I think the plan is to trade the pick

There is no single move this team can make over the summer that makes them anything more than a playoff/playin team. Now is not the time to trade a frp + vet salary for a better vet. They have to keep drafting talent and looking to acquire as many picks as possible and avoid the type of move that negates what they've started building.
Look where OKC is today. They got there by getting as many picks as they could, then building through the draft. It's going to take several years to get to that point and trying to speed up the process will only set them back.
Get rid of vets for as much draft value as possible and stay the course. Anything else will just lead to another rebuild sooner than later.

 

I tend to agree. Let the cake bake

 

Why? I don’t really think he has to do anything.

 

First rumor of the offseason....apparently we're trading Grant, Timelord and 2 first round picks for Lauri Markkanen with the Jazz

 

I doubt this rumor is true but let's play for a minute that it MIGHT be true --- Why

I mean he is better then Grant but I kind of feel they are similar only younger and a little bit better of a rebounder .. NM .. he is better cause Grant cannot rebound unless ball falls in his arms. Now IF you told me it's this or keep Grant for another year then maybe but seems like a lot for a minor upgrade. If I were to grade this deal I would give it a C maybe a C plus but leaning more at the lower of the two.

 

Hate it.

 

He needs to get out of the way. He's not going to choose to do that. Needs to be gotten rid of.

 

It makes sense to me. Lauri is an allstar which we lack and is a scorer which we need...if this was the trade deadline deal that is getting revisited it's probably because of the draft capital...Ainge loves him some picks. Markennan is only 27...he's in his prime

 

I like it, and it would change my view on the need for Ayton and or Simons. Their D is fine right now, their half court O is not. Lauri helps the offense. It would give Chauncey more options to play with that includes 3 talented scorers on the floor.

Deni, Sharpe, Camara, Lauri, and Clingan
or
Scoot, Sharpe, Camara, Lauri and Deni
or
Scoot, Sharpe, Deni, Lauri, and DC

But of course, there is his salary...which is a little high..

 

Lauri is an interesting idea. But I tend to think Ainge will demand too much in a trade.

Even if the cost was fair value I wouldn't do it unless we could also add a Sabonis type of vet to be a legit contender. Without being a contender it's not worth the cost to lose multiple draft picks and pay Lauri ~$60 million per year.

 

Where’d you hear this?

 

46. 46, 50, 53.5
Still a lot, but not 60 per

 

I read it this morning on a headline...maybe SI article...not sure.

 

This is where I read it
Trail Blazers predicted to part ways with ex-76ers forward in blockbuster trade for $195 million All-Star - BVM Sports

 

Can the Blazers even trade future first round picks?

 

IIRC they can trade one of their 2029 firsts, 2030 or 2031 first, and the Milwaukee swap.

Their firsts before that are encumbered by the Nance trade thru 2028.

And I think their 2028 swap is tied up in whether their pick has been conveyed to Chicago or not.

 

pretty weird trade for Blazers, IMO. That's not to say that Markkanen isn't a good player. It is to say that in his 8 year career, he has averaged playing in 56 games and missing 26. Now, it's a little less than 26 missed games because of the Covid years, probably closer to 24. But if any team should recognize that an injury history like that will continue, if not get worse, it's Portland

there's also some lineup awkwardness. If Markkanen is starting at PF, which of Avdija-Camara-Sharpe is moved to the bench? And of course, Markkanen's 48M/year salary for 4 more years is heavy and may cause some issues with re-signing all of Avdija-Camara-Sharpe-Scoot-Clingan

and, if it's 2 draft picks, with Ainge you can just about guarantee one of the picks is this year's pick. I can't believe the Blazers would agree to trade that pick if it magically jumps into the top-4; meaning it could be that the Blazers will be giving up that 2029 Milwaukee pick....yuck

not an appealing rumor

 

except that Joe said he had a couple deals lined up for the off season that he couldn't get done at the deadline...I don't know who the writer is but I'm sure he has lots of basketball predictions if he's got an editorial space. If I read any rumors tied to the Blazers off season, I'll consider them but you're welcome to weigh it against an S2 trade machine prediction. This deal sounds like something that would explain Grants snarky exit interview and our not worrying about the 10 or 9th pick or tanking for it. It's a rumor, folks can discuss it or dismiss it, choices.