Is this a serious question? Dude is 20 years old and averaged 4ppg - he's a project. Simons has been over 20ppg last two years and is in his prime entering his 7th season.
I agree he is a 20 year old project, so why did you say one "might argue Black would be the most valuable player on the Blazers roster."?
Yes at the same position. Not saying Black is bad, just that I have not seen any video that excites me.
you're talking like it's just a straight swap of Simons for Black. What if it was Simons for Black + 18 + future 1st + 18M TPE?
how about these two trades that have been talked about, a lot: Blazers end up with Black as a prospect and would have #5 + #7 + #18 + #34; plus two TPE's of 30M and 18M they would also have taken a significant step off of the ridiculous two-different-roads fence they seemingly can't quit straddling. And they'd have secured a more organic tank for 2025
I would love that. Would also love a version of the second one that sends Ayton to Detroit (instead of Grant) and returns Duren (perhaps then sending Grant to Cleveland?), but that might be asking too much.
I guess I don't understand why Detroit would want him back. Didn't they trade him because they didn't want to pay him? Seems like Grant has more value to a contender.
yeah, I just don't know how realistic they are. On RealGM, a lot of Orlando and Detroit fans are OK with those trades, or at least something similar I was also thinking about something like this: Blazers move up from 14 to 12 and add a couple of lottery protected 1st's next season; plus a 17.5M TPE
Would probably be good. I just have a visceral gut reaction every time I see Giddey's name or face, independent of his on-court abilities.
the Piston's front office may not but according to a lot of Detroit fans at RealGM: they aren't happy with the prospects at #5; and with over 50M in cap-space in July (they think Wiseman sucks and want Detroit to dump him) they know they won't sign any worthwhile free agents but I kind of like the Platypus notion of Ayton to Detroit instead: move up from 14 to 5. Plus 29.5M TPE not sure how Detroit views Duren or Ayton though
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...sleeper-teams-free-agency-make-big-moves-soon Portland Trail Blazers "We're heavily invested in a lot of our young guys, so development will continue to be our focus. We're not going to win at an extremely high level until some of those guys are ready. At the same time, we have to put those guys in the best environment." -- Joe Cronin, April 2024 The post-Damian Lillard era has put the Trail Blazers' general manager in a unique position. The focus continues to be on the development of the franchise's former draft picks (Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara, Jabari Walker) and the two firsts in the lottery this year, but there is a realization that Portland is an expensive rebuilding team comprised of veterans. The Trail Blazers enter the offseason in the luxury tax and $1.3 million over the first apron, but there are some positives to Portland's bleak financial outlook. Veterans Malcolm Brogdon, Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III, Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton -- all of whom could be a strong second option to teams that miss in free agency -- have value if the Trail Blazers choose to make each available. Ayton averaged 22.7 points and 12.5 rebounds after the All-Star break. Brogdon is a former Sixth Man of the Year who will be on an expiring $22.5 million contract. Williams has a team-friendly contract ($12.4 million and $13.2 million over the next two years respectively) and is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate when healthy (he missed all but six games in 2023-24). Grant averaged 21 points, his most since 2020-21, and has four years and $133 million left on his contract. Simons averaged a career-high 22.6 points and has two years left on his current deal. Trade we would like to see: Simons to Orlando for Cole Anthony, 2025 Denver first (top-5 protected) and 2025 Orlando first (top-14 protected) Starters under contract: Henderson, Sharpe, Simons, Grant and Ayton Reserves under contract: Brogdon, Thybulle, Williams, Camara, Duop Reath, Rayan Rupert, Murray and Walker Free agents: Dalano Banton (team option) and Moses Brown Incoming first-round picks (10): The No. 7 and No. 14 first in the 2024 draft Six out of their own seven firsts starting in 2025 2029 unprotected first from Boston 2029 unprotected first from Milwaukee Swap rights: Milwaukee (2028 and 2030) Outgoing first-round pick (1): 2025 top-14-protected first to Chicago. The pick is lottery protected through 2028.
Bobby Marks wrote an article with a DeRozan pic, and supposedly had Blazer trade talk in his article. What did he say? I'm not buying ESPN+. I've listened to his pod, and Bobby has no clue how bad the Blazers season was. Bobby doesn't watch Blazer games. Will Cronin try and build the playoff team he promised Lillard, without Lillard ?? It doesn't seem like a realistic approach, but i'm not going to complain if the Blazers win more games and "mess up the tank". The Blazers are embarrasing themselves, they get wholesale slaughtered for entire months of the season. Portland needs better ballers. Cronin can still tank the vets after All-star break, and make both sides of Blazer fandom happy. Win more, better basketball, then tank for the rebuild and make draft pioneers happy.
Reading a Bobby Marks article is like reading a post on here. He makes shit up, tells you that it has no source and the shit he makes up rarely makes sense and in that way this place is superior because as off base as some people think others are in here Marks always has us picking up redundant shit that we'd never go after. He also does the same thing for every other team in the league. Just a dude who fucks around with the trade machine but unlike the people in here he doesn't give a shit if a trade he makes work makes any sense for the teams involved.
When I say value it is as an asset which includes potential future improvements and upside. Ant and other vets are clearly better players today. I'd put Scoot Sharpe ahead of Black for value but could see someone making a legit argument for Black. It's more an indication of how horrific the Blazers roster is than a complement to Black.
is this the same Marang that has brought up several times, how much he'd love to see Miles Bridges in a Blazer uniform? Because he's got that "dog" in him? Strong frame, budget contract, lots of stats, and a criminal wife beating history. Exactly the type of SF this squad could use.
