Wagner would change life in Portland down the line, if not right away. That would give us four starters who could realistically get their own shot on a consistent basis. I think he can average more rpg if Chauncey encourages him to crash the board so he can run the break more. Defensively, he’s at least as good of a defender as Hart in a 6’9 frame, and is still growing as a playmaker.
A trade-down to #6 with Wagner for #3, #23, and Nas is an idea I’ve liked for awhile. At worst, we would get both Wagner and Ausar.
Sharpe is an ideal SG size with a long wingspan who will be an elite scorer and good/great defender against PG-SF.
Franz is big enough to play both SF or PF and is a threat to both score and distribute. Also can guard smaller players fairly well early in his career. Video below is a compilation of Wagner guarding guards like Harden, Beal, Lamelo, and others.
Amen, at 6’7 in shoes, would be the most physically imposing PG but can also guard PG-SF. That’s three guys that could be part of your future who all defend multiple positions and make plays for others. If Dame wants out, an overhaul of assets for Dame, Grant, Nurk, possibly Ant if he doesn’t fit at long term PG will be used to find a long term C and PG.
I imagine that in their primes, we could get away will having a great starting PG that isn’t a great defender, or maybe even play Amen at PG full time and find another SF/PF that.
Ant/Sharpe/Amen/Wagner/_____
or
Amen/Sharpe/Wagner/_____/_____
Either of these starting lineups will be a problem for the other team on the perimeter.
yeah, I think if Orlando wanted the 3 bad enough they might be willing to trade 6+Wagner for it. It's probably a long shot though. I'm not sure if the 23 would be needed to grease the wheels of the trade. They are already loaded up with guys on rookie scale deals. Cole Anthony, Suggs, and Panchero will all be due for extensions in a 2 year period; adding 3 more players including two lottery picks due for extension a year later might be overload.
so they might be more interested in a future first than the 23. By the way, Blazers could absorb Wagner into their TPE so they wouldn't need to send Little. I'm fine with Little being part of the trade though as it would preserve the TPE
I want Dame to stay and I'm positive he won't be traded unless he asks out and I think the chances of him asking out have steadily decreased over the last couple of months. So I won't worry about scenarios where Dame is traded, I'll leave that to others here...
but when you start hypothetically constructing '
realistic' rosters after the draft and into the off-season, I think any roster that has Ant as the starting SG and the 2nd or 3rd option immediately fails. If your scenario panned out, he'd be standing in the way of Sharpe and Amen/Ausur/Whitmore (
I'm more intrigued by Whitmore than either of the Thompson twins). Last off-season, I was more than willing to give the Dame/Ant combo a chance to prove it wouldn't be a rinse/repeat of Dame/CJ. But one year was enough to convince me it not only would be a repeat, it might even be worse because Ant is so fucking bad at defense...Nolan Smith level defense
so I want him moved and without the 3rd pick as leverage I don't see a lot of realistic targets. I know you don't like the idea of DeRozan, and I'll admit my main attraction for an Ant/DDR trade is for Portland to get all their 1st's back, maybe without giving up 23, But I also think DDR is a better player, by quite a margin. He's not a good defender but he's a lot better than Ant. And unlike Ant, DDR is a wing, versatile enough to switch between SG/SF; and he's much much better at running an offense. And it may give Portland that future 1st to grease the wheels of the Orlando trade
Dame
DDR
Grant
Wagner
Nurkic?
with the youth of Sharpe + Thompson/Whitmore + Watford (only 22) waiting in the wings and 1st off the bench; as well as Thybulle for defense; maybe Eubanks for hustle and energy; maybe a 23rd pick; maybe Knox for shooting. And that could still leave the MLE, BAE, TPE for additional help
