PDX / CHI / HOU

[BlazersBroncos]

Portland Trades
DeAndre Ayton to CHI

Portland Receives
Steven Adams from HOU
Jock Landale from HOU
Chris Duarte from CHI

Houston Trades
Steven Adams to PDX
Jock Landale to PDX
3 Future SRP to CHI

Houston Receives
Nikola Vucevic from CHI
Torrey Craig from CHI

Chicago Trades
Nikola Vucevic to HOU
Torrey Craig to HOU

Chicago Receives
DeAndre Ayton from PDX
3 Future SRP

WHY FOR PORTLAND
They swerve and decide to roll with RWIII as the mentor / starter as Donovan develops. Here they get EC and open big man PT in the process. They open up 2 roster spots by moving 2 of Reath / Banton / Walker for future SRP and/or cash and/or nothing.

I wont do a depth chart because I would hope to god this is followed up w/ Simons and/or Grant trades.

WHY FOR CHICAGO
They decide to kick the tires on Ayton and get 3 SRP for the much older Vuc and some filler guys.

I wont do a depth chart because here I also expect CHI to move Ball at minimum and potentially Zach

WHY FOR HOUSTON
They are in a unique spot. They are playing well, but have the EC for a big fish - which I think doesnt materialize. Here they kick the can - get a great backup C who can space the floor and seems to be a system fit but also has a year extra salary so they could retain the chance to cash his soon-to-be EC for a big fish in the summer or during 25/26 season. Seems like a move that could help now, and keep options open in the future.

G - Fred VanVleet / Amen Thompson / Aaron Holiday / Reed Sheppard
G - Jalen Green / Cam Whitmore / Dillon Brooks
F - Dillon Brooks / Amen Thompson / Cam Whitmore
F - Jabari Smith JR / Tari Eason / Jae'Sean Tate
C - Alperen Sengun / Nikola Vucevic / Jabari Smith JR

[Texas Chuck]

I mean I see zero chance Portland gets off the last year of Ayton for free. Chicago might not be getting enough value for Vuc if you cut Portland out and they don't take Ayton. With Ayton its just downgrading majorly and getting a lot more expensive for just no reason at all. No benefit at all.

[OutsidetheNBA]

I don't see Chicago taking Ayton for free.

And I don't think Vuc is a good fit with Udoka in Houston. Adams is in the rotation and is giving the Rockets the defense/screening/rebounding Udoka seems to value.

[LarsV8]

Vuc is just Sengun lite.

I think we need a more rim running and defensive oriented center as a contrast to Sengun.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

WHY FOR PORTLAND
They swerve and decide to roll with RWIII as the mentor / starter as Donovan develops.

Love this approach, but agree we (unfortunately) aren't getting off Ayton that easily.


As a long time Blazer fan, it never feels like we have enough center depth. Maybe that's the snakebite trauma but RW3 is best kept on a minute restriction and Clingan is young and not ready for full time minutes so having a tank commander in Ayton to soak up minutes while not providing unnecessary wins is fine for one more year. Would have rather have not traded for him in the first place but it got us Camara so its the cost we have to bear.

[meekrab]

The Bulls would probably just tell Portland to go away and take Adams and the picks and figure out their center position later.

Problem with a three team swap is you need to make sure Team 3 actually brings something Team 2 would like better, and I'm not sure it's the case here.

[ThatBoyNick]

I'd much rather have Adams than Vuc.

[K_chile22]

Think rockets are happy with Adams

[ChettheJet]

I see the Bulls doing this. Yes Vuc trounces Ayton with scoring stats. What I see in Ayton that makes me willing to swap them is he is much more mobile. You haven't had to watch Vuc just not be able to move in switches, you'll say bad defense but when he goes to contest a shot in the lane he just can't recover to even breathe on the guy getting the offensive rebound and the put back. OK Ayton doesn't shoot the three, well the other 4 Bulls on the floor can almost always do it, they can just shoot more. Have you ever seem Ayton go to the basket, get a lob and dunk the ball, Vuc hasn't done that in 5 years.

The Bulls may have the fewest SRP's in the league, so long as their spread out one per year they have value.

I see the sense for PORT to get 3 expiring contracts to start thinning their too deep roster. In fact they should stay on the phone with the Bulls to see about getting their pick back.

[Xman]

Salary combo of expirings:
Landale, JeffGreen $8 mil each
Tate $7.6
Maybe Holiday $4.6
Keep Adams
Add seconds

Gets Capela or JVal. Or, Vuc but not sure he fits.

[PDXKnight]

WHY FOR PORTLAND
They swerve and decide to roll with RWIII as the mentor / starter as Donovan develops.

Love this approach, but agree we (unfortunately) aren't getting off Ayton that easily.


As a long time Blazer fan, it never feels like we have enough center depth. Maybe that's the snakebite trauma but RW3 is best kept on a minute restriction and Clingan is young and not ready for full time minutes so having a tank commander in Ayton to soak up minutes while not providing unnecessary wins is fine for one more year. Would have rather have not traded for him in the first place but it got us Camara so its the cost we have to bear.

Ayton will have value as an expiring contraft by the off season or next trade deadline. Blazers have no foreseeable free agency plans so it's indeed best for us to just eat that money for the remainder of the season before we evaluate the market for him