Trade Idea #3 (and filler) for Zion - would you do it?

[TBpup]

no, it's not that big a deal, and if they draft Scoot they'd likely be shopping SC right away. But the Charlotte trade would be simple

I do think the Blazers might be able to get another decent to good asset if they diverted Ant to another team

IF... we were able to take on the incredible risk of Zion w/o including Ant and were able to send him home to Orlando for #6/11, I'd be more inclined to be on board. Any is just what ORL needs, and we would still be able to get a Hendricks/Ausar type of player temper the risk of taking on Zion.

 

[STOMP]

@STOMP there's really nothing more to be said than this. Evaluating Zion which of course they will and did with GP2, will be way different than evaluating GP2. The guy on Locked On today who is the Pels beat reporter said he just spoke with Zion and although the reporter said Zion looked like he usually did, Zion said he was ready to go. The reporter also said that it was his understanding that Zion wanted to go during the season but the team didn't like his conditioning so they held him out. Sure, that's a red flag but it's about if we can change his mindset not if he's physically flawed in some way. I think the team should make the gamble that they can change Zion's mindset.

you seem bizarrely obsessed with engaging me. Prior to this post I hadn't even opened this thread, let alone posted or voted in it, yet you're tagging me here I don't recall making any recent posts about acquiring Zion, as I see no reason to. He's New Orleans hot mess and place the chances of the new management hitching their professional careers to his shaky health & huge new contract by trading for him at nil.

STOMP

 

[Pinwheel1]

It looks like his contract is not fully guaranteed if he is not healthy

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson. “I don’t think his value is sky high right now,” said Brian Windhorst. “But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It’s not fully guaranteed.

 

[TBpup]

It looks like his contract is not fully guaranteed if he is not healthy

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson. “I don’t think his value is sky high right now,” said Brian Windhorst. “But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It’s not fully guaranteed.

Quite right. There are weight/body fat % requirements for him to get the full amount of the contract.

 

[Pinwheel1]

If this were to happen Nurk would surely have to be moved.

Zion and Nurk wouldn’t work.

I admit that was my first thought, but the more I think about it.....why don't they fit?

We might not think Nurk fits for other reasons but why not because of Zion? Did he not fit well with Valanciunas?
Zion likes to attack the basket and Nurk can set screens. pass, and has a decent outside/midrange shot. I would still try to move Nurk's contract but IMO we do need two types of centers on the team, one that is quick, and one that is a wide body.

 

[tlongII]

I'm leaning no. Zion is a great player, but he hasn't shown he can stay healthy. He won't help us if he is injured.

 

[Gronk_Brady]

Zion is a big risk, but might be only player you can trade for that makes Blazers an instant title contender if he stays healthy. Bridges or Siakam make us a 5th seed at best. Also, Zion fits both timelines. You have to go for it if it’s available.

 

[illmatic99]

It looks like his contract is not fully guaranteed if he is not healthy

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson. “I don’t think his value is sky high right now,” said Brian Windhorst. “But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It’s not fully guaranteed.

Even more reason to be skeptical that they'd be willing to move him. They have no financial incentive.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Even more reason to be skeptical that they'd be willing to move him. They have no financial incentive.

The argument from some of the videos/articles is that many think Scoot can be special and fits a bigger need for NO. Plus they get another asset to match salaries.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Full tilt. Lots of checking last night and discussing.
Ive turned the corner and im in.
Send out #3, Ant, nurk, little and keon/knox and bring back Zion, #6 and herb jones


Use a third team if needed but im sold.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I like the concept of swinging for the fences on a player with All NBA first team MVP level upside. Zion legit has that.

A couple big problems though - first the notion that Dame could mentor him. I don't buy that, CJ is players union President and a great mentor as well, I just don't see Dame being able to give him anything different.

Secondly I don't see the Pels and CJ moving on from Zion unless the red flags are much worse than we all realize.

CJ is a great person but he is not the leader that Dame is.

 

[riverman]

CJ is a great person but he is not the leader that Dame is.

I agree if it's basketball related but in business I think CJ has an edge...I think it's why he's president of the player's association ...CJ is more MeJ when it comes down to it and Dame is more team first.

 

[Cugel]

I am afraid the best Zion can do is play 50% of the games. If you know that going in your offer has to be relatively low. He will never be what he was supposed to be. What player gets healthier with age and mileage? None. You load manage his ass as plain as day and make no excuses about it.

 

[CJ_is_Gone]

It looks like his contract is not fully guaranteed if he is not healthy

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson. “I don’t think his value is sky high right now,” said Brian Windhorst. “But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It’s not fully guaranteed.

Quite right. There are weight/body fat % requirements for him to get the full amount of the contract.

Weight requirements are different than injury requirements.
But based on this report, the weight/body fat requirements are not strict enough to really provide much protection.
https://sports.yahoo.com/zion-willi...8783.html?ncid=twitter_yahoosport_dw14wrbb51g

 

[LayneStaley]

Not sure placing our future in the hands of a 22 year old immature foodie who already has 20+ mil in the bank is a good decision.

 

[glazeduck]

Not sure placing our future in the hands of a 22 year old immature foodie who already has 20+ mil in the bank is a good decision.

If this is how you'd be thinking about this move, agreed, it feels pretty dicey. But I don't think that's how you should think about it.

This is placing trust in one of the greatest leaders in professional sports to get an immensely talented kid back on the right path.

It's putting faith in the most powerful sports brand in the world that, with him much closer to most of their resources, they'll also be able to help get him on track.

It's betting that a change in the power dynamic with/in/around Zion could make all the difference. With Zion almost immediately replacing AD, he was the chosen one, he got to come in, call the shots and NO couldn't do much about it. In getting traded to PDX, all of that goes away. Dame, Chauncey and Joe get to call the shots, Zion's inner circle doesn't get to have as much influence, etc.

None of those are guarantees, but he's the type of talent that are worth that kind of swing.

EDIT #1: It's also betting on a maturing male brain -- as I said in another thread, most young men's frontal cortex (decision making) don't completely develop until the age of 25. From a risk/reward standpoint, that would mean that most of the risk incurred from having Zion on a roster (at least from the mental maturity perspective) would have already been taken and baked into this lower price, with, basically none of the rewards reaped.

EDIT #2: It's also also a bet on evolving understanding of health/injuries/body structure, etc. While he's had plenty of them, none of Zion's injuries are chronic or signs of damaged/irreparable body parts, which means they're more signs of his unusual size and strength. Unlike Oden's unbalanced levers, that's a problem that can be remedied and planned around.

Again, gambles, no sure things. But the context of who Zion is, what he could be, the price we'd be getting him at and the fit for our current and future situations have me all-in...

 

[Pinwheel1]

For what it is worth........
The guy who covers the Hornets who appeared on the podcast with Sean Highkin...didn't he say he ran into Zion recently and
he looked to be in decent shape? It is better than saying he was still out of shape.........

 

[tykendo]

I'm leaning no. Zion is a great player, but he hasn't shown he can stay healthy. He won't help us if he is injured.

Bill Walton wasn't healthy, till he was, albeit for a short period of time. Blazers just need to get a 3 year window with Zion . It's definitely a gamble, but with an incredible upside. I'd do it. Dame & Zion could be an electric duo.


But i feel the Blazers should get a 1st in return , as well, if Ant is involved in the deal to protect themselves . Unless they can just trade the #3 pick plus filler pieces like Nurk, Nas, and Keon to fulfill the cap needs.

 

[wizenheimer]

Bill Walton wasn't healthy, till he was, albeit for a short period of time. Blazers just need to get a 3 year window with Zion . It's definitely a gamble, but with an incredible upside. I'd do it. Dame & Zion could be an electric duo.


But i feel the Blazers should get a 1st in return , as well, if Ant is involved in the deal to protect themselves . Unless they can just trade the #3 pick plus filler pieces like Nurk, Nas, and Keon to fulfill the cap needs.

probably not realistic but the Blazers need more taking on the Zion risk. I'd happily ship #14 (and add #23) to Orlando if that meant they'd send Portland 6 instead of 11 but I don't believe Ant has that much value

 

[Mediocre Man]

Your mind being boggled by people saying no to a player who is physically unable to play boggles my mind.
And who knows what's going on inside his head.

I get the risk, but everyone is a risk, and his talent is amazing

 

[illmatic99]

I get the risk, but everyone is a risk, and his talent is amazing

I'm not following this thought process. If drafting a prospect like Scoot is as risky as having Zion, what is NO's motivation ot make such a deal? And keep in mind they have more info on Zion than any other team.

 

[tykendo]

I'm not following this thought process. If drafting a prospect like Scoot is as risky as having Zion, what is NO's motivation ot make such a deal? And keep in mind they have more info on Zion than any other team.

I get what you're saying. I think they're done with him. And the potential money he will make. But again, the talent is there. And it's badass. Like Kendrick Perkins said. Maybe Zion being traded would be a wakeup call, and he'd be embarrassed enough to want to prove them wrong. Some players need more motivation than others. Just give us a 3 year window like Walton. Man! It could be exciting.

 

[Chris Craig]

The idea of a healthy Zion and a chance to be a contender is intriguing. If it's true though that NO is done with him, and not willing to bet on him into the future that's a huge red flag. Zion continues to be injured season after season and has played such a miniscule percentage of games. He is currently embroiled in baby mama drama. He has a GF and a porn star he has been sleeping around with, not to mention at least one other woman who also has claimed to have slept with him. This shows a total lack of maturity on his part.

After enduring decades of broken big men and repairing an ill reputed era of Blazer basketball, do the Blazers really want to go there?

It's a huge risk. The Blazers do need to go all in. But, Cronin needs to realize if he does this, he hold the cards and must get more back in the deal like Jones and a 1st.

 

[blazerfan11]

I get the risk, but everyone is a risk, and his talent is amazing

His risk is amazing too. Certainly not in the same ballpark as "everyone."

 

[TheGoldRanger]

I’m intrigued by the possible addition of Zion but dude has leg issues. Apparently with all 3 of them.

 

[tykendo]

The idea of a healthy Zion and a chance to be a contender is intriguing. If it's true though that NO is done with him, and not willing to bet on him into the future that's a huge red flag. Zion continues to be injured season after season and has played such a miniscule percentage of games. He is currently embroiled in baby mama drama. He has a GF and a porn star he is been sleeping around with, not to mention at least one other woman who also claimed to have slept with him. This shows a total lack of maturity on his part.

After enduring decades of broken big men and repairing an ill reputed era of Blazer basketball, do the Blazers really want to go there?

It's a huge risk. The Blazers do need to go all in. But, Cronin needs to realize if he does this, he hold the cards and must get more back in the deal like Jones and a 1st.

He definitely needs to grow up. Someone needs to show him Shawn Kemp. Another notorious womanizer and baby maker. If Zion doesn't want to use most of his earnings on child support, time to wake up. But talent is talent. Bill Walton had his issues as well. His political stance infuriated many locally, and abroad. He was called a lot of bad things in Portland. That 30 for 30 shows some of those people .

 

[tykendo]

I’m intrigued by the possible addition of Zion but dude has leg issues. Apparently with all 3 of them.

Nice!

 

[Gronk_Brady]

The idea of a healthy Zion and a chance to be a contender is intriguing. If it's true though that NO is done with him, and not willing to bet on him into the future that's a huge red flag. Zion continues to be injured season after season and has played such a miniscule percentage of games. He is currently embroiled in baby mama drama. He has a GF and a porn star he is been sleeping around with, not to mention at least one other woman who also claimed to have slept with him. This shows a total lack of maturity on his part.

After enduring decades of broken big men and repairing an ill reputed era of Blazer basketball, do the Blazers really want to go there?

It's a huge risk. The Blazers do need to go all in. But, Cronin needs to realize if he does this, he hold the cards and must get more back in the deal like Jones and a 1st.

If you want to get Dame a title, this is the deal you have to make and hope it works out. Bridges and Siakam have zero chance to bring us a title.

 

[tykendo]

If you want to get Dame a title, this is the deal you have to make and hope it works out. Bridges and Siakam have zero chance to bring us a title.

Maybe as the only move. But i see the ability to strengthen the team with follow up moves. Potentially adding DeMar DeRozan would be fantastic .

 

[Fez Hammersticks]