Trade Grades: Blazers Send Mason Plumlee To Nuggets For Jusuf Nurkic

[3RA1N1AC]

Seems right. Super intelligent, hard working, great passing big for a good defensive malcontent big

And a #1 pick in a supposedly loaded draft. For a guy we weren't going to keep. On a team going nowhere. What do you want, two #1s? A lotto pick? For a backup center?

Home run.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Plumlee is really undervalued. Nurkic is talented, but a shitty ass teammate, who pouted and malcontented his way out of Denver. Chemistry matters.

Undervalued by who?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Undervalued by who?

Some of the fans. Plumlee is better than Nurkic, right now

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Bonus: the nuggets likely have the inside track to the #8 seed. Blazers pick could end up top 10.

I mean shit MM, this trade is right in your wheelhouse, be happy for once!

 

[Mediocre Man]

And a #1 pick in a supposedly loaded draft. For a guy we weren't going to keep. On a team going nowhere. What do you want, two #1s? A lotto pick? For a backup center?

Home run.

Getting a first for a guy we were losing anyway, is a no brainer. Adding a 22 year old cwnter with some attitude makes it even better. I was just sparking controversy.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Some of the fans. Plumlee is better than Nurkic, right now

I don't think many people are saying this isnt true.

But Nurk and a #1 are better than nothing, right?

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Word

 

[Mediocre Man]

I don't think many people are saying this isnt true.

But Nurk and a #1 are better than nothing, right?

Realistically better than anything we could have hoped for

 

[Mediocre Man]

Now if the Blazers can start losing consistently, maybe we can start building something nice

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Realistically better than anything we could have hoped for

This is where I'm at too. I was expecting either matching a crazy offer, letting him walk, or maybe like a 2nd or two.

Neil knocked this one out of the park.

 

[Mediocre Man]

This is where I'm at too. I was expecting either matching a crazy offer, letting him walk, or maybe like a 2nd or two.

Neil knocked this one out of the park.

When he's engaged, he is as good a passer, way better defender, both interior and perimeter, and a better low post guy.

I worry about the leg compressions he wears.

I love his attitude on the floor. He has a mean streak

 

[Sinobas]

Nice kid, good passer, could dribble, hustles.

But also,

A mediocre center on a mediocre team. No handles. Can't shoot. Can't really defend a big.

Sorry to say, realistically, not a great loss.

He actually had great handles for a center. But he was undersized and had the offensive game of Chris Dudley.

 

[oldfisherman]

It will be interesting to find out who eats crow.

I admit Nurkic is the better player based on "PAST STATS". But that does not mean he will be the better player 1 month, or 1 year from now.

Nurkic and Plumlee are switching roles. Plumlee is going from a starter to a back-up role, the opposite is true for Nurkic. This alone could reverse their future rating to each other.

Plumlee is 5 years older than Nurkic, and probably at or very near his peak. Nurkic is almost as good as Plumlee, but with a lot more upside "potential" and time to develop.

While Plumlee is upset to leave his friends and start over, Nurkic is ready to prove himself on the floor with a new roster. Mentally, they are heading in opposite directions.

There is no way to know how this ends, but my guess is. NO did the best he could with a bad situation.

This trade was way better than doing nothing.

 

[Natebishop3]

I would give this trade a B+.

Plumlee was gone. One way or another. We weren't about to pay him 16-18 million per year. So unless we wanted another Allen Crabbe scenario, or maybe include him in a bigger trade, this was our best case scenario.

Deal Plums for a young prospect and a first rounder.

It would have been nice if the pick was a little higher, but all things considered this was a win.

 

[tester551]

There is no way to know how this ends, but my guess is. NO did the best he could with a bad situation.

This trade was way better than doing nothing.

I agree with this, but it is important to note that NO put himself in a bad situation. He shouldn't be applauded for barely avoiding complete disaster.

 

[HolyBackboard]

Recorded an emergency podcast last night with @evanem and @dasage ... had to give Portland an A on this one, Denver a C+.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Some of the fans. Plumlee is better than Nurkic, right now

Right now, Plumlee's puzzle piece doesn't fit our puzzle.

Plumlee might be the better player right now, but is he better for us?
You factor in we got another first round pick?
How can you not be happy? Nurk isn't a WABC, so I don't get the beef. We got rid of a WABC for a non WABC and you are still not happy? lol

 

[Mediocre Man]

Right now, Plumlee's puzzle piece doesn't fit our puzzle.

Plumlee might be the better player right now, but is he better for us?
You factor in we got another first round pick?
How can you not be happy? Nurk isn't a WABC, so I don't get the beef. We got rid of a WABC for a non WABC and you are still not happy? lol

How am I not happy?

 

[Orion Bailey]

How am I not happy?

You seem to read like it. But then I need to remind myself its just you.

 

[Minstrel]

How am I not happy?

 

[e_blazer]

I wonder if the Nuggets are planning on moving Plumlee before the deadline. They can trade him to another team as long as they don't include another player.

 

[Sarni]

I wonder if the Nuggets are planning on moving Plumlee before the deadline. They can trade him to another team as long as they don't include another player.

Of course they aren't. He is their backup center and will get 18-20 mins a game.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I would give this trade a B+.

Plumlee was gone. One way or another. We weren't about to pay him 16-18 million per year. So unless we wanted another Allen Crabbe scenario, or maybe include him in a bigger trade, this was our best case scenario.

Deal Plums for a young prospect and a first rounder.

It would have been nice if the pick was a little higher, but all things considered this was a win.

Seen in the broader context, this move was required because of the massive failure Crabbe's and Meyers' contracts represent: this move was a casualty of those overpays. I agree he made the best of a bad (self-inflicted) situation, so I'm fine with the outcome, but I don't think Neil deserves too much credit. Maybe that pick turns into a great move later on, or Nurkic gets back on track, but for now at best I'd give him an "Incomplete."

 

[e_blazer]

Of course they aren't. He is their backup center and will get 18-20 mins a game.

Because you want to pay $17-18M for a backup center?

 

[Natebishop3]

Seen in the broader context, this move was required because of the massive failure Crabbe's and Meyers' contracts represent: this move was a casualty of those overpays. I agree he made the best of a bad (self-inflicted) situation, so I'm fine with the outcome, but I don't think Neil deserves too much credit. Maybe that pick turns into a great move later on, or Nurkic gets back on track, but for now at best I'd give him an "Incomplete."

Meyers is getting paid 9 million a year. Even if we hadn't signed him, would you have been comfortable giving Plumlee 16-18 million per year? He is a casualty of this market. I don't think Crabbe or Meyers had any bearing on the decision. Plumlee is a solid role player, but he's not a star. He should be getting paid 9 million, like Meyers, and I think we would have retained him at that price.

 

[Scalma]

Because you want to pay $17-18M for a backup center?

Doesn't really matter when the starter is on a rookie deal. It's why I was down for a Plumlee/Nurkic duo.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Meyers is getting paid 9 million a year. Even if we hadn't signed him, would you have been comfortable giving Plumlee 16-18 million per year? He is a casualty of this market. I don't think Crabbe or Meyers had any bearing on the decision. Plumlee is a solid role player, but he's not a star. He should be getting paid 9 million, like Meyers, and I think we would have retained him at that price.

I would gladly take Plumlee for 16 million over Crabbe and Meyers combined for 27 million. He at least will come close to living up to his contract. I agree he's not a star and wasn't the long-term starter at the five, but as was evidenced, he is movable and desirable in trades. It remains to be seen if either of those other boat anchor contracts can be offloaded without having to sweeten the pot with future or current draft picks -- the lifeblood of any underacheiving team serious about rebuilding.

 

[Natebishop3]

I would gladly take Plumlee for 16 million over Crabbe and Meyers combined for 27 million. He at least will come close to living up to his contract. I agree he's not a star and wasn't the long-term starter at the five, but as was evidenced, he is movable and desirable in trades. It remains to be seen if either of those other boat anchor contracts can be offloaded without having to sweeten the pot with future or current draft picks -- the lifeblood of any underacheiving team serious about rebuilding.

I don't consider Meyer's contract to be a boat anchor. I think 9 million is tradeable. Obviously Crabbe is making quite a bit more, but if he were traded it would be to a team that needs a starter. His contract is not unreasonable for a starting caliber shooting guard. I like Crabbe but at that price he needs to go.

 

[Scalma]

It's interesting how some just assume Portland actually wants to trade Crabbe. Young shooters aren't a dime a dozen. If they were, he wouldn't have gotten paid like he did. Its why I'm so against trading him. I don't care about his contract, he's a good player that could start for a lot of teams. Teams that aren't a FA destination would probably love to trade for him as well. That contract doesn't look so heavy if he were starting. Just tired of hearing how much of a burden his contract is. Tired!

 

[Natebishop3]

It's interesting how some just assume Portland actually wants to trade Crabbe. Young shooters aren't a dime a dozen. If they were, he wouldn't have gotten paid like he did. Its why I'm so against trading him. I don't care about his contract, he's a good player that could start for a lot of teams. Teams that aren't a FA destination would probably love to trade for him as well. That contract doesn't look so heavy if he were starting. Just tired of hearing how much of a burden his contract is. Tired!

We can't have that much money sitting on our bench. The new rules about the luxury tax will make Crabbe's contract a huge weight on our roster. We won't be able to add new players. You can't pay a bench player that much, especially with Nurkic coming up for free agency in a year. The team will stay as it is if we don't offload some salary.