Damian Lillard likes tweet that suggests the Trail Blazers should send No. 7 pick for Lu Dort

[Tince]

I think Ant will be the guy taking the pay cut contract...people seem to think he's going to get 25mil but I don't think he will..Norm's contract was real friendly and locks Nurk up for the Dame era....they may not do it but I don't think Clutch is going to let the Blazers lowball him this contract...it'll be his last big deal of his career more than likely and he's only 27 or so with 2 of those years off the court. It's an unpopular decision but I'd sell high on Ant and put a better defender on the court with Dame or pay Ant to be a 6 man which isn't CJ money...I'll bet Ant would jump at the chance to play for some eastern conference team closer to his home where he's got Dame's role.

You think Norm's contract was team friendly? The trade market did not indicate that.

I'd be shocked if Nurk is making more per year than Ant on their next contracts.

 

[Tince]

Yeah, I don't think Nurk proved that he was worth his last contract. He missed more than 40% of his games and his numbers were about what I'd expect for 13M a season for a traditional 5 man. So I'm hoping the very most he gets is 4yr/61M with the third and fourth years as team options. I guess we'll see with his contract and Ant's if we're still in the business of outbidding ourselves.

I like this logic. The team option after the 3rd year seems super important.

 

[wizenheimer]

I think the Blazers would be making a mistake signing Nurkic for longer than Dame's remaining contract. Should be a 3 year deal, not longer than that; 3rd year not guaranteed

 

[blazerkor]

You think Norm's contract was team friendly? The trade market did not indicate that.

I'd be shocked if Nurk is making more per year than Ant on their next contracts.

I think it was negotiated by Olshey who made it a habit of not gauging the market and giving guys far more than they would get anywhere else. It wasn't the worst Olshey re-sign but I'm really hoping for actual team friendly deals going forward or ones negotiated against bids from other teams. I don't mind outbidding other teams, just ourselves.

 

[riverman]

I think the Blazers would be making a mistake signing Nurkic for longer than Dame's remaining contract. Should be a 3 year deal, not longer than that; 3rd year not guaranteed

That's probably what it'll be but he sure seemed content tanking and relaxed....Nurk in a contract year doesn't strike me as that easy going. At any point I think he's already got the contract he wants and Dame wants but I think Nurk makes more than most people project..I think he'll get 18 mil a year

 

[riverman]

You think Norm's contract was team friendly? The trade market did not indicate that.

I'd be shocked if Nurk is making more per year than Ant on their next contracts.

You may be right....I'm just ready to sell high on Ant

 

[blazerkor]

That's probably what it'll be but he sure seemed content tanking and relaxed....Nurk in a contract year doesn't strike me as that easy going. At any point I think he's already got the contract he wants and Dame wants but I think Nurk makes more than most people project..I think he'll get 18 mil a year

It better not be 18 fucking million a year. I'll be pissed because that will just show that we're continuing Olshey era bullshit like bidding against ourselves and overpaying average players to stay.

 

[blazerkor]

You may be right....I'm just ready to sell high on Ant

If there's a sell high option we should because he isn't the best compliment to Dame in the back court but I would think if we sign him to a reasonable deal and by the deadline he shows he's a PG and not a SG then we can trade him to the highest bidder with a better fit.

 

[riverman]

It better not be 18 fucking million a year. I'll be pissed because that will just show that we're continuing Olshey era bullshit like bidding against ourselves and overpaying average players to stay.

How much the Vulcans pay a starting player makes shouldn't piss anybody off.....wait until you see what they pay Grant. .if we want to contend we better open up the checkbook soon. Contenders do. Everybody knows I'm not an armchair GM or cap guy...just a fan. I let the suits figure out the books. The S2 accountant group is way ahead of me on those issues. I don't think Nurk is an "average" player though...I think he's one of the best centers in the league

 

[blazerkor]

How much the Vulcans pay a starting player makes shouldn't piss anybody off.....wait until you see what they pay Grant. .if we want to contend we better open up the checkbook soon. Contenders do. Everybody knows I'm not an armchair GM or cap guy...just a fan. I let the suits figure out the books. The S2 accountant group is way ahead of me on those issues.

The thing is... I don't really care if we overpay if the player makes sense. Nurk is an old school C who is nearly obsolete and injury prone and Ant is a second score first PG that hasn't shown a great talent to defend. I wouldn't mind overpaying them if it made sense. Jerami Grant with his ability to score inside, outside, put the ball on the floor and defend 2-4 is the kind of player you overpay, maybe he's not the player to overpay but he's the type you should.

 

[HailBlazers]

The thing is... I don't really care if we overpay if the player makes sense. Nurk is an old school C who is nearly obsolete and injury prone and Ant is a second score first PG that hasn't shown a great talent to defend. I wouldn't mind overpaying them if it made sense. Jerami Grant with his ability to score inside, outside, put the ball on the floor and defend 2-4 is the kind of player you overpay, maybe he's not the player to overpay but he's the type you should.

Nurk is the anchor to our defense. You'll be tough pressed to replace his impact on D.

 

[riverman]

The thing is... I don't really care if we overpay if the player makes sense. Nurk is an old school C who is nearly obsolete and injury prone and Ant is a second score first PG that hasn't shown a great talent to defend. I wouldn't mind overpaying them if it made sense. Jerami Grant with his ability to score inside, outside, put the ball on the floor and defend 2-4 is the kind of player you overpay, maybe he's not the player to overpay but he's the type you should.

I really want to see what a Nurk, Grant, Naz, Hart, Lillard starting lineup would look like ...Hart is my kind of two guard..

 

[riverman]

Nurk is the anchor to our defense. You'll be tough pressed to replace his impact on D.

Put a real PF next to him and it'll be a whole different team

 

[blazerkor]

Nurk is the anchor to our defense. You'll be tough pressed to replace his impact on D.

He takes up a lot of space and is effective on that end but I wouldn't be hard pressed to find better defenders at the 5 anyone who can protect the paint is as good as him and anyone who can protect the paint and switch out on the perimeter is better. I don't want Nurk gone but I also don't want him overpaid for his limitations and inconsistencies due to injury. I like Nurk when he's not pouting but I only like him up to 16M for any given season so next season being the first of his new contract would be a bad overpay.

I would like to see both Hart and Nas play serious minutes off of the bench but I would like to see better players than both of them starting at the 2 and 3. I do think that if you want to see what Dame, Hart, Nas, Grant and Nurk would be like starting, that would be really easy. We just give up the fucking 7th pick in this draft for Grant and let Ant walk... both of which would be foolish. If you want to see that lineup at times in the rotation, I'm right there with you. We just have to have better starters.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

You think Norm's contract was team friendly? The trade market did not indicate that.

I'd be shocked if Nurk is making more per year than Ant on their next contracts.

Hello,

I seem to remember it being viewed nearly universally as a team friendly deal. The consensus thought was CJ was to be moved for Powell to take the starting SG position.
I recall very few negative opinions of the Powell contract.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

He takes up a lot of space and is effective on that end but I wouldn't be hard pressed to find better defenders at the 5 anyone who can protect the paint is as good as him and anyone who can protect the paint and switch out on the perimeter is better. I don't want Nurk gone but I also don't want him overpaid for his limitations and inconsistencies due to injury. I like Nurk when he's not pouting but I only like him up to 16M for any given season so next season being the first of his new contract would be a bad overpay.

I would like to see both Hart and Nas play serious minutes off of the bench but I would like to see better players than both of them starting at the 2 and 3. I do think that if you want to see what Dame, Hart, Nas, Grant and Nurk would be like starting, that would be really easy. We just give up the fucking 7th pick in this draft for Grant and let Ant walk... both of which would be foolish. If you want to see that lineup at times in the rotation, I'm right there with you. We just have to have better starters.

Hello.
Nurk never had help on the weak side.
I do not think it is fair to judge him based on the PF’s he has had to play along side over the last few years.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Hello,

I seem to remember it being viewed nearly universally as a team friendly deal. The consensus thought was CJ was to be moved for Powell to take the starting SG position.
I recall very few negative opinions of the Powell contract.

It was team friendly for Portland if it worked... Because we were given the opportunity to keep Powell at a lower price than CJ. But we'd have had to be able to get great value out of CJ (like, a much taller player) to make it work. Unfortunately, nobody was interested in giving up a CJ caliber player who plays both ways and is long and athletic.

Powell contract was a year to long. Which was fine for us, since we would have wanted him to be there as long as Dame. After which, Powell would be overpaid, but it would be a short term contract that could probably be dealt. There weren't many teams interested in paying him that much. Which is why he took that much to stay in Portland while being CJ's backup or playing out of position. If it were a good contract Powell would have never re-signed with Portland.

 

[blazerkor]

Hello.
Nurk never had help on the weak side.
I do not think it is fair to judge him based on the PF’s he has had to play along side over the last few years.

I think his production on both ends and propensity for injury are fair to judge him on. I do think that he would be worth 14M-16M if he has a weakside shot blocker but not more than that... not with his injury history and movement limitations. Dude hasn't shown himself to be Shaq, he has had problems with big injuries and is an old shcool C. Keeping him would be cool, keeping him at a starting salary over 15M would not.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

If we are starting Dort next to Dame, It just might be only a matter of time till Ant wants to go to a team where he can start.

Which is a good thing. If you can get Dort, you trade Simons for a forward.

Not a big fan of starting guys who are shorter than the average guy at their position, but starting Dort and Hart at the SG and SF spots sounds pretty good. Especially if they could get a taller PF, like Collins or Murray. Both of them are right at 33% on 3-pointers which is exactly what AFA and Mo shot when they made the WCF.

I know you’re talking about John Collins but would anybody be interested in having Zach back? If he’s healthy, why not?

Wash your mouth out with soap trading Simons! Unless it's for a borderline to actual all-star wing HELL NO! I'd almost trade Dame first and I will not trade Dame. People are wild to want to trade Simons before we see how and Dame are going to be together.

We know how Dame and Simons are going to be together. They won’t defend at contending level. Dame must have an elite defender next to him in the backcourt. Period.

Dude is a role player on a terrible team... that doesn't mean he's not good nor that he won't get better, but I can't see how he's a needle-mover for a bad Thunder team nor a bad Blazers team. Giving up any substantial asset(s) for him strikes me as idiocy.

He’s the perfect fit next to Dame. And he’s only 23 so he’s on the rise.

He isn't a star. Sorry. You need stars in the league to win a title.

Adding Dort and Grant to our team puts us in purgatory still in need of another star.

Tell that to the Lakers. They would’ve been MUCH better off with Alex Caruso than “star” Russell Westbrook. Nets had “stars” and didn’t win a playoff game. The Blazers don’t need “stars” that can’t play D or don’t fit with Dame. Defense and Fit is the most important thing, whether or not they are a “name” player.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

Which is a good thing. If you can get Dort, you trade Simons for a forward.



I know you’re talking about John Collins but would anybody be interested in having Zach back? If he’s healthy, why not?



We know how Dame and Simons are going to be together. They won’t defend at contending level. Dame must have an elite defender next to him in the backcourt. Period.



He’s the perfect fit next to Dame. And he’s only 23 so he’s on the rise.



Tell that to the Lakers. They would’ve been MUCH better off with Alex Caruso than “star” Russell Westbrook. Nets had “stars” and didn’t win a playoff game. The Blazers don’t need “stars” that can’t play D or don’t fit with Dame. Defense and Fit is the most important thing, whether or not they are a “name” player.

You need the right stars dude. Of course you can have the wrong fit for stars. The Lakers had 2 in LBJ and Anthony Davis, they won a championship. The Warriors have multiple stars. The Heat and Celtics have at least 2 each.

We need another star. Unless you enjoy being in purgatory.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

You need the right stars dude. Of course you can have the wrong fit for stars. The Lakers had 2 in LBJ and Anthony Davis, they won a championship. The Warriors have multiple stars. The Heat and Celtics have at least 2 each.

We need another star. Unless you enjoy being in purgatory.

Depends on your definition of stars. Shouldn't matter whether they are an All Star or not, they should fit together. If your players fit together and you win, they become All Stars. The goal should never be to just add a name to Dame. Lakers had LBJ and AD the last two seasons and didn't get out of the first round one season and didn't make the playoffs in the next.

The Heat don't really have 2 stars. Butler is a semi-star and Bam is whatever. The Celtics have one legit star and one pretty good player. Warriors have one star and a bunch of player who are super rich because they play with him. Anyway, Dame needs to be surrounded by excellent defenders. ALL FOUR positions- excellent defenders. Players like Dort, Marcus Smart, Jonathan Isaac, Jrue Holiday, Mikal Bridges, JJJ, GP2, Herb Jones, Draymond etc. ALL FOUR POSITIONS. These guys aren't "stars" but they are the players that would transform us into a winner.

Dirk won in his 13th season surrounded by solid veteran defenders. None of them were All Stars that season but they were the right pieces to put around him. They beat the Defending Champs (Kobe/Pau), the KD/RW/Harden Thunder and the Wade/LeBron/Bosh Heat to get that title. The key to winning a title with Dame is to find players that fully complement him. Yes, it would be nice to get Giannis or Jokic or Embiid, but that's not happening.

So then you need to think about fit. Dort is exactly the kind of player we should be looking for to start with Dame. Josh Hart is a good option to have too. Or Jrue Holiday. Or Marcus Smart. Not Anfernee Simons, who should be the main ball handler on his own team surrounded by excellent defenders. Simons is not a good enough defender to share the backcourt with Dame. This is pretty simple. I can think of better non-stars who would've helped Embiid out of the second round instead of Harden who couldn't.

It's not about names. Morey will never learn that. I mean, you could make deals to bring us Donovan Mitchell and we could say "Yay, we have another star to play with Dame," but that would be so dumb. I'd rather Dort than Mitchell. Seriously.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

More on Dort: Undrafted (like Wessy) in 2019, he signed a 2 way contract. Then, in his SECOND season, he got 12 second team All-Defensive Team votes. That's a talent that is on the rise and would click in a big way with a winning organization.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Dort would a great piece on a contending team. If we can add a front court/ wing star, Dort would help

 

[STOMP]

I have tweaked my preferences a little bit on this. If we could find a way to use our pick, the 2025 pick, Bledsoe, and the TPE to move up to #5 and draft Keegan Murray and still land Grant without giving anything else up, I would be happy going into the season and then make whatever needed adjustments at the trade deadline. I don't think it is enough to contend, but i think it sets us up well with youth and veteran players to go either direction at the deadline. Mortage to win now or full on youth rebuild

Short of totally fleecing someone or some series of miracle(s) in player development, I don't see this team rounding into contender status in the next couple years without moving Lillard or Ant. They are the team's two best players/assets and unfortunately aren't complimentary pieces.

If the team were to move Ant this offseason for a young talented do it all wing (ex: Scottie Barnes), I'd stand up and scream with my fists raised and eagerly anticipate the promise of the coming season. I don't see them moving Dame as that would torpedo season ticket sales. Short of moving Simons for the perfect inside straight card, I expect it'll be just another reshuffling of the deck chairs of an offseason and we'll be sold that management needs to see where they're at. Acquiring Grant for the Bucks 2025 1st + Bledsoe & hitting a home run with #7 (ex: Murray or Sharpe) will still leave them outside contender status in the short term. If the malaise continues into the season as expected, the drumbeats of Dame being moved will grow louder and louder at the trade deadline... thats the best case scenario for all parties IMO

STOMP

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Hello,

I seem to remember it being viewed nearly universally as a team friendly deal. The consensus thought was CJ was to be moved for Powell to take the starting SG position.
I recall very few negative opinions of the Powell contract.

This is how I recall the consensus as well.

But a few months later the Neil bashers with their pitchforks decided all players Cronin traded we're crap and Neil never made a single good move. So here we are.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

Depends on your definition of stars. Shouldn't matter whether they are an All Star or not, they should fit together. If your players fit together and you win, they become All Stars. The goal should never be to just add a name to Dame. Lakers had LBJ and AD the last two seasons and didn't get out of the first round one season and didn't make the playoffs in the next.

The Heat don't really have 2 stars. Butler is a semi-star and Bam is whatever. The Celtics have one legit star and one pretty good player. Warriors have one star and a bunch of player who are super rich because they play with him. Anyway, Dame needs to be surrounded by excellent defenders. ALL FOUR positions- excellent defenders. Players like Dort, Marcus Smart, Jonathan Isaac, Jrue Holiday, Mikal Bridges, JJJ, GP2, Herb Jones, Draymond etc. ALL FOUR POSITIONS. These guys aren't "stars" but they are the players that would transform us into a winner.

Dirk won in his 13th season surrounded by solid veteran defenders. None of them were All Stars that season but they were the right pieces to put around him. They beat the Defending Champs (Kobe/Pau), the KD/RW/Harden Thunder and the Wade/LeBron/Bosh Heat to get that title. The key to winning a title with Dame is to find players that fully complement him. Yes, it would be nice to get Giannis or Jokic or Embiid, but that's not happening.

So then you need to think about fit. Dort is exactly the kind of player we should be looking for to start with Dame. Josh Hart is a good option to have too. Or Jrue Holiday. Or Marcus Smart. Not Anfernee Simons, who should be the main ball handler on his own team surrounded by excellent defenders. Simons is not a good enough defender to share the backcourt with Dame. This is pretty simple. I can think of better non-stars who would've helped Embiid out of the second round instead of Harden who couldn't.

It's not about names. Morey will never learn that. I mean, you could make deals to bring us Donovan Mitchell and we could say "Yay, we have another star to play with Dame," but that would be so dumb. I'd rather Dort than Mitchell. Seriously.

Again, it has just as much to do with fit. Donovan Mitchell would not be a good fit.

Bam and Butler are stars. Brown and Tatum are stars.

We will not be a contender with the Dorts, Grants. Harts, Nurks of the world.

Dame deserves to play with another all star level player that is a good fit next to him.

Dallas did just have Dirk as a star, but Dirk is an all time great that is better than Dame. They also had one of the most elite defenders in the league who ended up being an all star two years later in Chandler. And Kidd, Terry, Marion, Butler, Peja....all former all star level players or elite 6th men. They knew how to play the game and win. That's one example and it still doesn't really compare to our path.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Depends on your definition of stars. Shouldn't matter whether they are an All Star or not, they should fit together. If your players fit together and you win, they become All Stars. The goal should never be to just add a name to Dame. Lakers had LBJ and AD the last two seasons and didn't get out of the first round one season and didn't make the playoffs in the next.

The Heat don't really have 2 stars. Butler is a semi-star and Bam is whatever. The Celtics have one legit star and one pretty good player. Warriors have one star and a bunch of player who are super rich because they play with him. Anyway, Dame needs to be surrounded by excellent defenders. ALL FOUR positions- excellent defenders. Players like Dort, Marcus Smart, Jonathan Isaac, Jrue Holiday, Mikal Bridges, JJJ, GP2, Herb Jones, Draymond etc. ALL FOUR POSITIONS. These guys aren't "stars" but they are the players that would transform us into a winner.

Dirk won in his 13th season surrounded by solid veteran defenders. None of them were All Stars that season but they were the right pieces to put around him. They beat the Defending Champs (Kobe/Pau), the KD/RW/Harden Thunder and the Wade/LeBron/Bosh Heat to get that title. The key to winning a title with Dame is to find players that fully complement him. Yes, it would be nice to get Giannis or Jokic or Embiid, but that's not happening.

So then you need to think about fit. Dort is exactly the kind of player we should be looking for to start with Dame. Josh Hart is a good option to have too. Or Jrue Holiday. Or Marcus Smart. Not Anfernee Simons, who should be the main ball handler on his own team surrounded by excellent defenders. Simons is not a good enough defender to share the backcourt with Dame. This is pretty simple. I can think of better non-stars who would've helped Embiid out of the second round instead of Harden who couldn't.

It's not about names. Morey will never learn that. I mean, you could make deals to bring us Donovan Mitchell and we could say "Yay, we have another star to play with Dame," but that would be so dumb. I'd rather Dort than Mitchell. Seriously.

Good post. But I do disagree you can't have a contender with Dame and Simons. If all the other positions are good defenders it can work fine. Look at the Warriors with Steph and Poole. The problem is if you have poor defenders also in the frontcourt like Melo, or start a 6'3" SF like Powell.

There is an argument that Simons provides less value on a Dame team and it would be better to trade him for a wing. That could be true. But I disagree the team can't succeed with Dame and Simons. Especially as Dame enters his mid 30's we need offensive options to share the loaf with him. Dame was so exhausted at the end of the Nuggets series to get in the WCF that he was ineffective against the warriors. Compare that to the bubble where Dame was rested and a beast.

So the Blazers need almost everyone on a Dame roster to be a good defender. But they need at least one guy in the rotation that can lead the offense. Dame can't be effective if he is going 40+ minutes for 82 games.

 

[Strenuus]

This is how I recall the consensus as well.

But a few months later the Neil bashers with their pitchforks decided all players Cronin traded we're crap and Neil never made a single good move. So here we are.

Well, there should be no neil supporters.

 

[wizenheimer]

But a few months later the Neil bashers with their pitchforks decided all players Cronin traded we're crap and Neil never made a single good move. So here we are.

can you name one poster who says all that? any of that? I'm surprised you didn't trot out the "traded 4 starters" line again

I hated olshey's tenure but I gave him credit for the good moves he made (there just weren't many). I just recognized that his blind spots and flaws were fatal for Portland's chances to build a contender. And that his bad moves far outweighed his good moves while his roster vision sucked the hind tit

the 4 players traded were not crap. But they had no upside, at all, and they were hogging half the payroll while being primarily responsible for Portland's trajectory being flat-lined. They had to go. I'm also not operating under blind faith that 'the players traded just had to have more value than the return they generated because they just had to because I believe they did and that means Cronin is a fucking idiot'.

I'm also not stupid enough to ignore the reality that Cronin was working for the Vulcans; or that as we have recently learned the Vulcans are actually obligated to sell the Blazers. That factor is certain to have heavily influenced the nature of those deadline deals

 

[blazerfan11]

Put a real PF next to him and it'll be a whole different team

Like Jeremy Sochan. A guy who can get the ball to Nurk on offense, too. Nurk's impact on defense would go up with a plus defender PF, and his impact on offense would go up with a PF who could get the ball to Nurk for high-percentage shots. Nurk is mobile enough to make it happen, if the team is talented/smart enough to know how to do it and actually do it.