Exclusive Ayton is agreeing to buyout

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Ed O said:
I know you're not asking me... and I've felt like a broken record about it (other than two drafts where I loved us taking Sharpe and Scoot) essentially since day one. I don't like this roster at all, I don't think the cap situation has been well managed, I don't think that he ever committed to a rebuild, and I don't think that the future of this team is very bright because we're going to be paying the players that emerge as being worth keeping a lot of money all as we try to slip into play-in position.

Ugh.
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What’s the list of teams with a less promising future (5-10 years out) than Portland? And it’s not just about roster (which I don’t like). Factor in GM, coach, ownership in flux, zerrrro direction, and who is worse off? (Also again not asking you directly but just for discussion sake)
 
GoZers said:
How HAS Joe been building this team? That’s the question nobody has an answer for, including Joe.
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No GM shares their real plans in public, so that can't be the standard to judge one by. It's not like any GM starts out with a specific plan, hits on everything, and doesn't have to deviate. GM's miss on picks, trades, and FA signings, injuries happen, ownership directives change, etc.

Cronin hasn't been amazing, while working for a less than amazing ownership group, in a small market. Was your expectation that he was going to be a top tier GM?
 
JFizzleRaider said:
If this is true, a slap in the face because Cronin trading for Jrue makes it seem like he wants to win.

Makes me wonder if taking a center was viewed as a slight by Ayton.
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As it stands trading for Jrue makes zero sense.
 
Tince said:
No GM shares their real plans in public, so that can't be the standard to judge one by. It's not like any GM starts out with a specific plan, hits on everything, and doesn't have to deviate. GM's miss on picks, trades, and FA signings, injuries happen, ownership directives change, etc.

Cronin hasn't been amazing, while working for a less than amazing ownership group, in a small market. Was your expectation that he was going to be a top tier GM?
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He doesn’t need to tell us or anyone the plan. But you should be able to tell what the plan is by looking at the roster the moves the picks old/young, tank/not, etc. It should be fairly obvious to almost anyone.
 
GoZers said:
He doesn’t need to tell us or anyone the plan. But you should be able to tell what the plan is by looking at the roster the moves the picks old/young, tank/not, etc. It should be fairly obvious to almost anyone.
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I think it's fairly obvious. Put together a roster that is within the Vulcans budget while not tanking for 4+ years. He's missed on some draft picks, missed on some trades. Had some good draft picks and had some nice trades. The Blazers have a bunch of young players on decent contracts and some draft assets moving forward. Nothing great, nothing terrible.
 
julius said:
Who is available to sign at 14 million that A: is worth signing and B: would sign?
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Great question! As long as I've been a Blazer fan I've had a hard time coming up with a free agent signing at that level that would meet said criteria. We typically have to pay a tax to get talent to come here.

I think we're probably more likely to use the MLE as a trade exception.
 
LayneStaley said:
I’d rather watch overpaid Jrue play than overpaid Grant or Ayton. Move doesn’t really make a ton of sense but I bet the D is gonna be lockdown.
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2 seasons ago he played the second-most minutes in the playoffs (Only Tatum played more) when Boston won the championship.

Holiday also played the 2nd-most minutes in the playoffs for the Bucks (Middleton played 10 more minutes total) when Milwaukee won the championship.
 
GoZers said:
What’s the list of teams with a less promising future (5-10 years out) than Portland? And it’s not just about roster (which I don’t like). Factor in GM, coach, ownership in flux, zerrrro direction, and who is worse off? (Also again not asking you directly but just for discussion sake)
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Yeah... I dunno. There aren't a lot that jump out at me. Maybe New Orleans and Washington?

And in terms of the plan, I think it's been trying to split the baby: build a younger core while being competitive on the floor.

I think that's an impossible strategy because we're rebuilding against teams that are dedicated to a rebuild and competing for the playoffs with teams that are dedicated to winning now.... so you don't success on either front.

I also don't like most of the moves he's made in trying to do this strategy. We seem to be in love with wings that just can't shoot the basketball, we haven't drafted well except with our three lottery picks (and even then, our guys have been objectively less impressive than most of their peers, even if I'm excited we've got them).

We would be a lot better if we had San Antonio's luck in the lottery, of course, but the process and decisions have generally been bad so it's not just a matter of bad luck.
 
Ed O said:
I know you're not asking me... and I've felt like a broken record about it (other than two drafts where I loved us taking Sharpe and Scoot) essentially since day one. I don't like this roster at all, I don't think the cap situation has been well managed, I don't think that he ever committed to a rebuild, and I don't think that the future of this team is very bright because we're going to be paying the players that emerge as being worth keeping a lot of money all as we try to slip into play-in position.

Ugh.
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Brother, we have been seeing the same thing for years. Cheers!

This is the start of hoping I watch the team again in the next few years. But right now its a waste of time. Not holding out any hope they do anything to make us contenders in the next few years, but at least they got two of the worst players off of the team in Simons and Ayton.
 
CJ_is_Gone said:
Kennard.

Also, remember teams can take players into the MLE (essentially a trade exception). Would Portland be interested in Hauser to help Celtics lower their tax?
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Yes they should be, either of those players would be a win imo.
 
Ed O said:
I know you're not asking me... and I've felt like a broken record about it (other than two drafts where I loved us taking Sharpe and Scoot) essentially since day one. I don't like this roster at all, I don't think the cap situation has been well managed, I don't think that he ever committed to a rebuild, and I don't think that the future of this team is very bright because we're going to be paying the players that emerge as being worth keeping a lot of money all as we try to slip into play-in position.

Ugh.
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100%
 
Tince said:
I think it's fairly obvious. Put together a roster that is within the Vulcans budget while not tanking for 4+ years. He's missed on some draft picks, missed on some trades. Had some good draft picks and had some nice trades. The Blazers have a bunch of young players on decent contracts and some draft assets moving forward. Nothing great, nothing terrible.
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That’s where they stand. But that’s not a plan. Or are you saying the plan is “not tanking” within a budget? I mean, that sounds like a dynasty in the making.
 
GoZers said:
That’s where they stand. But that’s not a plan. Or are you saying the plan is “not tanking” within a budget? I mean, that sounds like a dynasty in the making.
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The plan is doing what ownership wants: Stay in budget. Add young assets. Don't tank for too many years.

If you think the Vulcans have set up the front office to build a "dynasty in the making", then you think much higher of them than I do. No ownership group serious about building a dynasty would've hired Cronin on the cheap in the first place.
 
I'd say the plan is to field a team that can play at a quicker pace, share the ball, and play top 10 defense. Removing Ayton and Simons goes a long way towards that vision. Drafting Clingan and trading for Deni and Camara does as well.
 
RR7 said:
I'd say the plan is to field a team that can play at a quicker pace, share the ball, and play top 10 defense. Removing Ayton and Simons goes a long way towards that vision. Drafting Clingan and trading for Deni and Camara does as well.
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Are they trying to win games next year and make the playoffs?
 
As a GM you take many swings on players & of course some won't work out, which clearly Ayton didn't. Cut bait, next swing, thats the job. Obviously you've got to have more pop then you cut bait on to have a career. I'm just glad they found a way to cut bait as he wasn't very good in PDX & clearly with the last two drafts they're going a different direction. I think he struggled here because being option #1 made for too much D attention for him. For much of his struggles here, Portland has really lacked in good guard play and he certainly doesn't have a great ability to free himself... he needs others. At least to my eye his hot streak at the end corresponded to Deni ascending to Portland's lead which gave them offensive direction for the first time in a while. If DA is smart he'll look for his next situation to feature some better guards and guys he can play off of.

STOMP
 
1. More playing time pour Clingan and Hansen.
2. Flexibility ahead of the free agency for trades or signing
3. No money back from a trade for Ayto

Of course Joe was probably hoping for a 1st round pick and probably would have taken it if available. But as my man Jake Fischer said:

 
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