Thing is if you have the confidence that he is going to be that good, you have to sign him and trade him in a year when his trade value goes up. Baldwin isn't worth much in a trade now.
I don't know about that. Every team's front office personnel are in Vegas watching right now. The announcers of both games definitely think he's for real, it's not that much of a reach to think other teams would too.
Lot's of bodies, but at least 3 of them aren't going to contribute. Steaksauce has proven he just isn't good enough. Ignore the SL nonsense - Simons and Trent are too green to be difference makers when the real games start. If Curry isn't healthy, back-court depth will be very limited.
they need to bring back another Amnesty Clause for everyone. Sure would be nice to just cut Evan a check and say goodbye. Give everyone a little reset button.
You are caught up in the semantics. My point is that there are some reasonable scenarios, where Baldwin is not with the team next year because Olshey might believe he can't re-sign him. I don't think that is going to happen, but it isn't crazy.
The real question is, what could be done with Turner? In a vacuum, I would say just pay his contract and tell him to take a vacation until you can trade him. But, that would kill Olshey's credibility with other free agents, so I can't imagine it happening. Is there any other scenario out there other than making him the leader of the second unit, trying to build around him, and praying?
I'm not caught up in any semantics. It has been outlined in another thread how we can pay Baldwin next summer using Early Bird Rights. What you are implying is that Baldwin is going to have such a good season that Olshey will cut him so that doesn't happen because then he can't pay him? That makes zero sense. If Olshey was worried about that he wouldn't have signed Baldwin and developed him.
Again, we have a difference of opinion. You believe that Olshey would not take into account that WBIV could break out next season and possibly be worth more than $7B/year (whereby another team could steal him for more than that). I believe Olshey might take that into account. I am not saying Olshey might decide the risk is worth it (it likely is), all I'm saying is that Olshey probably is aware of this, and along with other factors, could influence his decision on what to do with WBIV.
That isn't even close to what I'm saying and quite frankly your posts are pretty frustrating. First of all we can pay him $9 million next year. If he plays so well next year that he is worth more than $9 million why on Earth would you want to cut him now, get no compensation for him, and then watch him dominate on another team? Even if you don't think you can't pay him, that would NEVER play out the way you are suggesting. I said it in my original post, if he IS playing that well to where it looks like he's gonna be priced out of our range then you deal him at the deadline, thus getting compensation for him which would be significant because he'd be dominating if that were the case. I can't even believe someone would suggest there is a reason to cut him now. There isn't.
Back to original thread........ For me I see our guards this way; Dame and CJ starters. But rotation will also include ET (point), Curry and Stauskas on the second unit. It will help mask ET's shooting % woes. Surround him with shooters and spread that floor. Simons and Trent will see situational PT only IMO. My opinion remains that I'd like to see CJ moved for a bigger taller SG or SF (Butler, Wiggins, Rozen, Booker types).
Always ready with a cup of sunshine! Simons, maybe green, but highly skilled. Could say the same about rookie Lebron James. Trent, been trained from birth by an NBA player. Physically ready, too. Curry does seem to be healthy, so no worries there. Steaksauce? People said the same about Aminu, RoLo, ...
@Reep - your math and estimation of what we can pay Baldwin is wrong. We will have Early Bird Rights, which allows up to 105% of the Average Salary (or MLE). This will be approximately $9M. Portland will be able to pay Baldwin more than any team that does not use CAP SPACE to sign him (if they choose to). EDIT: Apparently it was Reep instead of Hoopsjock that insinuated that we could only pay $6.5M.
There will certainly be a lot of competition in practice. Which can only make Lillard & CJ better. While not dominate scoring guards like Lillard & CJ. Curry is a significant upgrade from Napier. Trent seems to be an upgrade from the baseball player. I doubt Stauskas sees significant minutes in the regular season. But at the very least he's going to be a shooter at the SF to kick to in practice.(considering Harkless/Turner/Aminu aren't known as 'shooters') So we'll see. Do I think there is a trade coming? Possibly. But I don't think Portland feels pressure to make a move, just to make a move. If one makes logic. I'm sure it'll be done.
1. I don't think that's necessarily true, as you can thrive with small ball a lot in this league, but 2. If we're screwed without PapaG, we're just as screwed WITH PapaG. He makes no difference. He is not an NBA player.