Here is the biggest problem I'm having with trading CJ--who for? I did a quick search of guards with six seasons or less, who are 6'4" or taller, with defensive ratings (I know it isn't perfect, but it does provide information) below 110 with 3pt% 33 or above (for the last two seasons). Here is the list: Who is really obtainable on that list? Hood, maybe, but would we trade with Utah? Doubtful. Bazemore has been brought up before. We already have Baldwin.
How about if you consider Portland never had a lead larger than 10 pts? How about if you consider that Portland only had a lead for approximately 20-minutes (10%) out of the 192-minutes the series? It was never close. Portland didn't play their best... but what CAUSED that? The physicality and intensity of the Pels. Stott's teams are soft, and they are going to remain soft as long as he's at the helm.
Which doesn't apply when you average the ages of the rotation players and leave the end of the bench out. Nurk is our only youngish starter and Collins off the bench. The rest are in their prime.
You might have provided the solution there. Don't replace him with another guard, but with a high end forward. Let ET or Baldwin try out the guard spot. I still can't find a youngish guard who would be realistic in return for CJ.
Of their two best players in the series, Davis is 25 and Holiday 27. Portland's two best players are 27 and 26. Their two dominated our two....and are a bit younger. The rest are support players and I really don't care if one player here or there is 1 or 2 years younger than another. Zach is the outlier but one smaller minute role player wasn't making the difference. Portland's oldest player on the roster is Turner at 29. New Orlean's oldest player is Okafor who played a grand total of 4 minutes in the entire series....yet his age skews the age to make New Orleans an 'older team. Similar is Liggins who is 30 and rarely plays much.
This is true but I think we need more. Harkless is a decent 3 & D wing, but to keep teams in the playoffs from pressuring our guards, that 3&D guy needs some handles as well. N.O has 3 guys plus AD who are all decent ball handlers. GS starts 4 as well. We often only have 2. I am not sure just a 3 &D guys is enough.
CJ as the primary option could vault his production into James Harden-esque rise IMO - w/o the PG caliber passing of course. I'd do it if we can land Doncic.
And--I can't believe I'm saying this--without the defensive chops. CJ scores. That's it. He doesn't distribute and he doesn't defend or rebound well.
Hood hasn’t been with Utah for a few months and he will be available in the Sunmer as a FA. He’s also not very good. I agree that there’s not an obvious trade to make.
The problem with most trade ideas that get posted here is that they usually start from the standpoint of “I want to get rid of Player X, who can we trade him for”. I think most NBA trades that take place start the other way around: “We want to get Player Y, what package can we put together that would interest the other team?”
Good job putting that list up. Is Josh Hart any good? Seems like he would be attainable. Trade our TPE for Channing Frye to help clear space for the Lakers. Trade them Turner for Deng and Hart; they would save another 1.5 million and have a younger more useful player for the same bad contract. Of course Caldwell-Pope would be a better get, he is a free agent, right?. I know it seems teams don't do sign and trades anymore but if Pope for some strange reason wanted to go to Portland, CJ for him and the TPE for Frye.
Exactly. Target a player or players and then see what it will take to acquire them and then a decision can be made.
Ok, I want Klay Thompson. How do I get him? Start feeding in his mind that he's a max player and that GS won't pay him what he's worth? Also, he wouldn't have to be third wheel? I know we aren't getting Klay, but someone like him is exactly what we need. I would pay ET another $1M if he could spend all summer getting proficient from three. He has the rest of the tools.
EXACTLY! I'm glad more and more people are seeing the issue here. Unlike years back when everyone wanted to trade Nic, despite it posing exactly the same issue (nobody better available). Hopefully we learned our lesson?
