RealGM

This trade proposal is envisioned as a mid-season trade contingent on the following, not unlikely, conditions being met

- Minnesota. Another losing season, crowded back-court with need for developmental minutes and not veteran leadership. The need for a defensive minded PF has become pronounced

- Orlando. It has become clear that Markelle Fultz (much to my chagrin as a fellow Husky) will never be anything but a mediocre lead guard. They need a go-to guy

- Portland. The team is successful, the new guys have fit in. Gary Trent Jr. is clearly a stud 3 and D SG and Ant Simons has become a consistent and efficient contributor. They see some gaps in taking the next step though. 1. a dedicated back-up PG 2. a PF with enough mass and athleticism to put on Lebron, AD, Kawhi or PG to compliment RoCo

Minnesota trades:

Ricky Rubio

Minnesota receives:

Zach Collins
Mo Bamba

The T-Wolves get a guy in Zach Collins who has periodically played fantastic defense with great length, anticipation and agility. He's also showed indications of being a good outside shooter. He could be a perfect PF compliment to Towns.

Mo Bamba has massive potential but whether the T-Wolves, or anyone else, will be able to realize it is the $10 million question. It's a low risk, high reward for the T-pups

Orlando trades:

Aaron Gordon
Mo Bamba

Orlando receives:

CJ McCollum

CJ McCollum is a proven guy who can create for himself at all three levels, can create for his teammates but is also fantastic off-ball shooter. His numbers in the 30 or so career games without Damian Lillard are all-star level. I feel like the Aaron Gordon relationship has run its course and Bamba has little remaining value. If Okeke develops and Issac comes back the Magic have themselves a very solid team

Portland trades:

CJ McCollum
Zach Collins

Portland receives:

Aaron Gordon
Ricky Rubio

The emergence of Gary Trent Jr makes CJ somewhat more expendable. The Blazers acquire a guy in Gordon who can move into starting PF role with Covington sliding over to SF giving the Blazers a potentially top 5 defensive team who can match up against anybody but most importantly the LA teams

PG: Lillard, Rubio
SG: Trent, Hood, Simons
SF: Covington, Jones, Little
PF: Gordon, Melo
C: Nurkic, Kanter, Giles

is a team with enough quality depth to get HCA in the West and go to battle with the other top teams

I like the value all away around. I question whether the Wolves are going to want to put themselves in a position where they have to pay to Collins this summer. If they think they can maybe move Beasley to the Knicks for cap space, this probably has legs.

I dont hate it, but Portland just isnt moving CJ. They value his shot creation too much and while GTJ looks like a nice role playing SG, he cant get his shot nearly as well as CJ.

This is a move I think about in the offseason if GTJ has a tremendous year, but right now there isnt a chance.

at first glance does Rubio have the kind of value to bring in Collins/Bamba? I thought Orlando was higher on Bamba. Otherwise I think everything looks good

BlazersBroncos wrote:I dont hate it, but Portland just isnt moving CJ. They value his shot creation too much and while GTJ looks like a nice role playing SG, he cant get his shot nearly as well as CJ.

This is a move I think about in the offseason if GTJ has a tremendous year, but right now there isnt a chance.

One of the conditions to this trade is Anfernee Simons becoming a consistent contributor. He, not GTJ, has the potential to replace CJ's shot creation. Also I envision Gordon being able to be a secondary ball-handler in that first group and like Nurkic also has high level passing skills for his position.

But like you say, Olshey will never trade CJ.

One of the conditions to this trade is Anfernee Simons becoming a consistent contributor. He, not GTJ, has the potential to replace CJ's shot creation. Also I envision Gordon being able to be a secondary ball-handler in that first group and like Nurkic also has high level passing skills for his position.

I think Simons is about as close to replacing CJ's shot creation as I am to dating Megan Fox. He has barely shown the ability to be a 3rd string PG much less a replacement shot creator. I just dont have trust in him, and I think he lacks trust in himself.

Also, as you said Gordon would likely have to be the secondary ballhandler in our starting lineup. To me that is a huge issue. Right now, with CJ, we lack ball handlers and creators. Swapping CJ for AG makes us even worse in that regard. GTJ has excellent 3/D potential, but he isnt anything above average as a handler and passer. Arguably worse than average at both.

I think this year needs to see GTJ at SF a good deal. If he can play SF consistently we can justify matching a high AV RFA offer. I would prefer a starting lineup of Lillard / McCollum / Trent JR / Covington / Nurkic to Lillard / Trent Jr / Covington / Gordon / Nurkic. Or keep it simple and start DJJ at SF and pay GTJ to be our 30MPG swing 6th man.

We can waive Hood (Or deal him to a team w/ cap space) if needed and let Zach walk to keep GTJ. I think that may be the best path forward. Or, if DJJ balls out he opts out and walks with Zach and we keep Hood while paying GTJ. In both scenarios ideally we use the MLE on Giles after he has a bounce back year. IDK, just not ready to move CJ for a guy who seems to fit best as a 4th option on a high tier squad.

Assuming the waive / trade Hood option (Saves 10M) and letting Zach walk (Likely demands around 10M) we pay GTJ 15M AV and start him at SF. Throw the MLE at Giles, resign Kanter and Melo cheap and run w/:

G - Damian Lillard (34) / True Backup PG (14)
G - CJ McCollum (34) / Gary Trent Jr (14)
F - Gary Trent Jr (14) / Derrick Jones Jr (24) / Robert Covington (10)
F - Robert Covington (18) / Carmelo Anthony (20) / Harry Giles (10)
C - Jusuf Nurkic (28) / Harry Giles (10) / Enes Kanter (10)

I still maintain way too much value is being assigned to CJ's shot creation. Yes shot creation is valuable, but you can find guys who made 1/3 as much money who can create shots and match or even exceed his efficiency. I get he's a beloved figure and seems to be a great dude and he handles big minutes and is a good player.

But his contract obligations are enormous and while I know some posters have cited his numbers when Dame was out that showed over a tiny sample he could succeed as a 1st option, I don't know that I'd want to be the team taking that gamble on that money. Feels more likely to not work out than work out.

I actually think he's more valuable where he is a clear 2nd option, maybe even ideally a 3rd.

Value is good for the wolves but bamba should be flipped somewhere else.

Olshey hangs up the second a backup point guard is heading to Portland.

I have no problem moving CJ in a package for a clear upgrade at a position of need.

This trade has POR diluting for a backup for our best player and AG.

Hard pass.

First, thank you for another well-considered trade. I appreciate that you walk us through your thinking by establishing pre-existing conditions and solid reasoning for each team. I also enjoy your fairness and wit (“Collins periodically played fantastic defense.”). Solid work,VI.

As for the MIN part, I wrote a piece yesterday in the MIN - Best Move, Worst Move thread about how much specific additional value Rubio has to the Wolves ..

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2029644#p87095601

... and I would have thought of him as virtually untradable. But for a package like this, I don’t think MIN could afford to say no. I don’t think he has that much trade value on the open market (MIN traded an expiring James Johnson to take on Ricky and his second year .. I feel the pick trade was even), but he is a unique player that can have unique special value to a few franchises.

It would kill much of the Wolves’ fanbase to lose Rubio, but MIN can’t say no.

I would add that I could see this deal working for all three teams.

CJ is obviously the most skilled player, but on his contract, I am not sure he is the most valuable. Moreover, adding both Gordon and Rubio would be excellent complimentary fits that would certainly help the Blazers defensively.

MIN can’t say no on value, and ORL needs a star that can be a prime scorer. If they prefer to keep Bamba, they could send something else.

I like it for all...from ORL perspective, I've been promoting a trade to bring CJ over here for years to go "full Harden" and challenge for the league lead in scoring. I also think Gordon will thrive in a situation where he can focus on what he's good at instead of what an offense-challenged team needs...This is about the last season that I'd be willing to pay dearly for CJ as he is aging out of the sweet spot...but, for now, I'm all in.

The blazers are contending (or trying to contend) today.

Trading a player in his prime for 2 lesser players is the wrong direction, especially since one is clearly a backup and the other addresses none of our needs.

Not to mention Lillard and CJ are tight. I could see Lillard maybe signing off on trading CJ for a player that puts POR into serious contention.

This does not do that.