Ric Bucher Says Portland Is The Best Destination For LeBron This Summer

[Pinwheel1]

We dont have to dump a good player to get him.

That's what I am saying.

 

[TBpup]

I disagree. Dame and CJ have shown to be able to play just as well off the ball as on. LeBron attacking with those two on the wings would be perfect, and Bucher said as much. Portland is the Best fit because it's ball-dominant guards are able and willing to play off the ball. Harden and Paul are meh in that regard. Lonzo? Probably not. We have better shooting than the Lakers, amd Lonzo is horrible of the ball. They have ball dominant players that struggle to play off the ball. (Ingram, Ball, Randle).

Us with LeBron is just as good as Houston with LeBron. We're a better fit.

Even if we agree on 'fit', the Lakers will have room to ad two very large contracts this summer while Portland will be fighting the Luxury Tax. Just don't see it happening unless LeBron ABSOLUTELY wanted to come here for either very little money or somehow convinced CLE of a S&T in which they take back some bad contracts. Seems unlikely.

 

[BonesJones]

Even if we agree on 'fit', the Lakers will have room to ad two very large contracts this summer while Portland will be fighting the Luxury Tax. Just don't see it happening unless LeBron ABSOLUTELY wanted to come here for either very little money or somehow convinced CLE of a S&T in which they take back some bad contracts. Seems unlikely.

We're not talking likeliness were talking about best fit that could actually be possible. Blazers with LeBron is better than the Lakers with LeBron and PG.

 

[MARIS61]

I would have to take a hiatus from Blazers fandom if they signed him.

 

[MARIS61]

I think we have a good chance at getting Leonard this summer.

 

[Eastoff]

I think we have a good chance at getting rid of Leonard this summer.

FTFY

 

[tester551]

I think we have a good chance at getting Leonard this summer.

We already have Leonard.

Seriously - Why do you think we'd have a chance at Kawhi? I'd love it, but I don't think spurs trade him.

 

[Scalma]

Lebron has no intentions on going to a team who has to dump one of their few good players to get him.
He will go to a team who has a roster who can help him compete. cJ ain't going to Cleveland.

Lol exactly. Since we won’t have cap space we couldn’t even have a Chris Paul scenario where he theoretically forces his way to Portland. Cleveland’s not going to take on Evan Turner or any of our other shit contracts. The pick it comes with isn’t worth the financial commitment.

 

[BonesJones]

Lol exactly. Since we won’t have cap space we couldn’t even have a Chris Paul scenario where he theoretically forces his way to Portland. Cleveland’s not going to take on Evan Turner or any of our other shit contracts. The pick it comes with isn’t worth the financial commitment.

Huh? Chris Paul opted in and got his contract traded. All we'd have to do would be to get close enough in terms of outgoinging and incoming salary.. cap doesn't play a factor.

We could also sign-and-trade for him, which is more tricky but possible.

 

[Scalma]

The only way Lebron comes to Portland is if he wants to play with Lillard.

I think our current roster minus CJ is still a better option than Cleveland for Lebron.

It’s not a better option than Houston though.

 

[BonesJones]

I would have to take a hiatus from Blazers fandom if they signed him.

Lmao.. what is wrong with this man? You'd hate if we got the best player alive?

 

[BonesJones]

The only way Lebron comes to Portland is if he wants to play with Lillard.

I think our current roster minus CJ is still a better option than Cleveland for Lebron.

It’s not a better option than Houston though.

We wouldn't have to read ego, and Houston doesn't have the picks or young players to get a deal done, and they probably won't be able to clear the cap space.

 

[Scalma]

Huh? Chris Paul opted in and got his contract traded. All we'd have to do would be to get close enough in terms of outgoinging and incoming salary.. cap doesn't play a factor.

We could also sign-and-trade for him, which is more tricky but possible.

He opted in because he told LA he’s leaving, so they got something for him. Portland dumping a bunch of shit contracts and a late first isn’t going to interest Cleveland.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Huh? Chris Paul opted in and got his contract traded. All we'd have to do would be to get close enough in terms of outgoinging and incoming salary.. cap doesn't play a factor.

We could also sign-and-trade for him, which is more tricky but possible.

Given the choice between trading for two of our bad contacts or losing Lebron for nothing, I'd think they'd choose the latter. Do you really think 2 picks would be enough to justify saddling a team with Turner and Harkless?

 

[SportsAndWhine]

We wouldn't even need to trade CJ to make it happen. Turner, Harkless, and a combination of 2 or 3 firsts would probably make sense for Cleveland. Or Harkless, Aminu, Leonard, filler, and picks. We have all our picks, and could even take back a bad contract with our TPE to add a pick somewhere along the line.

Basically, we wouldn't need cap space. Wed need to be under the tax to make a sign-and-trade happen but that's definitely possible.

Turner, Meyers, and Aminu almost perfectly equal LeBron's salary. Keep Harkless as our starting SF. Hell, start ME at SF. Who gives a fuck. After the year, he either stays for another championship, or we suddenly have $36 million in cap space freed up.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The only way Lebron comes to Portland is if he wants to play with Lillard.

I think our current roster minus CJ is still a better option than Cleveland for Lebron.

It’s not a better option than Houston though.

I agree with this. CJ plus Swanigan for Lebron on an opt-in and trade deal would be great...if Lebron wanted to come here. We could also conceivably offer Harkless for Clarkson to balance their roster (and ours).

 

[Sarni]

We wouldn't even need to trade CJ to make it happen. Turner, Harkless, and a combination of 2 or 3 firsts would probably make sense for Cleveland. Or Harkless, Aminu, Leonard, filler, and picks. We have all our picks, and could even take back a bad contract with our TPE to add a pick somewhere along the line.

Basically, we wouldn't need cap space. Wed need to be under the tax to make a sign-and-trade happen but that's definitely possible.

How would that make sense for Cleveland? They are much better off letting him go for nothing than paying obscene luxury taxes to keep Turner and Harkless.

 

[Sarni]

Turner, Meyers, and Aminu almost perfectly equal LeBron's salary. Keep Harkless as our starting SF. Hell, start ME at SF. Who gives a fuck. After the year, he either stays for another championship, or we suddenly have $36 million in cap space freed up.

Sign-and-trade does not work like that. You cannot send the other team whatever shit you want to dump on them, they need to accept the deal. Who in their right mind agrees to take Meyers and Turner and pay luxury taxes to keep them around?

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Sign-and-trade does not work like that. You cannot send the other team whatever shit you want to dump on them, they need to accept the deal. Who in their right mind agrees to take Meyers and Turner and pay luxury taxes to keep them around?

A team that has a player with a Player Option in their last year who says "I could opt in if you trade me to Portland and you get some assets to tank with or you get nothing and I go UFA"?

Aminu and Turner aren't horrible; besides w'ere already in fantasy land by even reading this thread.

 

[Scalma]

I agree with this. CJ plus Swanigan for Lebron on an opt-in and trade deal would be great...if Lebron wanted to come here. We could also conceivably offer Harkless for Clarkson to balance their roster (and ours).

And you know if we got Lebron we’d be able to fill the roster with good players taking discounts. We could probably get Will Barton for the tax MLE.

Dame
Barton
Lebron
Collins/Aminu
Nurkic

Yessss

 

[BonesJones]

He opted in because he told LA he’s leaving, so they got something for him. Portland dumping a bunch of shit contracts and a late first isn’t going to interest Cleveland.

Harkless, Aminu, Leonard, and a combination or up to 3 firsts and Collins wouldn't interest CLE huh?

 

[Scalma]

Harkless, Aminu, Leonard, and a combination or up to 3 firsts and Collins wouldn't interest CLE huh?

Nope.

 

[riverman]

I don't think this would work. He'd take shots away from guys like Aminu and Harkless.

best post maybe ever!

 

[Scalma]

He’s coming.

 

[BonesJones]

Nope.

You're wrong, then. You really don't think a team would rather have that instea did absolutely nothing?

 

[BonesJones]

Given the choice between trading for two of our bad contacts or losing Lebron for nothing, I'd think they'd choose the latter. Do you really think 2 picks would be enough to justify saddling a team with Turner and Harkless?

3 picks plus Collins, maybe. Harkless isn't a bad contract. He wouldn't matter either way. You could do Aminu, Harkless, and Leonard and get close. That's basically Leonard and 3 1sts. They'd definitely do that.

 

[BonesJones]

Sign-and-trade does not work like that. You cannot send the other team whatever shit you want to dump on them, they need to accept the deal. Who in their right mind agrees to take Meyers and Turner and pay luxury taxes to keep them around?

No shit.

I think they'd consider it for 3 firsts, but it's be an either/or type of thing. Look at the proposal above, they definitely do that.

 

[Scalma]

You're wrong, then. You really don't think a team would rather have that instea did absolutely nothing?

I’m not wrong. A rebuilding team isn’t going to pay luxury tax for those garbage contracts. Everyone’s trying to dump money, good players are going for second rounders, but we’re going to get someone to take on our bad contracts, for LEBRON JAMES??

I’ll eat my head if that happens.

 

[H.C.]

So wait...
It's been said by some of you the only way for Portland to get rid of Nards or ET is if Portland were to attach a 1st rounder to them.
But now all of a sudden that LBJ would be returning for those 1st rounders, suddenly it becomes impossible.

If LBJ wants out and says trade me to Portland less I walk for nothing.
Portland has no incentive to ad CJ, Nurk, or Lillard if this were to happen.
There is no chance CLE doesn't at least consider 3 first rounders as valuable compensation.
Either way if something like this happens to get a return on LBJ they'll have to take $$ back.

You can say it's not going to happen. That lbj is going to pick a team with max money available, and that's fine.
But to all of a sudden say 3 first rounders isn't valuable compensation for a team that would have to take money back anyway is just... wrong.

 

[BonesJones]

I’m not wrong. A rebuilding team isn’t going to pay luxury tax for those garbage contracts. Everyone’s trying to dump money, good players are going for second rounders, but we’re going to get someone to take on our bad contracts, for LEBRON JAMES??

I’ll eat my head if that happens.

It's not a normal trade. If he's going to leave, he has basically no trade value for them. So it's what theyd get vs. nothing, not what they'd get vs. LeBron.

Guess what though dude. If LeBron leaves, they'd have approximately $102M in salary, which only Hood to resign (he'll) get $13M per year in my opinion.

But you could easily figure out a way around it.

For example:
NYK Gets: Harkless, Aminu, Swanigan
CHI Gets: Leonard, Layman, 2020 POR 1st,
CLE Gets: 2018 POR 1st, 2022 POR 1st
POR Gets: LeBron James

NYK would take Harkless for free and definitely Aminu considering Porzingas could miss part of next season and Beasley might leave.

CHI would take on $10M for the next 2 years in order to add a 1st. That I have no doubts about.

Cleveland stays under the tax, gets something I'm return

We get LBJ.

While it's a 4 team trade, 2 Teams don't send out anything, and a 3rd only sends out a player they'd get nothing for and gets picks back. It gets accepted easily, IMO. Basically, if LeBron wanted to come here, we could find a way to make it happen.