Trade deadline, buyouts, and waivers

[Soulyss]

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.

Portland fans with a long history of Meyers would probably all agree with this for the most part.

I do not think (I could be very wrong) Meyers is fundamentally racist person. I do think he's is proving himself Ignorant and he should pay the price for it. There is a lot of literature on unintentional / unconscious bias, usually as a factor of environment...

Meyers is very public about his challenges growing up very poor, in a very rural part of the country. However that isn't an EXCUSE not to educate yourself in the world we live in today and he should pay the price.

[Norm2953]

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.

That's a reasonable assessment but I doubt AG with Portland is going to be any difference maker for the team still has
only one player taller than 6'9 that they can reliably count on for Nurk and the always injured ZC have missed much
of the last two seasons. I would prefer to move CJ this summer for no matter what contract GTJ gets this summer,
he's not getting CJ money. Presumably the return for CJ will allow the team to balance out the roster so that $100
million is not invested in the back court. Doing the trade for AG still means $80+ million of the teams cap is spent in
the back court for the forseeable future.

[BlazersBroncos]

My issue is this, what is the trade for CJ? I think your looking at a AG level player and maybe a protected pick. I also think that this team with CJ + AG is a much better playoff team than with GTJ + AG (And a inconsequential pick).

I dont see a market suddenly opening for a Butler, Kris, PG13 level guy. Maybe if the Bucks underperform again they look for bigger changes and would be open to CJ + Picks for Middleton. But the issue there is the same as here, Giannis and Kris are really close. I also dont think they would want picks to close the gap, but win now talent. They are in the same boat as us in that regard.

[Roy The Natural]

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.

That's a reasonable assessment but I doubt AG with Portland is going to be any difference maker for the team still has
only one player taller than 6'9 that they can reliably count on for Nurk and the always injured ZC have missed much
of the last two seasons. I would prefer to move CJ this summer for no matter what contract GTJ gets this summer,
he's not getting CJ money. Presumably the return for CJ will allow the team to balance out the roster so that $100
million is not invested in the back court. Doing the trade for AG still means $80+ million of the teams cap is spent in
the back court for the forseeable future.

AG is pretty nice though. He's like a super role player. I imagine peak Batum with a better handle and more athleticism. Not quite as shooty, but can spot up. He's a swiss army knife kind of guy. If Nurkic can ever get healthy, secondary and side pick and rolls with him and Nurk could be deadly. Especailly with CJ, Lillard, and Covington spacing the floor.

[BlazersBroncos]

AG is pretty nice though. He's like a super role player. I imagine peak Batum with a better handle and more athleticism. Not quite as shooty, but can spot up. He's a swiss army knife kind of guy. If Nurkic can ever get healthy, secondary and side pick and rolls with him and Nurk could be deadly. Especailly with CJ, Lillard, and Covington spacing the floor.

AG would be more than pretty nice, he would give us another player of a similar starting level talent as RoCo. Not as good on defense and a worse 3PT guy on lower volume, but a similar level of talent IMO. And his handle / passing would be huge, this team is anemic when Dame or to a less extent CJ are not handling and creating. Its not like he is an old man either, he is like 25.

[Blazinaway]

AG is pretty nice though. He's like a super role player. I imagine peak Batum with a better handle and more athleticism. Not quite as shooty, but can spot up. He's a swiss army knife kind of guy. If Nurkic can ever get healthy, secondary and side pick and rolls with him and Nurk could be deadly. Especailly with CJ, Lillard, and Covington spacing the floor.

AG would be more than pretty nice, he would give us another player of a similar starting level talent as RoCo. Not as good on defense and a worse 3PT guy on lower volume, but a similar level of talent IMO. And his handle / passing would be huge, this team is anemic when Dame or to a less extent CJ are not handling and creating. Its not like he is an old man either, he is like 25.

agree, think he'd be a very nice get/fit and he's having his best shooting 3's at 36,8% and I did recheck and he is 25 - seems like he's been around forever. Salary 18.1 mil this yr dropping to 16.4 mil next

[HoopsFanAZ]

My issue is this, what is the trade for CJ? I think your looking at a AG level player and maybe a protected pick. I also think that this team with CJ + AG is a much better playoff team than with GTJ + AG (And a inconsequential pick).

I dont see a market suddenly opening for a Butler, Kris, PG13 level guy. Maybe if the Bucks underperform again they look for bigger changes and would be open to CJ + Picks for Middleton. But the issue there is the same as here, Giannis and Kris are really close. I also dont think they would want picks to close the gap, but win now talent. They are in the same boat as us in that regard.

The trade answer I'd suggest is with Atlanta.
The principals are CJ, Bogdanovic, and John Collins.
Atlanta adds in Tony Snell's short contract. For a "large" number of players, Portland can add in contracts including Hood, Z Collins, and Simons for it to expand into a MULTI-MULTI player trade. Atlanta's side could expand including Rondo and Dunn.

A "simple" version has CJ + Collins + Simons = Bogdanovic + Snell + Collins. IMHO, I like the trade for both sides.
EDITED: The dollars from Snell's short contract help offset the large RFA contract J Collins gets.

[Roy The Natural]

My issue is this, what is the trade for CJ? I think your looking at a AG level player and maybe a protected pick. I also think that this team with CJ + AG is a much better playoff team than with GTJ + AG (And a inconsequential pick).

I dont see a market suddenly opening for a Butler, Kris, PG13 level guy. Maybe if the Bucks underperform again they look for bigger changes and would be open to CJ + Picks for Middleton. But the issue there is the same as here, Giannis and Kris are really close. I also dont think they would want picks to close the gap, but win now talent. They are in the same boat as us in that regard.

The trade answer I'd suggest is with Atlanta.
The principals are CJ, Bogdanovic, and John Collins.
Atlanta adds in Tony Snell's short contract. For a "large" number of players, Portland can add in contracts including Hood, Z Collins, and Simons for it to expand into a MULTI-MULTI player trade. Atlanta's side could expand including Rondo and Dunn.

A "simple" version has CJ + Collins + Simons = Bogdanovic + Snell + Collins. IMHO, I like the trade for both sides.
EDITED: The dollars from Snell's short contract help offset the large RFA contract J Collins gets.

ehhh... I'd rather grab Markannen for cheaper. I'm not sold John Collins is a winning player.

[HoopsFanAZ]

The trade answer I'd suggest is with Atlanta.
The principals are CJ, Bogdanovic, and John Collins.
Atlanta adds in Tony Snell's short contract. For a "large" number of players, Portland can add in contracts including Hood, Z Collins, and Simons for it to expand into a MULTI-MULTI player trade. Atlanta's side could expand including Rondo and Dunn.

A "simple" version has CJ + Collins + Simons = Bogdanovic + Snell + Collins. IMHO, I like the trade for both sides.
EDITED: The dollars from Snell's short contract help offset the large RFA contract J Collins gets.

ehhh... I'd rather grab Markkanen for cheaper. I'm not sold John Collins is a winning player.

I like Markkanen and have for some time. Chicago chatter a while back had them unsure about a new, large contract and possibly packaging him with Otto Porter Jr. ... which is something like CJ + Collins + Giles = OPJ + Markannen. If OPJ sticks with Portland, he's paid less as Markannen is paid more. I'm good with that deal, too.

I am a fan of Bogdanovic and would love to see him on the Blazers along with GTJ and Lillard. J Collins is looking to get paid large $$$, and that is of some concern compared to Markkanen (who isn't projected into that stratosphere of $$$).

[HoopsFanAZ]

... BUT it's CJ and Olshey and CJ is almost surely staying as a Blazers because ... well, just because.


One other point ... it's hard for me to admit it, but I like the improvement of Lonzo Ball. He and Lillard together instead of CJ? I wouldn't mind that.

[Roy The Natural]

The trade answer I'd suggest is with Atlanta.
The principals are CJ, Bogdanovic, and John Collins.
Atlanta adds in Tony Snell's short contract. For a "large" number of players, Portland can add in contracts including Hood, Z Collins, and Simons for it to expand into a MULTI-MULTI player trade. Atlanta's side could expand including Rondo and Dunn.

A "simple" version has CJ + Collins + Simons = Bogdanovic + Snell + Collins. IMHO, I like the trade for both sides.
EDITED: The dollars from Snell's short contract help offset the large RFA contract J Collins gets.

ehhh... I'd rather grab Markkanen for cheaper. I'm not sold John Collins is a winning player.

I like Markkanen and have for some time. Chicago chatter a while back had them unsure about a new, large contract and possibly packaging him with Otto Porter Jr. ... which is something like CJ + Collins + Giles = OPJ + Markannen. If OPJ sticks with Portland, he's paid less as Markannen is paid more. I'm good with that deal, too.

I am a fan of Bogdanovic and would love to see him on the Blazers along with GTJ and Lillard. J Collins is looking to get paid large $$$, and that is of some concern compared to Markkanen (who isn't projected into that stratosphere of $$$).

I really don't think CJ is going anywhere. Maybe in the off-season, but he's a significantly better player than GTJ if early season 3pt CJ is the new norm.

[HoopsFanAZ]

[Pattycakes]

AG is pretty nice though. He's like a super role player. I imagine peak Batum with a better handle and more athleticism. Not quite as shooty, but can spot up. He's a swiss army knife kind of guy. If Nurkic can ever get healthy, secondary and side pick and rolls with him and Nurk could be deadly. Especailly with CJ, Lillard, and Covington spacing the floor.

AG would be more than pretty nice, he would give us another player of a similar starting level talent as RoCo. Not as good on defense and a worse 3PT guy on lower volume, but a similar level of talent IMO. And his handle / passing would be huge, this team is anemic when Dame or to a less extent CJ are not handling and creating. Its not like he is an old man either, he is like 25.

Trading CJ for another Roco is not sexy lol. Love Gary Trent, but super 6 man is his role here for the betterment of the team. The way he plays is not sustainable starting on a contender, and if we want any chance to get there we need them both.

[Roy The Natural]

AG is pretty nice though. He's like a super role player. I imagine peak Batum with a better handle and more athleticism. Not quite as shooty, but can spot up. He's a swiss army knife kind of guy. If Nurkic can ever get healthy, secondary and side pick and rolls with him and Nurk could be deadly. Especailly with CJ, Lillard, and Covington spacing the floor.

AG would be more than pretty nice, he would give us another player of a similar starting level talent as RoCo. Not as good on defense and a worse 3PT guy on lower volume, but a similar level of talent IMO. And his handle / passing would be huge, this team is anemic when Dame or to a less extent CJ are not handling and creating. Its not like he is an old man either, he is like 25.

Trading CJ for another Roco is not sexy lol. Love Gary Trent, but super 6 man is his role here for the betterment of the team. The way he plays is not sustainable starting on a contender, and if we want any chance to get there we need them both.

AG is a pretty significantly different player on offense than RoCo. He's a VERY good ball-handler for his size. I'd imagine he would play a peak Batum-like role on offense for the Blazers setting up secondary pick-and-rolls and at times being the ball-handler in the pick and roll with Nurk (if healthy) with RoCo/CJ/Lillard spacing the floor.

He runs pick and rolls all the time with Vuc in Orlando.

Watch on YouTube

This was him tonight.

Watch on YouTube

This is a game that shows him in a more ball-handler role.

I really like Trent. But in the end, I'd be fine moving him as the centerpiece of a package bringing back Gordon. I just think Gordon could be "unlocked" in Portland in a more tertiary 3rd/4th option type role. I think a Trent/Collins/Hood package is the deal to make. I don't think that crushes Portland's rotation. I love Trent, and I think there's definitely some drop-off replacing his production with Simons and Little getting those minutes. However, I think that Gordon eating up minutes at the 3 and the 4 is going to make up for that.

[d-train]

AG's game is more pound and grind like Melo, only without the happy ending. I don't see how AG helps us. We need a big active mobile defender. We could use skinny bones Jones with 40 more pounds and a couple more inches. I don't see AG filling the role. At least skinny bones Jones does what he can do without the beef.

[Roy The Natural]

AG's game is more pound and grind like Melo, only without the happy ending. I don't see how AG helps us. We need a big active mobile defender. We could use skinny bones Jones with 40 more pounds and a couple more inches. I don't see AG filling the role. At least skinny bones Jones does what he can do without the beef.

So you've never watched him I guess? He posts up a couple of times a game. He initiates offense quite a bit, and spots up. He CAN post up. But the Magic are offensively challenged and have been for years. Gordon is miscast offensively there. Like we've seen here in Portland commonly over the past few years. He's a rung or 2 higher in the pecking order than he should be. His skillset meshes VERY well with a healthy Blazers roster as a 3rd initiator who can operate with a spread floor and an elite roller in Nurkic. He's inconsistent as a shooter but should get better looks in Portland with spot ups.

His usage offensively in Portland would likely mirror Batum's circa 2012-15. However he's a significantly better ball-handler than Batum with similar passing skills. We already know how Stotts would use him as we've seen how Stotts used Batum. One of the major differences is that Gordon is quite capable of being a roll man himself and is a significantly better ball-handler than Batum ever was. He's a better finisher too. His shot is uglier, but Batum's shot never proved to be overly reliable despite the fact it looked pretty good.

[d-train]

I never watched his highlights, nor have I watched him 100 times a year like or own players.

I do see he has ball handling and playmaking skills. I think they are subpar for our team. No problem, we just wouldn't utilize his ball handling and playmaking.

The question is, what does he do well that would be useful. The only good point you made is that he finishes well around the basket. He does this, but so does DJJ. DJJ gets his finishes off moving without the ball. AG finishes mostly after pounding the ball. I don't see AG as an upgrade.

I don't see AG as a good defender. So, I don't see his size as a big plus. He's not going to use his size to make our team better.

About his ball handling and playmaking, I don't see his skill level as useful, but who cares what I think. Olshey is the guy who has to be impressed, and he has been impressed with big players with less playmaking skill than Lillard or CJ. I would be thrilled for Blazers to have a better playmaking option, AG doesn't measure up, IMO.

[Roy The Natural]

I never watched his highlights, nor have I watched him 100 times a year like or own players.

I do see he has ball handling and playmaking skills. I think they are subpar for our team. No problem, we just wouldn't utilize his ball handling and playmaking.

The question is, what does he do well that would be useful. The only good point you made is that he finishes well around the basket. He does this, but so does DJJ. DJJ gets his finishes off moving without the ball. AG finishes mostly after pounding the ball. I don't see AG as an upgrade.

I don't see AG as a good defender. So, I don't see his size as a big plus. He's not going to use his size to make our team better.

About his ball handling and playmaking, I don't see his skill level as useful, but who cares what I think. Olshey is the guy who has to be impressed, and he has been impressed with big players with less playmaking skill than Lillard or CJ. I would be thrilled for Blazers to have a better playmaking option, AG doesn't measure up, IMO.

Disagree completely. We regularly used ET to initiate offense, and he wasn't quite the offensive player that AG is. We'd use him to ball-handle fairly often, and he's a better defender and shooter than ET ever was.

[d-train]

I never watched his highlights, nor have I watched him 100 times a year like or own players.

I do see he has ball handling and playmaking skills. I think they are subpar for our team. No problem, we just wouldn't utilize his ball handling and playmaking.

The question is, what does he do well that would be useful. The only good point you made is that he finishes well around the basket. He does this, but so does DJJ. DJJ gets his finishes off moving without the ball. AG finishes mostly after pounding the ball. I don't see AG as an upgrade.

I don't see AG as a good defender. So, I don't see his size as a big plus. He's not going to use his size to make our team better.

About his ball handling and playmaking, I don't see his skill level as useful, but who cares what I think. Olshey is the guy who has to be impressed, and he has been impressed with big players with less playmaking skill than Lillard or CJ. I would be thrilled for Blazers to have a better playmaking option, AG doesn't measure up, IMO.

Disagree completely. We regularly used ET to initiate offense, and he wasn't quite the offensive player that AG is. We'd use him to ball-handle fairly often, and he's a better defender and shooter than ET ever was.

Stotts used ET to initiate offense so he could have more time with Lillard and CJ in the game together. ET did not initiative the offense when either Lillard or CJ was in the game. There may have been a theory that ET's playmaking was going to improve lineups that included Lillard and CJ, but it didn't work. ET's value was mostly as a good rebounder and very good defender. AG would not be as good a defender as ET was.

A bigger stronger defender like ET might have a role on Blazers. They would have to be really good to get any minutes. ET had only Mo to contend with. I doubt ET could get minutes on our current team. RoCo, Melo, DJJ, and Little are too good. And, we have shooters like GTJ, Hood, and Simons.

[Roy The Natural]

I never watched his highlights, nor have I watched him 100 times a year like or own players.

I do see he has ball handling and playmaking skills. I think they are subpar for our team. No problem, we just wouldn't utilize his ball handling and playmaking.

The question is, what does he do well that would be useful. The only good point you made is that he finishes well around the basket. He does this, but so does DJJ. DJJ gets his finishes off moving without the ball. AG finishes mostly after pounding the ball. I don't see AG as an upgrade.

I don't see AG as a good defender. So, I don't see his size as a big plus. He's not going to use his size to make our team better.

About his ball handling and playmaking, I don't see his skill level as useful, but who cares what I think. Olshey is the guy who has to be impressed, and he has been impressed with big players with less playmaking skill than Lillard or CJ. I would be thrilled for Blazers to have a better playmaking option, AG doesn't measure up, IMO.

Disagree completely. We regularly used ET to initiate offense, and he wasn't quite the offensive player that AG is. We'd use him to ball-handle fairly often, and he's a better defender and shooter than ET ever was.

Stotts used ET to initiate offense so he could have more time with Lillard and CJ in the game together. ET did not initiative the offense when either Lillard or CJ was in the game. There may have been a theory that ET's playmaking was going to improve lineups that included Lillard and CJ, but it didn't work. ET's value was mostly as a good rebounder and very good defender. AG would not be as good a defender as ET was.

A bigger stronger defender like ET might have a role on Blazers. They would have to be really good to get any minutes. ET had only Mo to contend with. I doubt ET could get minutes on our current team. RoCo, Melo, DJJ, and Little are too good. And, we have shooters like GTJ, Hood, and Simons.

I mean.. I don't know what to say other than you're waaaaaaaayyy off base. Haven't watched Aaron Gordon, and are constructing a false reality based on your perception. Can't really debate you as you don't seem to be grounded in a debatable position.