Taurean Prince? Rumor (2 Viewers)

[hoopsjock]

Definitely has more potential. He's been really hard to figure out. Basic stats look decent but his advanced stats look terrible. Should be a great defender but hasn't been. Is that a product of his environment? Lots of questions.

Turner, Leonard, a 1st, and 2nd(s) for Prince, Lin, and Dedmon would be a great trade. I don't think Atlanta would take that though, and I don't know if I'd give up more. Lin could replace Turner's playmaker role but then we'd need to trade Curry somewhere because Lin would take his minutes. We'd have even more of a logjam with this roster:

Lillard (36) / Lin (12) / Curry
McCollum (35) / Lin (13) / Stauskas
Prince (28) / Harkless (20) / Layman
Aminu (28) / Collins (20)
Nurkic (28) / Dedmon (20)

If Prince turned into a DeMarre Carroll type player his good year with the Hawks I think he'd be perfect in this system. I don't see why he couldn't become that. The Hawks probably wouldn't do the trade you suggested but why not just go after Lin and Prince and run a 2nd unit of Lin, Curry, Layman, Harkless, Collins?

 

[KingSpeed]

Good. We need vets, especially in the playoffs.

Dame and Meyers ARE vets. Turner too.

 

[BonesJones]

Getting Prince open up Dame and CJ due to Prince will make teams pay. Teams will have to account for him on the floor. Prince is a 43 percent shooter 36 from the 3 and can score at 3 level.

So he's as efficient as Aminu, yet nobody says "Aminu will make teams pay and open things up".

 

[BonesJones]

Dame and Meyers ARE vets. Turner too.

He means vets that are older than 30.

 

[BonesJones]

If Prince turned into a DeMarre Carroll type player his good year with the Hawks I think he'd be perfect in this system. I don't see why he couldn't become that. The Hawks probably wouldn't do the trade you suggested but why not just go after Lin and Prince and run a 2nd unit of Lin, Curry, Layman, Harkless, Collins?

Yeah, that's better, Dedmon for Meyers just saved salary. Maybe Dedmon to Washington for their John Wall Injured Player Exception? They can get rid of Dwights broke down ass and run Bryant/Dedmon.

 

[BBert]

What I like about Prince is he's the kind of long athletic wing that kills us. Then we'd have 3: Aminu, Jake, and Prince, and to some degree Harkless, when healthy.

 

[jlprk]

In 602 minutes this season, Prince has made 51 3-pointers.
In 627 minutes this season, Blazer Seth Curry has made 50 3-pointers.
The difference? Prince has shot .367, Curry .490.

 

[Scalma]

In 602 minutes this season, Prince has made 51 3-pointers.
In 627 minutes this season, Blazer Seth Curry has made 50 3-pointers.
The difference? Prince has shot .367, Curry .490.

Is there something that would preclude them from playing together?

 

[LayneStaley]

I feel like we can do better.

 

[oldmangrouch]

In 602 minutes this season, Prince has made 51 3-pointers.
In 627 minutes this season, Blazer Seth Curry has made 50 3-pointers.
The difference? Prince has shot .367, Curry .490.

Not to be snarky - but so what? The reason you bring in Prince (who isn't a "needle mover") is to replace a broken down Harkless. Curry's role doesn't change.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Not to be snarky - but so what? The reason you bring in Prince (who isn't a "needle mover") is to replace a broken down Harkless. Curry's role doesn't change.

Not if you pick up Lin as well, which is part of the rumor.

 

[Scalma]

Not if you pick up Lin as well, which is part of the rumor.

Lin can play with Curry on the second unit. It’s not like Stauskas is a good defender either. Trade Leonard, Baldwin, Trent, and our pick for Lin and Prince. Use the open roster spot on a buyout guy, maybe a big.

Dame
CJ
Prince
Aminu
Nurkic

Lin
Curry
Turner
Layman/Harkless
Collins

 

[BonesJones]

Lin can play with Curry on the second unit. It’s not like Stauskas is a good defender either. Trade Leonard, Baldwin, Trent, and our pick for Lin and Prince. Use the open roster spot on a buyout guy, maybe a big.

Dame
CJ
Prince
Aminu
Nurkic

Lin
Curry
Turner
Layman/Harkless
Collins

Lin is too good to play less than 20mpg. Cont see how itd work, since you'd have about 5 guard minutes left over for Curry.

 

[hoopsjock]

So he's as efficient as Aminu, yet nobody says "Aminu will make teams pay and open things up".

I still think a guy like Prince would see a bump in efficiency playing on a good team like Portland, much like Harkless and Aminu did.

 

[LayneStaley]

The funny thing is I’ve never been a Lin guy but he just seems like an instant crowd favorite in pdx to me. He’s a bit underrated, a solid 3rd guard imo. I guess if you need playmaking you go with Lin that night, if it’s scoring you go Curry?

 

[Scalma]

I still think a guy like Prince would see a bump in efficiency playing on a good team like Portland, much like Harkless and Aminu did.

Prince has been above 42% in catch and shoot threes since last season. Aminu hasn’t gotten close to 40% since he’s been in Portland. Teams wouldn’t leave Prince on an island like they do Aminu. Those percentages are probably one of the main reasons Portland is interested in him. We’ve been dying for a proper wing with a reliable spot up shot.

 

[BonesJones]

The funny thing is I’ve never been a Lin guy but he just seems like an instant crowd favorite in pdx to me. He’s a bit underrated, a solid 3rd guard imo. I guess if you need playmaking you go with Lin that night, if it’s scoring you go Curry?

Lin's a really good scorer too.

 

[jlprk]

Is there something that would preclude them from playing together?

Not to be snarky - but so what? The reason you bring in Prince (who isn't a "needle mover") is to replace a broken down Harkless. Curry's role doesn't change.

I was just running my eyes through stats and noticed the coincidence. You guys sure do look for underhanded motives.

 

[Scalma]

For the record, I don’t actually believe Portland is interested in Lin. They may have checked in, but that’s more of a move you make if you don’t think you’re going to make the playoffs, and wanted to dump a contract. Considering where the Blazers are in the standings, their upcoming schedule, and the uncertainty surrounding Harkless, I think it’s more likely they use their pick to land a wing.

Is Prince worth a late first? I don’t know, seems like an overpay, but I could see the teams thinking if they really believed they could get more out of him in Portland. It’d also make sense because they wouldn’t have to send any of their rotation players the other way to match salaries, as they would with a lot of other options. They could just waive or find someone to take on Baldwin. Yes they’ll take a luxury tax hit, but their core would also remain untouched.

But before making that offer, I’d at least ask Atlanta if they wanted to do something like Dedmon and Prince for Meyers, Baldwin or Trent, and our pick.

 

[RR7]

For the record, I don’t actually believe Portland is interested in Lin. They may have checked in, but that’s more of a move you make if you don’t think you’re going to make the playoffs, and wanted to dump a contract. Considering where the Blazers are in the standings, their upcoming schedule, and the uncertainty surrounding Harkless, I think it’s more likely they use their pick to land a wing.

Is Prince worth a late first? I don’t know, seems like an overpay, but I could see the teams thinking if they really believed they could get more out of him in Portland. It’d also make sense because they wouldn’t have to send any of their rotation players the other way to match salaries, as they would with a lot of other options. They could just waive or find someone to take on Baldwin. Yes they’ll take a luxury tax hit, but their core would also remain untouched.

But before making that offer, I’d at least ask Atlanta if they wanted to do something like Dedmon and Prince for Meyers, Baldwin or Trent, and our pick.

I do think the wing upgrade makes more sense. Or wing depth, with Harkless' uncertainty game to game. I just wonder if Lin was a tack on for salary purposes more than a player whose services we were actually interested in. Not that he's worthless or anything, just not the spot we necessarily need.

I've also really liked the way Layman has been playing lately. Not that he's a reason you don't look to upgrade, but is Prince one?

I'm all for trading our 1st this season. I mentioned before we have intriguing youth in Collins, Simons and Trent we could be developing, it's not like we're an aging club. So I want that 1st dangled out there.

I'm basically just talking in circles at this point. I like adding Prince, enough. If it's a TPE and a 1st for Prince, it seems like you're then packing in a lot of bodies.

Lillard/Turner
CJ/Curry
Prince/Harkless/Layman
Aminu/Collins
Nurk/Leonard

And it's a lot of mediocre bodies at the SF position, with none being head and shoulders above the other.

Now, if it's Turner and 1st for Lin and Prince, that balances things a bit better, and is a big $$ saver. As dumb as it is when saving that much $$, I do still worry about losing Turner's defense off the bench, in replace of adding Lin to the rotation. Is your bench 4 in the playoffs Lin, Curry, Collins Layman? With Harkless injured, and Prince starting. Is that any better than we are now?

 

[RR7]

Sorry for rambling and going nowhere with all of that

 

[Scalma]

To expand on Princes catch and shoot abilities, he ranks in the 90th percentile in corner threes since last season. That kind of consistency would be game changing for Portland’s offense. I totally see why Portland would be interested in him, just not sure what it would cost.

 

[DollaBel]

I’m totally here for this. Prince seems like the absolute perfect type of player who would excel in a good situation. We are a good situation, I have no doubt he’d be even better playing in our team. Lin off the bench would be incredile too but that just me being greedy.

 

[Scalma]

I do think the wing upgrade makes more sense. Or wing depth, with Harkless' uncertainty game to game. I just wonder if Lin was a tack on for salary purposes more than a player whose services we were actually interested in. Not that he's worthless or anything, just not the spot we necessarily need.

I've also really liked the way Layman has been playing lately. Not that he's a reason you don't look to upgrade, but is Prince one?

I'm all for trading our 1st this season. I mentioned before we have intriguing youth in Collins, Simons and Trent we could be developing, it's not like we're an aging club. So I want that 1st dangled out there.

I'm basically just talking in circles at this point. I like adding Prince, enough. If it's a TPE and a 1st for Prince, it seems like you're then packing in a lot of bodies.

Lillard/Turner
CJ/Curry
Prince/Harkless/Layman
Aminu/Collins
Nurk/Leonard

And it's a lot of mediocre bodies at the SF position, with none being head and shoulders above the other.

Now, if it's Turner and 1st for Lin and Prince, that balances things a bit better, and is a big $$ saver. As dumb as it is when saving that much $$, I do still worry about losing Turner's defense off the bench, in replace of adding Lin to the rotation. Is your bench 4 in the playoffs Lin, Curry, Collins Layman? With Harkless injured, and Prince starting. Is that any better than we are now?

Yeah I mean ideally we’d dump Turner, but it feels like he’s too important (in the teams eyes not mine) to what they’re doing.

Best case scenario would be if we were able to dump Meyers while adding Dedmon and Prince. Just not sure our pick, plus someone like Trent or Baldwin, would be enough to entice Atlanta. But imagine this playoff rotation anyway:

Dame
CJ
Prince
Aminu
Nurkic

Curry
Turner
Layman or Moe
Collins
Dedmon

Not only is that an upgrade over what we have now, we also set ourselves up nicely for the summer.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Probably the wrong place for this, but it's what people are talking about....

Suppose you are willing to trade our 1st rounder. When is the best time to do that? Now? At the deadline? At the draft?

Just seems like at the draft is the best, so we'd have to get something really good back....

Like Dedmon + Prince for ET, WB, and pick.

 

[Scalma]

Probably the wrong place for this, but it's what people are talking about....

Suppose you are willing to trade our 1st rounder. When is the best time to do that? Now? At the deadline? At the draft?

Just seems like at the draft is the best, so we'd have to get something really good back....

Like Dedmon + Prince for ET, WB, and pick.

Dedmon is a free agent this summer. Same with Lin.

Best time to trade it is probably the offseason, but if Prince is available, I’d pull the trigger now. Were not going to find much better without putting better assets on the table.

 

[wizenheimer]

I still think a guy like Prince would see a bump in efficiency playing on a good team like Portland, much like Harkless and Aminu did.

Aminu hasn't really seen much of a bump in efficiency. His numbers this year are way up, but it's his 4th season in Portland and it may not last.

Harkless has increased efficiency; his usage may be down slightly but his TS% is way up over his early years. But I'd wonder how much of that was due to maturation vs system. Little of both?

I remember a lot of people predicting that Stauskas was going to get a significant bump in the Stotts system. For the most part no, but he has increased a little while upping his usage so, kind of a mixed bag there. He's also a pretty limited player; but a better passer than I thought

Prince? Maybe. And the possibility of it may be worth a risk. Is it worth a lightly protected future 1st since apparently, the Atlanta GM doesn't want any more 2019 draft picks? And would a team searching for a new owner trade away a future 1st?

 

[BBert]

For the record, I don’t actually believe Portland is interested in Lin. They may have checked in, but that’s more of a move you make if you don’t think you’re going to make the playoffs, and wanted to dump a contract. Considering where the Blazers are in the standings, their upcoming schedule, and the uncertainty surrounding Harkless, I think it’s more likely they use their pick to land a wing.

Is Prince worth a late first? I don’t know, seems like an overpay, but I could see the teams thinking if they really believed they could get more out of him in Portland. It’d also make sense because they wouldn’t have to send any of their rotation players the other way to match salaries, as they would with a lot of other options. They could just waive or find someone to take on Baldwin. Yes they’ll take a luxury tax hit, but their core would also remain untouched.

But before making that offer, I’d at least ask Atlanta if they wanted to do something like Dedmon and Prince for Meyers, Baldwin or Trent, and our pick.

Personally I would dump Swanigan or Trent to free up a roster spot before Baldwin, who I see as point guard insurance and a more valuable defender than the other two.

 

[hoopsjock]

Personally I would dump Swanigan or Trent to free up a roster spot before Baldwin, who I see as point guard insurance and a more valuable defender than the other two.

Trent and Swanigan for Prince! Too good to be true most likely.

 

[Scalma]

Personally I would dump Swanigan or Trent to free up a roster spot before Baldwin, who I see as point guard insurance and a more valuable defender than the other two.

Im just going to assume Swanigan has zero trade value, but yes I would trade him first.