2025 Off-Season Strategy - What will Cronin do?

[DusterBuster]

This roster is confusing as hell at this point. Timelines are all over the map and logjams throughout.

I still suspect RobWill is gone at some point this summer, Reath is probably getting traded or letting walk, not sure what his contract sitch is tbh and don't care to look. I think by the time the season roles around, the C rotation will be Ayton/Clingan/Yang. Yang probably picks up g-league time and Reath minutes if/when Ayton or Clingan get injured.

[m0ng0]

This roster is confusing as hell at this point. Timelines are all over the map and logjams throughout.

I still suspect RobWill is gone at some point this summer, Reath is probably getting traded or letting walk, not sure what his contract sitch is tbh and don't care to look. I think by the time the season roles around, the C rotation will be Ayton/Clingan/Yang. Yang probably picks up g-league time and Reath minutes if/when Ayton or Clingan get injured.

Reath is much cheaper and more versatile than Ayton, I hope we can get a few 2nd rounders and players we can immediately cut honestly

[BlazersBroncos]

This roster is confusing as hell at this point. Timelines are all over the map and logjams throughout.

I still suspect RobWill is gone at some point this summer, Reath is probably getting traded or letting walk, not sure what his contract sitch is tbh and don't care to look. I think by the time the season roles around, the C rotation will be Ayton/Clingan/Yang. Yang probably picks up g-league time and Reath minutes if/when Ayton or Clingan get injured.

Reath is much cheaper and more versatile than Ayton, I hope we can get a few 2nd rounders and players we can immediately cut honestly

Ayton also makes 35M. Matching salaries is hard. Matching salaries with 1 player is even harder. Convincing the FO to then cut that 1 player whos salary is close enough to Ayton for a trade to work is basically out of the realm of possibility.

Any Ayton deal is looking like a 3 for 1, 4 for 2 or even 4 for 1 type.

Ayton + Kris for Vandy + Vincent + Kleber + Dalton works. Its the most feasible IMO. I think you give Reath to some team for free or for a bad SRP. Go into 2025/6 with this roster -

G - Scoot Henderson / Jrue Holiday / Gabe Vincent
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Jrue Holiday / Rayan Rupert
F - Toumani Camara / Matisse Thybulle / Dalton Knetch
F - Deni Avdija / Jerami Grant / Jarrett Vanderbilt / Maxi Kleber
C - Donovan Clingan / Robert Williams III / Hansen Yang / Maxi Kleber

Big depth is tremendous and the SF/guard depth can be alleviated if anyone is injured by Deni / Jerami playing up a slot (Moving MT up a slot as well).

[DusterBuster]

This roster is confusing as hell at this point. Timelines are all over the map and logjams throughout.

I still suspect RobWill is gone at some point this summer, Reath is probably getting traded or letting walk, not sure what his contract sitch is tbh and don't care to look. I think by the time the season roles around, the C rotation will be Ayton/Clingan/Yang. Yang probably picks up g-league time and Reath minutes if/when Ayton or Clingan get injured.

Reath is much cheaper and more versatile than Ayton, I hope we can get a few 2nd rounders and players we can immediately cut honestly

Cheaper yes, versatile, not even remotely. I know people on this board LOVE to **** on DA, but he's worlds better than Reath is, and I like Reath if looking at objective NBA talent evaluation without bias.

On top of that BB laid out exactly why it's much easier to move on from Reath than it is Ayton. I also love the idea of Ayton to LA. Because Portland has so many Klutch connections and they had discussions with LA last summer over Grant, I could see a deal coming about with POR/LAL for a big.

[The Sebastian Express]

Ayton to LA in a contract season does seem most logical. Or I guess maybe to Charlotte now. I don't know how they feel about their bigs. I think they do have that one kid that was playing well last season?

[Chanse503]

Pretty nuts that Ayton is younger than Austin Reeves?!

[DusterBuster]

Ayton to LA in a contract season does seem most logical. Or I guess maybe to Charlotte now. I don't know how they feel about their bigs. I think they do have that one kid that was playing well last season?

I actually think Ayton has a ton of potential trade options right now that would all be pretty realistic and may even have more value than we think (if Cronin ever grows some balls to ask for high value back).

Charlotte needs a C as mentioned. Nurkic, Williams and 2 FRPs (2026 CHA and 2027 via DAL). Nurkic bought out, that's why the extra picks coming to Portland. Charlotte has ton's of FRPs to play with plug aren't trading any of their own to anyone.

Bulls are perpetually looking to move off of Vucevic and may like Ayton's fit better next to White and Giddey. Lonzo, Collins and Blazers FRP returned for Ayton... maybe prying one more pick along with the pick returned (but Bulls probably would play hardball)?

Bucks need a C with Lopez leaving. Kuzma and Pat plus whatever picks they have left to use...

Golden State needs size but now real way to match salaries there, so not likely unless you're sign and trading Kuminga... (ugh, I probably shouldn't put that into the universe).

Lakers (already mentioned).

Pelicans. I would have Billy King Joe Dumars on speed **** dial right now. Milk that team for whatever you can if there's a way to do it. I know they just took Queen, but he's going to be so wildly undersized. They need someone above 6'6" in the front court.

[Walton1one]

What will Cronin do? Well, based on his last two transactions Jrue\Yang, here is a pretty definitive one sentence answer

Something stupid…

[Sinobas]

The Rockets are shopping Whitmore according to Shams. I'd love to see the Blazers go after him. They reportedly want a defensive wing to replace Brooks. We could offer up Thybulle, Maybe the 2028 pick we got lotto protected.

I don't think we'll be able to afford Thybulle will be a cap casualty anyway with the salary we're giving Holiday.

[BlazersBroncos]

The Rockets are shopping Whitmore according to Shams. I'd love to see the Blazers go after him. They reportedly want a defensive wing to replace Brooks. We could offer up Thybulle, Maybe the 2028 pick we got lotto protected.

I don't think we'll be able to afford Thybulle will be a cap casualty anyway with the salary we're giving Holiday.

I would rather try to get Dalton in a Ayton deal than use any draft capital on Whitmore. Like that Dalton is basically guaranteed to be a rotation guy due to his shooting + movement + willingness to defer (Cam is sort of boom / bust - if he isnt good enough to be a Top-3 guy he is basically a bench high usage chucker - Dalton even on the low development end should be a nice 8-9th man shooter), like that he has an extra rookie scale year, like the cost more and not sold on Cam ever maturing enough to harness his talents.

[DusterBuster]

The Rockets are shopping Whitmore according to Shams. I'd love to see the Blazers go after him. They reportedly want a defensive wing to replace Brooks. We could offer up Thybulle, Maybe the 2028 pick we got lotto protected.

I don't think we'll be able to afford Thybulle will be a cap casualty anyway with the salary we're giving Holiday.

I would rather try to get Dalton in a Ayton deal than use any draft capital on Whitmore. Like that Dalton is basically guaranteed to be a rotation guy due to his shooting + movement + willingness to defer (Cam is sort of boom / bust - if he isnt good enough to be a Top-3 guy he is basically a bench high usage chucker - Dalton even on the low development end should be a nice 8-9th man shooter), like that he has an extra rookie scale year, like the cost more and not sold on Cam ever maturing enough to harness his talents.

Yeah, I'm not giving up a FRP for Whitmore. 2nd rounders at most.

Honestly, I'm genuinely starting to believe Cronin might be done for the summer and the roster is what it is...

[zzaj]

Ayton to LA in a contract season does seem most logical. Or I guess maybe to Charlotte now. I don't know how they feel about their bigs. I think they do have that one kid that was playing well last season?

...Pelicans. I would have Billy King Joe Dumars on speed **** dial right now. Milk that team for whatever you can if there's a way to do it. I know they just took Queen, but he's going to be so wildly undersized. They need someone above 6'6" in the front court.

They have Missi who actually played pretty well for them last year. Despite how stupid it was for NO to trade down...I weirdly like their pickups of Fears and Queen. Fears I think has the potential to be a Top 3 player out of this lottery in 3-4 years...and Queen is nice insurance as a replacement for Zion.

Missi/Queen/Zion/Murphy/Fears are interesting fits of course, but some potential there...

[The Sebastian Express]

I don't think he's done. We have very limited shooting. I expect them to at least try to go after a shooter with the non-tax MLE. But maybe I'm wrong.

[BlazersBroncos]

I don't think he's done. We have very limited shooting. I expect them to at least try to go after a shooter with the non-tax MLE. But maybe I'm wrong.

Not sure where the shooter would even find minutes. Scoot / Sharpe / Holiday should eat the 96 or so guard minutes.

I suppose a Shamet / Seth / Burks type for the VM could work. I dont see us using the MLE or BAE on a bench shooter at this point.

[Butter]

The Rockets are shopping Whitmore according to Shams. I'd love to see the Blazers go after him. They reportedly want a defensive wing to replace Brooks. We could offer up Thybulle, Maybe the 2028 pick we got lotto protected.

I don't think we'll be able to afford Thybulle will be a cap casualty anyway with the salary we're giving Holiday.

I would rather try to get Dalton in a Ayton deal than use any draft capital on Whitmore. Like that Dalton is basically guaranteed to be a rotation guy due to his shooting + movement + willingness to defer (Cam is sort of boom / bust - if he isnt good enough to be a Top-3 guy he is basically a bench high usage chucker - Dalton even on the low development end should be a nice 8-9th man shooter), like that he has an extra rookie scale year, like the cost more and not sold on Cam ever maturing enough to harness his talents.

Yeah, I'm not giving up a FRP for Whitmore. 2nd rounders at most.

Honestly, I'm genuinely starting to believe Cronin might be done for the summer and the roster is what it is...

It is very possible, but I think Cronin has another move or two in the works.

[Butter]

I don't think he's done. We have very limited shooting. I expect them to at least try to go after a shooter with the non-tax MLE. But maybe I'm wrong.

Not sure where the shooter would even find minutes. Scoot / Sharpe / Holiday should eat the 96 or so guard minutes.

I suppose a Shamet / Seth / Burks type for the VM could work. I dont see us using the MLE or BAE on a bench shooter at this point.

Good point. The best case scenario is a consolidation 2 for 1 deal for an upgrade coming back to the Blazers.

[Chanse503]

Gary Trent Jr. or maybe Lavert might be had on the cheap..Sam Merrill!

[DusterBuster]

I would rather try to get Dalton in a Ayton deal than use any draft capital on Whitmore. Like that Dalton is basically guaranteed to be a rotation guy due to his shooting + movement + willingness to defer (Cam is sort of boom / bust - if he isnt good enough to be a Top-3 guy he is basically a bench high usage chucker - Dalton even on the low development end should be a nice 8-9th man shooter), like that he has an extra rookie scale year, like the cost more and not sold on Cam ever maturing enough to harness his talents.

Yeah, I'm not giving up a FRP for Whitmore. 2nd rounders at most.

Honestly, I'm genuinely starting to believe Cronin might be done for the summer and the roster is what it is...

It is very possible, but I think Cronin has another move or two in the works.

I would like to think so and hope you're right... we'll see I guess.

[Wizenheimer]

Ayton-->Lakers

Ayton + one of Reath/Rupert for DFS + Kleber + Vincent

No draft assets; no future considerations. Just a no muss/no fuss exchange of expiring contracts that doesn't significantly alter Laker depth. Blazers can waive Vincent. Maybe they can move Kleber for a 2nd. DFS? he may actually fit well with what Portland is trying to do

[BlazersBroncos]

Ayton-->Lakers

Ayton + one of Reath/Rupert for DFS + Kleber + Vincent

No draft assets; no future considerations. Just a no muss/no fuss exchange of expiring contracts that doesn't significantly alter Laker depth. Blazers can waive Vincent. Maybe they can move Kleber for a 2nd. DFS? he may actually fit well with what Portland is trying to do

I like that but dont think LAL will want to move DFS. Who knows though. They need like 2-3 bigs in a bad way.