Trade deadline, buyouts, and waivers

[d-train]

The bad people in the Meyers Leonard bad word incident are the aholes piling on a human being for inappropriate language that was 100% innocuous. It would have been harmful had he called a jewish woman the phrase in question, but he didn't and most likely would never. In the context of trash talking with a bunch of dimwitted adults playing a kids game, the phrase was just a dumb choice of insult.

[Waynearchetype]

The bad people in the Meyers Leonard bad word incident are the aholes piling on a human being for inappropriate language that was 100% innocuous. It would have been harmful had he called a jewish woman the phrase in question, but he didn't and most likely would never. In the context of trash talking with a bunch of dimwitted adults playing a kids game, the phrase was just a dumb choice of insult.

We're 2 years away from the last white supremacist shooting up a synagogue, maybe delete this message please. We're 4 years away from a mass white supremacist demonstration where people walked through a city chanting "Blood and Soil" and "Jews will not replace us!". Using a racial slur online because you are mad is not 100% innocuous, it is 0% innocuous. There is zero reason to have that word in your vocabulary unless you are racist. Same goes with every other racial slur.

[PDXKnight]

The bad people in the Meyers Leonard bad word incident are the aholes piling on a human being for inappropriate language that was 100% innocuous. It would have been harmful had he called a jewish woman the phrase in question, but he didn't and most likely would never. In the context of trash talking with a bunch of dimwitted adults playing a kids game, the phrase was just a dumb choice of insult.

We're 2 years away from the last white supremacist shooting up a synagogue, maybe delete this message please. We're 4 years away from a mass white supremacist demonstration where people walked through a city chanting "Blood and Soil" and "Jews will not replace us!". Using a racial slur online because you are mad is not 100% innocuous, it is 0% innocuous. There is zero reason to have that word in your vocabulary unless you are racist. Same goes with every other racial slur.

i think intent matters too, and I think it’s very evident meyers didn’t intend to hurt anyone nor did he say it in a hateful way. Meyers’ word choice is clearly inexcusable but i think he deserves another chance if his talent doesn’t limit him from that chance. But honestly he’s just not that good so he may not get a shot on that merit alone

i like julian edleman’s reaponse

"So we've never met, I hope we can one day soon," Edelman, who is Jewish, wrote. "I'm sure you've been getting lots of criticism for what you said. Not trying to add to that, I just want to offer some perspective.
"I get the sense that you didn't use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance. Most likely, you weren't trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That's what makes it so destructive. When someone intends to be hateful, it's usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach, especially when you command great influence. Hate is like a virus even accidentally, it can rapidly spread.
"I'm down in Miami fairly often. Let's do a Shabbat dinner with some friends I'll show you a fun time."

[Wizenheimer]

Meyers Leonard was fracking stupid. And guess what, there's a price for stupidity. I know I always pay a price when I'm overtly stupid. There's an even bigger price for racist stupidity, especially when your job is working with a large minority population, who just happen to be the majority population in your occupation. And I think Meyers was already kind of on probation with his peers because of his refusal to participate in symbolic solidarity with BLM

Meyers will get waived by OKC, or the next team, if he's traded between now and the deadline. He'll have an opportunity for rehab and redemption and can try to catch on with another team this summer. I think the odds of that are probably 50-50.

I have no sympathy for Meyers....none. The least noxious interpretation of what he did is willful ignorance. But there's no excuse for willful ignorance. He's had the time, and he should have had the motivation to know better. Meyers is only 29, yet he has made over 60 million dollars from his NBA career. 60 million. And he is still being paid, right now and for the next 3+ months. He has no fundamental right for that gravy train to continue after his current contract expires

what Meyers is experiencing is not unfair, it is slightly rough justice.

[Waynearchetype]

Meyers Leonard was fracking stupid. And guess what, there's a price for stupidity. I know I always pay a price when I'm overtly stupid. There's an even bigger price for racist stupidity, especially when your job is working with a large minority population, who just happen to be the majority population in your occupation. And I think Meyers was already kind of on probation with his peers because of his refusal to participate in symbolic solidarity with BLM

Meyers will get waived by OKC, or the next team, if he's traded between now and the deadline. He'll have an opportunity for rehab and redemption and can try to catch on with another team this summer. I think the odds of that are probably 50-50.

I have no sympathy for Meyers....none. The least noxious interpretation of what he did is willful ignorance. But there's no excuse for willful ignorance. He's had the time, and he should have had the motivation to know better. Meyers is only 29, yet he has made over 60 million dollars from his NBA career. 60 million. And he is still being paid, right now and for the next 3+ months. He has no fundamental right for that gravy train to continue after his current contract expires

what Meyers is experiencing is not unfair, it is slightly rough justice.

Thank you for the more eloquent version of my rant lol. Very well stated.

[d-train]

The only racism I see in this case is 100% of the fury being brought down upon Meyers is because he is white, not a white supremacist, just white. Someone tried to justify it by pointing how much money he makes, but no. LeBron James could have said worse and it would have been excused. Someone tried to justify it by saying his fame and status create a higher standard to be judged by, again no. LeBron would have been excused.

Someone cautioned against spreading racism undercover of ignorance can spread like a virus. Okay, I suggest we just stop the spread of racism and leave this rich dumb white boy alone.

[BlazersBroncos]

I think the middle ground that Oden2 articulated is the most reasonable one.

I just dont understand the moral inconsistencies. A player who gets a DUI, an act that puts lives at risk (I would know, I have a friend who died from this) are given a few game suspension. Meyers said a single inconsiderate word and his career is likely over. Hold people that risk killing others by driving drunk to the same standard as those who spit an ignorant syllable. Either they both deserve to be out of this league, or they both deserve forgiveness. I think the latter is correct in both cases, within reason.

[JasonStern]

Meyers said a single inconsiderate word and his career is likely over.

Although his off-the-court action was a major part of it, Meyers Leonard's career is likely over because he's not as good of a basketball player as other options. Injuries obviously played a part, but he was bad this year. And while he may act immature, he's old enough that he's not going to develop further as a player. I'd honestly rather bring Skal Labissière back.

[Waynearchetype]

The only racism I see in this case is 100% of the fury being brought down upon Meyers is because he is white, not a white supremacist, just white. Someone tried to justify it by pointing how much money he makes, but no. LeBron James could have said worse and it would have been excused. Someone tried to justify it by saying his fame and status create a higher standard to be judged by, again no. LeBron would have been excused.

Someone cautioned against spreading racism undercover of ignorance can spread like a virus. Okay, I suggest we just stop the spread of racism and leave this rich dumb white boy alone.

This has some real repressed energy in it. The defensiveness you are feeling is likely internalized.

This isn't some shock to anyone either. Meyers was the only player in the NBA not to kneel with others in support of racial justice (an issue that still plagues our country). The addition of the slur is just further cementing a pattern of behavior out of him. But that stuff doesn't even matter, and this is peak white fragility because JJ Reddick survived saying a slur and is also white. At the end of the day, the risk/benefit analysis is done and it turns out the better you are at basketball the more you get away with. You can pretend that it has to do with his skin color but that is just an extension of the weird culture of playing a victim that most racists seem to have adopted.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Just read an article with NBC Sports talking about Hood, Collins, and a 2024 1st pick for Aaron Gordon. It seems a little light to me, but what if that happens. What if the Spurs buy out Aldridge and the Blazers sign him for the bets minimum. Suddenly the Blazers are 3 deep at every position. Does that get Portland over the hump?

[BlazersBroncos]

This isn't some shock to anyone either. Meyers was the only player in the NBA not to kneel with others in support of racial justice (an issue that still plagues our country).

This isnt true. Jonathan Issac didnt kneel either. Both have family in the millitary if I am not mistaken. It should also be allowed to believe in a movement while also not conforming to a single act, in this case kneeling. The group think that starts to happen is pretty scary. Someone could donate 1M to a TBC but decide not to kneel and all we would do is notice the non-conformity. It becomes an empty gesture when you do it just because everyone else is. Its the anthesis of actually being invested in a movement.

FWIW, I support Kap's initial decision to kneel as well and dont think the anthem should even be played during sporting events. Just not willing to buy into the idea that failure to conform or fall in line is a signal that all your beliefs are abominable.

[Wizenheimer]

I think the middle ground that Oden2 articulated is the most reasonable one.

I just dont understand the moral inconsistencies. A player who gets a DUI, an act that puts lives at risk (I would know, I have a friend who died from this) are given a few game suspension. Meyers said a single inconsiderate word and his career is likely over. Hold people that risk killing others by driving drunk to the same standard as those who spit an ignorant syllable. Either they both deserve to be out of this league, or they both deserve forgiveness. I think the latter is correct in both cases, within reason.

who is saying Meyers can't be forgiven? As I said, he's only 29 so he has time to rehabilitate his image. He first needs to show some contrition and the only thing I've seen from the Meyers camp is a mea-culpa statement very likely written by his agent. Forgiveness doesn't happen overnight and the forgiveness of other white people isn't where it needs to come from. That isn't who he insulted. I mean, it was only last week when the news came out

and speaking of double standards, if Meyers had uttered the N-word in the same derogatory fashion he uttered the K-word, his career would be over. For many Jews, the K-word is as offensive when used how Meyers used as the N-word would have been for blacks

besides all that, what would you propose? That Miami not be allowed to trade Meyers? That OKC not be allowed to waive him. That some NBA team should be forced to sign him?

Meyers was free to say the thing he said. He's free to suffer the consequences. And he'll be doing that suffering after earning 60M dollars in 9 years, from the same league and same sport that is judging him now. That's pretty substantial sympathy considering that somebody earning $50,000/year would only have to work 1200 years to make what Meyers has made before he's 30. I'm not going to feel sorry for him, not now

[Wizenheimer]

Just read an article with NBC Sports talking about Hood, Collins, and a 2024 1st pick for Aaron Gordon. It seems a little light to me, but what if that happens. What if the Spurs buy out Aldridge and the Blazers sign him for the bets minimum. Suddenly the Blazers are 3 deep at every position. Does that get Portland over the hump?

that would put Portland over the tax line so it's a non-starter. I think it's pretty clear Portland won't cross the threshold this season. And adding a player like Giles or Ellerby wouldn't work either because it would drop Portland to 12 players, violating the CBA

Blazers might be able to work around Hood + Zach + Simons. It would be tight but probably doable; they'd have to sign a player first though. But there isn't a lot of incentive for Orlando to do that

[BlazersBroncos]

who is saying Meyers can't be forgiven? As I said, he's only 29 so he has time to rehabilitate his image. He first needs to show some contrition and the only thing I've seen from the Meyers camp is a mea-culpa statement very likely written by his agent. Forgiveness doesn't happen overnight and the forgiveness of other white people isn't where it needs to come from. That isn't who he insulted. I mean, it was only last week when the news came out

and speaking of double standards, if Meyers had uttered the N-word in the same derogatory fashion he uttered the K-word, his career would be over. For many Jews, the K-word is as offensive when used how Meyers used as the N-word would have been for blacks

besides all that, what would you propose? That Miami not be allowed to trade Meyers? That OKC not be allowed to waive him. That some NBA team should be forced to sign him?

Meyers was free to say the thing he said. He's free to suffer the consequences. And he'll be doing that suffering after earning 60M dollars in 9 years, from the same league and same sport that is judging him now. That's pretty substantial sympathy considering that somebody earning $50,000/year would only have to work 1200 years to make what Meyers has made before he's 30. I'm not going to feel sorry for him, not now

This is a very reasonable take. I still stand by the majority of my statements but you made a lot of good points. Should be expected, you are the Wiz.

[GEE]

Leonard is a big that can shoot and pass a little. He is a big body, but he doesn't defend the basket well, which is our weakness without Collins and Nurk.

Notice Kanter gets few if any 4th quarter minutes, even as the only big man on the team. The reason is Stotts wants defenders that can defend against penetration into the paint. He would rather give up the size and rebounding to have 2 or 3 of RoCo, Melo, DJJ, Hood, or Little. They don't have the size to contest shot's at the rim, but at least they have quickness to attempt to cut-off the penetration. This is where we miss Collins.

BIG +1, especially your last line. I feel that our team is mostly just unhealthy, as opposed to untalented. I too feel our team is missing Collins more than most realize. Along with Nurkic being out, our starting 4&5 have been absent most of this season, and Collins is just as important as Nurkic (especially for the defensive side of the floor) when it comes to a championship run.

This is also why I think LA is the easy no-brainer move this year, if we are lucky that he ends up choosing us, post-buyout.

Overall, and I'll say it again, I really like all the guys on this current roster, considering Olshey's unwillingness to trade CJ. And I understand his hesitance, because CJ is one of the better shooters in the league and has been for years now. Shooters ARE a premium. The flip-side is the history of the GSW, and how they were in this very same pickle years ago when they drafted Curry, and had a 25+ ppg scorer already in Monte Ellis. Oh no... what to do... they traded Monte for a far lesser package, which resulted in drafting a 6'8 SG in Klay the following year(iirc). Definitely not a popular move at that time, but obviously worked out quite well for them in the end.

Long-Term (barring no CJ trade):
- I love the four guards in Dame, CJ, GTJ & Simons holding down the PG & SG spots.
- Love the combination of Bosnian Beast + Turkish Warrior at the C.
- ROCO is our 3&D for years to come. The other forwards beyond this year... not so sure especially with the rise of Little. Those two could be solid holding down the SF.
- Collins / Melo looks solid as well at the PF.

So for me, I'm not at all excited about trading any of the above mentioned players, especially for a meh... AG type of trade, and would actually rather have Hood and Jones Jr. since it wouldn't move the needle anyway. If Collins and/or Nurkic can't return to form, then we will need to make a move, but only then.

PEACE

[Pattycakes]

Leonard is a big that can shoot and pass a little. He is a big body, but he doesn't defend the basket well, which is our weakness without Collins and Nurk.

Notice Kanter gets few if any 4th quarter minutes, even as the only big man on the team. The reason is Stotts wants defenders that can defend against penetration into the paint. He would rather give up the size and rebounding to have 2 or 3 of RoCo, Melo, DJJ, Hood, or Little. They don't have the size to contest shot's at the rim, but at least they have quickness to attempt to cut-off the penetration. This is where we miss Collins.

BIG +1, especially your last line. I feel that our team is mostly just unhealthy, as opposed to untalented. I too feel our team is missing Collins more than most realize. Along with Nurkic being out, our starting 4&5 have been absent most of this season, and Collins is just as important as Nurkic (especially for the defensive side of the floor) when it comes to a championship run.

This is also why I think LA is the easy no-brainer move this year, if we are lucky that he ends up choosing us, post-buyout.

Overall, and I'll say it again, I really like all the guys on this current roster, considering Olshey's unwillingness to trade CJ. And I understand his hesitance, because CJ is one of the better shooters in the league and has been for years now. Shooters ARE a premium. The flip-side is the history of the GSW, and how they were in this very same pickle years ago when they drafted Curry, and had a 25+ ppg scorer already in Monte Ellis. Oh no... what to do... they traded Monte for a far lesser package, which resulted in drafting a 6'8 SG in Klay the following year(iirc). Definitely not a popular move at that time, but obviously worked out quite well for them in the end.

Long-Term (barring no CJ trade):
- I love the four guards in Dame, CJ, GTJ & Simons holding down the PG & SG spots.
- Love the combination of Bosnian Beast + Turkish Warrior at the C.
- ROCO is our 3&D for years to come. The other forwards beyond this year... not so sure especially with the rise of Little. Those two could be solid holding down the SF.
- Collins / Melo looks solid as well at the PF.

So for me, I'm not at all excited about trading any of the above mentioned players, especially for a meh... AG type of trade, and would actually rather have Hood and Jones Jr. since it wouldn't move the needle anyway. If Collins and/or Nurkic can't return to form, then we will need to make a move, but only then.

PEACE

All agreed. Getting LA would be huge for this team at this point going into the stretch/PO’s

[Blazinaway]

Leonard is a big that can shoot and pass a little. He is a big body, but he doesn't defend the basket well, which is our weakness without Collins and Nurk.

Notice Kanter gets few if any 4th quarter minutes, even as the only big man on the team. The reason is Stotts wants defenders that can defend against penetration into the paint. He would rather give up the size and rebounding to have 2 or 3 of RoCo, Melo, DJJ, Hood, or Little. They don't have the size to contest shot's at the rim, but at least they have quickness to attempt to cut-off the penetration. This is where we miss Collins.

BIG +1, especially your last line. I feel that our team is mostly just unhealthy, as opposed to untalented. I too feel our team is missing Collins more than most realize. Along with Nurkic being out, our starting 4&5 have been absent most of this season, and Collins is just as important as Nurkic (especially for the defensive side of the floor) when it comes to a championship run.

This is also why I think LA is the easy no-brainer move this year, if we are lucky that he ends up choosing us, post-buyout.

Overall, and I'll say it again, I really like all the guys on this current roster, considering Olshey's unwillingness to trade CJ. And I understand his hesitance, because CJ is one of the better shooters in the league and has been for years now. Shooters ARE a premium. The flip-side is the history of the GSW, and how they were in this very same pickle years ago when they drafted Curry, and had a 25+ ppg scorer already in Monte Ellis. Oh no... what to do... they traded Monte for a far lesser package, which resulted in drafting a 6'8 SG in Klay the following year(iirc). Definitely not a popular move at that time, but obviously worked out quite well for them in the end.

Long-Term (barring no CJ trade):
- I love the four guards in Dame, CJ, GTJ & Simons holding down the PG & SG spots.
- Love the combination of Bosnian Beast + Turkish Warrior at the C.
- ROCO is our 3&D for years to come. The other forwards beyond this year... not so sure especially with the rise of Little. Those two could be solid holding down the SF.
- Collins / Melo looks solid as well at the PF.

So for me, I'm not at all excited about trading any of the above mentioned players, especially for a meh... AG type of trade, and would actually rather have Hood and Jones Jr. since it wouldn't move the needle anyway. If Collins and/or Nurkic can't return to form, then we will need to make a move, but only then.

PEACE

Nice to see ROCO shooting the 3 ball much better than early season, he's now at 36%, slightly above his career average

[Wizenheimer]

Nice to see ROCO shooting the 3 ball much better than early season, he's now at 36%, slightly above his career average

RoCo has generally had a pretty wide variance in his shooting. He'll shoot 20% from three for 10 games, then shoot 42% for 15 games; then fall back down again

he's never had wide variance in his defense though; that has always been pretty good

[JasonStern]

Just read an article with NBC Sports talking about Hood, Collins, and a 2024 1st pick for Aaron Gordon. It seems a little light to me, but what if that happens. What if the Spurs buy out Aldridge and the Blazers sign him for the bets minimum. Suddenly the Blazers are 3 deep at every position. Does that get Portland over the hump?

Can't see why Orlando would take that offer. Maybe if Gordon was a head-case demanding a trade, but even then Minnesota could top that offer. And even if Portland did luck into such an offer, I'm not seeing how they could afford to keep Dame/CJ/Nurk/Covington/Gordon/Trent long-term.

[BlazersBroncos]

Can't see why Orlando would take that offer. Maybe if Gordon was a head-case demanding a trade, but even then Minnesota could top that offer. And even if Portland did luck into such an offer, I'm not seeing how they could afford to keep Dame/CJ/Nurk/Covington/Gordon/Trent long-term.

We absolutely could not keep that team together long term. It would be like 100M just for 3 guards.

GTJ and filler for AG means we are guaranteed to field a team of Dame/CJ/RoCo/AG/Nurkic until at least summer 2022. We likely lose one of the 3 expiring guys that summer. And that is a best case scenario. Standing pat puts us in a position to maybe roll with an overpaid trio of guards for a year but again, by summer 2022 we would need to make a move to avoid losing one, or both, of RoCo and Nurkic.

Its going to be a rough ride financially either way, but I tend to lean towards making the move for a guy in AG who fills more need and at least gives us until 2022 to make hard choices over a guy who I admittingly love in GTJ but who could get priced out half a season from now and even if we do pay him, puts us in a poor bargaining position to move one of CJ / GTJ once the money reality sets in as teams will know we hamstrung into moving one of the SG's.