Game Thread GAME# 71: KNICKS @ BLAZERS - MARCH 23, 2017 - THURSDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), KGW

Chicago wouldnt gain anything by getting CJ and a 15th pick. Shouldnt be enough unless they think Butler ia toxic for them,but he is also on a better contract.

 

And I don't think it automatically makes us a contender. to swap CJ and a pick for Butler. Still need a consistent starting SF with great D and a decent shot.

 

Unless you guys are putting Butler at the three and gonna start Crabbe? But then our bench needs improvement. Not sold on that trade making us a contender.

 

Butler sucks

 

Here's my problem: look at the blazers salaries for 2017-18
http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/POR.html

We've used up $121 mil WITHOUT Davis, Vonleh, Nurk. Suppose Nurk + Vonleh make $34 mil (which I think is low), that makes it $155 mil. There's no way that's not in the luxury tax. But, the pain continues (under these conditions):
17-18: $155
18-19: $153

that's repeater tax territory - not where we want to be.

We have Crabbe at $19 mil per year, Biebs at $10, Hark at $10, and ET at $17. Consider that, Here's the next question:
You're the Nets, Mavericks, Knicks, Lakers, whoever else is/should be rebuilding. Which one of these players would you give up a mid-first rounder + cap space for?
You're a contender, and want an extra player for a playoff run. Which one of these players would you give up a mid-first rounder + cap space for?

Of these, IMHO, Crabbe is the most desirable. Rumors are that other teams have shown interest in Harkless at the deadline, but we don't know the extent.

Knowing Olshey's management style, he'll not trade ET because it hurts the team's reputation to trade players you signed as an FA, especially after one year.

So, I'm simpatico with your desire to keep Crabbe. I'm just curious as to who's gonna take some $20 mil combination of Biebs, Harkless, and ET's salaries for draft picks?



p.s. If Neil is able to trade Mr. Crappy Player with 2 herniated disks without giving up additional compensation, he's Exec of the Year. I'd like to see that!

 

I disagree....Wes Mathews has one of the worst handles for a 2 guard

 

CJ and Dame have just started to pass the ball to Crabbe since Nurk got here...Nurk found him open the first day he played with us...Crabbe is a follower..not an alpha guy at all...running plays for him is working. He is invisible if you listen to the radio because he doesn't lead the charge. Every role playing free agent got paid when Crabbe got paid...luckily for us he got 20 mil less than Chandler Parson and way less than Batum....Batum has played exactly like he did for us...hot start and huge dropoff after the allstar break....seems to be a pattern for Nico....Crabbe is ok...as is he'll never be all NBA or and allstar.

 

Gotcha. Let me try it again
17-18: $140 (luxury tax, N+V on the cheap)
18-19: $153 (luxury tax, N+V = $34 mil)
19-20: $150 (repeater tax, N+V = $34 mil)

 

Crabbe is our only good bench player. Turner is okay, and certainly more versatile, but I just don't know that he does anything well enough to be a keeper. Everyone else on the bench sucks.

We need to keep Harkless because he's the only good player on a small contract that we have...and our only decent SF in a league light on SFs. If we can shed Meyers, Davis, and Aminu - along with Turner (or Crabbe) - and replace them with players who cost half as much (or less!) that should help the salary situation once we need to pay Nurk. Vonleh is still up in the air - hopefully we can extend him on a friendly contract while he's still kinda ho-hum and then he seriously out-performs it and we get a few years of great production at a small price before trade-flipping him.

At least that's how I'd play this hand of misfit assets.

 

Lebron sucks

 

Michael Jordan sucks.

 

The NBA sucks

 

Didn't shoot threes well, CJ better.

 

Entertainment sucks

 

FTFY

 

Our poster..... Nah, never mind....

 

The world sucks