RealGM

A young team clearly on the rise, their days as a top pick are probably over. So what do you think they'll do, or would you do? Which prospects do you like for them at their level? Would you trade the team? Is there a veteran on the internet to sell? Who and where? Show us your ideas.

As an actual lifetime Blazers fan that isn’t a pessimistic POS, this young core is epic.

Mainly, because they play both sides, already.

Add DA in the mix, and good health luck, what we need is a backup PG for Scoot (I like Banton a lot but he doesn’t seem long term) plus an additional young big to go long term with Clingan.

I think Ayton is a dark horse to be the “vet leader” whereas Grant and Simons have proven to be net neutral-to-negative. Regardless, we need more talent.

Team is starting to really develop an identity - so, continue to build and complement that identity.

Pattycakes wrote:As an actual lifetime Blazers fan that isn’t a pessimistic POS, this young core is epic.

Mainly, because they play both sides, already.

Add DA in the mix, and good health luck, what we need is a backup PG for Scoot (I like Banton a lot but he doesn’t seem long term) plus an additional young big to go long term with Clingan.

I think Ayton is a dark horse to be the “vet leader” whereas Grant and Simons have proven to be net neutral-to-negative. Regardless, we need more talent.

Team is starting to really develop an identity - so, continue to build and complement that identity.

Well said.

The word missing here is Culture. Portland is building a culture with their young players.

What I would like to see them do is get extensions out Sharpe and see what number Ayton would extend at. If it's around or under 20 Million AAV, they should extend him.

Draft BPA.

Look to move on from Grant and/or Simons.

Simons for KCP + DEN 1st
Grant involved in the KD deal or something else.

If I had the controls, I would be trading the veterans and seeing how the young guys sort out their rotation. I would worry less about piling up draft picks as I would about getting more young guys on rookie contracts who are willing to contribute in hopes of getting their next contract in PORT or elsewhere.

I wold be building around

Avdija
henderson
Thybulle
Clingon
Sharpe
Murray

when you see that, that's most of your rotation, turn them loose, They're young but they're not kids any more, fill in with more young guys and see who leads

Trading the big contracts isn't easy, Ayton and Simons are already expiring, Grant has more years to go but I'd explore every avenue to get in when some of these super max contract guys get moved in the summer. Aim to knock a year off of Grant's deal and even if it means two smaller expiring contracts for Ayton and Simons

ChettheJet wrote:If I had the controls, I would be trading the veterans and seeing how the young guys sort out their rotation. I would worry less about piling up draft picks as I would about getting more young guys on rookie contracts who are willing to contribute in hopes of getting their next contract in PORT or elsewhere.

I wold be building around

Avdija
henderson
Thybulle
Clingon
Sharpe
Murray

when you see that, that's most of your rotation, turn them loose, They're young but they're not kids any more, fill in with more young guys and see who leads

Trading the big contracts isn't easy, Ayton and Simons are already expiring, Grant has more years to go but I'd explore every avenue to get in when some of these super max contract guys get moved in the summer. Aim to knock a year off of Grant's deal and even if it means two smaller expiring contracts for Ayton and Simons

I would replace Murray with Camara.

ChettheJet wrote:If I had the controls, I would be trading the veterans and seeing how the young guys sort out their rotation. I would worry less about piling up draft picks as I would about getting more young guys on rookie contracts who are willing to contribute in hopes of getting their next contract in PORT or elsewhere.

I wold be building around

Avdija
henderson
Thybulle
Clingon
Sharpe
Murray

when you see that, that's most of your rotation, turn them loose, They're young but they're not kids any more, fill in with more young guys and see who leads

Trading the big contracts isn't easy, Ayton and Simons are already expiring, Grant has more years to go but I'd explore every avenue to get in when some of these super max contract guys get moved in the summer. Aim to knock a year off of Grant's deal and even if it means two smaller expiring contracts for Ayton and Simons

Thybulle with no Camara shows a complete lack of understanding about the Blazers, no offense.

Thybulle and Murray aren't remotely close to core pieces nor should they be.

Not seeing anyone trade for Ayton. Ride him out one more year.
I would focus on dealing Grant since his contract is longer.
Get what you can for Simons. Expiring and a pick, probably low. Maybe Orlando sends a prospect (Jett or Black) and expiring filler.
Start the young guys and get one more lottery pick n cut year in a strong draft. Plus, have cap space to improve.

Not sure if either team does this: Scoot for Reed Sheppard (3rd pick last draft) and pick 12.
Houston gambles on Scoot improving and Portland adds prospects.
Haven’t seen Scoot so not sure where his game is but stats don’t look good.
Scoot/JGreen could be unstoppable or a train wreck.

No thanks from POR.

That would leave Simons as the only option at PG.

Disaster.

[quote="JRoy"]No thanks from POR.

That would leave Simons as the only option at PG.

Disaster.[/quote]

Sheppard is pg. supposed to be 3&D guy.
just no minutes in Houston behind Vleet and Amen

Xman wrote:

JRoy wrote:No thanks from POR.

That would leave Simons as the only option at PG.

Disaster.

Sheppard is pg. supposed to be 3&D guy.
just no minutes in Houston behind Vleet and Amen

No. He’s a tiny sg.

He can be some other teams problem.

Blazers are full of above average guys, average guys, and guys with potential to be above average guys. They have depth at most positions, and a decent amount of defense. What they lack is a star. There’s a couple guys on the team who have an outside chance of being a star, but I’m not counting on it. So this summer, I think they need to try to see if they can get a star if possible, and if not, they need to make moves that give them a chance to land a star in the near future (Next 2 years or bust). Hopefully the lottery plays nicely in our favor and we draft well. But assuming that is not going to be obviously in our favor, I’d see what under 30 star is available for a young talent at the same position plus picks. The only one I feel is currently potentially available is Sabonis. Offer Clingan, matching mostly expiring salary, and picks. If that or something like that is not available, that is where we need to make moves to plan for future moves. Ideally we get off Grant if possible, even if it is for worse players, just to have more salary space and movable contracts. We can’t be giving up valuable assets to do that though. Simons should also be traded. If we re-sign him for any amount of money that kills cap space, we may doom ourselves. Ayton is similar, except I don’t expect to be able to trade him for anything, so let him expire and walk or re-sign him only if he is ready for a big paycut. From there, go back to developing the team, with picks and a bit of cap space waiting for a big move. It’s Portland, so sadly it may not pay off, and we may need to hit another reset in a couple of years if we don’t get a star to help this team.

Trade Simons to Orlando for the Denver pick and Issac. Trade the Denver pick to Chicago along with Kris Murray (into the Lavine TPE) for their own first back

Draft Egor Demin

Trade Jerami Grant to Sacramento for DeMar Derozen. Portland shave a year and five million in annual salary for a guy who can provide really good offense off the bench. Sacramento gets a better defender and less of a ball-stopper

Hire Thomas Isalo to coach. I feel his offense would be a great fit for the Blazers personell. Continue improving the defense and culture that Billups has begun establishing.

Keep Ayton and Robwill. Bring back Banton and Reath

PG: Scoot, Demin, Banton
SG: Sharpe, Thybulle, Rupert
SF: Camara, DeRozen
PF: Avidja, Williams, Issac
C: Ayton, Clingan, Reath

Village Idiot wrote:Trade Simons to Orlando for the Denver pick and Issac. Trade the Denver pick to Chicago along with Kris Murray (into the Lavine TPE) for their own first back

Draft Egor Demin

Trade Jerami Grant to Sacramento for DeMar Derozen. Portland shave a year and five million in annual salary for a guy who can provide really good offense off the bench. Sacramento gets a better defender and less of a ball-stopper

Hire Thomas Isalo to coach. I feel his offense would be a great fit for the Blazers personell. Continue improving the defense and culture that Billups has begun establishing.

Keep Ayton and Robwill. Bring back Banton, Reath and Walker

PG: Scoot, Demin, Banton
SG: Sharpe, Thybulle, Rupert
SF: Camara, DeRozen
PF: Avidja, Williams, Walker
C: Ayton, Clingan, Reath

Why would Sacramento do that trade? Demar is the better player.

I really like the idea of Sabonis/Valanciunas to BLAZERS for Ayton/Clingan/Murray FRP25+Future FRP for both teams...or Lillard's return?

Pass on DDR. Exactly the opposite of what this team needs.

Team needs a star player. That isn’t Scoot and probably not Avdija, Sharpe on Clingan.

I would stand pat
Henderson/Simons
Sharpe/Simons
Deni/Camara
Camara/Grant
Ayton/Clingan
Deep bench includes RWill/Murray/Tybulle
draft Fears/Richardson
Go for the playoffs