hmmmm....I'm assuming, going by your rotation, you're suggesting the Blazers can convert Ant+Nurk+Hart in to Ayton+OG setting aside how realistic it is to expect Phoenix and Toronto to cooperate: points/game: Ayton+OG 34.8....Ant+Nurk+Hart 45.2 rebounds/game: Ayton+OG 15.7....Ant+Nurk+Hart 19.6 assists/game: Ayton+OG 4.1....Ant+Nurk+Hart 11.6 winshares: Ayton+OG 5.8....Ant+Nurk+Hart 9.5 now I know that's kind of a flawed way to stack things up. But I think the flaw is bigger with higher level players compared to role players. All 5 of those guys are role-players honestly, I do not see that team growing into a contender unless Sharpe hits definite all-star level in the next couple of seasons. We've been talking for years about the key being to add another top-tier player to pair with Dame. Ayton and OC are not top-tier players. Yet, Portland would be losing their best trade assets to land those two. The problem has been Dame supported by role players. That was the CJ era, and that's this season. After the trades the Blazers are still Dame supported by role players
It must be just a 'coincidence' that both Hart & Nurk got 'injured' in the middle of the last game...
Spot on. If you think watching Nurk is frustrating, watching Ayton would be equally or more frustrating. Ayton doesn’t have much BBIQ at all.
I am going back to the Orlando partner deal. This time a little change: Nurk & Simons For Bamba, Isaac, & Suggs Still looking to roll the dice on Isaac and his knees. Then they can deal Hart for a bench piece. I read a suggestion a couple weeks back that said Hart to Pacers for Duarte & McConell. Not sure if the write was dreaming, but I would love that deal. PG - Lillard, McConnell, Keon SG - Suggs, Duarte, Sharpe SF - Grant, Little, Payton, Walker PF - Isaac, Winslow, Watford C. - Bamba, Eubanks
The Hart swap makes no sense. You trade for Duarte, and push Sharpe to 3rd string?! No thank you. Sharpe's already every bit as good as Duarte is this season, and is 6 years younger than him. I'm ok with the Orlando move. Isaac still terrifies me, and I doubt Orlando makes that move, likely have to shift Nurk to a 3rd team, but Isaac's contract is somewhat protected from his knee issues, I believe.
Don't ever get into the save a spot for this or that player. If Sharpe gets pushed to 3rd string, then he obviously didn't live up to his hype. I think he will have a good career, but that thought path always gives me the shakes. I have heard it for years in different sports and it has never made sense. If they got a guy like Duarte and Sharpe out plays him, then great. Competition within is a good thing and you never have enough of a good thing. We are not getting any studs in a trade. We have to take on risk with either bad health or unproven talent to date and hope they work out. And trading Hart gives you a free tryout for a former high draft pick. Hart is gone either way. Appreciate your opinion, but the whole 'don't block a guy' theory has never made sense to me and it hits a nerve.
Yes. And hell yes. Ant's a better scorer, but Bridges is that SF who seriously D's up on the perimeter AND is good on O. Bridges neither gets to the line nor rebounds at a high level, but he's a good (not great) shooter. For what this team needs, Bridges > Ant. Overall, he's better. Phoenix doesn't take that call, IMHO.
I trimmed down the quote not because it wasn't relevant but to address just the last part. "Role players" or as a recent twitter post or on a board or ... said Grant as the 3rd best player on a championship team that doesn't have a 2nd best. I disagree to a degree with Grant -- he's more than a role player. And 3rd best on a championship team? Yeah, that's probably about right, though I really like any PF who makes me not wish for Rasheed or Buck or BG or LMA to come out of retirement. Low bar. /s but only a bit. As to "losing their best trade assets to land those two" ... maybe so. But the benefit is restructuring across the line-up with comparable or better talent. The other part is whether you think Ayton or Nurkic will be more healthy and available moving forward. That's been a killer in the playoffs for the Blazers.
I like your idea of trading with Charlotte and Orlando but this trade seems too complicated. My trade with Charlotte and Orlando keeps Hart and Eubanks (who I think could play as a power forward if we had two centers), also gets Plumlee and gets rid of Simons and Nurk but gets us a really good sixth man in Rozier, Bamba, who is comparable to Gafford (less efficient, but can shoot threes) and a good young forward in Jalen McDaniels. Oops, i see your trade gets us Isaac also. Big upside, big risk? I like your trade but I think mine might be more likely to get done.
Sure! I don't love Okoro, he hasn't really shown much, but he's basically the only young "asset" that they have. It gives us a peak at him, and then he's at least another contract we could move next year or the offseason. No future picks inCleveland. Maybe we can get a 2nd?