Honestly, I haven't seen NY legit reports that anybody much better was available.
Maybe I just missed it... But we got about what I expected from those contracts.
I've been paying attention and I've only seen 'reports' of two offered alternative trades, both for CJ:
*
Atlanta - Gallinari + filler + a future protected 1st
*
Dallas - Powell + Kleber + future protected 1st
*
Pelicans - Hart + Louzada + 21M TPE + 3.3M TPE + future protected 1st
comparing what Blazers got to what was offered looks like the Blazers got the best return, especially considering it took a perfect storm of unfavorable circumstances to screw the Blazers out of the 11th pick
a lot of people don't accept that though and seem convinced that Cronin was stupid and refused better offers and/or missed better opportunities
I think Norm Powell's contract had negative value, and Nance's injury history left him with almost no positive value as an expiring
personally, I think Cronin might have been able to get a little better draft package from the Pels. Maybe the better of the Pels or Laker picks, both top-4 protected. Of course if he would have accomplished that only to see the Lakers leap-frog into the top-4, the same people calling Cronin stupid now, would be calling him stupid after the lottery
I remain convinced that Cronin was operating under some fairly specific trade deadline instructions from the Vulcans. Those were:
* dismantle the dead-end roster
* get under the tax
* significantly cut future payroll obligations
it may even have included a demand to trade CJ and Powell no matter what. If all that's true, considering what Cronin did at the trade deadline it's no surprise he got the GM job