Trade Deadline: Feb 9 @ 3:00 p.m ET (1 Viewer)

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"The Hornets are discussing center Mason Plumlee and forward Kelly Oubre Jr. in trade conversations, sources say.
Forward Jalen McDaniels continues to be a name several teams like the Suns, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers and Spurs are closely monitoring, but the Hornets value the 6-foot-9 forward whom they have developed over the past four seasons. Teams with interest and cap space this offseason, such as the Jazz, Pacers and Spurs, may opt to wait until free agency to court McDaniels, who will be unrestricted, instead of trading an asset to acquire him now while having to compensate him in July."
All three are unrestricted free agents this summer, that's why I think Blazers can deal with them.
Also:
The Charlotte Hornets are open to moving out of Terry Rozier’s sizable contract as the team continues to restructure.
– via Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report
It looks to me that Rozier is playing better now that Ball is back, supports my theory that he was having a bad year while Ball was out because he had to do too much. he is still only 28 and his two previous years were quite good offensively. Better advanced defensive stats than Simons.
 
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Forward Jalen McDaniels continues to be a name several teams like the Suns, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers and Spurs are closely monitoring, but the Hornets value the 6-foot-9 forward whom they have developed over the past four seasons.
If they value him so much, why is he coming off the bench lately? Not something that would want to make him stay in Charlotte.
 
What all star level player do you have in mind that can be had for a future first. And with Lillard getting on the older side is it smart to trade away any of our future assets?
I didn't say a future first I said future draft assets. I think there are a lot of all stars level players and probably a handful of all nba level players that are available for some package that includes some if not all of our FRPs in 2025, '27 and '29 together with FRP swaps in '24, '26 and '28.

To answer your second question I have no fucking clue why people are asking that shit right now. Dame is obviously one of the handful of the best players in the world right now given his scoring prowess, his ability to set up teammates, his incredible ability to lead others and him playing the best defense we've ever seen out of him. There is no reason to believe that he is going to take a steep decline any time in the two to three seasons after this one. So if we aren't planning on moving him this off season and the stated goal of the team is to be taken as the truth... fuck yes we trade away our entire future to give this team a legit chance to win a championship with Dame. One fucking championship with Dame would be worth a painful period of scraping by after his talent is gone. I know if I could trade being shitty from 2026 to 2030 for one championship or even a couple championship appearances I would in a heartbeat.
 
I will continue to contend that all of our picks after this season (obviously only a swap next season but anything they want to do after that) are and should be in play but only if it guarantees us getting much better. A deal or deals involving guaranteeing our pick to Chicago in the upcoming draft and sending future first round picks out has to get us much closer to contending and guarantee that we'll make the playoffs or in other words get another all star level player on this team with Dame and improve the balance of this roster.

Portland could be guaranteeing a top-10 pick, maybe even higher, with the resultant lottery odds (right now they are tied for 10th in the lottery; and they could be 7th or 8th after the 3 game road trip). It would have to be an extremely good trade before the Blazers do that IMO, and I just don't think have have the ancillary assets to leverage a trade like that

if the Blazers make any moves I expect lateral talent trades with a little better fit and more length. But no trajectory altering deals. And unless it's a much bigger trade, I think if the Blazers trade Hart they will end up a little worse than they currently are
 
Portland could be guaranteeing a top-10 pick, maybe even higher, with the resultant lottery odds (right now they are tied for 10th in the lottery; and they could be 7th or 8th after the 3 game road trip). It would have to be an extremely good trade before the Blazers do that IMO, and I just don't think have have the ancillary assets to leverage a trade like that

if the Blazers make any moves I expect lateral in talent exchanges with a little better fit and more length. But no trajectory altering deals
Yeah, I wouldn't guarantee Chicago the pick unless we are getting Siakam or someone of that level and balancing our roster with player and draft capital movement. That being said, if we're not going out there and getting a guy on that Siakam level along with balancing this roster out, what the fuck are we doing with Dame's prime. There is only one thing for sure, Dame is playing the best ball of his life right now... right fucking now. So right now is the time to try to win with him, if our front office is not lying to us when they state that is the goal of this organization, to win with Dame now.
 
I don't know how reliable Greg Swartz of B/R is, if this article is all his perception or a collective of info the entire B/R team has gleaned and Swartz was just commissioned with writing up but this article shows that at least someone over at Bleacher Report buys into the idea we will be active over the next nine days or so.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-latest-nba-trade-buzz-ahead-of-2023-deadline
 
Yeah, I wouldn't guarantee Chicago the pick unless we are getting Siakam or someone of that level and balancing our roster with player and draft capital movement. That being said, if we're not going out there and getting a guy on that Siakam level along with balancing this roster out, what the fuck are we doing with Dame's prime. There is only one thing for sure, Dame is playing the best ball of his life right now... right fucking now. So right now is the time to try to win with him, if our front office is not lying to us when they state that is the goal of this organization, to win with Dame now.

And we're wanting our front office to not lie to us when they guard twisted ankle updates like they're the fucking nuclear launch codes and require team media to spew unicorns and butt sunshine. I hope Dame buys the team some day......
 
And we're wanting our front office to not lie to us when they guard twisted ankle updates like they're the fucking nuclear launch codes and require team media to spew unicorns and butt sunshine. I hope Dame buys the team some day......
I think there is a huge difference between things like lying about injuries or lying to try to control the day to day media narrative and lying about the overall direction and big picture goals of the organization. Lying about an injury could help the organization, controlling the media narrative could make the day to day easier for people in the organization but lying about where you're trying to go can only cost you your reputation if it becomes obvious that you were lying about it. Telling people white lies to make things a little easier is one thing but telling them you're attempting to head in one direction when you're really not is a lot harder to forgive.

If Joe's personal goal is to hold onto his current position from one day to the next and he has no further career aspirations either long term with this organization or in the NBA as a whole, then lying about the intended direction of this franchise would make sense but if he's living for more than just today and has long term plans of further success then it would be a very foolish thing to make the kind of bold statements he has made about the direction he's attempting to steer this team in, while he has no intention of doing so.
 
What all star level player do you have in mind that can be had for a future first. And with Lillard getting on the older side is it smart to trade away any of our future assets?

No more trading future assets to try and rescue this current roster. Use the pieces available, but we are in this mess in part because of something like 4 1st round picks traded for Cov and Nance, one of which we still owe Chicago. An everyday reminder of how BAD the Valeted One really was.
 
No more trading future assets to try and rescue this current roster. Use the pieces available, but we are in this mess in part because of something like 4 1st round picks traded for Cov and Nance, one of which we still owe Chicago. An everyday reminder of how BAD the Valeted One really was.
I disagree and agree with you. No more using first round picks to upgrade role players but using multiple first round picks in one trade to get a legit second star next to Dame is likely the only way the team can fulfill their stated mission to win now with Dame.
 
I disagree and agree with you. No more using first round picks to upgrade role players but using multiple first round picks in one trade to get a legit second star next to Dame is likely the only way the team can fulfill their stated mission to win now with Dame.

probably....and opportunities like that were available under the previous GM

for instance, he was willing to offer the three 1st round picks in 2017 for Paul George, but held CJ untouchable. Maybe if he hadn't been such a fucking idiot about CJ's value, Portland could have paired Dame and PG13. And if PG13 had still leveraged his way to the Clippers, then Portland could have Dame, SGA, Tre Mann, Jalen Smith (or Jalen Duren), and 4 extra first's and swaps from the Clippers

in other words, it doesn't have be mortgaging your future....not when you actually trade for high level talent instead of below average role players like Afflalo, RoCo, and Nance
 
probably....and opportunities like that were available under the previous GM

for instance, he was willing to offer the three 1st round picks in 2017 for Paul George, but held CJ untouchable. Maybe if he hadn't been such a fucking idiot about CJ's value, Portland could have paired Dame and PG13. And if PG13 had still leveraged his way to the Clippers, then Portland could have Dame, SGA, Tre Mann, Jalen Smith (or Jalen Duren), and 4 extra first's and swaps from the Clippers

in other words, it doesn't have be mortgaging your future....not when you actually trade for high level talent instead of below average role players like Afflalo, RoCo, and Nance
Yeah, I should stop saying mortgaging and start just saying leveraging.
 
It was downright comical watching the Hawks players reaching over the smaller Blazers players and taking all the rebounds away from their fingertips. It reminded me of a pickup game of high schoolers vs. middle schoolers. This team needs height.
 
Michael Scotto: Pascal Siakam is leading the league in minutes per game for the second straight season and averaging career-highs in points (25) and assists (6.3). From talking to executives around the league, they don’t believe he’s going to be traded, unless you overpay and blow Toronto away with a crazy offer.
I believe this is probably true. Why trade him unless you were totally blowing the team up?
I still think a three way netting us Bamba, Rozier, Plumlee and Jalen McDaniels for Nurk and Simons is doable, and since Blazers are not going to blow it up, it's better than nothing..
The only other thing is trying to get Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid from MN, but I rate that improbable.
Damn if we get Bamba, Plumlee (welcome back), Scary Terry, and Jalen McDefense for Nurk and Simons, I’d be elated! That’d be better than just getting Siakam and if we don’t give up Shaedon??? Talk about a deep team!! I’m against tanking if we got all 4 of those guys but of course we won’t. Still…

Dame/GP2
Rozier/Shae
Grant/Hart
McDaniels/Winslow
Plumlee/Bamba

If that team didn’t play great defense, I’d give up. Remember- Rozier led the Celtics to ECF in 2018 when Kyrie was hurt.
 
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Nothing wrong with a mortgage when you’re getting solid value on a property you and think will appreciate.

The problem would be, this would be a 2nd mortgage since we already owe a future 1st for a past trade of a player. So it has less value because we can't put a time stamp on it, thereby diminishing what we can get for it.
 
Damn if we get Bamba, Plumlee (welcome back), Scary Terry, and Jalen McDefense for Nurk and Simons, I’d be elated! That’d be better than just getting Siakam and if we don’t give up Shaedon??? Talk about a deep team!! I’m against tanking if we got all 4 of those guys but of course we won’t. Still…

Dame/GP2
Rozier/Shae
Grant/Hart
McDaniels/Winslow
Plumlee/Bamba

If that team didn’t play great defense, I’d give up. Remember- Rozier led the Celtics to ECF in 2018 when Kyrie was hurt.
Well, I hope it would be doable. Hornets switch out Rozier for a younger, better scoring Simons who would be perfect with the 6'7" Ball. Nurk might be the kind of traditional center that Jordan would like, Plumlee, McDaniels and Oubre (who would be going to Orlando for Bamba) are all expiring.
Portland would need some assurance from McDaniel's agent that he would be open to signing with us long term. If Plumlee and Bamba could split time about 50/50, and that worked out well, then maybe could sign Plumlee to a vets minimum. As for your lineups, I think Eubanks could also play some PF. And you are right, Rozier had two really good years before struggling this year, much better advanced defensive stats than Simons.
 
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/2/1/23580716/nba-trade-deadline-damian-lillard-blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are just two games back from the no. 6 seed in the West—and a guaranteed playoff spot—and just two games away from the sixth-worst record—and higher lottery odds. In other words, they’re once again stuck in the middle. Same as it’s always been.

But rather than blow their core up and gamble in the draft lottery, a recent report by Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes says Portland general manager Joe Cronin remains committed to building a contender around Damian Lillard, who is averaging 30.4 points on career-best scoring efficiency. But Dame still needs more help around him. At 24-26, with the fifth-worst defense in the league, the Blazers currently don’t even qualify for the play-in tournament.

A few days before Haynes’s report on the Blazers, I tweeted a poll asking what the Blazers should do: blow it up, stand pat, buy, or sell. More than 50 percent of over 18,000 respondents said Dame should be dealt:

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Years ago, before the draft lottery changed to flatten the best odds, I would have voted for the Blazers to blow it up and rebuild too. But the rules have changed. In all four drafts with the new odds, at least one team with the seventh-to-11th-best odds has moved into the top four. Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson might headline a strong 2023 draft class, but it’s so deep that the Blazers could add a talented player in the late lottery (preferably a versatile wing) if they happen to miss the playoffs. Even if the best prize is still at the top of the draft, teams don’t necessarily need to tear down to build back up.

Is Scottie Barnes Ready to Spread His (Big) Wings?[/paste:font]
I voted that Portland should buy and do what it can to win with Dame. The championship race is as open as it has been since Lillard became one of the NBA’s premier guards. There’s no super team. No juggernauts. No heavy favorites. Not yet at least. Just a bunch of flawed teams like Portland that can fantasize about making a run because they’re led by an All-NBA talent. Everything Haynes reported about Portland is consistent with what I’ve heard anyway: Even if there is logic to rebuilding, Portland still wants to win with Dame. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy. The Blazers are currently short on trade assets and have a lot of holes on the roster.


So, what do the Blazers do? Here are four questions the Blazers need to address to get out of the middle and into the postseason:

1. What do the Blazers need most?
Jusuf Nurkic has become the Blazers’ weakest link. The 28-year-old has lost a step following a long list of injuries. His effort and intensity waver too. Diminishing athletes must always compensate with heart, but he fails to contest shots, gets out-rebounded, and mopes around the court.

Last week against the Lakers, Thomas Bryant zoomed by Nurkic on drives to the rim. Days later, Jazz rookie Walker Kessler outhustled him off the floor early before Lillard saved the day and dropped 60 points. On Monday against the Hawks, Nurkic put in more effort than he has shown in a while, but Clint Capela still ripped down seven offensive boards in the first half in his presence.


Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has started favoring backup big man Drew Eubanks in close games. Eubanks provides more consistent energy, but he’s smaller, so Portland is even weaker on the glass. The pros tend to outweigh the cons though. At this stage of his career, Nurkic is an ineffective rim deterrent due to his lack of quickness and verticality. Teams target him, and he’s averaging a career-high 3.7 fouls per game (exempting the eight games he played in 2019-20). Now that he’s also dealing with a calf injury, his defense has worsened.

The Blazers added wings like Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II to provide more versatility alongside Josh Hart and Nassir Little. But Billups can’t play his preferred aggressive hedging or switching schemes with Nurkic on the floor. If he were a dominant interior presence like Brook Lopez, it’d be an acceptable strategy to drop their bigs as often as they do. But Nurk’s best defense is just being 7 feet tall.

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Eubanks is also a much better fit on offense. Of the 44 bigs to attempt at least 50 shots in the restricted area, Eubanks ranks second in field goal percentage (83.8 percent), behind only Jericho Sims (84 percent), according to Second Spectrum. This makes him a prime target for both Lillard and Anfernee Simons. In contrast, Nurkic ranks second to worst at the rim (60.3 percent), ahead of only Isaiah Hartenstein (57.7 percent). Nurkic and Eubanks are at literal opposite ends of the spectrum, and Nurkic clogs space because he demands more touches.


Nurkic records 4.9 post-ups per game, the sixth most in the NBA. But he is by far the least efficient high-volume post player. He doesn’t draw double teams. He doesn’t score effectively. He wastes possessions.

Credit should be given to Nurkic for trying to improve as a shooter. He’s made 39.4 percent of his 3s this season. But defenses don’t respect his shot, even after he started the season hot. He made only 30.2 percent of his 3s in January. The push to turn Nurkic into a shooter has largely served as a reminder of what the Blazers truly need: a big that is a threat from the perimeter and allows them to play their scheme on defense.

Nurkic has had a good run in Portland, but if the Blazers are serious about winning anything meaningful with Lillard, the future can’t include him.

2. Where are all the centers?
Nurkic’s trajectory in Portland is similar to CJ McCollum’s in that CJ was vital to the Blazers’ success for so long, but ultimately, both parties needed to move on to grow. The difference is Portland had a built-in replacement for McCollum in Simons, who is averaging a career-high 21.6 points this season. Eubanks has outplayed Nurkic, but he’s not the long-term answer at center. The Blazers would need someone better to move off Nurkic.


Unfortunately for them, there just aren’t a lot of options. Myles Turner just re-signed with the Pacers. Deandre Ayton hasn’t met expectations for the Suns, nor does he shoot 3s well. The Wizards haven’t shown an interest in rebuilding, so Kristaps Porzingis likely isn’t available, and he’s injury-prone anyway. Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t trade eligible before the deadline. And the Blazers just comfortably defended the Hawks’ John Collins by putting smaller players on him, and he’s not a defensive anchor either.

As shaky as Nurkic has been, there aren’t a lot of options out there besides someone like Jakob Poeltl or Mo Bamba. Poeltl is the better rim protector of the two and a better player than Nurkic overall. Bamba provides better shooting but is unproven in a winning context. Neither of them are guaranteed to move the needle on Portland’s defense from the bottom of the league to somewhere near the middle.

3. Is the Blazers’ backcourt set?
Nurkic might not be the same anymore, but it would be unfair to place all the blame on him. It’s difficult for a team to contain penetration with two tiny defenders on the perimeter who offer no resistance when opponents drive into the paint.

Lillard is small. So is Simons, and he hasn’t shown much willingness to consistently lock in either. Five years ago, I wrote that the Blazers should break up Lillard and McCollum because they were too small on defense. But Portland was reluctant for many years because Lillard never wanted to part ways with McCollum, and Neil Olshey was unwilling to break them up.

Simons is just 23 years old, so he might not be close to his individual ceiling. But is the ceiling on Portland with Dame and Ant any higher than it was with Dame and CJ?

In last year’s McCollum trade, the Blazers added Josh Hart, an energetic defender but a hesitant and shaky perimeter shooter. If he were a reliable marksman, he’d be a perfect fit, which was the logic behind the Blazers using their lottery pick on Shaedon Sharpe, an athletic wing with no fear as a scorer. But Sharpe, at just 19, plays like he’s blindfolded on defense. If only Hart and Sharpe could do the Dragon Ball Z Fusion Dance.

What the Blazers have around Dame in reality is a too-small scoring partner in Simons, an undeveloped wing in Sharpe, and an unwilling shooter in Hart. All of them should be available for trade if the return is right. For Hart, that’s probably a smaller deal with a team like Utah for Malik Beasley and Kelly Olynyk. Moving Hart would also open minutes for Nassir Little, a big-bodied wing having a career-best season. For Simons or Sharpe, a return would have to include an All-Star-caliber talent.


The best player available at the deadline might be OG Anunoby, who The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday has officially been made available by Toronto. OG is an ideal fit for Portland. He’s one of the league’s best defenders, he’s a reliable shooter, and he can do some damage off the dribble against a defense knocked off balance by Dame.

But the Raptors have reportedly been asking for three first-round picks or multiple young players of comparable value. Sharpe has proven plenty this season. And Simons is a bucket getter who could serve as a replacement for Fred VanVleet, who can become a free agent this summer. Either of them could draw plenty of interest from Toronto if Portland wanted to pursue a deal for Anunoby. And if Portland were to lose Simons, Grant has already shown he can step up when needed as a secondary scorer.

Orlando is reportedly one of the teams interested in VanVleet. Might they also like Simons, who is younger and better aligns with their trajectory? A package including Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac, and Bamba might make sense for Portland. The Blazers would get a defensive stopper in Suggs, who has upside, plus one of the league’s most versatile defenders in Isaac and the aforementioned Bamba. Other compensation in the form of picks and salaries could be haggled, but the structure makes some sense for both sides. But Orlando can get VanVleet for less.

Whether it’s a group of players like that theoretical Orlando package or a single established name like Anunoby from Toronto, there are concepts out there for the Blazers to explore. But it remains to be seen if any big deals are worth doing.

4. What can the Blazers offer as buyers?
The main issue Portland is facing is a lack of tradable assets. In 2021, then general manager Neil Olshey acquired Larry Nance Jr. for a protected first-round pick that was sent to the Bulls. But the pick was lottery protected every year from 2022 through 2028, meaning the Blazers can’t trade more than one of their own future first-round picks due to NBA rules preventing teams from not having a first in subsequent years.

To trade one of their firsts right now, the Blazers and the receiving team would need to include language specifying the pick would be conveyed two years after the Bulls received the pick owed to them. So if the Blazers made the playoffs this season, the Bulls would get Portland’s 2023 pick, and the other team would get the 2025. However, if the Blazers were to make the postseason every year through 2028, language would have to be included that says the pick would turn into a second-round pick or the obligation would cease. That’s because teams can only deal picks through 2029 right now.


This route gives the Blazers virtually no leverage. It’s an IOU with no guarantee the pick ever conveys to the receiving team, removing them from the bidding war for any player with real value.

Executives around the league have discussed the Nance deal with the Bulls since Olshey made it as if he had no idea how protections work. It handcuffs the franchise’s ability to make moves. But,the Blazers could call the Bulls and offer to make the 2023 pick unprotected, thus freeing their ability to trade all of their future draft picks. Or, the protections could be tweaked so that the 2024 pick becomes unprotected, thus freeing all picks in 2026 and beyond. This would be advantageous to the Bulls, of course. But it would only make sense for the Blazers if there’s an available deal that they really want to do. The risk is the simple fact that the Blazers are so close to having high lottery odds as is and could end up still missing the playoffs and outright losing their pick.

If the Blazers are able to lift protections on their first owed to the Bulls, they could then trade picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029, plus swaps in 2024, 2026, and 2028.

Billups will be under the microscope even more than he already is if the Blazers improve the roster leading up to the deadline. Anything can happen over the next eight days, or Portland will need to wait until the summer. No matter the timing, notable change can only come from courageous transactions made by the front office.
 
It was downright comical watching the Hawks players reaching over the smaller Blazers players and taking all the rebounds away from their fingertips. It reminded me of a pickup game of high schoolers vs. middle schoolers. This team needs height.
And length.... but Sell Low Joe and his predecessor are/were allergic to it.
 
I like that Suggs, Isaac and Bamba for Simons deal.
I mean, I have to imagine that Orlando could get more for that trio, but if SLJ could pull it off, I'd be thrilled. Then just gotta find a buyer for Nurk.
 
My biggest fear is the Blazers play there biggest chip in getting Dame help in Sharpe and if it got them a Top 30 ish player might not be that upset BUT more worried that the pressure of trying to get Dame help might cause them to do something real stupid.

Also if the Blazers were to do something rash I would rather have them trade Simons and / or Nurk and move Hart to Starting SG ( unless traded too ) and move Sharpe to 1st player off the bench. I am all in on Sharpe not saying he is going to be a Top 10 type player but I do think barring an injury will be a Top 30ish Player within 3 years ( not counting this season )
 
I mean, I have to imagine that Orlando could get more for that trio, but if SLJ could pull it off, I'd be thrilled. Then just gotta find a buyer for Nurk.
Possibly they could. Or could see them not wanting to include as much. At the same time, they seem pretty low on Bamba, Suggs hasn't shown much, and Isaac is always a huge injury question.
With the makeup of their team, having a lead guard in Simons to go along with their set front court of Wagner, Banchero, WCJ could be a good get over hoping for continued development.
 
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiret...y-Decrease-Asking-Price-In-John-Collins-Trade

The Atlanta Hawks have significantly decreased their asking price on a trade of John Collins.

Sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that they've dropped their mandate for a first round pick and are instead focused on landing a quality player, or players, in return for Collins.

The Hawks are more focused on salvaging the current season rather than recouping assets that were sent out to the San Antonio Spurs for Dejounte Murray.

The Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets are known to be among the teams interested in Collins.
 
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