Clearly Ant's play has made one of Powell/Cj expendable. Nas is obviously better than Roco/Powell playing the 3 spot. It's possible we get someone better at the 4 than Roco by trading CJ before the deadline. In fact I'd say it's probable. Like most of the Board, I wanted CJ/Powell/Roco traded the minute Ant and Nas were ready, to balance the roster and improve us at the 4/5. Today's meager return was just a major shock to the system after all our hopeful expectations
Danny Marang. Chad Doing. Aaron Fentress. Multiple people I know that you don't. Thankfully this forum is pretty smart.
It just makes no sense because the Pelicans trade could've been wrapped into a deal that could've helped us accomplish exactly what Bledsoe's contract could. The only way that isn't the case is if another team overvalues Keon Johnson even more than we did.
He's a 6'3 guard with an 8'1 standing reach. This board loves Little because he's actually a forward. We don't need a project guard.
And, hopefully the best to come. But as I always do, expect the unexpected, and that did happen today. Question is what's next?
Simons was a project guard and that seems to be working out. We will see how the next couple months play out but the idea of building around Dame might not be feasible with the assets and contracts we have. It might be time to think about building around Simons, a lottery pick and the pieces from a Dame trade.
Simons could actually shoot though. And he could handle the ball. He had offensive skill. This dude has no where close to the skillset Anfernee Simons had when he came into the league. They're not trading Dame. You don't make moves to build around Simons and trade Dame BEFORE you trade Dame. And you don't trade Dame when he's injured or when his value is lower than it should be. There's absolutely no justification for this trade.
This thread is too long for me to read, but it is clear this deal ensures Portland can sign ant for a big deal going forward and gain a trade asset before the draft (bledsoe) - which they would not be able to do with roco. It's a deal about the cap when dame is back from his injury. The 2nd and prospect are just an afterthought because the clips clearly got the better talent. The mess neo left was not gonna be cleaned up in one trade...
It's also more likely to be a sign of things to come. How many great books have shitty, 4th grade level intros exactly?