RealGM

Assume the Blazers do the following:

Derrick Jones Jr opts in - $9.7 million
Norman Powell - resigned for 3 years $15 million
Carmelo Anthony - resigned for 1 year, veterans minimum $2.6 million
Enes Kanter - resigned for 2 year $5 million
Zach Collins - resigned for $5 million

Roster
PG Lillard / Simons
SG McCollum / Powell / Elleby
SF Jones Jr / Little
PF Covington / Melo
_C Nurkic / Kanter / Collins

Find Portland a star forward (preferably SF, but could be PF). Everyone not named Lillard is available to trade. Portland will most likely trade the 2021 1st pick to Houston to complete the Covington trade and they owe some future 2nd picks, but have at it otherwise.

Push in the chips for Jonathan Isaac.

Unlikely it’s enough for ORL, and unlikely he stays healthy even if ORL takes the deal.

If Philadelphia won't take CJ for Harris (and they should not because Tobias is better) then I do not think there is a realistic chance of Portland improving their roster to the point that they become a contender. There really is not a forward that will be available who moves the needle for the scraps Portland has to offer.

Powell will get way more than 15m/yr imo

Best upgrade I've found without breaking the backourt is:

DJJ + Elleby + Simons OR Little + '23 POR 1st (top 4 protected) for Barnes (SAC) or Grant (DET);

Collins (S&T) for Wright.

Lillard/Wright
CJ/Powell
RoCo/Little
Barnes/Melo
Nurkic/Kanter

Still not a contender (not many teams can just turn into a CONTENDER like that), but maybe a WCF with some luck.

Hope Nurkic rounds back into form and trade for Barnes/Grant (Barnes probably more gettable) is my path forward as well. Put out feelers on Draymond, but valuation on him is all over the place, expect to be shot down by GS.

Dame/CJ/RoCo/Barnes/Nurkic is a nasty starting 5.

Portland needs another top 10 player to contend. I’m just not sure where they’re going to find one.

I could see a McCollum/Ingram swap benefiting both teams in the short term. I feel like Portland needs to add though, as Ingram should, in theory, still be on the upswing

RoyceDa59 wrote:Portland needs another top 10 player to contend. I’m just not sure where they’re going to find one.

I agree. POR could make a trade to improve the team, but with the quality of the true contenders right now, I don’t think they have the trade value on the team to acquire a top 10 player to pair with Dame to be a legit contender.

Gobert's the only top 10 type guy I could see them having any chance at going for if Utah flamed out. Anybody else and their offer just isn't good enough.

Trade every offense only role player for players mostly known for their defense. That means Simons, Melo, Kanter specifically are gone. Ship out Elleby too. Fire Stotts. Hire a defense focused coach. Lillard, CJ, Powell, and Nurkic can figure it most of the offense well enough as long as the defense can slow the other team’s offense.

shrink wrote:

RoyceDa59 wrote:Portland needs another top 10 player to contend. I’m just not sure where they’re going to find one.

I agree. POR could make a trade to improve the team, but with the quality of the true contenders right now, I don’t think they have the trade value on the team to acquire a top 10 player to pair with Dame to be a legit contender.

Most of the value would have to be draft picks. That whole unprotected picks package + pick swaps is the big thing these days, then CJ for salary purposes assuming this star coming in also has a big contract.

eminence wrote:Gobert's the only top 10 type guy I could see them having any chance at going for if Utah flamed out. Anybody else and their offer just isn't good enough.

I wanted that to happen last season when there was turmoil in Utah. Unfortunately, they had too good of a season to let him go now.

Portland's best hope to be a contender continues to rest on the health of Nurkic and Zach Collins for
if they could somehow stay on the court for 75 games (each), Portland's chances would be greatly
enhanced. Discussions on adding a top 10 player aren't going to happen for all but Dame are already
on an NBA contender

Would Dallas entertain a Porzingis/CJ based deal?

KP clearly has his issues, and I'm sure Portland fans hate the idea of bringing in another big with some injury red flags... I just feel like it's a good upside swing for them that eliminates the defensive/size conundrum with Dame/CJ.

They'd have some optionality in terms of playing really big or putting KP at center and running some 5 out stuff.

youngcrev wrote:Would Dallas entertain a Porzingis/CJ based deal?

KP clearly has his issues, and I'm sure Portland fans hate the idea of bringing in another big with some injury red flags... I just feel like it's a good upside swing for them that eliminates the defensive/size conundrum with Dame/CJ.

They'd have some optionality in terms of playing really big or putting KP at center and running some 5 out stuff.

As a Dallas fan, I'd be interested in a trade with the Blazers. but no, for CJ..however, Counter..
Nurkic / Covington for KP .. o Nurkic / DJJ for KP

How about a Hayward-Nurkic swap

Mike lorenzo wrote:

youngcrev wrote:Would Dallas entertain a Porzingis/CJ based deal?

KP clearly has his issues, and I'm sure Portland fans hate the idea of bringing in another big with some injury red flags... I just feel like it's a good upside swing for them that eliminates the defensive/size conundrum with Dame/CJ.

They'd have some optionality in terms of playing really big or putting KP at center and running some 5 out stuff.

As a Dallas fan, I'd be interested in a trade with the Blazers. but no, for CJ..however, Counter..
Nurkic / Covington for KP .. o Nurkic / DJJ for KP

No thanks from this Portland fan. McCollum for KP makes a lot more sense for the Trailblazers as it allows Portland to eliminate some overlap at guard while allowing the Blazers to get a big and defensive. Trading our two best big defenders for a defensive downgrade most certainly doesn't make the Blazers a contender since we are already an all-time bad defensive team.

Village Idiot wrote:

Mike lorenzo wrote:

youngcrev wrote:Would Dallas entertain a Porzingis/CJ based deal?

KP clearly has his issues, and I'm sure Portland fans hate the idea of bringing in another big with some injury red flags... I just feel like it's a good upside swing for them that eliminates the defensive/size conundrum with Dame/CJ.

They'd have some optionality in terms of playing really big or putting KP at center and running some 5 out stuff.

As a Dallas fan, I'd be interested in a trade with the Blazers. but no, for CJ..however, Counter..
Nurkic / Covington for KP .. o Nurkic / DJJ for KP

No thanks from this Portland fan. McCollum for KP makes a lot more sense for the Trailblazers as it allows Portland to eliminate some overlap at guard while allowing the Blazers to get a big and defensive. Trading our two best big defenders for a defensive downgrade most certainly doesn't make the Blazers a contender since we are already an all-time bad defensive team.

Agreed..0 interest, to inherit Portland issues..
Mavs can barely play Brunson / Luka together, I prefer to live with the delusion, that KP will stay healthy consistently..with CJ it is a certainty, that we will suck in defense (even more than now)

Topofthekey wrote:How about a Hayward-Nurkic swap

No thanks from POR