Trades possibilities....and what teams are open for business

Except look at his contract:
2024/25 $23,522,727
2025/26 $21,477,272
2026/27 $19,431,819

 

So the plan is to get rid of any player who is good enough to help us win this year.
Trade Grant, Ayton, and Simons, and make sure we don't get back anyone who might be good. All so we can get in the top 3-4.
What possibly could go wrong?

 

Scoot Sharpe Clingan Deni Camara Reath all may be good enough to help us win this year, I see no reason to push to trade any of them.

Trading the other vets on this roster makes sense as
1 They have more win now value to other teams
2 Blazers have no or negative win now incentive
3 These players are unlikely to improve much more and increase their worth
4 Blazers have more use for a long term asset that could help Sharpe/etc win when we are a legit playoff roster. Other teams may value long term lower than immediate term.

 

You get what you pay for.

 

I never said anything about trading Ayton. But I think Simons and Grant could net us some unwanted wins.

 

"Yes he's shit, but he gets cheaper every year! Eventually he will be much less overpaid"

 

Supposedly the Pelicans are really interested in Wendell Carter Jr. I doubt they're also interested in TimeLord, but if it wasn't for his knee they absolutely would be...



Given all the money they've been throwing around, though, I don't think the Magic would want to face giving Ingram a huge contract next year...

 

Kuzma also already could have chemistry with Lebron. I find it hard to believe the Wizards stick to 2 1sts for him.

 

I would not trade Ayton. But I don't see how you can differentiate between the 3. They all have the potential to get you some unwanted wins.

Personally, the only one of those three I would trade is Grant. I would also move Thybulle.

 

They haven't the last 2 years....
Why would they start this season?

 

Simons was out for a large portion of the first half of the season and then we sat both of them in the second half. They have barely played. But I have been saying that we can’t afford to win 20+ games this year if we want to make a play for a top 3 pick and if we run it back with Simons/Grant, I think we win more than we did last season because so many teams will be hard tanking.

 

Keep them both then. Nothing to lose.

 

Ya and people are acting like it’s a sure thing we get a top 3 pick if we are lose a ton next season.

People act like Sharpe and others will want to stay here long term too, if we aren’t winning year after year what will make them want to stay?

there is lots more at risk tanking again next season than people realize.

 

I don't disagree with any of this - but what teams are hard tanking in the west? Only I can think of is Utah, Spurs and maybe us?

Utah isn't even fully in that group until they trade away Markannan, which I'd suspect they ultimately do and for nothing near the return Ainge is trying to paint a picture of in the media.

East certainly has a lot more tankers - but we only play them twice. Brooklyn, Raptors, Chicago, Wizards, Pistons.

 

Let's say we run it back and our starting unit is Simons/Sharpe/Avdija/Grant/Ayton

If we're healthy, or not holding people out, I could see us taking 2 wins off all the teams you mentioned in the east. That's 10 wins right there. Spurs and Jazz are definitely an enigma. I think San Antonio is going to be borderline playin if Wemby plays at the level we expect. Let's say we split with them. Or take one win. That puts us around 12 wins.

I think the Hawks are going to be bad. I think Charlotte will continue to be bad. I think Miami is going to depend on Jimmy. I think we could get 3 wins out of that group. So we're up to 15. And then there's always the surprise wins over playoff teams.

Here were the wins over playoff teams last year:

Indy 2x
Cleveland
Phoenix
Sac
Philly
Milwaukie

That's 7 wins that could very easily be added to the win column again this year because of team health and other issues.

That would put us up around 22.

 

I would agree with that. Losing for multiple years is hard to take. Nobody enjoys it. Who is Sharpe's agent again? Klutch Sports? Maybe they will be too busy with Bronny to notice.

 

Any Grant to Lakers trade won't happen until after August 11

 

Think that's still a better approach than winning 33 games as the 13th seed, ending up with the 10th pick.

At the same time, reducing PT for our high profile prospects, and no answering questions about their future viability as building blocks.

 

If the Blazers had gotten Brandon Miller instead of Scoot, Dame stays. They didn’t and the choice was clear … rebuild, only. Grant got his money and was — and still is — a good asset.

Grant is the best player on the team and 2 first rounders with a decent forward in Rui is reasonable. Mikal Bridges was the 3rd best on the Suns, 1st on a bad team, and now the #2 on the Knicks. The Nets got a boatload for KD and again for MB. Except for a better contract for 2 years, Grant and Bridges careers are not far apart as players, though I like Bridges better. Grant is a #3 on a contender and dudes like that get paid. Compared to what others are getting, his contract is okay as a % of the cap.

Cronin should be patient. Summer League is big.

With Ant, he should be traded by February as it’s him or Scoot — and Ant has better value at this time. The Blazers have clearly telegraphed their choice. Ant is better, now. As a PG, Scoot would be my pick. Good luck Cronin. Ayton? No rush.

 

Why?