Trade Thread

[d-train]

How about Whiteside/Hezonja for Harrell, Zubac and Harkless. Works in trade machine.

Portland: brings back a backup center we could still start this year. Brings a starting PF in Harrell and another wing that knows our system.

Clips: Gives them a starting center that can help them compete for the title. We know what Whiteside can do and I def think it'll put the Clips as favorites if it hasn't already.

Sure, Blazers would do that.

[d-train]

The luxury apron is estimated at $139M.

You are conflating 2 different things.

The luxury tax threshold is estimated to be about $139M next year. The apron is about $6.3M more this year and grows at half the rate of the cap growth, I believe. The apron is a hardcap that applies to teams that use the non-tax MLE or BAE. This would put the apron at about $143.3M next year. My calculation could be wrong because I don't know what to apply the growth rate to. I used this years apron number. However, next year's apron could be substantially higher than my estimate if the growth rate applies to the $6.3M difference between the apron and the luxury tax threshold.

[GEE]

After reading that Whiteside wants to be here long term, bought a house, and wants to play with Nurkic, I gasped. There is absolutely no NEED to trade this guy. He's leading the league in blocks at 3+/game (no other is really close to 3), 3rd I think in rebounds/game, hasn't been a distraction at all (to the contrary), young, long, athletic, and if he will sign this summer for what Nurkic signed for, Olshey is GM of the Year.

If we can get the finances in order by doing this, and have the ability to resign Hood to a better deal... that would accomplish two major goals. Speaking of Hood, I didn't realize how smart the Ariza signing was, until Wiz pointed it out... Thanks for that tid-bit. Ariza will be a great stop-gap til Hood can return, and a great defensive mentor to the young pups as well. If Melo can continue to ball, a 1+1 contract this summer would give our young pups a great offensive mentor as well going forward.

LOAD MANAGEMENT. This is the new NBA, and we can be in great shape in this regard with the moves Olshey has made, and hopefully will make. Dividing up minutes to keep players healthy and fresh throughout the grind of the NBA season is key. Look at what we should likely have next year. Pretty scary, if our youngest guys continue to improve. On that note... keep an eye on Wenyen. I think he has huge, Diamond in the rough potential at 6'9 / 205. A future Siakam type of player maybe?

Anyway, I LOVE my team going forward, and unless it's Mario and Biggie getting traded for something, I'm just fine staying put. We should still have some success in this year's playoffs, but next year, is the year.

Dame / Simons
CJ / Trent / '20 FRP
Ariza / Melo / Little
Collins / Skal / Wenyen
Nurkic / Whiteside / Moses

IR: Hood

[Roy The Natural]

Neither Skal nor Collins are the rebounders that Whiteside is. Call him whatever derogatories you wish, but his rebounding and shot efficiency are quite good. Not easy to replace, except via wishful thinking and overestimations of others' talents.

Be aware I am not arguing either way for his return (although I am partial to the team having little dropoff with centers--like the Nurk and Turk tandem). I am just wanting to counter the Whiteside is nearly useless frames being offered here and elsewhere.

I don't think he's useless. I think his individual offense is really nice. His rebounding is good, but overrated. He's just god awful at boxing out, which is a big issue. I think his defense is SIGNIFICANTLY less impactful than the boxscore stats would imply. He just doesn't make good decisions on either side of the court regularly.

The big issue here is just that it's unacceptable roster construction to drop $30M-$40M into the center position while there's not a single playoff worthy 3 on the roster. It is utterly unacceptable to give Whiteside some $40M/3 year contract to play backup center while you're trotting out a 50 year old Trevor Ariza with nothing playable behind him at the 3.

The financial ramifications of keeping Whiteside are devastating to Portland's ability to retain any breakout players it may have going forward. Not to even mention that the whole notion of retaining Whiteside is predicated on a scenario where Portland retains him for an acceptable price. Then to take it even further, Whiteside has been talking about playing the 4, and certainly doesn't sound like someone willing to come off the bench.

It's inept roster building. I've defended this front office for quite a long time. But this would be it for me. It shows that the front-office is clearly rudderless, and clueless. This team has needed a starting quality forward for about 6 years now. It's getting ludicrous. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. How do people think giving $10M-$13M to Whiteside and praying that him and Nurkic can get along is a good idea? Especially given the lack of talent the team has at the 3 and 4 spots.

[GEE]

Rodney Hood says "Hello".

[Roy The Natural]

Rodney Hood says "Hello".

Yea no... I'm not relying on Rodney Hood being a starting level small forward anytime soon. He's a MINIMUM of 2 years away from playing like one, if he ever even recovers fully. He was already a questionable defender. That isn't going to improve after a ruptured achilles.

you can count on one hand the players who've come back successfully from a ruptured achilles in basketball. Rodney Hood was already more of a good backup 3 more than a true playoff starting 3 anyways. Now he gets to try and come back from one of the worst injuries in sports???? No thanks. I hope he can regain some of his form, but I'm not counting on it.

[Blazinaway]

Alec Burks anyone, looks like GS may be looking to move him and Glenn Robinson

[Epicurus]

Whitesides' rebounding is over 48 minutes 7.3 higher than the center opposed to him. http://www.82games.com/1920/19POR15.HTM his "lack of boxing out" doesn't appear to advantage his matched up opponent. Perhaps the team's rebounding woes, especially defensive, reflects less on Whiteside and more on the forwards he sharing the court to him (along with his replacement during games).

Again not arguing either way regarding his return (although I think a Nurk/Collins and Whiteside/Skal tandems could be positively impactful).

[Roy The Natural]

Whitesides' rebounding is over 48 minutes 7.3 higher than the center opposed to him. http://www.82games.com/1920/19POR15.HTM his "lack of boxing out" doesn't appear to advantage his matched up opponent. Perhaps the team's rebounding woes, especially defensive, reflects less on Whiteside and more on the forwards he sharing the court to him (along with his replacement during games).

Again not arguing either way regarding his return (although I think a Nurk/Collins and Whiteside/Skal tandems could be positively impactful).

I definitely think Whiteside can be a positive player for Portland. But I just don't think it covers for the extreme lack of talent and playable players at the 3. The Blazers can't pay Whiteside $10M-$13M, that money MUST be rerouted to find effective wings.

[Roy The Natural]

Alec Burks anyone, looks like GS may be looking to move him and Glenn Robinson

I don't like it. It's just not a move that makes sense going forward. It's a move for this year. But doesn't actually help them enough to get out of a 1st round series.

[d-train]

The Blazers talent base is Lillard/CJ/Nurkic. Melo, Collins, Ariza, Whiteside, Simons, Trent, Skal, and Little are supporting players. Supporting players are not the talent base of the team. The trend in the NBA when building a supporting cast is to highly value shooting and defensive skills. Also, supporting players have to understand their role is to support and augment the talent base or core players. This later sentence is why teams shied away from Melo. It was believed that he was too assertive with his offense and he detracted from core players rather than supplementing them.

[DaVoiceMaster]

$3.2 million for Burks and Robinson isnt bad. Swanigan for both of them?

[Norm2953]

I see BE is reporting Portland is making calls to reduce their tax bill. Likely something is going to
happen but not the move Roy has been screaming for they can't make the moves they could do
for that would really piss off Dame.

[Roy The Natural]

I see BE is reporting Portland is making calls to reduce their tax bill. Likely something is going to
happen but not the move Roy has been screaming for they can't make the moves they could do
for that would really piss off Dame.

I don't want some amazing move. I just don't want this team to be rudderless. Decide what you're doing this year. For god's sake. Either wave the flag, or make a move. Riding this thing out to get pummeled in the 1st round, or to get the latest possible lottery pick is just lunacy. This franchise has spent the entirety of Lillard's career acting completely petrified to shake things up or make an even marginally risky move.

And here we are 5-6 years later looking as usual, more pretender than contender. Although this year it's even worse. I'd just like to see them move Whiteside, even if they have to take back some salary... get SOMETHING for him. A couple of high 2nd rounders would be fine. You could always have a chance of parlaying those into another Rodney Hood.

There's absolutely no way this team should entertain the idea of bringing Whiteside back in the offseason. So move him now, and get something.

Even if the team moves Whiteside to get under the tax and brings back a couple of mediocre playable players at the wing, and gets under the luxury, that's a win in my book. One of those guys could be worth bringing back. And pseudo throwing in the towel on this season is the best move for the franchise.

[Waynearchetype]

I was trying to figure out the value of our pick to us and realized the last time we drafted a starting caliber player was CJ in 2013 lol

[HoopsFanAZ]

Last year’s trip to the WCF was not a fluke. And the exit of Chief, Harkless, Leonard, etc. isn’t crucial. The culture of the Blazers with Lillard, McCollum, Nurkic and Collins playing for Stotts is a strong core.

Olshey doesn’t need a needle moving trade for HWEC. Useful to enhance the core would be good. I just don’t see a combo of Nurkic and Whiteside being mobile enough. Collins at PF/C will be good. A PF/C or long/stout enough SF/PF. The clock is ticking.

[d-train]

I was trying to figure out the value of our pick to us and realized the last time we drafted a starting caliber player was CJ in 2013 lol

When is the last time we acquired a franchise level player except through draft? Walton, Drexler, Roy, and Lillard were all acquired by draft. The closest players to a franchise level player not on this list are Rasheed Wallace and Rod Strickland. They were both our franchise player in different era's, but only Wallace was the franchise player on a good team. It could be argued that Aldridge was a weak franchise player (similar to Strickland), but Aldridge was also acquired by draft.

The point is the draft is our only chance to get a franchise player that determines our fortunes. Most of the time the draft fails to produce a fortune changing player, but the value in the draft is that it is our best chance.

[Roy The Natural]

I was trying to figure out the value of our pick to us and realized the last time we drafted a starting caliber player was CJ in 2013 lol

When is the last time we acquired a franchise level player except through draft? Walton, Drexler, Roy, and Lillard were all acquired by draft. The closest players to a franchise level player not on this list are Rasheed Wallace and Rod Strickland. They were both our franchise player in different era's, but only Wallace was the franchise player on a good team. It could be argued that Aldridge was a weak franchise player (similar to Strickland), but Aldridge was also acquired by draft.

The point is the draft is our only chance to get a franchise player that determines our fortunes. Most of the time the draft fails to produce a fortune changing player, but the value in the draft is that it is our best chance.

It would then behoove the team to aim for getting more opportunities in the draft, and/or increasing their draft position. Something which trading Whiteside could accomplish.

[d-train]

I was trying to figure out the value of our pick to us and realized the last time we drafted a starting caliber player was CJ in 2013 lol

When is the last time we acquired a franchise level player except through draft? Walton, Drexler, Roy, and Lillard were all acquired by draft. The closest players to a franchise level player not on this list are Rasheed Wallace and Rod Strickland. They were both our franchise player in different era's, but only Wallace was the franchise player on a good team. It could be argued that Aldridge was a weak franchise player (similar to Strickland), but Aldridge was also acquired by draft.

The point is the draft is our only chance to get a franchise player that determines our fortunes. Most of the time the draft fails to produce a fortune changing player, but the value in the draft is that it is our best chance.

It would then behoove the team to aim for getting more opportunities in the draft, and/or increasing their draft position. Something which trading Whiteside could accomplish.

Yeah and no. Increasing our draft opportunities like we did in 2017 is a fine idea if the price is reasonable. Doing stupid stuff to sabotage our team's chances to succeed, is dumb. Just like buying a lottery ticket to secure your financial future is stupid.

[Jsun947]

I don't know what wing we're thinking we'll be able to get for Whiteside at this point that would actually help us.

Covington, Iggy, and presumably Gallo are off the board.

That leaves options that aren't attractive like Harrison Barnes, Rudy Gay, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Terrance Ross, Marcus Morris, Andrew Wiggins, Jae Crowder, Otto Porter, Thad Young, Marvin Williams, Joe Harris...

I'm stretching really far on a lot of these and even then they have all kinds of problems...