Lottery pick: #6, 2nd Rnd Picks: #36, and #57

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Cugel]

gee thanks dj, never occured to anyone til now

 

[blazerkor]

Jaynes can be a real idiot but even an idiot can get something this obvious right.

I do think that if we do end up with Cronin as the GM that runs this draft that he might doggedly stick with his desire to add a quality rookie and Grant. He could possibly do that by trading our pick back for the Hornets two picks. Trade what will likely be the 13th pick for Grant and then take the BPA with the 15th pick that we lost to them when the Pelicans won.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The frustrating part is there remains no clear plan or direction. No one really knows if they are building around Damian still (i guess they are?),or starting over (they unloaded contracts for young guys and picks so maybe?), or trying to do both? Is it just a retool but at same time get younger? There must be a plan that suddenly unfolds right before our eyes, because as of now I have no idea

My interpretation: they wanted both to slash salary but keep their biggest asset so that the team wouldn't plummet in value for the upcoming sale. Winning is very much a secondary concern.

 

[BonesJones]

Jaynes can be a real idiot but even an idiot can get something this obvious right.

I do think that if we do end up with Cronin as the GM that runs this draft that he might doggedly stick with his desire to add a quality rookie and Grant. He could possibly do that by trading our pick back for the Hornets two picks. Trade what will likely be the 13th pick for Grant and then take the BPA with the 15th pick that we lost to them when the Pelicans won.

I mean, Jaynes is in bed with Olshey so it's no surprise, but he's still right (here, for once).

 

[damianlillard]

Trade #6 and late second round pick for Spurs #9 and #21. Trade #21 with whatever other combination for Grant.
With #9 pick select Eason. If we still have #36 select Orlando Robinson.

 

[TBpup]

There are always players in the 2nd round that contribute. Just have to find them. That is one thing Neil was decent at.

 

[Hoopguru]

There are always players in the 2nd round that contribute. Just have to find them. That is one thing Neil was decent at.

He was decent at it, but you wont find many in here to acknowledge it.

 

[Mediocre Man]

There are always players in the 2nd round that contribute. Just have to find them. That is one thing Neil was decent at.

Joe Cronin

Promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2021, Joe Cronin manages the team's Salary Cap and oversees its amateur and professional scouting. An important part of the team's player evaluation, roster construction and strategic planning process, Cronin is active in the NBA Draft, trades and free agency.

Was it Neil?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

He was decent at it, but you wont find many in here to acknowledge it.

I think that's one thing most in here would agree on.

 

[e_blazer]

Bobby Marks has a good article on the Blazers' upcoming offseason rebuild. He sees the Blazers as nixing any play at creating cap space to go after free agents since it's such a limited class and because most of the good FAs will simply re-sign with their own teams anyway. He sees the primary needs as starting PF, C and bench depth. To address those needs, the Blazers have:

• The draft: 3 picks, including one in the lottery
  
  
• Own free agents: Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic
  
  
• Cap flexibility: The possibility to create up to $35 million
  
  
• $20.9 million trade exception if room is not used
  
  
• Exceptions: $10.3 million midlevel and $4.1 million biannual
  
  
• Cash: $6.3 million to send or receive in a trade
  

Here's the Blazers' cap situation:

Portland Trail Blazers 2022-23 Salary Breakdown
PLAYER CAP CHANGE
1. Damian Lillard $42,492,492
2. Nassir Little $4,171,548
3. Justise Winslow $4,097,561
4. Keon Johnson $2,681,040
5. Didi Louzada $1,876,222
6. Greg Brown $1,563,518
7. Trendon Watford $1,563,518
8. Eric Bledsoe $19,375,000 (partial guarantee)
9. Josh Hart $12,960,000 (non-guaranteed)
10. Jusuf Nurkic $19,875,000 (free agent hold)
11. Joe Ingles $16,295,456 (free agent hold)
12. Anfernee Simons $11,816,454 (free agent hold)
13. Elijah Hughes $2,011,516 (free agent hold)
14. CJ Elleby $2,011,516 (free agent hold)
15. Ben McLemore $1,811,516 (free agent hold)
16. Keljin Blevins $1,616,044 (free agent hold)
17. First-rounder (own) $6,498,600 (draft hold)
-- Andrew Nicholson $2,844,429 (dead cap hit)
Guaranteed salary $68.8M
Dead money $2.8M
Non-guaranteed $28.4M
Free-agent hold $55.4M
Total salaries on cap $155.6M
2022-23 NBA SALARY CAP $122M
2022-23 NBA LUXURY TAX LINE $147M

 

[oldmangrouch]

He was decent at it, but you wont find many in here to acknowledge it.

Which makes it all the more ironic he traded them away like they were worthless.

 

[wizenheimer]

I think that's one thing most in here would agree on.

I detested Olshey but I gave him credit for 3 things, many times:

* finding value in the 2nd round, mainly with guards
* finding value in the bargain bin and thru dumpster diving
* assembling rosters of solid citizens and great guys. I don't even remember any Blazer getting a speeding ticket in the Olshey era

 

[LayneStaley]

It seems like we are fucked unless we jump up in the lottery and grab one of those bigs. I just don’t see any other way that we are better than a 6 seed next season and we coulda been that without any trades.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Joe Cronin

Promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2021, Joe Cronin manages the team's Salary Cap and oversees its amateur and professional scouting. An important part of the team's player evaluation, roster construction and strategic planning process, Cronin is active in the NBA Draft, trades and free agency.

Was it Neil?

I've always had a feeling, and that's all it is, that Neil let his scouts and underlings pick the second round guy while he made the final selection on first round picks. I guess I will never believe that the same guy who picked Gary Trent and Connaughton and Will Barton also picked Caleb Swanigan.

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

The Blazers have been fundamentally flawed since LMA left. RoLo, LMA, Batum, Matthews, Dame. A nice balance but LMexit, Wesley's Achilles, Batum's inconsistency ... and CJ emerging. Since then, there's been no elite, excellent, or even top 10 at his position forward on the Blazers. And with a lack of size at SG ... it made the average-ish, borderline starters at forward stand out. RoCo underachieved with the Blazers.

The Blazers can draft a high level forward (just maybe not an all star). Get lucky with a PF in the top 4, a high floor with Murray, or get a swing in Griffin, Sharpe, or Mathurin. In other words, get lucky AND choose wisely. Dame got a persistent injury fixed. Good. Simons looks a leap forward. Hart is as good or better than his numbers and shouldn't have to play SF or PF anymore. This offseason is HUGE. Who falls in the playoffs may help on that front with it's easier for Portland to trade (or sign and trade) than bid for free agents in a not stellar class. I really like this offseason and how the roster can actually and finally get balanced. I had hoped one of the forward spots could've been addressed by trading CJ. Didn't happen ... but with his exit, maybe just maybe.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Guess I'm not as doom and gloom as others here. Surprisingly.

While we didn't get a late lotto which hurts, the Milwaukee pick is still an asset, as well as 2 2nd rounders. If our pick gets into the top 3, keep it and go for one of the bigs. If not, see if you can turn it into Pascal Siakam. It's looking like the Raps are going to have to move him if they want to move forward. Ben Simmons is also another possibility. If the pick can't fetch that, you take the best talent possible. A small forward or power forward.

If Detroit doesn't want Grant anymore and want to be rewarded for his services without taking back salary, the Bucks pick and the second rounders still make sense for Detroit.

PG - Dame/Hart
SG - Simons/Hart
SF - Little, lotto pick?, Winslow
PF - Lotto pick, Grant/Siakam/Simmons?, Winslow, Watford
C - Nurk, ?, Watford, Eubanks

There's a lot to like here in the new Chauncey system to be honest. We'll play as a sum of all parts like we did with no Dame, CJ or Norm and we'll succeed.

Let's hope to the basketball gods we get a top 3 pick. If not, let's hope for some humiliating playoff losses for teams who have power forwards.

 

[blazerkor]

Guess I'm not as doom and gloom as others here. Surprisingly.

While we didn't get a late lotto which hurts, the Milwaukee pick is still an asset, as well as 2 2nd rounders. If our pick gets into the top 3, keep it and go for one of the bigs. If not, see if you can turn it into Pascal Siakam. It's looking like the Raps are going to have to move him if they want to move forward. Ben Simmons is also another possibility. If the pick can't fetch that, you take the best talent possible. A small forward or power forward.

If Detroit doesn't want Grant anymore and want to be rewarded for his services without taking back salary, the Bucks pick and the second rounders still make sense for Detroit.

PG - Dame/Hart
SG - Simons/Hart
SF - Little, lotto pick?, Winslow
PF - Lotto pick, Grant/Siakam/Simmons?, Winslow, Watford
C - Nurk, ?, Watford, Eubanks

There's a lot to like here in the new Chauncey system to be honest. We'll play as a sum of all parts like we did with no Dame, CJ or Norm and we'll succeed.

Let's hope to the basketball gods we get a top 3 pick. If not, let's hope for some humiliating playoff losses for teams who have power forwards.

Let's not forget that teams usually allow you to take conditions off of picks for cash or a future second because it means that they get that pick even if something bad happens to your team and it ends up a first pick. So if we want to we can just send that 2025 Detroit second rounder to Chicago and free up our 2025 and 2027 firsts to trade and our 2029 as soon as the new league year starts after the draft. There are still options for ways we could go for it all. It's just trusting the guy that fucked up trading away four of our top 7 for one top 7 guy, a couple scrubs, a 2025 first and a couple seconds, that's a huge problem.

 

[BonesJones]

Guess I'm not as doom and gloom as others here. Surprisingly.

While we didn't get a late lotto which hurts, the Milwaukee pick is still an asset, as well as 2 2nd rounders. If our pick gets into the top 3, keep it and go for one of the bigs. If not, see if you can turn it into Pascal Siakam. It's looking like the Raps are going to have to move him if they want to move forward. Ben Simmons is also another possibility. If the pick can't fetch that, you take the best talent possible. A small forward or power forward.

If Detroit doesn't want Grant anymore and want to be rewarded for his services without taking back salary, the Bucks pick and the second rounders still make sense for Detroit.

PG - Dame/Hart
SG - Simons/Hart
SF - Little, lotto pick?, Winslow
PF - Lotto pick, Grant/Siakam/Simmons?, Winslow, Watford
C - Nurk, ?, Watford, Eubanks

There's a lot to like here in the new Chauncey system to be honest. We'll play as a sum of all parts like we did with no Dame, CJ or Norm and we'll succeed.

Let's hope to the basketball gods we get a top 3 pick. If not, let's hope for some humiliating playoff losses for teams who have power forwards.

Keon makes a lot of sense for them. Count on Keon+MIL 1st.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Keon mLes a lot of sense for them. Count on Keon+MIL 1st.

That wouldn't be a bad price for Grant at all, IMO.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Keon makes a lot of sense for them. Count on Keon+MIL 1st.

Finally listened to (the first third of) your video yesterday about the presumed Grant deal. I'm pretty much on board with your perspective on what the value should be for this deal. I'm disappointed by the notion that we (Sell-Low Joe) would be so locked in on this one specific usage option for the TPE that he wouldn't explore other potential options that might be superior (the unspoken implication in this discussion).

All in all, I agree that if anything more than the MIL pick and an expendable player are sent off for Grant, I'll be diappointed. Again.

 

[Hoopguru]

Finally listened to (the first third of) your video yesterday about the presumed Grant deal. I'm pretty much on board with your perspective on what the value should be for this deal. I'm disappointed by the notion that we (Sell-Low Joe) would be so locked in on this one specific usage option for the TPE that he wouldn't explore other potential options that might be superior (the unspoken implication in this discussion).

All in all, I agree that if anything more than the MIL pick and an expendable player are sent off for Grant, I'll be diappointed. Again.

I would think since the whole world knows Portland is open for business in acquiring front court veteran there would be much activity on the phone for possible trades. Its a basic tactic in the NBA.
I really dont think its Joe being bent on one player but more Joe going after players Chauncey & Dame think can make us better next year.
Any team with say a top 8 pick is going to get numerous offers.

 

[wizenheimer]

Finally listened to (the first third of) your video yesterday about the presumed Grant deal. I'm pretty much on board with your perspective on what the value should be for this deal. I'm disappointed by the notion that we (Sell-Low Joe) would be so locked in on this one specific usage option for the TPE that he wouldn't explore other potential options that might be superior (the unspoken implication in this discussion).

All in all, I agree that if anything more than the MIL pick and an expendable player are sent off for Grant, I'll be diappointed. Again.

yeah, I agree. Ideally it would be the pick + Bledsoe preserving the TPE. But at some point, the capacity of Portland to take on salary will be closed, and that will probably happen after they re-sign Simons and Nurkic. If they've already added 16M in salary in a Bledsoe for Grant exchange, after they re-sign Ant and Nurkic, the Vulcans might easily say enough

the TPE + pick would be OK. Adding Johnson? I guess but I'd like the Blazers to play some hardball. They would already be giving them a 1st and 20M in cap-space

something that really affects the value of the trade for me is what are Grant's expectations and what are Portland's? If Grant would be coming to Portland with the expectations of being a 3rd or 4th option, I think the Blazers would be getting a pretty valuable asset. grant as a 2nd option, not so much

compare his TS% to his usage:



I think the Blazers would have to get the much more efficient Grant to make the deal pay off; especially considering Grant's weakness as a rebounder from the PF position

 

[oldmangrouch]

Sorry to sound like a broken record - but what is it about Grant that makes him such a desirable get? Does he actually "move the needle"?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Sorry to sound like a broken record - but what is it about Grant that makes him such a desirable get? Does he actually "move the needle"?

Dame wants him. That's about it.

 

[Hoopguru]

If the Blazers' pick

Dame wants him. That's about it.

Was the better scenario?
A. Experienced GM Olshey doing what he wants (alone for the most part) that best secures his job, drafting, trading, signing
B. New Unexperienced GM that's publicly stated that he, Chauncey and Dame will build a team that Chauncey wants to coach better address Dame Time. Of which he's in the first stages of doing now.

 

[Hoopguru]

Was the better scenario?
A. Experienced GM Olshey doing what he wants (alone for the most part) that best secures his job, drafting, trading, signing
B. New Unexperienced GM that's publicly stated that he, Chauncey and Dame will build a team that Chauncey wants to coach better address Dame Time. Of which he's in the first stages of doing now.

For me its B even though I have hopes for a new GM & Ownership group. The new owner isn't happening soon however, if at all. Nobody including Clonzano knows!

 

[blazerkor]

For me its B even though I have hopes for a new GM & Ownership group. The new owner isn't happening soon however, if at all. Nobody including Clonzano knows!

I don't have hopes for a new ownership group but would love to see one. This asset just appreciates and makes money, so I don't see them selling it until Jodi is sick or something. I definitely don't see them selling it before the end of the 2024-25 season when the new TV deal is made and the teams in the league take another huge jump in value. Due to that I would still love to see a new GM... obviously with the bullshit trades they've allowed more so from Olshey, this ownership group gives the GM a lot of autonomy so why wouldn't someone want to come into a place where they could convince a bunch of nerds that don't know shit about basketball that their vision is the best way to go.

I still think this job is better than several other GM jobs in the league and I don't think there's actually a bad GM job in the league. It's one of thirty in the world. It's the pinnacle of basketball management, especially when you could either be the GM/President of Basketball Operations or just a GM without a President to report to. I don't see anyone that doesn't already have a GM job turning down this one after what they saw Olshey get away with for a decade unless there really is word out there among those in the know that this team is going to actually be sold really soon and even then someone that doesn't currently have a job as a GM would still probably want the chance to look like the savior of this team and either let that impress new ownership or pad their resume.

 

[Hoopguru]

I don't have hopes for a new ownership group but would love to see one. This asset just appreciates and makes money, so I don't see them selling it until Jodi is sick or something. I definitely don't see them selling it before the end of the 2024-25 season when the new TV deal is made and the teams in the league take another huge jump in value. Due to that I would still love to see a new GM... obviously with the bullshit trades they've allowed more so from Olshey, this ownership group gives the GM a lot of autonomy so why wouldn't someone want to come into a place where they could convince a bunch of nerds that don't know shit about basketball that their vision is the best way to go.

I still think this job is better than several other GM jobs in the league and I don't think there's actually a bad GM job in the league. It's one of thirty in the world. It's the pinnacle of basketball management, especially when you could either be the GM/President of Basketball Operations or just a GM without a President to report to. I don't see anyone that doesn't already have a GM job turning down this one after what they saw Olshey get away with for a decade unless there really is word out there among those in the know that this team is going to actually be sold really soon and even then someone that doesn't currently have a job as a GM would still probably want the chance to look like the savior of this team and either let that impress new ownership or pad their resume.

I agree with this. The franchise really is a golden goose and it wouldn’t be hard to find a new owner.
Im hoping that we hear something soon with respect to the GM position or President. I guess before the draft we should know something.

 

[THE HCP]

Dame wants him. That's about it.

Did Dame mention him?