Fairly-Hard
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IDK?
Dame, Hart, Nas, Grant. Nurk with Ant coming off the bench sounds good to me?
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Dame, Hart, Nas, Grant. Nurk with Ant coming off the bench sounds good to me?
Fairly-Hard
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Once you let money decide playing time you are through competing.
Doesn’t matter what they make or if they start?
What matters is who plays what minutes and who wins games.
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If you want the quickest way to alienate Simons, it's bring him off the bench after giving him the starting job and watching him perform at a high level.
Fairly-Hard
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Probably.
All I’m saying is it would be good for the team with him off the bench covering 30+mins a game and being called upon during crunch time.
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why is that good for the team?
Fairly-Hard
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I feel they would be a better team with both units. I feel Dame and Ant together will not create the offense that Dame Hart and Grant will.
I know it will not be the defense we are looking for.
I feel Simons will get better touches on the second unit against those players.
I feel end game is all about matchups.
Scalma
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Nas and Hart are both plus rebounders who can defend. That alone makes them better fits at the three than Powell, who couldn't move laterally and was a shit rebounder. Their size isnt really an issue either. Hart's official height is over 6'5." He's also strong to the point he was playing the four at times for New Orleans. Little has great length and strength. I keep mentioning this, but it doesn't seem to be registering; Billups views the SF and the SG position as the same in his system.
Also this idea that the Blazers need to add another wing depends entirely on how you view Sharpe. If you think he's good enough and should play as a rookie, you cannot also be asking for them to acquire another wing, because guess whose minutes that would effect the most?
At lead guard they have Dame and Ant who will almost assuredly run the second unit as well as starting at the two. Williams is a nice developmental point guard to have as a third stringer.
Payton and Keon can both play in the backcourt and on the wing. I think Keon is being slept on. Guys that can handle the ball and guard multiple positions are valuable. His shot also looked improved, specifically his three. And he doesn't turn 21 until next year.
At the four they have Jerami, Winslow, Watford, Brown, and Walker. Sounds like a deep unit to me, and I'm not even counting on Brown and Walker to contribute.
At center they have Nurk, Eubanks, and Watford when teams go small. Health is a concern, but its a concern with pretty much every big man in the league. You can probably count on one hand the starting centers that dont miss games.
I hope they sign Walker to a two way, which would leave a spot open which they could use on another center or something.
Also this idea that the Blazers need to add another wing depends entirely on how you view Sharpe. If you think he's good enough and should play as a rookie, you cannot also be asking for them to acquire another wing, because guess whose minutes that would effect the most?
At lead guard they have Dame and Ant who will almost assuredly run the second unit as well as starting at the two. Williams is a nice developmental point guard to have as a third stringer.
Payton and Keon can both play in the backcourt and on the wing. I think Keon is being slept on. Guys that can handle the ball and guard multiple positions are valuable. His shot also looked improved, specifically his three. And he doesn't turn 21 until next year.
At the four they have Jerami, Winslow, Watford, Brown, and Walker. Sounds like a deep unit to me, and I'm not even counting on Brown and Walker to contribute.
At center they have Nurk, Eubanks, and Watford when teams go small. Health is a concern, but its a concern with pretty much every big man in the league. You can probably count on one hand the starting centers that dont miss games.
I hope they sign Walker to a two way, which would leave a spot open which they could use on another center or something.
Scalma
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They wouldnt be paying Simons 25M a year if they didn't think he was one of their best players. He's going to start. You dont have to like it.
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You don't think that Simons can start and still get minutes as the lead guard against second-unit players while Dame is resting? If he's in the game when Dame's out, why would it matter whether or not he starts?
Natebishop3
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My doubts are about Dame/Simons being able to be on the court at the end of games together. Defensively, I'm skeptical that we're going to be able to play both of them and not get torched. It's going to be hard to keep much better defenders like Hart or GP2 off the court while Dame/Ant are getting torched by opposing guards.
This could obviously change if Simons takes a leap defensively.
This could obviously change if Simons takes a leap defensively.
Scalma
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This is literally what they did with CJ for years lol
Fairly-Hard
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Didn’t say anything about liking or not liking.
I just feel they would be better served is all.
I simply know the Blazers are entertainment. I don’t get all wound up about this stuff or how much they make.
Fairly-Hard
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Maybe? Guess they could work on it that way.
Scalma
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Actually the second unit is an interesting topic, probably more so than the starting one which seems pretty set
Ant
Payton
Hart or Nas depending on which one starts
Winslow or Watford
Eubanks or Watford
Seems very good defensively, but really only one scorer. This is where Sharpe can enter the convo. But Im a big Watford guy, would be interesting to see the offense run through him and Ant here. Or maybe this is where Grant gets featured?
Ant
Payton
Hart or Nas depending on which one starts
Winslow or Watford
Eubanks or Watford
Seems very good defensively, but really only one scorer. This is where Sharpe can enter the convo. But Im a big Watford guy, would be interesting to see the offense run through him and Ant here. Or maybe this is where Grant gets featured?
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andalusian
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Yes and no. In 2019-2020 CJ and Dame played 30 minutes per game on average, they each played on average 36-37 minutes, A better way to do it, would have been to have them play 24 minutes together and 12 minutes without each other - this way one of them is always on the floor and there is less time with defensive issues.
Pinwheel1
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or if both Hart and Nas start (Dame, Hart, Nas, Grant, Nurk) then the 2nd unit would be Ant, Gp2, Winslow, Watford, Eubanks which still lacks scoring. So maybe you are right, bring in Winslow early to replace Grant and bring Grant back to start the 2nd.
Hopefully, at some point, we will see a 2nd unit of Ant, Gp2, SS, Watford/Winslow and Eubanks. SS can be that 2nd scorer, but it may take a few months.
SharpesTriumph
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If you look at all the players the Lakers drafted over that half decade its a ton of talent. Would possibly be a top team in the league; Randle, Clarkson, Nance, Ball, Russell, Caruso, Zubac, Ingram, Kuzma.... I think theres a couple more.
If Blazers could add those types of players in the draft to the Simons/Sharpe backcourt; even with a veteran Dame hanging around doing nothing for a few years the Blazers would leave that phase certainly not in purgatory.
SharpesTriumph
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Hi. Couldn't log in with my old login, but I really wanted to ask this. What was the plan last year?
I mean, all I read was Cronin makes clearance with those (kind of ugly) trades, so Blazers have A LOT of salary space to make big signings and all of sudden there is a hard cap and they are done. Like, WTF?
This offseason feels exactly like the season when RoCo supposed to be missing piece of championship run. Or Toliver, really.
I mean, I like Grant and love Payton signings, but they are not Ayton or Butler and I was expecting even more
And another thing. Correct me, because I might see it wrong. For years Blazers played with Dame/CJ duo and now it looks like we'll go with Dame/Ant duo and I really see not much of a difference, to be honest. It feels like they don't want to trade Lillard (obvious reasons) and at the same time see their future in Ant. So, we have same situation as Dame/CJ situation was.
It seems like we are one leg in good direction with addressing defensive issues with signing Hart, Grant, Payton and Nurk, but one leg is in the past and is addressing loyalty issues.
And when I look on this roster I have to ask this: Do we trade Ant or do we trade Lillard? When can Blazers do it? Looks like this needs to be done, because for now it looks like a classic coconut monkey trap.
All is well and the team is making changes to contend much better than the DameCJ era.
Last February the Blazers were looking at having two guards who duplicated the strengths and weaknesses of each other and were earning a combined $70.2 million.
Rest assured we are much better; as now in two years the Blazers will have two guards duplicating the strengths and weaknesses of each other earning $74.7 million.
Step 1 Problem solved! - Done
Step 2 ?
Step 3 Contend!
SharpesTriumph
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I don't disagree that may be his best fit. Hard to have a great defensive duo with Dame, and the skills he brings are somewhat duplicated in the starting lineup with Dame.
Its good we gave him a $100 million contract, so we have plenty of salary available for the other 4 starters.
Scalma
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Gonna be funny when we find out hes actually underpaid.
blazerkor
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If Eubanks is a serviceable backup big and Trendon can be an effective smallball C at times then I think Dame, Ant, Hart, Grant, Nurk, GP2, Nas, Justise, Eubanks, Trendon is the best rotation that we've put around Dame given the lack of a bench and moreso where Dame was at when he had Wes, Nic, LaMarcus and RoLo. I think it's better than '18-'19 again if Eubanks and Trendon can make meaningful contributions. That's not taking into consideration the very real possibility that Shaedon is an impact player at some point this season because there is also a very real possibility that he isn't.
blazerkor
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If he can be as effective at SG as he was dominating the ball at PG and if his defense has improved, then yeah he'll be underpaid. Those are some big ifs though.
Scalma
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Here are all the players that averaged 20 points a game last season. The only guy on a non rookie contract that has an AAV equal to or less than Simons upcoming one is Murray. Most the others average over 30M a year.
Joel EmbiidPHI
LeBron JamesLAL
Giannis AntetokounmpoMIL
Kevin DurantBKN
Luka DoncicDAL
Trae YoungATL
DeMar DeRozanCHI
Kyrie IrvingBKN
Ja MorantMEM
Nikola JokicDEN
Jayson TatumBOS
Devin BookerPHX
Donovan MitchellUTAH
Stephen CurryGS
Karl-Anthony TownsMIN
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderOKC
Zach LaVineCHI
Paul GeorgeLAC
Damian LillardPOR
Jaylen BrownBOS
Bradley BealWSH
Anthony DavisLAL
De'Aaron FoxSAC
Pascal SiakamTOR
Brandon IngramNO
CJ McCollumPOR/NO
James HardenBKN/PHI
Darius GarlandCLE
Jimmy ButlerMIA
Anthony EdwardsMIN
Dejounte MurraySA
Tyler HerroMIA
Klay ThompsonGS
Fred VanVleetTOR
Kristaps PorzingisWSH/DAL
Miles BridgesCHA
LaMelo BallCHA
Julius RandleNY
Khris MiddletonMIL
Joel EmbiidPHI
LeBron JamesLAL
Giannis AntetokounmpoMIL
Kevin DurantBKN
Luka DoncicDAL
Trae YoungATL
DeMar DeRozanCHI
Kyrie IrvingBKN
Ja MorantMEM
Nikola JokicDEN
Jayson TatumBOS
Devin BookerPHX
Donovan MitchellUTAH
Stephen CurryGS
Karl-Anthony TownsMIN
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderOKC
Zach LaVineCHI
Paul GeorgeLAC
Damian LillardPOR
Jaylen BrownBOS
Bradley BealWSH
Anthony DavisLAL
De'Aaron FoxSAC
Pascal SiakamTOR
Brandon IngramNO
CJ McCollumPOR/NO
James HardenBKN/PHI
Darius GarlandCLE
Jimmy ButlerMIA
Anthony EdwardsMIN
Dejounte MurraySA
Tyler HerroMIA
Klay ThompsonGS
Fred VanVleetTOR
Kristaps PorzingisWSH/DAL
Miles BridgesCHA
LaMelo BallCHA
Julius RandleNY
Khris MiddletonMIL
Fairly-Hard
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So you’re making a case for him to come off the bench?
Scalma
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how did you arrive to that conclusion
SlyPokerCat
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And Norm Powell was so close at 19 PPG. He was at 21.4 in the 5 games he played for the Clippers at his natural position (could have been adjusted based on other players not playing at that time, of course). He gets paid around 17 million per year. Yet, some want to say he was really overpaid.
He wasn't overpaid.
SharpesTriumph
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But Simons has never done this. You want to pay him for production he might improve to when there were no teams giving him an offer? And we only got a ~$5 million discount from the max? Seems like it would've been much better roster management to just offer him 4/80 and let him shop for more if another team would give him that which appeared very unlikely.
Sure you can say the $20 million isn't worth nitpicking for, but then you combine that with a similar overpay for Nurk, setting a precedent for a Grant extension, and finally Hart/Little free agency next summer. The Blazers are locking in huge contracts to non-allstars bidding against themselves just as Olshey did. We saw the failures of that strategy, but are driving the bus down the same damn road.
Scalma
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he’s never done what? Avg 20? He averaged 22ppg in 30 starts.
riverman
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you need to account for combo players...you lump guards into a point guard category and ignore the guards that can play 3 positions....same with the centers...we have a lot of swiss army knife players that don't fit your breakdown much