Rumor Damian Lillard Would Like Blazers To Acquire Deandre Ayton

[Fez Hammersticks]

His value is extremely low.

Nurk/#23

 

[BigGameDamian]

And we’re back

Must be smoke.

 

[BlazerMoneyMaker]

I wouldn't waste a 2nd rounder on him

 

[Freshtown]

Why would we show interest in this loser? Really it's getting harder to root for this team. Seems like it's run by a bunch of losers who know nothing about basketball

because if you watched nurkic miss countless flip shots around the basket and have no jumper at all, you would crave someone with a nice soft touch like ayton who could make our offense 2x as efficient.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Must be smoke.

If we're about maximizing all our pieces and the intent is to use the #3 pick and not trade it for a veteran contact, this makes total sense and makes us better immediately.

It's a win if it all it costs is Nurk + change.

 

[BlazerMoneyMaker]

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

 

[Predator]

And we’re back

JFC fire cronin now before he becomes worse than olshey

 

[Sheldon Shape]

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

Because not all incompetent players are equal? Ayton is an incredibly skillful player who had a terrific regular season at only 24 years old. Spending Nurk and change allows you to satisfy Dame AND keep the #3 pick in the draft. You still have Simons and future picks to make the team better as well.

 

[BankTeller]

His value is extremely low.

Nurk/#23

I wouldn’t even trade a 1st for Ayton. Even if we got Ayton for Nurk + Nas to help with salaries, we can’t expect to pay Dame his salary, Ant his $25m, Grant his $30m+, AND Ayton his $32-35m while trying to field a team together to compete.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Other than Jokic, it seems to me almost every center (NBA and College) is viewed as inconsistent by someone.
I will use Anthony Davis as a prime example, he got killed this year by the media. The ones that are thought to be consistent, are usually consistently average at best. Not saying we should trade for Ayton and his salary, just that I don't necessarily buy into the narrative

 

[Hoopguru]

Some think Wiseman was part of the answer even at a rock bottom price. Not always about the money if a team is try to contend at some point.

 

[BankTeller]

Because not all incompetent players are equal? Ayton is an incredibly skillful player who had a terrific regular season at only 24 years old. Spending Nurk and change allows you to satisfy Dame AND keep the #3 pick in the draft. You still have Simons and future picks to make the team better as well.

Does Ayton know he’s not even going to be the first or even second option here? I don’t see a way he’d move to rainy Portland and be content with the same role he had in PHX.

 

[Natebishop3]

Other than Jokic, it seems to me almost every center (NBA and College) is viewed as inconsistent by someone.
I will use Anthony Davis as a prime example, he got killed this year by the media. The ones that are thought to be consistent, are usually consistently average at best. Not saying we should trade for Ayton and his salary, just that I don't necessarily buy into the narrative

And varying degrees of injury prone, but so far Nurk has been one of the most injury prone based on the last four years.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

You can always make tweaks along the way. If Ayton doesn't work out, you can trade him for something that is a better fit a year or two down the line.

 

[SwissBlazer]

Nurk +#23? Count me in.

 

[Whyachi]

because if you watched nurkic miss countless flip shots around the basket and have no jumper at all, you would crave someone with a nice soft touch like ayton who could make our offense 2x as efficient.

Nurkic was shooting like 38% front 3-point land for awhile. "The Blazers new weapon!" Up until he hurt his leg, missed some time, came back seemingly unwillingly after the All-Star break, and missed about 12 straight 3 pointers to drop his season percentage down to 34%.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

I don’t see a way he’d move to rainy Portland and be content with the same role he had in PHX.

Have you spoken to him? Seems like a lot of conjecture. Let's stick to the facts.

He's a clear improvement over Nurk at 24 years old. He's a play to make the team better now but also a piece that can potentially play with Sharpe and our #3 pick down the line. And if it doesn't work out, guess what? You can trade him for pieces that better fit.

This is a win as long as it doesn't exceed Nurk and Little or the later pick.

 

[wizenheimer]

some of you guys really go overboard in overreacting to vague rumors, especially considering we're right in the middle of the most busy NBA month for unfounded speculation, un-sourced rumors, false leaks, deflection, misdirection, fabrication, and outright lies.

 

[PDXFonz]

You can always make tweaks along the way. If Ayton doesn't work out, you can trade him for something that is a better fit a year or two down the line.

Sure, if we trade him for

 

[Natebishop3]

some of you guys really go overboard in overreacting to vague rumors, especially considering we're right in the middle of the most busy NBA month for unfounded speculation, un-sourced rumors, false leaks, deflection, misdirection, fabrication, and outright lies.

What else do we have going on right now?

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Sure, if we trade him for

Yuck. He's an awful rebounder. You want to put him next to Grant?

I'm convinced people talking about Turner haven't actually ever watched him play for the most part.

 

[PDXFonz]

Yuck. He's an awful rebounder. You want to put him next to Grant?

I'm convinced people talking about Turner haven't actually ever watched him play for the most part.

He doesn’t always get as many boards as you may expect but I don’t think there’s any reason he can’t be a team leader in rebounds. I’d rather have good team rebounding than individual anyways, even though the latter would seem to beget the former.

Ayton won’t spread the court like Turner. We’ve never really had a center with Dame that can pick and pop well. Ever since LA left it’s been heavy P&R.

I just think a Dame/Turner P&R/P&P combination would be tough to guard. Double Dame on the catch/drive leaves an open Turner. Switch and single coverage they get schooled. Of course they can’t just leave Dame free on it.

Where’s @swish3

 

[wizenheimer]

What else do we have going on right now?

it's wise not to completely abandon common sense though

 

[Sheldon Shape]

He doesn’t always get as many boards as you may expect but I don’t think there’s any reason he can’t be a team leader in rebounds. I’d rather have good team rebounding than individual, even though the latter would seem to beget the former.

Ayton won’t spread the court like Turner. We’ve never really had a center with Dame that can pick and pop well. Ever since LA left it’s been heavy P&R.

I just think a Dame/Turner P&R/P&P combination would be tough to guard.

Where’s @swish3

I'd take Ayton every day of the week over Turner. If in two years it isn't working out with Ayton, they probably wouldn't move him for someone significantly older but that's a discussion for another day.

 

[Whyachi]

What else do we have going on right now?

Hoping the Bulls want to start a tank? A one year rental for Vucevic, with an All-In effort to convince him Portland is a terrific place to continue his career, is a slight upgrade over Nurkic. Hopefully the Bulls don't demand the #3 pick for this deal. I believe there's another Bull, decent bench guy, that Portland was rumorly interested in.

 

[BIG Q]

Regarding Ayton, I have lived in Tempe for 20+ years now. I know one of the radio talkers here and a sports tv reporter. Both have spoken privately and publicly about Ayton. The first issue is he sees himself as a star. A number one option like Embed/Jokic. He thinks the ball should be forced into him despite the fact he was surrounded by Booker, Paul, Bridges and a good shooting Cam Johnson. Second is he is addicted to video games. To the point he does not get proper rest/sleep. I am not sure if that habit has been broken, but as ridiculous as it sounds, it is/was true. Third, he and Monty Williams did not like each other for various reasons and Aytons fall back was to be a petulant child. It cost the Suns 30 point blow out losses in game six the past two playoffs. These are not my opinions, they are what have been reported here and conversations I have had with people around the Suns. Now, it seems the Suns are trying to determine if the new coach can get through to Ayton that with Booker and Durant, he is a third option. If not, they will trade him, and the return they want is very good veteran bench players. They want the depth they lost in the Durant deal. They were talking about Lillard on the local talker yesterday, but that is pie in the sky stuff centered around Ayton. Anything with Ayton is based on him accepting his role. Would he better as a veteran on a young, rebuilding team? I have no idea. Has he kicked the video habit? I have no idea. Will he continue to be a petulant child if he disagrees with the coach? Again, I have no idea.

Also. the season Ayton miss 35 games, 30 were a suspension for violating the banned substances policy. I have never heard what the substance was. There was speculation of the usual weed, molly or steroids. The other five, he rolled his ankle right after coming off of suspension. He did miss time catching covid also. He has not had a bad, severe or chronic issue. Not Oden/Roy like.

I know Ayton has a daughter now so there is talk of maturing, him, not her. But I hope she is maturing too.

Just posting these here as they are more relevant to this discussion. We went on a tangent in another thread.

 

[wizenheimer]

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

 

[SwissBlazer]

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

Nurk + Little work on Fanspo

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Hoping the Bulls want to start a tank? A one year rental for Vucevic, with an All-In effort to convince him Portland is a terrific place to continue his career, is a slight upgrade over Nurkic. Hopefully the Bulls don't demand the #3 pick for this deal. I believe there's another Bull, decent bench guy, that Portland was rumorly interested in.

Yuck. You want to get way worse defensively?

 

[BIG Q]

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.