I wouldn't trade for Lauri.... his contract makes him not a great value. If we had cap space with no other use of the space then sure I'd be ok giving him that deal. However parting with our lottery pick and likely more draft picks that Ainge would demand makes that instead a clear no. Durant will be a big name this summer but 0 chance he is interested in Portland. If we had Dame maybe hed listen, hes not going to want to join with our youth. Just can't think of vets that make sense to trade for this summer. I think we first need our youth to take a bigger step forward and maybe have a good draft pick, then we can look at acquiring a vet next summer in 2026. If we have MLE room this July try to get a Wes Matthews/Aminu/Ed Davis type of vet that's undervalued. Summer 2026 we should have better cap flexibility too - assuming we don't give Ant or Ayton big extensions. Depending on how 2026 goes I wouldn't be surprised to hear about Dame AND Giannis being on the market. Holding onto our picks and especially the 3 years of Bucks picks should be something the Blazers do.... just in case.
A super star will not want to be dealt to POR. Best case is someone with question marks like Zion etc
I agree with what you are saying here, except for maybe the part about adding an MLE this summer. If we find the right player, then sure, but looking at our depth chart right now, we have plenty of those types of players. It is the star player we lack. I guess it depends on who we trade and who comes back in that trade. But any MLE worth anything will want the full amount and want it for multiple years. I don't think we want the extra salary unless they are a difference maker. If we can dump Grant's contract, then yes, we could use a 3rd forward. (besides Deni and Camara) If we dump Ayton, then yes, we could use another center. (But with an ending contract, I would not dump him this summer.) Simons is the wild card IMO. It is certainly debatable, but in my mind, he is the best outside shooter...no no matter what any analytics might suggest. A skill that even with him, we need more of. So maybe that is where we would use the full MLE if we were to trade him.
I could go into each move, and he's mad a couple of good ones, but just overall he's been abysmal. The CJ trade was probably one of the worst executed trades but the fact that he lied to us all is enough for me. We could go into the overpay of Grant, the acquisition of the QUITTER albatross contract of Deandre Ayton (No one was clamoring for his services and contract). I don't fw liars and he's a huge one.
I read some report last week I think that either Sabonis or Sabonis’s agent was going to ask the Kings in the off-season what direction they plan to move in. Let’s say Sabonis wants out, would you want him in Portland and would he be good enough to be our star player is the question..
I think a Sabonis, Deni, and Camara front line would be pretty fun to watch. He probably is not the star that would get us over the hump but I would still do it. But is Ayton's ending contract and this year's 1st enough? Maybe if we can get to the 8th.
I agree that a player available for the MLE won't alter Portland's fortunes any. Another role player won't help remember, the MLE can be used as a TPE/Cap-space in trades now. So perhaps the best use of Portland's MLE would be taking on salary from a team needing tax/apron relief and willing to send a draft pick for that relief. But before the Blazers can use that option they'd have to dump some salary. They are scheduled for 171M in guarantees and dead salary, and that's before accounting for their 1st (10th pick would be a little over 6M). The tax line will likely be around 187M life would have been much easier fro Cronin if he hadn't foolishly matched the Thybulle contract
If we can find a player with upside like the 3 guys I mentioned (Wes/Aminu/Ed) we should do it and figure out the minutes or subsequent moves later. An MLE player won't be guaranteed a starting spot same as those guys weren't. Now I agree with a lot of your comments in that we need to sort out who stays. I just look at that as a separate issue from using the MLE. If we can sign someone with the MLE we should do it. Maybe we immediately have a log jam in the rotation with way to many forward. Then maybe we send 3 out in a trade months later and are short on forward options - who knows. Short term roster rotations should not be a large factor to a long term roster acquisition. Ayton and Simons are on expiring deals so I wouldn't worry about them long term if we are trying to add another player for the next 3-4 years. Grant we might just be stuck with for all 5 years of his contracts even if he becomes as 12th man - I'm getting close to just looking at him as a sunk cost and not relevant to rotations in the years ahead.
Interesting idea - I'd like to add Sabonis. His contract is fine. His defense kind of sucks but we are actually at a point where we might be able to cover that especially if Simons were dealt. If we can only give up a FRP and Simons I'd do it for sure. If its multiple FRP then thats where it gets tricky as we'd probably need to know the Blazers are either stepping to eventually contending, or Sabonis will be productive and happy here long term. That Sabonis trade might be the type of move to do if we are also bringing in another vet as well. This young core with Sabonis and a high level two way starter would be more interesting than any Blazers team since over a decade ago when LaMarcus was here.
If it was a Wes Matthews player that would be a huge addition. He was basically the value of Deni, a good starter, on an even cheaper contract, and he didn't cost us a single draft pick. Now all the garbage additions the Blazers have had with the MLE the last decade Cronin has been here? Yeah those wouldn't help at all. DJJ/Kurt Thomas/GPII/etc... Very well might be the case the best path is to hold the MLE for trade possibilities. My MLE comment was in regards to the OP question of summer trade targets. I don't think that is very likely a vet trade target this summer is a good option. Would love to be wrong though.
I think Sabonis' game has evolved enough to where he could play PF, and not be a liability on the perimeter. Go ultra big with him and Clingan up front, plus huge wings in Deni and Camara, and dare teams to try and out-maneuver them. I'm not sure who would start between Scoot and Shaedon in that scenario, but it probably doesn't much matter since Deni and Sabonis can both be the primary ball handler.
No - Ayton is garbage in value. Simons contract would be much more attractive to SAC. They always want the more flashy player, plus he is paid far less. If we still need salary we can throw in one of Thybulle/Timelord. The trick is I think Sac would want more than our FRP. Then it starts to be questionable from the Blazer end unless Sabonis is truly that final piece to contend.
Sabonis/Clingan would be a difficult duo to play together a lot. If the other team has a traditional lumbering center then maybe some of those minutes. I don't think Clingan will ever be a high MPG player - so he'd probably pair well with Sabonis. They could take stagger minutes and some teams maybe play together for ~10mpg or such. Clingan would be fine as a backup and first big off the bench. Really I see that being more of his role long term on a winning team - I'm not sure you can be a contending team with him as an 70-80 game starting center.
I dont see any real chance of sabonis playing PF except in small spot minutes against specific opponents. And asking "if all it takes is simons and a 1st"? That's the sort of thinking that gets people disappointed when we don't get deals done. Saw kings fans elsewhere say clingan and 2 1sts, or clingan and Sharpe.
Clingan and Sharpe is interesting. I'm probably not doing it, but if we had another trade lined up that brought in an equally as good starting vet that we send out picks for it gets interesting.
Both Simons and Ayton have ending contracts. So I guess it comes down to their long-term goals. But since they have Monk, Lavine, and DeRosan, I really doubt they would take Simons.
That's my thinking, as well. Clobber interior defenses for a few minutes here and there, and rotate them as needed. Clingan and Sabonis both spend a lot of time on the perimeter, so they can make space for each other inside. The biggest issue is how much does Sabonis want to chase opposing 4's? Sabonis has played most of his career with no-D scorers. Put Camara and Clingan next to him, and I bet Golden State struggles to expose him like they did in the playoffs.
Thank Christ you aren’t in charge of anything meaningful in this city. You clearly operate from pessimism and fear, and that’s an L in analytics
Simons for Josh Green straight across works. A good point of attack defender and decent shooter. Strong and heart!
