Thing is if we keep Plumlee, then you can take most centers off the table (Vucevic, Nurkic, etc) I think Plumlee could play PF, but only against a limited amount of teams. So assuming Plumlee stays, we should be focusing on power forwards, and the only ones I can come up with are rentals like Ibaka and Millsap. We may as well just develop Vonleh, but I would risk losing the Cleveland pick for Ibaka. Millsap would cost more. Maybe we should just go after Wilson Chandler. We could use a consistent third scorer as well. Or find a value trade for someone buried on a depth chart, like Hezonja.
Just a comparison for the heck of it Lamarcus Aldridge 32.2 min 17.4 pts 7.3 boards 2.2 assists 1.1 block Mason Plumlee 28.1 min 11.1 pts 8 boards 4 assists 1.2 blocks now compare how much they get paid
The only caveat to add, is that sometimes it is time to wait ... I mean it sure as hell isn't right now, with this roster, but sometimes.
1) 75 or so% chance we don't make a trade at all. 2) VERY unlikely Crabbe is traded (trade kicker + no-trade clause) 3) Most likely trade is a small one like, but NOT like Roberts or Varejao where we gave up cap space for profit. Also, not one like Harkless because we literally have only $30k in space below the Luxury tax. 4) we will not be making a trade that puts us in the luxury tax THIS season. We'll be in the luxury tax next year, and we'll have to figure out a way to avoid the repeater tax the following year. 5) IMHO, our best bet is taking a rental and convincing them to re-sign. The latest is that Atlanta is going to hang onto Milsap until the offseason. My hope (but, it's VERY unlikely) is to trade Biebs and Harkless or Aminu + a 1st for Ibaka. Such a move is high risk (we'll be DEEP in the luxury tax next year), but high reward.
What would I _like_ to have happen? Trade everyone for draft picks. What is going to happen? Nothing. Hardly anything EVER happens at the trade deadline because everyone's terrified of getting screwed. It's so obvious if you do a trade in the middle of the season because it's so easy to compare before and after. If you trade in the offseason nobody cares for months.
Memphis Grizzlies 2008 trade Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown and Aaron McKee...some draft pics and another player involved
Looking back on it a few years from now it might be: Isaiah Thomas traded from PHX to BOS in 2015 for a late first round pick and Marcus Thornton.
There's a bunch of trades every year. "Big" is subjective. I don't think anyone is expecting Portland to blow it up, but they should be in the conversation because they have a very unbalanced roster and extra draft picks. Even that Cleveland pick is valuable, especially with the way contracts look these days. Portland was a prime candidate for a trade before the season even began, and it didnt have much to do with their expectations.
I think it's either going to be Ibaka, or nothing. We can offer Orlando a first round pick plus someone like Meyers. If they don't like Meyers, we could offer them a package with Ezelis expiring. I think other teams would hesitate to offer even a first, but since we have two, it's worth the risk of losing Ibaka for nothing imo.
Ordinarily, it wouldn't seem there would be much reason for Portland to make a mid season trade; I don't think we are preparing for a strong playoff run. But looking ahead, we know we don't have any room to sign a free agent. So we could trade for someone who is in the last year of their contract, hopefully at the same time shedding some contracts that aren't so good or that are "burdensome". And since we could match their contract if they're restricted or pay them the most if they are unrestricted, that should put us in a good position. Does Olshey think that either Noel or Ibaka are worth trying that? Ibaka's max contract would be $28 million a year. for a guy who has dropped two rebounds per game and one block per game over the last three years. How much might someone offer Noel? Would he be a consistent producer? I don't think Olshey is gonna do either of those. (Although if he could unload Crabbe's contract, I sure would). More likely something like the rumor of Len and Knight from Phoenix. Not necessarily that but something like it. Something where we have to take on a contract to offset one we are off-loading. But maybe if Olshey waits to the last moment we'll get lucky and get surprised?
I don't think Olshey is going to make a mistake like he did that one year; there is no real pressure to make a deal right now. He usually only likes to make deals where he thinks he really is getting the best of the deal. So if there is a trade, I think it will be a good one; but there is a good chance of no trade.
I wouldn't. I wouldn't even trade a 2nd-rounder for Ibaka - I don't want to be the team that pays him MAX this summer, and I certainly don't want to give up an asset to either (a) let him walk, or (b) pay him max. I wanted Ibaka about 3 years ago, but not anymore...or at least not unless another team signs him to a reasonable contract this summer then decides to trade him.
The way the NBA is, Paul's going to have to pay out the ass anyway if he truly wants a championship contending team. Unless he gets extremely lucky. Players just have way to much say and to much leverage these days.
yeah, we can forget about "reasonable" contracts. Those don't exist anymore. At some point Neil is going to have to go for it. Teams tank to draft guys like Lillard and McCollum, not to find role players. Pretty much, stop wasting their careers.
