Exclusive 2022-23 Portland Trail Blazers Roster

Thanks

 

Yes we can do that. Using the full MLE hard caps us, so as long as we are below that we are fine. Cap holds don't affect the hard cap.

However it seems to me if we are hard capped might as well try to stay out of the luxury tax.

 

If the Blazers are going to try and stay under the luxury tax, use the full MLE to grab a decent FA, and sign a vet minimum, then it looks to me like they have $30.9M to spend on both Simons and Nurk.



Can we retain Simons for about $18M, and Nurk for about $13M? Are we going to have to accept we're going into the Luxury Tax this year?

 

Nurk is only worth 10-12/year so I hope so. He probably views his value higher than that. Middling centers just aren't worth a whole lot in todays game. He was born in the wrong era.

 

Whatever his market value is I'm sick of people regarding Nurk as "meddling." He's top 10-11.

 

I don't have any problem with saying he is top 10-15. He just isn't a game changer or elite. Non-elite centers aren't worth big money.

I'd take Gobert, Jokic, Embiid, Ayton, Adebayo, Valenciunas, Allen, Vucevic, KAT over him.

Then you get into the Adams, Williams, Capela, Nurkic, Looney, Turner group.

 

I think Nurks actual number is going to surprise some people (in a bad way).

 

I think it is unlikely that their yearly averages are that low, but I think it is potentially reasonable that their first-year numbers come in under 31 mil.

I certainly hope the Blazers are willing to go into the tax if the right opportunity presents itself, but if it doesn't, I certainly understand the appeal of staying under for a second consecutive year (which would really free us to spend a ton the following two years). If we are going into the tax, make it worth it.

 

In the 52 years of Blazer seasons, they've had 16 PER leaders. Last year Nurk made the list -



With Dame sitting out much of the year, Nurk's 20.0 PER in 56 games lead the team. Dame dropped down to 18.5 PER in 29 games.

With the MLE at $10.3M, not a lot of teams will have the CAP space to offer him much more than that. We don't want to compete against ourselves. With him making $12M/yr last year, my guess is he gets around $13M/yr.

 

Oh but he "isn't a game changer." Top notch work per usual!

 

I didn't know PER is end all be all. Guess if we want to go there Hassan Whiteside is better than Nurk.

He is what he is. A 10-15ish center for the most useless position in the NBA today. He is a fine player. Not elite.

I wish he could move a little better and we had some more athleticism from that position.

 

Still a lot of SG and non-starter quality forwards. As of now, guys like Hart/Sharpe, will likely have to play up and that is just not putting them in their best position.

Keon, Didi, GB3, Walker, likely aren't playable unless it's a blowout and Shae will have his growing pains.
Still work to do.

 

sounds like trading hart, keon and some picks for a starting caliber PF or SF is the move here?

 

Still working on things. The Draft picks, are still on sketchy because of the protections Neil put on the pick owed to Chicago. His shadow still hangs over the franchise till that pick conveys and Andrew Nicholson if FINALLY gone.

 

Some consolidation thoughts, just based on salary combos:

- Combining Hart and Keon gets you to about 15.5 mil, and we can take back 19.3 mil in return.




- Hart + Keon + Winslow gets you to almost a 25 mil player in return.



- Hart + Bledsoe + Keon gets you a 43 mil player in return.

 

How do y'all feel about a Hart + Keon for Barnes trade?

HB would be the definitive starter at SF for us while also opening up a consistent 15-20 mpg for Sharpe. Kinda think Sac would also be open to this idea.

 

I'm totally open to trading Keon at this point, but I hate giving up Hart. Honestly, I just really don't see Dame/Ant working out and that means that one or the other needs to go. I don't think the team is going to move Dame unless he asks to be moved, so that means Ant is out. If we do end up needing to trade Ant, I want to have Hart as the stopgap until Sharpe hopefully is ready to start.

 

Barnes is a better talent than Hart, and fits a positional need for us, and he's a ~40% shooter from 3 on volume. I think his impact is undervalued on shit teams, but would be terrific on a talented one.

 

Yeah, I guess Little could always slide over to shooting guard as well.

 

Don't we want to cut Dame's minutes? I see no problem with a Dame, Hart, Ant rotation. I say give it a year to see how it works and to see how SS develops.