It's interesting how much injuries have changed the landscape of the playoffs this year. Giannis Dame Jimmy Butler I think we really took for granted how healthy Dame was for most of his career. But I have a lot of reservations of picking up someone who hasn't been able to stay healthy for even a single season.
I just think we should trade Jerami and Brogdon for something. And try to unload Williams and Thybulle.
Risk/benefit analysis has to be considered but I think zion with question marks unequivocally is worth more than a top 5 pick in this draft.
I don't think I would give up Alex Sarr on a rookie scale deal and control of him as a player for the next 9 seasons for Zion who perpetually can't stay healthy. I don't feel like being the Clippers for the Northwest. I'd rather my guy play and address team needs from there.
I don’t think Zion will ever be super dependable. You might get lucky here and there but not year after year.
So Jrue for the 14th pick, the 17th pick, an unprotected first in 2029 and Kevin Looney who might be able to be flipped for even more draft compensation or young talent, isn't enough for Jrue? Three firsts and a serviceable vet role player who is on an 8M expiring salary and has shown he can contribute to playoff wins... I'd say that's a pretty solid return for Jrue.
I think of Zion as a Bill Walton. Portland caught lightning in a bottle in 76-77, and most of 77-78. Boston caught it also with him for a title 10 years later. Zion might be able to stay healthy for a title run, but hasn't yet been able to.
as blazerkor said, there's a little more to the return than just that; at least there is hypothetically. And I'd rather have Looney at 8m/year than Ayton at 34M/year, so a followup trade of Ayton is definitely an option. especially in terms of the tank. And especially because that might mean the Blazers actually use that 22M TPE instead of wasting it the reality though is that it may be the only thing worse than having 4 picks in a crappy draft is having 5 picks in the same crappy draft
The Blazers are certainly going to dodge the tax. So who will they trade away to do that? I think they'd be happy to unload Timelord or Thybulle, with their negative value deals we probably have to give up a pick swap or something to do that. Would the Blazers dump Ant or Brogdon for tax savings? Never would've considered that when Paul Allen owned the team, but now with a bottom 5 NBA ownership group it may be a strong possibility. This is why I was so against the Thybulle contract.... If an Ant/Brogdon salary dump happens we'll probably get a bunch of Cronin apologists here saying his hands were tied since these guys have little trade value
Hoopshype 2024-25 Cap Figure: $160,987,734 Cap Space Projection: No cap space; tax adjacent, as constructed The rebuilding Blazers are still a long way from having the salary cap room that a rebuild usually entails, but these things take time to coordinate. Specifically, they want to – and should be expected to – find homes for Deandre Ayton and Malcolm Brogdon over the summer, as well as possibly doing the same for Robert Williams and Matisse Thybulle. Much is therefore in limbo. Yet with a rebuilding journey to go on and a timeline to establish, it seems certain that the Blazers will be cutting both immediate and future salaries.
