Timelord to Denver

[AleksandarN]

Saric and Zeke plus a top 5 protected 2031 pick for Timelord.

Portland gets a high first round pick when Jokic probably won’t be on the team.

Denver takes a gamble that Timelord can stay healthy for the playoffs.

[Texas Chuck]

Can't see Denver investing their last asset in an oft-injured backup to the best player on the planet.

[JRoy]

That is a really risky move for DEN.

Zeus is a pretty bad contract but if DEN could send expiring salary instead and a couple SRP that might work.

[louc1970]

Saric and Zeke plus a top 5 protected 2031 pick for Timelord.

Portland gets a high first round pick when Jokic probably won’t be on the team.

Denver takes a gamble that Timelord can stay healthy for the playoffs.

I wouldn't give up Nnaji unless I was sure about Holmes being good enough to play. I believe the Nuggets are high on Holmes, but ......

[BlazersBroncos]

I am in the camp of keeping RWIII under most circumstances but this is too good to pass up.

A pick that far out only Top-5 protected? Joker will be like 35 at that point. You have to make this trade for PDX.

DEN would be NUTS to do this though.

[gswhoops]

Can't see Denver investing their last asset in an oft-injured backup to the best player on the planet.

A pick that far out only Top-5 protected? Joker will be like 35 at that point. You have to make this trade for PDX.

DEN would be NUTS to do this though.

These two posts basically sum up my thoughts here.

[brackdan70]

Saric and Zeke plus a top 5 protected 2031 pick for Timelord.

Portland gets a high first round pick when Jokic probably won’t be on the team.

Denver takes a gamble that Timelord can stay healthy for the playoffs.

I think that might be a bit steep for Timelord given his injury history. If the pick is lotto protected and the turns into two second if not conveyed is probably closer.

[Norm2953]

This has a chance for unlike those TL to the GSW trades, Portland and Denver's front offices have
done a lot of good business together over the years.

[Myth]

I am in the camp of keeping RWIII under most circumstances but this is too good to pass up.

A pick that far out only Top-5 protected? Joker will be like 35 at that point. You have to make this trade for PDX.

DEN would be NUTS to do this though.

Same. Blazers may require a first to give up Timelord, but I also don't think they get it. They definitely aren't getting a pick that far in the future that is only top 5 protected, even with a questionable contract coming back.

[Myth]

Can't see Denver investing their last asset in an oft-injured backup to the best player on the planet.

I think he could play at the same time as Jokic, but otherwise I totally agree with your point.

[Walton1one]

I don't see any major issues with this deal. RW3 is worth a 1st, and I think he will POR will get such a return.

Saric is up the same year as RW3,

Nnaji isn't a FA until after the 27/28 season which is not ideal, so POR carries $7.5 for another year if they made this deal.

[AleksandarN]

I look at Zeke’s contract as a negative and requires a 1st to dump anyways. It took 3 seconds to dump Reggie’s contract this year and he was only signed for 1 yr 5 million. Zeke is 3 yrs at 9 million per. Saric is useless and signed for two years at 5 million. So getting Timelord is bonus.

[Myth]

I look at Zeke’s contract is a negative and requires a 1st to dump anyways. It took 3 seconds to dump Reggie’s contract this year and he was only signed for 1 yr 5 million. Zeke is 3 yrs at 9 million per. Saric is useless and signed for two years at 5 million. So getting Timelord is bonus.

I suspect the big issue is that it is only top 5 protected.

[AleksandarN]

I look at Zeke’s contract is a negative and requires a 1st to dump anyways. It took 3 seconds to dump Reggie’s contract this year and he was only signed for 1 yr 5 million. Zeke is 3 yrs at 9 million per. Saric is useless and signed for two years at 5 million. So getting Timelord is bonus.

I suspect the big issue is that it is only top 5 protected.

Lottery protected then

[Myth]

I look at Zeke’s contract is a negative and requires a 1st to dump anyways. It took 3 seconds to dump Reggie’s contract this year and he was only signed for 1 yr 5 million. Zeke is 3 yrs at 9 million per. Saric is useless and signed for two years at 5 million. So getting Timelord is bonus.

I suspect the big issue is that it is only top 5 protected.

Lottery protected then

Works for me. You may still get conflicting responses from Nuggets fans.

[Ell Curry]

I think if you're Denver and you give up that first - even with Nnaji's ugly deal - you have to get either 2 solid, cheap, bench guys (a perimeter player and a big) to go in the rotation, a 25 minute+ perimeter guy or 1 solid cheap bench guy (again guard or big, as they have Strawther and Watson as backup wings) and say a 2025 early 2nd rounder you might be able to draft that type of contributor with or trade for the guard or big you didn't straight acquire.

Like for the 2031 pick, top 5 protected + Nnaji, I'd be looking for, at minimum, something like:

Pistons - Fontecchio, Sasser and a pair of quality 2nd rounders (probably look to move Fontecchio and the 2nds for a backup big)

Charlotte - Tre Mann + Nick Richards

Houston - Aaron Holliday to Denver, and Cam Whitmore and some Houston 2nds to a 3rd team for a cheap backup big

Chicago - Dosunmu or Jalen Smith and a bunch of 2nds

So, for this deal, I'd have the value as more like Timelord + 3 2nd rounders for Nnaji + top 5 2031 protected.

[JRoy]

I think if you're Denver and you give up that first - even with Nnaji's ugly deal - you have to get either 2 solid, cheap, bench guys (a perimeter player and a big) to go in the rotation, a 25 minute+ perimeter guy or 1 solid cheap bench guy (again guard or big, as they have Strawther and Watson as backup wings) and say a 2025 early 2nd rounder you might be able to draft that type of contributor with or trade for the guard or big you didn't straight acquire.

Like for the 2031 pick, top 5 protected + Nnaji, I'd be looking for, at minimum, something like:

Pistons - Fontecchio, Sasser and a pair of quality 2nd rounders (probably look to move Fontecchio and the 2nds for a backup big)

Charlotte - Tre Mann + Nick Richards

Houston - Aaron Holliday to Denver, and Cam Whitmore and some Houston 2nds to a 3rd team for a cheap backup big

Chicago - Dosunmu or Jalen Smith and a bunch of 2nds

So, for this deal, I'd have the value as more like Timelord + 3 2nd rounders for Nnaji + top 5 2031 protected.

LOL.

POR isn’t doing that.

[Myth]

I think if you're Denver and you give up that first - even with Nnaji's ugly deal - you have to get either 2 solid, cheap, bench guys (a perimeter player and a big) to go in the rotation, a 25 minute+ perimeter guy or 1 solid cheap bench guy (again guard or big, as they have Strawther and Watson as backup wings) and say a 2025 early 2nd rounder you might be able to draft that type of contributor with or trade for the guard or big you didn't straight acquire.

Like for the 2031 pick, top 5 protected + Nnaji, I'd be looking for, at minimum, something like:

Pistons - Fontecchio, Sasser and a pair of quality 2nd rounders (probably look to move Fontecchio and the 2nds for a backup big)

Charlotte - Tre Mann + Nick Richards

Houston - Aaron Holliday to Denver, and Cam Whitmore and some Houston 2nds to a 3rd team for a cheap backup big

Chicago - Dosunmu or Jalen Smith and a bunch of 2nds

So, for this deal, I'd have the value as more like Timelord + 3 2nd rounders for Nnaji + top 5 2031 protected.

LOL.

POR isn’t doing that.

I’d chance it because I’ll still be a fan in the 2030s, but I’m less convinced Cronin makes the trade as his job security likely doesn’t extend that far. The only reason he does it is if he plans to repackage that pick in a sooner deal, which obviously is an option just like him using a 2029 to land Deni.

[Ell Curry]

I’d chance it because I’ll still be a fan in the 2030s, but I’m less convinced Cronin makes the trade as his job security likely doesn’t extend that far. The only reason he does it is if he plans to repackage that pick in a sooner deal, which obviously is an option just like him using a 2029 to land Deni.

Always an interesting question. I remember attending some Sloan Conference presentation on Moral Hazard and GMs making short term decisions to save their jobs. You would think that an owner/president of basketball operations would take into account whether a team has extra picks or is short of picks in the future, but I guess there's still lots of short-term thinking and also maybe local media/fanbase appeasement still matters a bit, though I doubt fans really notice if a new front office comes in.

[redslastlaugh]

Expanding this idea a little bit, as follows:

Portland moves some plus pieces for out value, replacing the with lesser vets for this years tank. Denver adds depth to buff up Jokic for next couple years.

Portland trades Rob Williams III, Dalano Banton, and Toumani Camara

Denver trades Zeke Nnaji, Dario Saric, Jalen Pickett, & UNPROTECTED 2031 first round pick

Hopefully Rob has a healthy season to play of Joker. Banton and Camara add plus value. Dario and Zeke take those minutes and PDX locks up a top 6 pick to land a real chance at a star, plus gets an unprotected out pick.