Now what?

[JasonStern]

Still don't get the Simons hate. He's arguably the team's best player and at 25, is young enough for a rebuild. Plus his trade value isn't high. So, maybe you get a late 1st and draft another Kris Murray (who is 24). Whoop-dee-doo.

Still don't get the "Sharpe has no motor" claim. There hasn't been a single credible source for this. If anything, from what I have seen, he lacks BBIQ, heavily relies on his athleticism, and appears to be injury prone. He's still my favorite Blazer, though.

Take what you can get for Grant at the trade deadline. He's the only player over 30. And while overpaid, he could help a win-now team. Crash 2.0. Then try to develop the young guys and build some cohesion with this roster.

[Walton1one]

I suggest anyone who wants a honest\sobering? look at where POR sits going into next season, check out the locked on fantasy basketball podcast POR preview with Mike Richman as guest.

To surmise, does Cronin even know what he’s doing? Because a lot of the decisions/indecisions certainly make it appear that they have no idea what they are doing.

[Goldbum]

I was talking to an Eastern executive who doesn't think Portland should trade Grant. His reasoning: We will tank and if we land Flagg we'll be looking for a "Grant level player" to start that ascension. "If you trade him this season you'll probably wish you had him next season."
He also thinks if we miss out on Flagg that Grant is a great fit with Scoot/Shaedon/Deni and either DA/ClingKong... lastly we talked about Portland's 3 main forwards and he believes Avidja will have a "better than Lauri" type bump. He believes the shooting is real and will continue to improve. He also said NBA people are still high on Murray (weird) and that it's just a matter of time before the shot clicks. Lastly, he feels Toumani will eventually be a plus starter on a good team and that if we do trade Grant a Toumani/Flagg/Deni forward rotation has real juice.

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.

Sorry I've been down with pneumonia and haven't had as many conversations with my sources, but we're having a cook out on Sunday then hitting lake Altoona. I should have 5 or 6 pro personnel people over.

[BlazersBroncos]

I suggest anyone who wants a honest\sobering? look at where POR sits going into next season, check out the locked on fantasy basketball podcast POR preview with Mike Richman as guest.

To surmise, does Cronin even know what he’s doing? Because a lot of the decisions/indecisions certainly make it appear that they have no idea what they are doing.

They are trying to have their cake and eat it too.

We are bringing in high picks but refuse to totally rebuild as the ownership group doesnt want to bottom out - they want the ticket sales that may come with this team being a contender for a bubble spot.

[JasonStern]

I was talking to an Eastern executive who doesn't think Portland should trade Grant. His reasoning: We will tank and if we land Flagg we'll be looking for a "Grant level player" to start that ascension. "If you trade him this season you'll probably wish you had him next season."
He also thinks if we miss out on Flagg that Grant is a great fit with Scoot/Shaedon/Deni and either DA/ClingKong...

Agree to disagree. I get retaining Grant, even though he was overpaid. It's an asset. But we're looking at a Gerald Wallace situation. I loved Crash, but he relied heavily on his athleticism. As does Grant. And Grant is 30 now, and on a team that is looking at a 2-3 year rebuild at least. Deni is supposed to be our SF of the future, which would push Grant to PF where he is undersized. I suppose you could try to play Ayton/Clingan together against larger, more physical line-ups. But unless Clingan develops a deep shot, you'd just be trading offense for defense.

And then there's the whole "is Grant the best use of our salary cap?" question.

Always love your posts, Goldbum.

[Norm2953]

Interesting ESPN has Portland last in the Western conference with a 22-60 record

[Norm2953]

Interesting ESPN has Portland last in the Western conference with a 22-60 record

[JasonStern]

Interesting ESPN has Portland last in the Western conference with a 22-60 record

If the Blazers move Grant and go full tank mode around the all-star game/trade deadline, that sounds about right. The west is rough and the Blazers are a work in progress.

[m0ng0]

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.
.

That's an excellent point...

[BlazersBroncos]

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.
.

If we are trading 2 FRP for guys that might help a 25 year old be a PG when he has shown no PG skills, after drafting an actual PG at #3, then we need to just stop supporting this team and hope for wholesale management changes.

FYI - Simons is 1% higher in AST% than Jordan Clarkson - so if you think Simons is a PG then we must accept that Jordan Clarkson is a PG.

[m0ng0]

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.
.

If we are trading 2 FRP for guys that might help a 25 year old be a PG when he has shown no PG skills, after drafting an actual PG at #3, then we need to just stop supporting this team and hope for wholesale management changes.

FYI - Simons is 1% higher in AST% than Jordan Clarkson - so if you think Simons is a PG then we must accept that Jordan Clarkson is a PG.

Why can't you look at it like we just picked up "in theory" a poor man's Scottie Pippen or Nic Batum? He is the best 3 we have had in a decade and all you can bitch about as he is brought in to help Simons? What is wrong with you? He was brought in to help this team win games, that's usually why you make a trade.

[mojomarc]

Still don't get the Simons hate. He's arguably the team's best player and at 25, is young enough for a rebuild. Plus his trade value isn't high. So, maybe you get a late 1st and draft another Kris Murray (who is 24). Whoop-dee-doo.

For me it is that he looks like the reincarnation of Monta Ellis, and we all know how that worked out when GSW shipped him off.

Maybe he's worth a late first. Maybe he's worth a really strong role player at the wing that can play serious defense. Who knows? But he's not going to move Portland over the hump in any way, shape or form so you move him if you can find some reasonable value that gets flexibility, picks you can package to move up, or a solid sixth man type (and hopefully all three)

[BlazersBroncos]

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.
.

If we are trading 2 FRP for guys that might help a 25 year old be a PG when he has shown no PG skills, after drafting an actual PG at #3, then we need to just stop supporting this team and hope for wholesale management changes.

FYI - Simons is 1% higher in AST% than Jordan Clarkson - so if you think Simons is a PG then we must accept that Jordan Clarkson is a PG.

Why can't you look at it like we just picked up "in theory" a poor man's Scottie Pippen or Nic Batum? He is the best 3 we have had in a decade and all you can bitch about as he is brought in to help Simons? What is wrong with you? He was brought in to help this team win games, that's usually why you make a trade.

I love Deni. I think he is now our best player by a clear margin.

I was responding to the rumor that he was partially brought in to help Simons at PG. Thats stupid. Trading for Deni wasnt stupid.

[Walton1one]

Simons is a 20ppg scorer on a 21 win team and one of the WORST defenders in the entire NBA

He doesn’t elevate this team at all, he provides empty points. Building around him is like building around Corey Maggette. All flash, no substance.

[Village Idiot]

I was talking to an Eastern executive who doesn't think Portland should trade Grant. His reasoning: We will tank and if we land Flagg we'll be looking for a "Grant level player" to start that ascension. "If you trade him this season you'll probably wish you had him next season."
He also thinks if we miss out on Flagg that Grant is a great fit with Scoot/Shaedon/Deni and either DA/ClingKong... lastly we talked about Portland's 3 main forwards and he believes Avidja will have a "better than Lauri" type bump. He believes the shooting is real and will continue to improve. He also said NBA people are still high on Murray (weird) and that it's just a matter of time before the shot clicks. Lastly, he feels Toumani will eventually be a plus starter on a good team and that if we do trade Grant a Toumani/Flagg/Deni forward rotation has real juice.

PS: Portland has been quietly shopping for a long term 3rd guard. This executive actually believes that Deni is the key to playing Ant at PG but we didn't talk much about the rotation and expectations.

Sorry I've been down with pneumonia and haven't had as many conversations with my sources, but we're having a cook out on Sunday then hitting lake Altoona. I should have 5 or 6 pro personnel people over.

As always thanks for the insight.

I can see us standing pat and giving Chauncey a real chance to win some games. Players and coachaes are never ok with tanking and giving young players undeserved playing time early the season when everyone is still in the running is counterproductive as it breeds resentment, a losers culture and a bad lockerroom environment.

It wouldn't surprise my at all if we start Simons at PG, Deni, Thybulle/Sharpe/Camara at the other wing spot, Grant and Ayton and run Scoot, the other two of Thybulle/Sharpe/Camara and two of Walker/Timelord/Clingan off the bench.

Looking forward to your update next week. Have a fun weekend!

[m0ng0]

Simons is a 20ppg scorer on a 21 win team and one of the WORST defenders in the entire NBA

He doesn’t elevate this team at all, he provides empty points. Building around him is like building around Corey Maggette. All flash, no substance.

Possibly he was a 20ppg scorer on a 21 win team because the team is not good, or quite possibly because the team was TANKING? JESUS

[JasonStern]

Still don't get the Simons hate. He's arguably the team's best player and at 25, is young enough for a rebuild. Plus his trade value isn't high. So, maybe you get a late 1st and draft another Kris Murray (who is 24). Whoop-dee-doo.

For me it is that he looks like the reincarnation of Monta Ellis, and we all know how that worked out when GSW shipped him off.

Maybe he's worth a late first. Maybe he's worth a really strong role player at the wing that can play serious defense. Who knows? But he's not going to move Portland over the hump in any way, shape or form so you move him if you can find some reasonable value that gets flexibility, picks you can package to move up, or a solid sixth man type (and hopefully all three)

You're missing the point that Monta was traded because they had a generational back court in Steph and Klay. Now, is a Scoot/Sharpe back court generational? Maybe. But they certainly haven't proven it yet.

Again, everyone is contradicting themselves. Presuming he is an undersized, high usage, inefficient SG that can't play defense, why would any team trade anything of value for him? Let alone include picks.

I feel like I am the only one that watches games and doesn't want to watch some g-league team put up 60 points while the other team puts up 130 under some unproven belief that a 2029 protected 1st is going to save the franchise.

[dckingsfan]

Interesting ESPN has Portland last in the Western conference with a 22-60 record

Link?

I say that because Las Vegas has them winning 21.5 games (I know, pretty much the same) with the 3rd worst record in the NBA.

Nets @ 19.5, Wizards @ 20.5

Then a jump to the Pistons with 25.5. And that is with the team as it is currently constructed with Grant, et. al.

[JasonStern]

Simons is a 20ppg scorer on a 21 win team and one of the WORST defenders in the entire NBA

He doesn’t elevate this team at all, he provides empty points. Building around him is like building around Corey Maggette. All flash, no substance.

Simons is an average starter. He has flaws. But, he is an efficient scorer - albeit with a high usage rate. As I have stated repeatedly, a mini Jamal Crawford. Bashing him for that is as stupid as bashing Dame for not winning in the 2022-23 season despite having an overpaid roster that was trash with Billups as a coach...? Seriously?

The truth is that Simons can be a mid-tier player and be the best player on a bad team. I honestly don't care if the Blazers trade Simons, but I am realistic about what our roster currently looks like. And you can say Jeremie Grant is better than Simons, and I won't refute that. But you are admitting that Jeremie Grant is the best player on this team.

[Walton1one]

No doubt Billups is not a good game coach

no doubt he will look to eek whatever he can out of the vets on this team to pad whatever wins he can to justify for his next job interview

no doubt the Vulcans are being cheap by letting Billups coach out the year without a contract extension

Smons is nowhere in the same stratosphere as Dame as a player, Dame who could win games on his own force of will alone, they are not comparable

Crawford is not a bad comp for Simons, and where was Crawford best? Coming off the bench, with a simple roll of, just go score. Simons is not/will not? accept that role in POR

All this angst about the impact if Simons left, what we win 18 Instead of 21 games?

I don’t think it is coincidence that both Ayton & Scoot played better at the end of the year when Ant\Grant were absent. Just as I think players like Deni\Sharpe\Camara will improve when those 2 players are off this team, and the team will be better for it.