Exclusive Ayton is agreeing to buyout

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by MickZagger, Jun 29, 2025 at 7:32 PM.

  1. JFizzleRaider

    JFizzleRaider Yeast Lords Global Moderator

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  2. LayneStaley

    LayneStaley Well-Known Member

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    Bobby Marks guessed it would be 8-10 Million.
     
  3. GoZers

    GoZers Well-Known Member

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    What’s the list of teams with a less promising future (5-10 years out) than Portland? And it’s not just about roster (which I don’t like). Factor in GM, coach, ownership in flux, zerrrro direction, and who is worse off? (Also again not asking you directly but just for discussion sake)
     
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  4. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    No GM shares their real plans in public, so that can't be the standard to judge one by. It's not like any GM starts out with a specific plan, hits on everything, and doesn't have to deviate. GM's miss on picks, trades, and FA signings, injuries happen, ownership directives change, etc.

    Cronin hasn't been amazing, while working for a less than amazing ownership group, in a small market. Was your expectation that he was going to be a top tier GM?
     
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  5. GoZers

    GoZers Well-Known Member

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    As it stands trading for Jrue makes zero sense.
     
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  6. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    Yes, we can rely on him to be injured at some point.
     
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  7. GoZers

    GoZers Well-Known Member

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    He doesn’t need to tell us or anyone the plan. But you should be able to tell what the plan is by looking at the roster the moves the picks old/young, tank/not, etc. It should be fairly obvious to almost anyone.
     
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  8. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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  9. LayneStaley

    LayneStaley Well-Known Member

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    I’d rather watch overpaid Jrue play than overpaid Grant or Ayton. Move doesn’t really make a ton of sense but I bet the D is gonna be lockdown.
     
  10. julius

    julius I wonder if there's beer on the sun Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Who is available to sign at 14 million that A: is worth signing and B: would sign?
     
  11. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    I'm past my prime, otherwise....
     
  12. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    I think it's fairly obvious. Put together a roster that is within the Vulcans budget while not tanking for 4+ years. He's missed on some draft picks, missed on some trades. Had some good draft picks and had some nice trades. The Blazers have a bunch of young players on decent contracts and some draft assets moving forward. Nothing great, nothing terrible.
     
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  13. LayneStaley

    LayneStaley Well-Known Member

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    I hope it’s not Duncan Robinson even though he fills a need.
     
  14. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    Great question! As long as I've been a Blazer fan I've had a hard time coming up with a free agent signing at that level that would meet said criteria. We typically have to pay a tax to get talent to come here.

    I think we're probably more likely to use the MLE as a trade exception.
     
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  15. CJ_is_Gone

    CJ_is_Gone Well-Known Member

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    Kennard.

    Also, remember teams can take players into the MLE (essentially a trade exception). Would Portland be interested in Hauser to help Celtics lower their tax?
     
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  16. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    2 seasons ago he played the second-most minutes in the playoffs (Only Tatum played more) when Boston won the championship.

    Holiday also played the 2nd-most minutes in the playoffs for the Bucks (Middleton played 10 more minutes total) when Milwaukee won the championship.
     
  17. JFizzleRaider

    JFizzleRaider Yeast Lords Global Moderator

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    Please no. We laughed at the Heat trying to dump him off on us in a potential Dame trade.

    I dont like his game at all even though we need shooters.
     
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  18. Ed O

    Ed O Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    Yeah... I dunno. There aren't a lot that jump out at me. Maybe New Orleans and Washington?

    And in terms of the plan, I think it's been trying to split the baby: build a younger core while being competitive on the floor.

    I think that's an impossible strategy because we're rebuilding against teams that are dedicated to a rebuild and competing for the playoffs with teams that are dedicated to winning now.... so you don't success on either front.

    I also don't like most of the moves he's made in trying to do this strategy. We seem to be in love with wings that just can't shoot the basketball, we haven't drafted well except with our three lottery picks (and even then, our guys have been objectively less impressive than most of their peers, even if I'm excited we've got them).

    We would be a lot better if we had San Antonio's luck in the lottery, of course, but the process and decisions have generally been bad so it's not just a matter of bad luck.
     
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  19. Strenuus

    Strenuus Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Brother, we have been seeing the same thing for years. Cheers!

    This is the start of hoping I watch the team again in the next few years. But right now its a waste of time. Not holding out any hope they do anything to make us contenders in the next few years, but at least they got two of the worst players off of the team in Simons and Ayton.
     
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  20. KingSpeed

    KingSpeed Veteran

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    Isn’t Mark Williams still there?
     

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