I've been thinking about this thread a lot lately during the scrimmages and first-half of the seeding games. I never wanted to answer after a win, because emotions are real and everything seems perfect. But after a loss, especially one that saw plenty of our players contribute to the result, I figured it was time. I also wanted to see if I was swayed by a win or a loss in regards to moving a player up or down a tier. I know personally, I tend to have knee-jerk reactions so it's going to be interesting to see the results.
Without further ado ..
(TRULY) UNTOUCHABLES
Damian Lillard
- Arguably Portland's best player in franchise history. Dame is locked into a long-term deal with the Blazers and is just now hitting his prime. It would be wrong to move Dame, even if the Lakers offered LeBron and Davis. We win with Dame. We lose with Dame. We ride with Dame. That's the bottom line.
UNTOUCHABLES
CJ McCollum
- This will probably surprise a few as CJ is the Blazer most seem willing to trade to upgrade the roster. I don't see it. CJ inked a long-term extension last summer, rather than test the open market this summer (err fall?). Like Lillard, McCollum is loyal to the Rose City ... that matters to me. Having another playmaker like CJ on the roster also opens up the floor for players like Gary Trent Jr. and takes on some of the playmaking load from Lillard. Two final points: His performance increases in the playoffs and he's been with us for seven years. I really want to win with Dame and CJ.
Jusuf Nurkic
- Assuming Nurk is able to stay healthy, he is arguably the best center in the league and he's under a team-friendly deal for two more seasons. Factor in age, chemistry with Lillard, and defensive impact ... there's not an upgrade available.
Bottom Line: Dame, CJ, and Nurk are Portland's Big 3. We're either winning a chip with them or not winning one at all. I think it's pretty clear we're going to ride with this Big 3.
Gary Trent Jr.
- Is this recency bias? You bet your sweet ass it is. Two-way wings are at a premium in today's NBA. Trent Jr. not only spaces the floor with his knock-down shooting ability, he's becoming Portland's best perimeter defender, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder.
KEEPERS
Carmelo Anthony
- Melo still has it. For the most part, I haven't been upset with his shot selection and he doesn't seem to stop the ball as much as anticipated. He's a beloved teammate, a vet, and a certified bucket, especially on the catch and shoot.
Wenyen Gabriel
- Love his defensive potential. He likely doesn't carry much trade value, so I'd love to see him develop under our coaching staff.
Nassir Little
- See above with the added notion that I think he's progressing nicely as an outside shooter.
Rodney Hood
- Love Rodney. Do not forget he shot nearly 50% from 3 before the injury. His ability to play post offense is another wrinkle the coaching staff can add to their gameplan. Also, he's coming off of an Achilles injury. He means more to us than he does to the rest of the league.
TRADE PIECES
Anfernee Simons
- Love Ant, but I do think too much was expected out of him this season. The hype train was a little out of control. He's still 20 years old with a ton of potential. In most normal Blazer seasons, you would hold onto a player like Ant but we need to go all-in to win now.
Trevor Ariza
- I want to make this crystal clear: this has nothing to do with Ariza not joining the Blazers in the bubble. If Ariza were just five years younger, I'd be all aboard keeping him. And, to be honest, I wouldn't mind if he kept him still, but his contract at $12 million (for 1 year if guaranteed) is an attractive trade piece to find a more long-term solution. Our roster clicked immediately after acquiring Trevor from Sacramento, but again, to get you must give.
Zach Collins
- This is a tough call for me. Zach has the potential to become everything we want in a modern NBA big but, similar to Ant, how long will it take? Zach's defense is still solid, but his foul habits are concerning as is his strength with the ball in his hands. I'd also like for him to be a better finisher around the rim.
Mario Henzonja
- A little too turnover prone for my liking, gets lost too often on help-side defense.
UNDECIDED
Hassan Whiteside
- Again, I love Hassan and his personality. From his social, it seems like he wants to be a Blazer for a long time. When he plays, it's difficult to tell if he's going 100% or if he's dinged up (I'm certain he played through injury this year because we had no other big bodies). A couple questions need to be answered: 1) Does he want to come off the bench here? 2) What type of salary is he looking for? 3) What other backup C options are out there? Remember, keeping Hassan does not deter us from using the MLE.
