Whispers

[Pinwheel1]

However, I agree that we need to commit to a rebuild and clear some of these vets away so young guys can get minutes

I guess I am confused about who is not getting enough minutes.

Sharpe 33
Scoot 27
Camara 25
Walker 20 (and now starting)

That leaves Murray and Rupert. I guess you can trade Thybulle to a team of his choice (Per his trade clause)

Trading Grant so Murray can get minutes would not be wise. And moving Brogdon does not give anyone more minutes other than Scoot and he is getting enough already

Plus in order to match salaries are we going to cut everyone coming back? or just not play them? I can see trading some vets, but I don't think it will help get more minutes for our role layers.

 

[blazerkor]

So who do you want to keep? Scoot, Sharpe, Walker, Camara, Rupert, Murray, and.........

Those are the guys I'd be sad to see go. I'd like to hold onto Badji and Reath and let them finish the season at the 5. Hopefully we'd get some vets that don't need PT but are high character guys. Maybe get a couple of prospects that only have up to a few years in the league. Load up on picks for future trades.

 

[Chris Craig]

It's an interesting trade deadline. It appears to be a seller's market (i.e., not a lot of players available), but the bidding for those products right now isn't great. I think Brogdon would have real value somewhere, more than just a low 1st rounder. Grant has played beyond his contract, but he's no one's idea of a 1st option. Thybulle has been great and is on a reasonable deal. It has to kill him to be stuck here. A contending team who wants an elite wing defender could really use him.

I think Ant will stay, and we roll out a three-guard unit with Ant, Scoot, and Sharpe. I would love to get some real size at the starting four on this team. I think the combination of Camara/Murray/Rupert is serviceable at the three. Walker has shown his value as a backup four. I like Badji getting some minutes and experience this season and then being the 3rd string center next year.

It's been both frustrating and fun to see the youngsters play. It's obviously a transition year (or two or three), so we don't need to end up with our ultimate guy right now. It seems to me we could easily net another 3-4 first-round picks with all the assets we have to trade, but is that what we want? Would we rather grab guys who are not getting minutes due to a veteran in front of them?

Once we see who flourishes and who wilts, we can use all that cap space and 1st round picks and get a true impact player who is complimentary to what we have. In fact, Grant may be that player already. It's really Brogdon, Thybulle and even Williams (who has zero trade value right now) who would be first on the block.

Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts.

Grant isn't that player. He is too Iso heavy and reckless.

It makes sense for Brogdon to be traded if he we commit on going young. Same for Thybulle who doesn't really want to be here ..but hey who does?

Cronin assured a quick rebuild and likely not just just to us fans. If he sticking to that, which he likely is, it would behoove him to keep the veterans around.

 

[Samuel]

not identifying the player or team. cool cool cool cool cool...

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Posting with no substance, hints or “guesses”. As it’s close to the deadline, we’re all “hearing” whispers.

 

[blazerkor]

I think it would be idiotic to trade everyone but the rookies (and Sharpe) until we actually know the young ones are keepers. What is the rush? Do you guys think that hoisting more shots accelerates their growth? Yes absolutely playing time is a must, but getting a beat down every night will gets old really fast.

I can see trading Thybulle (who I like a lot) because Sharpe, if he ever gets healthy, will need minutes. (and they have potential with Rupert) No reason to trade Grant.

The problem with trading Brogodon and Simons...what if Scoot gets hurt again? How the fuck do the other players develop without a point guard in the line-up?

They can't just get playing time, they need actual reps, high usage and yes a lot more shots will accelerate their growth or show us what real problems we have. When Shae and Scoot play without Ant and Jerami they rarely defer to anyone and take the onus upon themselves to get shit done on offense. The only reason I am eager to move Malcolm is because in theory he should have more value to a team trying to win now than to us.

I don't think any of these guys should be dumped but I think in a sellers market there are assets to be had that just seem like they'd make more sense for our rebuild. It's a rebuild, obviously we would have to fill the holes left on the roster by these guys with other players so your concerns about Scoot should be assuaged even if those players are nowhere close to as good because winning isn't what matters right now. The reason to trade Jerami is the same reason to trade Malcolm, both guys have a helluva lot more value on a team trying to win now than they do here and by the time we're trying to win now they won't be as good as they are right now. In fact I think every game they play has the potential to really hurt their value if they get injured. Also moving those guys frees up both playing time and the ball on offense.

I just don't like the way Ant fits on this roster, that's why I want him gone but I didn't think the Wolves' roster made sense and it seems to, I didn't think Luka and Kyrie could be productive together and I was wrong so take it for what it's worth. I do think that you don't have to worry about anything besides the prospects you keep busting when you are in a rebuild.

 

[BonesJones]

You all know how accurate I was this offseason (LOL) but I think something happens before the deadline and fairly soon unless some weird scenario pops up

Well, a trade can't happen after the deadline so I believe you!

 

[BonesJones]

I was done watching Dame's ISO ball and the stand around D so glad his huge salary oblig. is off the books. However, I agree that we need to commit to a rebuild and clear some of these vets away so young guys can get minutes

Instead we gave a similarly huge salary obligation to a dude that has no motivation because of it. Nice!

 

[Whyachi]

one of those pondering Blazer podcasters floated out a Thybulle trade for chicken scratch. "Ohhh, a contending team might want Matisse." Gosh darnit! Matisse hasn't even been here a year, and that would stink losing his defensive energy just so Jody can stay under the Luxury tax next year.

 

[andalusian]

Instead we gave a similarly huge salary obligation to a dude that has no motivation because of it. Nice!

Well, that is patently untrue.

DA's remaining salary including this year is around $100m for 3 years,
Dame's remaining salary including this year is around $220m for 4 years.

One of these things is not like the others.

The Blazers with Dame had no reasonable path for contention, DA is a salary filler that had/has some potential. That's all he is. If he is great, he is worth it (not it), if he is good enough, he might be available for less when they Blazers are hopefully starting to perform when the new kids grow up and you know who is worth big salaries in the next round of Portland signings and if he is not, he is a filler that fulfills the minimum salary requirements.

It was time to close the door on the Dame era and DA is salary place holder with some potential. That's all.

 

[HansenYang]

Same for Thybulle who doesn't really want to be here ..but hey who does?

What evidence do you have that Thybulle doesn't want to be here?

 

[Samuel]

What evidence do you have that Thybulle doesn't want to be here?

difficulty level: pretend haynes is full of shit.

 

[Everything Beagle]

Some would say the same question applies even if Scoot doesn't get injured...

The answer to the question is that we are tanking and having good point guards hurts that effort.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Well, that is patently untrue.

DA's remaining salary including this year is around $100m for 3 years,
Dame's remaining salary including this year is around $220m for 4 years.

One of these things is not like the others.

The Blazers with Dame had no reasonable path for contention, DA is a salary filler that had/has some potential. That's all he is. If he is great, he is worth it (not it), if he is good enough, he might be available for less when they Blazers are hopefully starting to perform when the new kids grow up and you know who is worth big salaries in the next round of Portland signings and if he is not, he is a filler that fulfills the minimum salary requirements.

It was time to close the door on the Dame era and DA is salary place holder with some potential. That's all.

I think he was referring to Grant. Not DA.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Well, a trade can't happen after the deadline so I believe you!

Finally some damn respect!!!

 

[STOMP]

The Blazers traded the franchise player so we could watch Malcolm Brogdon instead of Damian Lillard, and Deandre Ayton instead of Jusuf Nurkic.

Sure, you could say a healthy Shaedon Sharpe in the backcourt would make things more palatable.

could we also say you're completely missing the point? Yes we could.

The Blazers traded the franchise player so they could have hope again after he PUBLICLY DEMANDED A TRADE. Yes the return they received for him included Malcolm Brogdon, but most of the return value hasn't arrived yet.

STOMP

 

[Chris Craig]

could we also say you're completely missing the point? Yes we could.

The Blazers traded the franchise player so they could have hope again after he PUBLICLY DEMANDED A TRADE. Yes the return they received for him included Malcolm Brogdon, but most of the return value hasn't arrived yet.

STOMP

What hope?

 

[blazerkor]

What hope?

The hope that we draft a superstar. The hope that Shaedon becomes a superstar. The hope Scoot is an all star. The hope that we use the draft capital in trades to surround our superstars with the right talent. We hopefully make some good under the radar free agent signings. Hopefully we win a championship in the next ten years based on these types of things happening.

If you can't have hope, I feel bad for you.

 

[RR7]

What hope?

If you don't have hope, why watch?

 

[Chris Craig]

If you don't have hope, why watch?

Never said I didn't. I see the remote possibility that good things can come. I guess one could call that hope. Plus, I could never give up on this team.

 

[PCmor7]

I think he was referring to Grant. Not DA.

I couldn't tell. Doesn't look to me like either player is dogging it, but, if I had to say one or the other, it definitely wouldn't be Grant. He tries to put this team on his back sometimes. He dives on the floor. He works on the defensive end.

Ayton doesn't have Grant's contract, but I can see someone watching him at the offensive end and saying maybe he doesn't work hard to get open or dominate in the paint. He does, though, hustle to set screens and he works hard on defense even when a mismatch is created.

Generally, I just have a hard time following Bones' narrative on this one.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

I couldn't tell. Doesn't look to me like either player is dogging it, but, if I had to say one or the other, it definitely wouldn't be Grant. He tries to put this team on his back sometimes. He dives on the floor. He works on the defensive end.

Ayton doesn't have Grant's contract, but I can see someone watching him at the offensive end and saying maybe he doesn't work hard to get open or dominate in the paint. He does, though, hustle to set screens and he works hard on defense even when a mismatch is created.

Generally, I just have a hard time following Bones' narrative on this one.

Grant is the only guy Joe signed to a large contract though.

 

[PCmor7]

Grant is the only guy Joe signed to a large contract though.

I know. Just saying that neither player seems to fit the characterization of guys that got paid and now aren't trying.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

I know. Just saying that neither player seems to fit the characterization of guys that got paid and now aren't trying.

that, I agree with.

 

[blazerkor]

I know. Just saying that neither player seems to fit the characterization of guys that got paid and now aren't trying.

I don't understand the interpretation of the quote from Deandre that got posted earlier today that so many are saying it means he isn't trying because he got paid. Deandre in that quote said he plans on continuing to be a max player, so he obviously plans on putting in enough effort to continue to receive max money beyond his current contract. If he said he didn't feel pressure because he got this contract and is set for life and didn't mention continuing to be a max player I could understand the uproar but as it is, this is just silly stuff.

Deandre is super talented but in my opinion Jerami and Ant constantly isolating has really hurt Deandre's touches (and everyone else's). Deandre hasn't found his place in this offense yet. He has been a much better deterrent on defense both in the paint and switching on all three levels than anyone else on the team with maybe the exception of Jabari (I'm leaving Toumani out because I don't think he presents opposing offenses with the same problems in the paint).

If Jerami is guilty of anything it might be trying a little too hard.

 

[andalusian]

I think he was referring to Grant. Not DA.

The 'has no motivation because of it' quote he made applies to DA, not Grant.

 

[wizenheimer]

Deandre is super talented but in my opinion Jerami and Ant constantly isolating has really hurt Deandre's touches (and everyone else's). Deandre hasn't found his place in this offense yet. He has been a much better deterrent on defense both in the paint and switching on all three levels than anyone else on the team with maybe the exception of Jabari (I'm leaving Toumani out because I don't think he presents opposing offenses with the same problems in the paint).

I'm not sure that's it...maybe. But Ayton didn't have problems last season with Booker (45% assisted FG rate & 31.8% usage rate) and Durant (50% assisted FG rate & 26.8% usage rate). Grant has a 58% assisted FG rate and a 26.1% usage rate, so he appears to be less iso than Durant. Simons has a 37% assisted FG rate and a 29% usage rate, so maybe more iso than Booker.

now, in Phoenix he was playing the CP3 and that's huge; and Booker + Durant are undoubtedly a better passing duo than Grant/Ant

If you look at Ayton's splits:



he was certainly a lot more efficient in the games Simons was out. Not sure that was from Ant's iso game though

 

[STOMP]

What hope?

Did you have any hope at all the last few of Dame's seasons here that they'd somehow put it together and be a legit contender? I sure didn't. Moving him for mostly future assets and putting things in the hands of young players sucks for the here and now, heck thats what most everyone acknowledged in the past offseason. The hope is that some of their talented youngins take advantage of their new opportunities to learn and grow into better players then they would have as Dame's followers and that some of the extra draft capitol coming turns into more real talent too. Today's drubbings are pretty expected, but I'm seeing flashes of what the future could hold. I'm hoping to see consistent progress, maybe even big steps forward next year from their young guys. It looks like they'll have two high picks in the next draft that hopefully can add something substantial to the mix. But it's almost certain to take a while, those seeking instant gratification will be disappointed.

STOMP

 

[TBpup]

You all know how accurate I was this offseason (LOL) but I think something happens before the deadline and fairly soon unless some weird scenario pops up

This just means you are due. You've had stuff before....no one is 100%. Appreciate anything you can throw out that has at least some type of source.

 

[maxiep]

What evidence do you have that Thybulle doesn't want to be here?

Word is he asked the Blazers not to match Dallas' offer.