Exclusive Why the Blazers make a Trade (Column)

I'm under the impression that this FO is more tight-lipped than the previous regime. Is that accurate?

 

That would seem to be quite right. Also, while I still have some very good contacts, a couple have also moved on so between that and Neil running a very tight ship, information is tougher to get than it used to be.

 

I think Neil has his eyes on one single objective at this point: making the Blazers a better team in the long run. I don't think he's worrying about making short term moves at the deadline that might help the Blazers secure a playoff spot and maybe win a game against the Warriors or Spurs. The Blazers have overachieved so far and anything they do from this point on is gravy. I also don't think he's worrying about getting value for Henderson or Kaman. Guys like that can be obtained every year with the cap space that letting them walk would free up. I think he's looking for any deals that help the team build towards being a contender. It doesn't have to be a home run deal that brings in the elusive missing 3rd star, just something that nudges the team along in the path to eventual contending status.

 

^^^ Very well stated.

 

I wasn't comparing the group. Just showing that a player relying on athleticism can still be productive in later years. Obviously they were better.

 

My sauces say we're trading an unnamed portly AV nerd to the Lakers for a case of Carona and a voucher for a free spray tan for Meyers.

 

Good deal.

As long as the missus stays local.

 

Throw in a couple of limes and it's a deal.

 

About the same as what I'm hearing everywhere else.

 

And that's what I consider incremental improvement. And I fully expect both to continue to improve, but neither has the headroom to make a significant improvement. CJ isn't going to take another leap and start averaging 30ppg, or 8apg. It's highly unlikely that Crabbe makes the jump to an 18-20ppg scorer - though certainly more likely than CJ significantly increasing his scoring. I could seem him adding another 4-5 points to his scoring average, but that's about it...and it'd probably come with a minutes increase.

Their improvement will come from experience. They'll be able to better use the skills they already have, and add a few wrinkles. But they just don't have much room to improve their raw stats. Rebounding, passing, and defense could all go up, but those are things I'd typically classify as incremental.

 

I disagree.

Firstly, I could see CJ averaging 24-25 ppg, much like Dame, but most likely not in his current role. For anyone to average 30 ppg is pretty difficult. How many players have done it? That's a lofty bar to set.

Secondly, I could easily see Crabbe averaging 18-20 ppg if he was the starting shooting guard.

 

This.

 

FWIW, the most recent Power Rankings...Portland up to #13. Would could have guessed?

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/year/2016/week/16

 

I wasn't saying that CJ should average 30 ppg - I was illustrating that he doesn't have any headroom for another statistical jump.

If Crabbe is the starting shooting guard, that means we've traded CJ - and the original question was how much improvement can we expect from CJ and Crabbe (and Meyers). Crabbe certainly has more headroom for that sort of jump, but, as you've illustrated, it would come at the expense of CJ. Also, I wouldn't say he could easily average 18-20ppg - he could do that, but I suspect it's a long-shot scenario. He's no CJ!

Crabbe and CJ will both improve, but neither will have another jump in them like we've seen this season. Unless one or both of them are playing for another team.

 

Supposedly Sac is looking to move Gay/Bellinelli/McLemore.

I'm torn on adding someone like Gay. He's a proven scorer. He would give us a legit third option. His contract is reasonable. This would be the third team to dump him though.

 

Per Zach Lowe, ESPN: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14783975/the-nba-trade-deadline-full-big-names-cap-questions

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Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers are being pulled in opposite directions. They are way ahead of schedule at 27-27, to the point that Neil Olshey, the team's deal-makin' GM, might pivot into "buy" mode if he finds a young-ish player who fits the timeline of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The Blazers have pursued Monroe before, and despite Milwaukee striking a strong pose in some talks, Monroe could be had if some suitor tosses in a decent first-round pick.

Portland has $20 million in cap room to play with, plus two restricted free agents -- Allen Crabbe and Meyers Leonard -- due big raises under the skyrocketing cap. Teams queasy about paying their restricted free agents ditched them at least season's deadline, when Brandon Knight, Reggie Jacksonand Enes Kanter flew around the league.

The Blazers are high on Crabbe, but Leonard's asking price in preseason extension talks gave them sticker shock. (The restricted free-agency thing is yet another reason to keep an eye on Boston, with both Jared Sullinger and Tyler Zeller ticking toward it).

Alas, the Blazers owe their pick to Denver if they make the playoffs, and given Olshey's draft record, he might prefer to keep it. My best guess: Portland avoids an upgrade, uses its space to nab a couple of extra second-rounders and resumes its pursuit of Monroe -- or someone else -- around draft time.

 

Is either Bellinelli or McLemore better than Crabbe? I have my doubts on that. As good.....maybe, but better?
I have gone back and forth on Rudy. I would not give up too much for him but I would roll the dice on him.

 

I would much rather have Collison than Bellinelli. I would roll the dice on McLemore though. Get him out of Sac and into a better culture.