Rumor Damian Lillard Would Like Blazers To Acquire Deandre Ayton

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Would You Do It and Would The Sun?

  • I would want us to do this

    Votes: 18 39.1%

  • I wouldn't want us to do this

    Votes: 19 41.3%

  • The Suns would do this

    Votes: 5 10.9%

  • The Suns would not do this

    Votes: 13 28.3%
  • Total voters
    46
wizenheimer said:
by the way, if anybody is interested in actually considering CBA rules for trades...

* Nurkic for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford doesn't work

it would have to be Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford + Walker; a 5 for 1 trade.

so unless the Blazers are either considering using Ant in an Ayton trade, or involved in a multi-team trade...there might be a huge bullshit component in the latest Ayton-->PDX rumor
Click to expand...
https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom...g-in-the-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/

As of July 1, for teams below the apron:

  • Up to $7.5 million in outgoing salary can bring back 200 percent plus $250,000
  • $7,500,001 to $29 million will be padded by a flat $7.5 million
  • Above $29 million will be limited to 125 percent plus $250,000
Click to expand...

Obviously, we need to be below the apron after for it to work, but the new trade rules really increase flexibility in trades. Nurk, Little and Keon would work financially. So would Watford in place of Keon.
 
Ayton, Turner, omg Embiid chatter. If Coach Billups demanded better defense from his squad, the desperation for a strong defensive Center would taper off a bit. Instead, Coach runs an offense only team, then packs guys into a busted 2-3 zone, and keeps his fingers crossed the opponents don't get hot from downtown.
 
SwissBlazer said:
Nurk + Little work on Fanspo
Click to expand...

then either Fanspo is wrong or they are already using the trade rules from the new CBA, which don't take effect until July...and might not make the trade work even then

the current rules:

upload_2023-6-10_11-54-52.png

Ayton's current salary is 30.9M. Meaning the Blazers would have to send out 24.7M in salary to make a legal trade

Jusuf Nurkić $15,625,000
Nassir Little $4,171,548
Keon Johnson $2,681,040
Trendon Watford $1,563,518
Jabari Walker $1,017,781

so, about 25.06M. That took all 5 salaries. The one mitigation might be Knox and his 3M team option, but I'm not exactly sure if he can count as a trade credit until July

note: if anybody is interested in changes to the trade rules that take effect in July:

https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom...g-in-the-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/
 

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wizenheimer said:
by the way, if anybody is interested in actually considering CBA rules for trades...

* Nurkic for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford doesn't work

it would have to be Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford + Walker; a 5 for 1 trade.

so unless the Blazers are either considering using Ant in an Ayton trade, or involved in a multi-team trade...there might be a huge bullshit component in the latest Ayton-->PDX rumor
Click to expand...
I would not add Ant into an Ayton trade. I don’t think Ayton is the answer.
 
wizenheimer said:
then either Fanspo is wrong or they are already using the trade rules from the new CBA, which don't take effect until July...and might not make the trade work even then

the current rules:

View attachment 56095

Ayton's current salary is 30.9M. Meaning the Blazers would have to send out 24.7M in salary to make a legal trade

Jusuf Nurkić $15,625,000
Nassir Little $4,171,548
Keon Johnson $2,681,040
Trendon Watford $1,563,518
Jabari Walker $1,017,781

so, about 25.06M. That took all 5 salaries. The one mitigation might be Knox and his 3M team option, but I'm not exactly sure if he can count as a trade credit until July

note: if anybody is interested in changes to the trade rules that take effect in July:

https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom...g-in-the-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/
Click to expand...
And after July 1st, you wouldn't need 5, just 3.
 
If I could get Franz and pick 6 for pick 3. I would be willing to trade Ant and Nurk for Ayton and Payne.
 
wizenheimer said:
by the way, if anybody is interested in actually considering CBA rules for trades...

* Nurkic for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little for Ayton doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon doesn't work
* Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford doesn't work

it would have to be Nurkic + Little + Keon + Watford + Walker; a 5 for 1 trade.

so unless the Blazers are either considering using Ant in an Ayton trade, or involved in a multi-team trade...there might be a huge bullshit component in the latest Ayton-->PDX rumor
Click to expand...
You better notify Joe of this one.
 
blazerkor said:
If I could get Franz and pick 6 for pick 3. I would be willing to trade Ant and Nurk for Ayton and Payne.
Click to expand...
Hmm. If Dame was cool with us picking adding a guy in the draft and adding a potentially impactful player every year as a compromise, I’d take him up on that.

Last year was adding Sharpe and Grant.
If the cost of adding Ayton resulted in Wagner and a Thompson twin? I’d probably take that 10/10 times. The problem is Scoot would have to still be on the board and ORL would have to believe in Scoot that much to give up Wagner and another potentially great prospect for Scoot.

I’m not sure I’d up give up Ant for Ayton, even if we get Wagner, but I could be convinced to grab Ayton to make Dame happy. Between Ant, Sharpe, a Thompson, and Wagner, we have multiple guys that could be viable for being the post-Dame era leader learning under him until he wants to dip.
 
Portland Out: Simons, Nurk, Little, Keon, Knox, 23
Portland In: Ayton, Gary Harris, OG Anunoby,

Toronto Out: OG
In: 11, Little, Knox

Orlando Out: 11, Harris
In: Simons, Keon

Phx Out: Ayton
In: Nurk, 23

Toronto gets another lotto pick, and an ok prospect in Little for OG, Orlando lands a lead guard for the 2nd of their 2 lottery picks. Phx sheds a bunch of salary, still retains a serviceable C, and lands a late pick. Portland retools with Lillard/Sharpe/OG/Grant/Ayton, and still has the #3 pick to be able to use on Scoot or Miller.
 
BIG Q said:
I'm sure the "rumor" is just local Phoenix media doing their thing with the Chris Paul scuttlebutt taking up everyones time down here. I understand the center position being the least value added position now. I know the Dame wanting Ayton thread here is old, but why would Dame want him in the first place? What does he see in him? Does Dame still want him? I'm not advocating for or against Ayton. I'm sure Phoenix would take Nurk/Simons with whichever tweaks needed. They are not looking for draft picks. They are win now here and the new owner is very aggressive. Simons in Phoenix would actually be a perfect combo guard. Portland could probably get Cam Payne in the deal as a backup PG. I will say, Ayton is pretty incredible 15 feet and in.
Click to expand...

Lillard draws a crowd. Having a big man in Portland that is a serious alley-oop threat & a has a zone breaker 15 footer, is instrumental in improving the Blazers offense. Defensely, Ayton can hold his ground a bit. It's a perfect choice to build the Lillard contenderish team, or at least be playoff relevant.

Nurkic and the #3 rookie? The Suns new owner is crazy, but he's not stupid. Phoenix will definitely want Anfernee and the pick (Scoot) as they badly need a PG and a 3rd offensive option to relieve pressure off KD & Booker.

to me... Ant & #3 for Ayton sounds like a dream deal for Phoenix, and a marginally improved Blazers team to appease Damian's need for a better roster.
 
Last edited:
Whyachi said:
Lillard draws a crowd. Having a big man in Portland that is a serious alley-oop threat & a has a zone breaker 15 footer, is instrumental in improving the Blazers offense. Defensely, Ayton can hold his ground a bit. It's a perfect choice to build the Lillard contenderish team, or at least be playoff relevant.

Nurkic and the #3 rookie? The Suns new owner is crazy, but he's not stupid. Phoenix will definitely want Anfernee and the pick (Scoot) as they badly need a PG and a 3rd offensive option to relieve pressure off KD & Booker.

to me... Ant & #3 for Ayton sounds like a dream deal for Phoenix, and a marginally improved Blazers team to appease Damian's need for a better roster.
Click to expand...
The idea that #3 would be in play for Ayton is beyond crazy. They didn't want to match for Ayton but had to just because they couldn't let his value walk out the door. Ant on his own is probably worth Ayton but you are right that the Suns will be ambitious. I think Ant and Nurk for Ayton and Payne should work but they might require pick 23 or a future first to get it done.
 
RR7 said:
Portland Out: Simons, Nurk, Little, Keon, Knox, 23
Portland In: Ayton, Gary Harris, OG Anunoby,

Toronto Out: OG
In: 11, Little, Knox

Orlando Out: 11, Harris
In: Simons, Keon

Phx Out: Ayton
In: Nurk, 23

Toronto gets another lotto pick, and an ok prospect in Little for OG, Orlando lands a lead guard for the 2nd of their 2 lottery picks. Phx sheds a bunch of salary, still retains a serviceable C, and lands a late pick. Portland retools with Lillard/Sharpe/OG/Grant/Ayton, and still has the #3 pick to be able to use on Scoot or Miller.
Click to expand...

this would be amazing but no way Masai trades OG for #11. he’s way too obsessed with winning deals to let OG go for that. It would be an admission of defeat.
 
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I think Nurk at his contract is just as good as Ayton at his contract.

Ayton is the antithesis of a high-quality big man in the NBA these days... he doesn't pass the ball well and he has limited shooting range. I mean, he made 7 three pointers in 67 games this past regular season. Nurk made 43 in 52 games, as a point of comparison.

Add in his massive contract, his personality issues with the previous coaching staff, and the fact that he's not even a good rim protector (Derrick White had more blocks per game this past year) and... why would we think he's an upgrade?
 
Ed O said:
I think Nurk at his contract is just as good as Ayton at his contract.

Ayton is the antithesis of a high-quality big man in the NBA these days... he doesn't pass the ball well and he has limited shooting range. I mean, he made 7 three pointers in 67 games this past regular season. Nurk made 43 in 52 games, as a point of comparison.

Add in his massive contract, his personality issues with the previous coaching staff, and the fact that he's not even a good rim protector (Derrick White had more blocks per game this past year) and... why would we think he's an upgrade?
Click to expand...

I’m of the same mindset. I think that unless a clear upgrade can be found, money would be better spent on a solid backup center with more size than Eubanks. Seems to me that Nurk plays best when he doesn’t have to play long minutes.
 
KingSpeed said:
This season’s stats: 18/10 on 59% FGs in 30mpg. And he’s young. Who do you like in the second round who is better?
Click to expand...
He's obviously a better player than anyone going in a future second round, but he's owed $100,000,000 over the next three years. Keeping that second rounder and using that much money on other players very well might be a wise thing to do.
 
BlazerMoneyMaker said:
Why replace one incompetent player with another? Ayton has just been bounced in tge 2nd round playing with Paul, Booker and Durant and quite frankly no one was surprised by how badly he played.
So this is the missing piece for us? Even just Nurkic and the 23rd would be like trading Josh Hart and Nurkic for Ayton in a few monthes. At least we can still get a steal at 23 if we do some winning things like actualy scouting talent
Click to expand...
Don’t you mean KD had Booker, Paul, and Ayton and couldn’t get out of the 2nd round? Without KD, Ayton led perennial loser Suns to the NBA Finals.
 
Ed O said:
I think Nurk at his contract is just as good as Ayton at his contract.

Ayton is the antithesis of a high-quality big man in the NBA these days... he doesn't pass the ball well and he has limited shooting range. I mean, he made 7 three pointers in 67 games this past regular season. Nurk made 43 in 52 games, as a point of comparison.

Add in his massive contract, his personality issues with the previous coaching staff, and the fact that he's not even a good rim protector (Derrick White had more blocks per game this past year) and... why would we think he's an upgrade?
Click to expand...
1) 59% from the field
2) 18/10
3) younger with upside
 
I've been trying to reconcile my thoughts on the money players make and its effect on the salary cap. Add in the fact Portland is not a free agent player. Now I want nothing to do with Lavine. I think he is a good player, but not worth the crazy money he is due. I would rather have Sharpe get those minutes and hopefully earn that money. Plus, a contract like that is very hard to match/move. He is not Durant or Harden, though both are surely headed into decline. Which brings me around to Ayton. I think his money is much easier to move if it just doesn't work. If he averages 18/10, he can be moved. But if he is making Lavine money, very limited return possibility. Which brings up the fact Portland could hypothetically honestly rid themselves of Dame, Ant and Nurk and have $100 mil cap space and get bupkus interest from free agents. Yes, centers are the least valuable position now, I fully agree. But what is the cost for a very good, young center? You have to spend the money on someone and do not always have the perfect choice/timing on who you are spending it on. Just thinking out loud.
 
Mediocre Man said:
And this is why we should trade Lillard
Click to expand...

look, I know you're like a deranged parrot that will cackle "trade-Dame" based on any kind of stimulus, or even no stimulus at all, but c'mon man, an uncorroborated, unsourced rumor from over a year ago speculating Dame would like Ayton to be a Blazer back when Ayton was making 12M is a real wacky reason to cackle in this thread, at this time
 
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