Dame/Ant CJ/Trent Melo/Hood/Little Zach/Skal/Wooten Nurk/Rabb or Patton And we'd probably get a decent pick if we miss the playoffs as well (Memphis is going to make it, or the Spurs). We could potentially end ip with someone like: Jaden McDaniels, Obi Toppin, Deni Avdija, Isaiah Stewart, Vernon Carey, Tyrese Haliburton, Precious Achiuwa, Killian Hayes, Josh Green or Zeke Nnaji .
It would be fun for Memphis to make it but they are not gonna make it. And I'm not sold on OKC. Or Dallas for that matter. There is still a lot to be settled out West. Stay tuned. Next week's games down south are huge for the Blazers. Win all 3 and we're talking 6 seed potential. Get the 6 seed and hope you avoid both LA teams til the WCF. Then Melo goes off and like Mutombo once said: Anything can happen!
Why would Dallas give up GS's 2nd round pick? That thing is a goldmine. It will be the 31st pick in the draft. You get value on a pick like that. You don't have to pay as much but you still get a first round talent.
You are not sold on them, but you are sold on Blazers making the comeback? OKC i get it because they might make trades, but Dallas should have no problem securing that playoff spot if Porzingis is healthy.
Well that would explain the Laker Love Affair going on right now. The NBA can probably mitigate some of those losses by making as money as possible from Lakers, Clippers and Finding a way to they Luka as deep into the playoffs as possible.
This is a shallow draft Eric. The 31st pick in this draft is like the 40th-45th pick in a normal draft. Are you familiar with the prospects available at that point in the draft? Also noticed how I said they "might". And thats literally the only playoff team that I could come up with that might trade for him, so a focus on Dallas isnt even close to my overall point
I'm all for optimism, but this team hasn't showed that they can win one of those games, forget all 3 games.
Also, dreams of the 6th seed (or 7th) are pretty damn slim at this point. Mavs (@ 6th seed) have a 0.600 winning percentage. They are closer to Blazers are 7.5 games back. That's a lot of ground to try and make up. Assuming Mavs keep their current pace, Portland would have to win 80% of their remaining games to catch them!
I do not agree with the opinion "the plan is to stand pat". I believe the strategy is to be ready to take advantage of any unforeseen oportunities. There are at least two types of trades that would help the Blazers. A trade that lowers the tax bill for this season. A trade that improves next seasons roster. I will admit, the odds of making a trade appear slim. But for Neil to give up on trying to make a trade, and plan to stand pat, is silly.
These routes are basically ensuring that this team will not contend for the rest of the Dame era, unless you're of the belief that simply adding Nurk back into the fold will put them into contention.
Bullshit. Just dont go for the shortsighted option. Dont break the bank for the Griffin, Love, Wiggins types. There's maybe some options out there which make sense, but the timing is difficult. Nurk will take time to come back, and even then we're missing pieces to content this year. Its a lost year - what I'm saying is that its best not to rush things now - look for some players you could develop instead.
I would add Wiggins. I put him much higher than Love or Griffin. He's only 24 years old. That fits the window of our young guys. I think he could thrive in our culture. I would trade for him in a heartbeat.
Honestly, this feels like a move by Neil to try to back some people off because I think he's getting mega lowballed on Whiteside.
He's a net negative. Always been, even with the nice streak earlier this season. So you're gambling on him changing his ways and the right to pay him... 30+M per year until 2023-2024? That also means you'll be unable to resign Ant and Zach when their contracts come up, and you're stuck with playing Dame, CJ, Wiggins, Melo rest of the year. You must be betting on Whiteaide being able to block 15 shots per game with that defense.
