Wade Baldwin’s Future as a Blazer...

[SIeepwalker]

It's been brought up multiple times.

Hey ! I've never said that !!

 

[hoopsjock]

Well, as @tester551 pointed out, the early bird rights on Baldwin will allow us to offer him MLE-level money without having to use our MLE to keep him, so we could conceivably keep both.

To be clear, there are two separate exceptions that can be used. It's not an either/or situation necessarily (although tax payments (ownership) may dictate that it is).

Theoretically, Curry could be resigned using the MLE up to ~$8.75M *AND* Baldwin could be resigned using the Early Bird Exception up to ~$9M.

Yup, good points. I don't think we have to worry about this. The last time I was worried about something like this it was when we signed Festus Ezeli and I learned then not to be concerned too much in the future.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

If almost 9 MIL a year isn't enough for Baldwin then he should move on. He isn't going to "blow up" to get an offer more than that imo.

 

[oldfisherman]

So much speculation, and what if.

There is an entire season to play. Lots can happen between now and contract time.

The kid is playing his heart out for us. You can not ask for more than that.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

If almost 9 MIL a year isn't enough for Baldwin then he should move on. He isn't going to "blow up" to get an offer more than that imo.

I don't know, stranger things have happened, like Crabbe getting 19 million.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Jeremy Lin situation. All we're missing is Dame saying "Let me be quite frank..."

 

[PCmor7]

Will Neil sign Wade or he lets him walk and make Seth Curry as our backup PG?

I actually think Baldwin is the backup PG and Curry will play a lot of 2., but it will be similar to Dame and CJ on the court together, where they will take turns bringing the ball up and initiating offense.

The bigger question to me is where Stauskas fits in. I think they aren't playing a traditional SF. I think we are going to play small even more than we have, and I suspect Stauskas was signed to have a more consistent shooter at the 3.

 

[HailBlazers]

So much speculation, and what if.

There is an entire season to play. Lots can happen between now and contract time.

The kid is playing his heart out for us. You can not ask for more than that.

Exactly, one thing I do know is WB highly values tutoring under Dame. And similar to Nurk, probably has much love for the organization after being cast aside.

 

[Reep]

I actually think Baldwin is the backup PG and Curry will play a lot of 2., but it will be similar to Dame and CJ on the court together, where they will take turns bringing the ball up and initiating offense.

The bigger question to me is where Stauskas fits in. I think they aren't playing a traditional SF. I think we are going to play small even more than we have, and I suspect Stauskas was signed to have a more consistent shooter at the 3.

Yes, the numbers don't quite add up. It's easy to see that Olshey wanted to bring in more/better shooters for the second unit, but without a trade there are not enough spots.

Assuming starters are: Dame, CJ, Harkless, Aminu, Nurkic

Then the second and third best players at each position (my assumption)

PG: Baldwin,
SG: Curry, Trent, Simons
SF: ET (not my pick, but reality); Stauskas
PF: Collins, Layman?
C: Leonard?, Swanigan?

Green is likely guaranteed rotation time
Red is likely out of the rotation for the time being

Seems like one or two of Trent, Stauskas and Layman is going to be unhappy with no minutes. I didn't green Baldwin because of Olshey's talk about ET running the second unit. I would put Baldwin there, but if ET is running the show then you could see Curry and Trent/Stauskas as supporting shooters.

If you traded ET and/or CJ, then everything fits nicely.

 

[PCmor7]

I think Trent is a 3 in this system. And I do think there'll be a trade, but I get the feeling it might be Harkless that's getting dealt.

 

[Portland2014]

How much can we offer him with the remaining MLE?

 

[Reep]

I think Trent is a 3 in this system. And I do think there'll be a trade, but I get the feeling it might be Harkless that's getting dealt.

I love his defense and athletics, but they could use more 3pt shots from that position. Wish Harkless would just take more shots.

 

[Orion Bailey]

And yet we have ANOTHER thread about it.

Ridiculous....
Half the threads are about the rookies or Baldwin....

Why don't we all just make our own thread named our own names and anyone can discuss with that person in that thread the topic of their choice....

Then we will at least know which thread has relevant info and which doesn't....

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Primary backup PG.

Simons is a pure SG.
Curry is a pure SG.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if Neil screwed this up though. In fact, prepare for it.

 

[Harry's Raincoat]

Olshey says ET will serve as b/u PG.

Surround him with SG Curry and SF Stauskas. Simple! Collins & Leonard or Collins & Swanigan as bigs.

Lillard - McCollum - Harkless - Aminu - Nurkic
ET - Curry - Stauskas - Collins - Leonard/Swanigan

Baldwin - Simons - Trent - Layman keeping the seats warm!! Papa-G probably doesn't survive July 18 with the team.

 

[illmatic99]

I think this whole increased ET focus thing is a way for Neil to justify that damn contract.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I think this whole increased ET focus thing is a way for Neil to justify that damn contract.

Or to actually make him look good so he can move him at the deadline.

 

[Blazinaway]

Or to actually make him look good so he can move him at the deadline.

is that possible? seems like a fantasy

 

[Orion Bailey]

is that possible? seems like a fantasy

Lol, you actually got me to like one of your posts!!! But alas, since you don’t watch the games, I’m sure it’s all fantasy to you.

 

[jlprk]

People have been talking about this in at least 4 other threads.

It's been brought up multiple times.

It has been brought up in other posts. Hard to imagine NO isn't on top of this. I can't remember what his options are at this point though. Does he have to use any part of the remaining MLE? Or can he sign him to the league minimum?

And yet we have ANOTHER thread about it.

Ridiculous....Half the threads are about the rookies or Baldwin....

Why don't we all just make our own thread named our own names and anyone can discuss with that person in that thread the topic of their choice....Then we will at least know which thread has relevant info and which doesn't....

It's a useful thread, because it took 30 posts to iron out the confusion of several sincere people. Then the thread devolved into a nonfinancial one.

 

[Scalma]

Or to actually make him look good so he can move him at the deadline.

The ironic thing about the whole “surround ET with shooters” is that it would work even better if you substituted Turner for Baldwin

 

[Labinot41]

Serious question without hate, would you cut swanigan if that means we could Keep Baldwin? I would do that in a heartbeat. I do not think swanigan will ever become a nba Level Player. He's undersized, is sooo slow, has no Touch. There is no way he can play in Playoffs

 

[Blazinaway]

The ironic thing about the whole “surround ET with shooters” is that it would work even better if you substituted Turner for Baldwin

Serious question without hate, would you cut swanigan if that means we could Keep Baldwin? I would do that in a heartbeat. I do not think swanigan will ever become a nba Level Player. He's undersized, is sooo slow, has no Touch. There is no way he can play in Playoffs

I would as I don't think he will ever be any good, while Wade IMO is improving quite a bit and has athleticism and skill for his position

 

[Orion Bailey]

I would as I don't think he will ever be any good, while Wade IMO is improving quite a bit and has athleticism and skill for his position

Plus what is valued more in the league right now? Versatile guards or undersized, cement footed bigs?

 

[Blazinaway]

Plus what is valued more in the league right now? Versatile guards or undersized, cement footed bigs?

Dang, 2 for 2 on agreement! Yeah, sometimes best to admit a mistake and move on, not compound it by letting a better and very likely more valuable player (now and in the future) go

 

[BBert]

Olshey says ET will serve as b/u PG.

Surround him with SG Curry and SF Stauskas. Simple! Collins & Leonard or Collins & Swanigan as bigs.

Lillard - McCollum - Harkless - Aminu - Nurkic
ET - Curry - Stauskas - Collins - Leonard/Swanigan

Baldwin - Simons - Trent - Layman keeping the seats warm!! Papa-G probably doesn't survive July 18 with the team.

Olshey isn't the coach

 

[BBert]

Serious question without hate, would you cut swanigan if that means we could Keep Baldwin? I would do that in a heartbeat. I do not think swanigan will ever become a nba Level Player. He's undersized, is sooo slow, has no Touch. There is no way he can play in Playoffs

If that were a boolean choice, yes, in a heartbeat.

 

[hoopsjock]

Serious question without hate, would you cut swanigan if that means we could Keep Baldwin? I would do that in a heartbeat. I do not think swanigan will ever become a nba Level Player. He's undersized, is sooo slow, has no Touch. There is no way he can play in Playoffs

Why have a "serious question" that has no relevance to the situation. Swanigan's contract is guaranteed and Baldwin's isn't. So cutting Swanigan does nothing to help us financially and doesn't help us keep Baldwin.

Besides, if they simply cut PapaG they can keep Baldwin anyway so I don't really get your point here.

 

[Scalma]

Here’s the thing; we don’t need to set our 15 man roster right now, we can have more players than that in training camp. We just need to decide whether Baldwin is worth a guaranteed contract. The answer is easy. If they don’t want to carry 15 guys they can make a trade later. But you don’t let a talent like Baldwin go, especially when you don’t even have a legit backup point guard. Nope.

 

[HailBlazers]

Here’s the thing; we don’t need to set our 15 man roster right now, we can have more players than that in training camp. We just need to decide whether Baldwin is worth a guaranteed contract. The answer is easy. If they don’t want to carry 15 guys they can make a trade later. But you don’t let a talent like Baldwin go, especially when you don’t even have a legit backup point guard. Nope.

Lol @ people thinking Olshey would let him go. He gets off on finding the diamonds in the rough.