2025 Off-Season Strategy - What will Cronin do?

[Butter]

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

If the Blazers do move Ayton to the Lakers, I'm hoping they get Knecht back. I'm intrigued with his potential.

[DusterBuster]

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

If the Blazers do move Ayton to the Lakers, I'm hoping they get Knecht back. I'm intrigued with his potential.

I love the fit for Knecht here. It slightly worries me that the Lakers were so close to moving him when shooting is so coveted around the league universally, but really think he's a great skill piece for the roster as it is at SG.

[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

If the Blazers do move Ayton to the Lakers, I'm hoping they get Knecht back. I'm intrigued with his potential.

I love the fit for Knecht here. It slightly worries me that the Lakers were so close to moving him when shooting is so coveted around the league universally, but really think he's a great skill piece for the roster as it is at SG.

I am not super high on Dalton - I think he likely isnt a starter. But I am still a fan of adding him. A young movement bench shooter who can play SF and SG would be awesome. IMO he is a Kispert level guy at best, I guess maybe slightly better, but even that is a nice return for Ayton.

[zzaj]

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'd do that in a heartbeat.

Ayton/Reath actually kinda makes sense for the Lakers and in their view might make them better.

[BlazersBroncos]

Wonder if WAS would have interest in Ayton. Kispert is only 1 year older than Dalton, and his deal expires the same time as Grant / Holiday.

Ayton for Kispert + Holmes.

[Case2012]

If the Blazers do move Ayton to the Lakers, I'm hoping they get Knecht back. I'm intrigued with his potential.

I love the fit for Knecht here. It slightly worries me that the Lakers were so close to moving him when shooting is so coveted around the league universally, but really think he's a great skill piece for the roster as it is at SG.

I am not super high on Dalton - I think he likely isnt a starter. But I am still a fan of adding him. A young movement bench shooter who can play SF and SG would be awesome. IMO he is a Kispert level guy at best, I guess maybe slightly better, but even that is a nice return for Ayton.

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What an exciting SG rotation Sharpe and Whitmore would be or have them start at the 2 and 3???. That would be truly entertaining and fit very well with what Portland is doing and I think there's some star potential there. He reminds me of Shaedon but with a more explosive motor. 6'7 230, just as athletic. It would be a dunk version of the splash brothers. I can't believe they're shopping him. Holy crap, I think i would get season tickets to watch the nightly dunk contests between Sharpe and Whitmore.

Scoot
Sharpe
Whitmore
Toumani
Yang

That would be so ******** fun to watch every night.

What would you give up for him? I would really consider that magic first if we could place some protections on it, like top 10 or something but im not sure if we can do that with other teams picks. So what if he's a ball hog, he'll put up 25 a game as a starter and we need offense. He clearly wants to be a superstar.

He's only 20.

[Walton1one]

No it sure if Cronin would try for Whitmore or not

I was surprised he traded Simons quite frankly, and it makes me wonder if he was told by Simons or his agent that they intended to test FA rather than resign, so as with Dame his hand was forced and he tried to plug that roster spot with a similar fitting player rather than lesser player + draft capital, which would be right on brand for him

Rather trade a player or re-sign a player (even to an above market deal) than lose that player for nothing

Rather get a player back than draft capital

I would bet Ayton wants to resign here, so that will be interesting to monitor b/c how can you resign Ayton @ $20-30mil and keep Clingan AND Yang?

I would suspect Thybulle will be traded he tried to escape once already and probably Williams as well b/c the doubt he resigns here either

But maybe by then Cronin has been fired and a competent (hopefully) GM has been installed in his place

[Chanse503]

Break the ice and start the conversation …

[kdawg32086]

I'm gonna call my shot that we re-sign Banton and that's it for our offseason moves.

[Case2012]

Break the ice and start the conversation …

I don't think LA sells their 2 PF's to get one Center and the value might be right for Houston if that's the Mil pick, but it still feels light for a recent top 3 pick and Whitmore.


I love it for Portland on a talent level, except I dont see how the minutes work.

I would want to send Grant to LA as well while taking back some of their role players to rot 3rd string.

Jrue/Scoot
Sharpe/Whitmore
Toumani/Grant/Thybulle
Deni/Jabari/Rui
Clingan/Yang/RW

I love it but it's too good for us. I would want to send Deni out for a Bane package in this situation. It's too many moving parts for Joe, I can't see it.

[DusterBuster]

A euro article about Camara declining to play euro ball this year said he currently has an offer of 4yr 105mil on the table from Portland.

https://www.standaard.be/sport/zaalsporten/basketbalvrouwen-spelen-voor-nationale-ploeg-maar-bond-kan-mannen-niet-overtuigen-voor-lions-te-spelen/74488570.html

[PDXKnight]

A euro article about Camara declining to play euro ball this year said he currently has an offer of 4yr 105mil on the table from Portland.

https://www.standaard.be/sport/zaalsporten/basketbalvrouwen-spelen-voor-nationale-ploeg-maar-bond-kan-mannen-niet-overtuigen-voor-lions-te-spelen/74488570.html

4 years 105 mil would be ok in my eyes, dude is clearly gonna be a solid 2 way starter in this league for years to come. I wouldnt be surprised if he holds out for a bit more either ie 4/120 but would be more than ok with paying him anything that isnt a crazy overpay as it feels like he would continue to put in the work and grow even after a huge payday.

[cucad8]

A euro article about Camara declining to play euro ball this year said he currently has an offer of 4yr 105mil on the table from Portland.

https://www.standaard.be/sport/zaalsporten/basketbalvrouwen-spelen-voor-nationale-ploeg-maar-bond-kan-mannen-niet-overtuigen-voor-lions-te-spelen/74488570.html

I believe the max we could extend him was 4/89. The article probably took that but accidentally said euros instead of dollrs.

[Wizenheimer]

considering the direction the cap and tax are heading, if the Blazers can get Camara locked up for 4 years at 22M/year, they're doing really well

for Camara, the incentive is to delete his 2M salary and replace it with a 20-21M salary in 2026-27

really hope this gets done

[zzaj]

Yeah, if he took that it’d be a godsend for the Blazers. In two years that would likely look like a massive underpay. For a second team all defender who wasn’t terrible on offense, it’s an underpay right now.

[Dame Lizard]

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...

Agree - I'd be happy for us to take a swing at Whitmore, but I absolutely would not include a first round pick in there.

[Sinobas]

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

That's just giving the Lakers Ayton for crap. I'd rather just keep Ayton and let the Lakers suffer without a center.

The Lakers are desparate for a big man, at least make them give up Knecht. Knecht is sour anyway from the Mark Williams deal.

[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

That's just giving the Lakers Ayton for crap. .

crap<-->crap

[The Sebastian Express]

I would love to trade Ayton for DFS. That isn't crap at all.

[DusterBuster]

I would love to trade Ayton for DFS. That isn't crap at all.

I still want Knecht back with any Ayton to LAL deal. DFS is solid along with him. He’s a perfectly serviceable player like Larry Nance Jr (just please no decade long FRPs included).