all to me.
I think they see Grant as the guy you use to guard KD or Giannis and Ant as one of the few 3pt threats and reliable free throw shooters on the team. They see Grant as the old vet like Udonis Haslem was for the Heat. Ant I just think they couldn’t get trade value for so they’ll ride out his deal
It is option 3. We will continue to be in mediocrity with no chance to be a contender. Cronin needs to go.
The four options that I listed have not been repeated....ever. To my knowledge. Not all of them. Unless you want to point me to where they've been rehashed.
Understandable. We will never know the real answer imo, but we might get some answers this off-season in regards with what we do with Grant, Ant and Ayton. Ayton and Ant become even more valuable imo just based on the fact that they will have one year left on their deals, thus less of a risk for a team to take them. Grant, well his value definitely went down with his play this year and years on his contract still, so not sure what happens there The new CBA has made expiring contracts and less risk involved more valuable than it was before imo. Billups will be back for at least one more year as well imo
Playing Grant last year made sense. We didn't have a legitimate player to replace him. Right now we have Deni and Toumani who can both play power forward. So the only thing I can think of is that Cronin is hoping Grant can play himself out of his slump to reclaim some of his value.
Agree but when grant is on KD Toumani can take Booker out of the game. I’d trade Grant today but I think Joe loves the guy. Ant I just don’t think they wanted to sell low on
I think its a little of each. I think Joe is in way over his head. He lucked into Toumani. He could have drafted him for cryin out loud. It was luck. He paid for Deni. The problem with Option 3 is POR has no assets to get a major heavy hitter player. They could only get a Tyler Herro type. This is from another Blazer board not from me though: "They have little in terms of tradeable 1st round picks, they cannot trade their 26/27/28 or (1) of their 29 picks b\c CHI technically has rights to 26/27/28 and b\c of potential Stepien rule violation they have to hold onto (1) of the 29 picks, they can't trade both 30 & 31 either (Stepien again). They have some 2nd round picks but they are all of low value. and here comes the nightmare scenario, they could trade their 25' pick at the draft (or the rights to that player AFTER the draft), which might make sense given their apparent apathy about draft position this year, in part of a deal. So what does that mean exactly? It means that Simons\Grant\Ayton\Williams all\most are likely here to stay and it is Sharpe\Scoot\Clingan who will be dangled with those (3) picks to try and get such a player. The problem is, POR most desirable players are Deni\Camara. I would imagine the scenario would be that Cronin would dangle the 25 pick\player and (2) 1st's (best of 29' & POR 31) and (1) of Sharpe\Scoot for that player. Would that be enough, maybe? Would he insert (1) of Camara or Deni if he had to? Possible Let's face it, no team would view Simons\Grant\Ayton as a centerpiece or major part of a trade (except Cronin of course) So, Cronin's ideal scenario: (2) future 1st's + 25 pick\player + 1 or 2 younger players b\t Scoot\Sharpe\Clingan The assumption is they would go after a younger "star" player that could fit in with the ages of Deni\Camara\Simons\Ayton\Wiliams all in their mid-twenties. It is a completely absurd idea that will nott propel this team to relevance as a title team, but of course Cronin refuses to see that. You can't count on Simons\Ayton\Grant as core pieces of a championship team, having one of them? yeah maybe that works, having all 3? That would be idiotic. I guess we will see how stupid Joe really is. The ironic\funny part would be, is after all of this "talk" about developing their young core (Scoot\Sharpe), Joe will be proven to have lied again (building around Dame), if he ends up dealing them away, but then again, words mean little to him. The question is what players could that be? Given their forwards (if they could keep both, Deni\Camara) My guess would be a guard, someone they could deal Scoot and\or Sharpe away for and it would be an immediate upgrade. Ja Morant? age 24 - rumored to potentially be available, lot of money owed thru 27/28, off-court concerns Trae Young? age 25 - has been rumored to be a trade candidate for a few years now, PO in 26/27 and ATL just offloaded HUnter for expiring and draft capital Darius Garland? age 24 - they are projected as a 2nd apron next year Devin Booker? age 28 - close to blowing it all up? Tyrese Maxey? age 23 - depending on Embid\George, could rebuild around Maxey or cash his value in, they do have McCain Anthony Edwards? age 23 - MIn 2nd apron team, major salary issues, can't see them dealing away Ant though, especially under new ownership Tyrese Haliburton? age 24? - Huge contract thru 28/29, maybe IND has buyers' remorse? Would fit with Simons in backcourt Another really bad possibility... Zion? age 23 - could be rebuilding from scratch"
I don't think Zion is a bad idea. If they'd take Ayton (just for salary purposes) our 2025 pick and let's say the worst of the 2029 picks, we would have a superstar player to go with Tou, Deni, Clingan, Scoot and Shaedon... I guess we would still have Jerami and Ant but maybe there is a deal out there for Ant or maybe we'd still have Ayton and instead the Pels take Ant, Rob and the two FRPs. A rotation of Scoot, Shaedon, Tou, Zion, a two headed monster of Clingan and Ayton, Deni who might win sixth man of the year next year, maybe a re-signed Dalano, and hopefully Jerami in a bench role, if we can't trade him for some other overpaid vet who it would be less awkward to have as a ninth man in the rotation... that's a roster with a lot of room to grow and one that would make the playoffs next season if and it becomes a big if with Zion, we could stay healthy.
I think it wouldn't be hard to unlock the pick that's owed to Chicago. We have the Milwaukie swaps, which would have real value. We have 2 out of 3 picks in 2029. We could convey something to Chicago to unlock our picks. We have Sharpe. We have expiring money in Ayton and Simons, which is something like $50 million. (actually closer to $60 million) Is this worth a star? 2 Milwaukee swaps 1 Milwaukee 2029 FRP 2-3 FRP from Portland Sharpe $63.2 million in expiring money
I think "rationalizing" what's going on is what ownership and the F.O. are doing. IMO, they have completely given up on building a contender and are settling for average, praying for a lot of luck, and trying to sell it all as success
The answer is an easy one if you understand or accept that the Blazers are dysfunctional. Jody wants to make money Bert, who is pseudo owner, has an ego and wants to win Joe and Mike wanted to let it bake one more year The Conductor wants to win for his resume The team wants to win So you have a skull, for my entertainment we will call it a coxless quad. You have Jody at the helm not calling any direction to anyone Bert, The Conductor and the team rowing hard with both oars The front office is rowing in a way that the coxless quad is going in circles
