Rumors Surfacing of Houston, Portland, NYK Trade

[GEE]

I highly doubt Dame wants more draft picks/rookies on this team. I also doubt he would want us helping Houston land Melo. I think we should just give up some picks to offload the contracts we don't want to a rebuilding team. These trades do not make us noticeably better, maybe worse, and it changes the team's chemistry. Plus, getting two players for one of ours is the opposite of what we should be doing; There's already not enough minutes to go around. I'd rather make no moves, than make a dumb one.

As for last summer, it seems to me that Olshey and Stott's don't see eye to eye. Crabbe, and his contract would have made alot of sense if he was our starting SG, making CJ 6moty, but Stott's, and Dallas teams of recent history seem to like small guards, even if it hurts defensively, so he starts CJ. Stott's then tries to take big guards(Crabbe and Turner), and jam them into the SF position which makes them look like bad players. He also does the same with our SF's(Mo and Aminu) playing them at PF. I'm not saying Stotts deserves to get fired, but I don't think he's getting the best out of his players, and that's kind of his main job.

As for Leonard, I really don't care about him anymore. We had a good draft, so he can now get 82 DNP's(coaches decision) each year, or until he agrees to a buyout. He could also claim back problems to save face, collect all of his money, and medically retire. Either way, I shouldn't have to see his lame ass on the court anymore.

[Wizenheimer]

I think a majority of fans here have overrated Mo's potential/value. He's a nice enough player, but he's getting talked about like he's a crucial building block the Blazers are giving up. As for his value, keep in mind Portland got him for free and that absolutely no other team even sniffed him in RFA last summer. As for his potential, I've seen him called a 3&D guy a lot but people seem to forget he really isn't a great 3pt shooter, having to purposely not shoot any 3pt attempts his last game of the year just to scratch out .350% average from 3. I mean, yeah, he's young enough to still have some untapped potential, but what realistically can he turn into on a team with 2 high volume scoring guards and a bigman who's going to be taking a good number of shots himself now? I just think the Mo we've seen is the Mo we'll always see here in Portland given his role and opportunities. That's a nice enough player, but people here are making it out like we're trading CJ to dump Meyers.....

Common now.

I think it's more due to the notion that the Blazers would have to attach a positive asset(both player and contract) to a trade in order to dump Meyers. Plus, knowing the prominent Blazer weakness in perimeter defense, giving up the best perimeter defender just to land a no-defense-one-dimensional player like Anderson rankles. But all we've heard about this trade so far is conjecture

*************************************************

for myself, I was a lot higher on Harkless at the end of the 2015/16 season then I am right now. He had a real break-out close to the season followed up by good performances in the playoffs, against both LAC and GSW

so I really expected him to build on that coming into this last season. Unfortunately his performance was a mixed bag. His shooting efficiency improved, by quite a bit actually. But his PER, FT Rate, Rebound Rate, Assist Rate, & winshare/48 all dropped, in some cases significantly. I expected better and now have to wonder if he's in the he-is-what-he-is stage of his career

can the Blazers find a better SF? sure....unfortunately, Turner, Aminu, aren't going to be better, or as even good as Harkless, but that's probably what Portland would have if this trade went thru

[DaVoiceMaster]

I'm not opposed to moving Harkless, I just don't want to do it solely to unload Meyers Leonard. I don't think Amina or Turner are the answer at SF either. Maybe you give Crabbe the nod if Harkless is moved and tell him... you got the opportunity, now make the most of it and prove your worth.

Sent from my SM-N900V using RealGM mobile app

[PDXKnight]

I'm not opposed to moving Harkless, I just don't want to do it solely to unload Meyers Leonard. I don't think Amina or Turner are the answer at SF either. Maybe you give Crabbe the nod if Harkless is moved and tell him... you got the opportunity, now make the most of it and prove your worth.

Sent from my SM-N900V using RealGM mobile app

Not loving the thought of crabbe playing sf from a defensive standpoint

[Pdx4life]

I get the sense that this is the team we are going into the season with, which is fine. We can deal with cap issues later. I don't want to see us rush and put on the best/most affordable young players we have in Harkless. He was a borderline lottery pick that is coming into his own. I want to see what he becomes in the next 2 years before we move him.

[JasonStern]

If Lee/O'Quinn were coming in and Harkless/Leonard were going out, what would you think?

it imbalances the roster, but it's better than many of the other names floated. problem is that New York can't be the only team sending out salary.

All of those names have been mentioned along with Olshey's old buddy Gordon.

Gordon would only make sense if Crabbe was moved. otherwise, how much money does Portland need tied up at shooting guard? or just how small of small ball can Stotts run? plus I can't see New York taking on Crabbe after signing Hardaway Jr.

best I can come up with is:

POR: Gordon, Ariza
NYK: Harkless, Vonleh, Leonard, Quarterman (waived)
HOU: Anthony

Portland gets some vets, New York gets some prospects, Rockets get Anthony. kind of bad from a roster fit standpoint for Portland and hits Houston depth-wise.

If you could get a good 2nd or a late 1st for Davis, now you have saved 10+ million (which is like 30 million with taxes.)

cap space has value. you might be able to get one or the other, but nobody is giving up cap space and value (picks/prospects/productive players) for Ed Davis.

[IndianYoda]

Gordon and Ariza would be a win to me, but I can't see that happening. More likely Quinn/Lee. But the longer this drags out, maybe something more favorable will result for the Blazers. Probably comes down to just how bad the Rockets want Melo, which I don't really see him working with Harden and CP3.

[DusterBuster]

I think a majority of fans here have overrated Mo's potential/value. He's a nice enough player, but he's getting talked about like he's a crucial building block the Blazers are giving up. As for his value, keep in mind Portland got him for free and that absolutely no other team even sniffed him in RFA last summer. As for his potential, I've seen him called a 3&D guy a lot but people seem to forget he really isn't a great 3pt shooter, having to purposely not shoot any 3pt attempts his last game of the year just to scratch out .350% average from 3. I mean, yeah, he's young enough to still have some untapped potential, but what realistically can he turn into on a team with 2 high volume scoring guards and a bigman who's going to be taking a good number of shots himself now? I just think the Mo we've seen is the Mo we'll always see here in Portland given his role and opportunities. That's a nice enough player, but people here are making it out like we're trading CJ to dump Meyers.....

Common now.

I think it's more due to the notion that the Blazers would have to attach a positive asset(both player and contract) to a trade in order to dump Meyers. Plus, knowing the prominent Blazer weakness in perimeter defense, giving up the best perimeter defender just to land a no-defense-one-dimensional player like Anderson rankles. But all we've heard about this trade so far is conjecture

*************************************************

for myself, I was a lot higher on Harkless at the end of the 2015/16 season then I am right now. He had a real break-out close to the season followed up by good performances in the playoffs, against both LAC and GSW

so I really expected him to build on that coming into this last season. Unfortunately his performance was a mixed bag. His shooting efficiency improved, by quite a bit actually. But his PER, FT Rate, Rebound Rate, Assist Rate, & winshare/48 all dropped, in some cases significantly. I expected better and now have to wonder if he's in the he-is-what-he-is stage of his career

can the Blazers find a better SF? sure....unfortunately, Turner, Aminu, aren't going to be better, or as even good as Harkless, but that's probably what Portland would have if this trade went thru

I'm working under the impression that the Blazers are getting Lee and O'Quinn, not Anderson. With Lee, the Blazers perimeter D will be just as good, if not improved, as it would have been with Harkless.

I get being a bit annoyed at having to give up a "positive asset" to dump Meyers, but again.... like how positive of an asset is Harkless really? I just don't think he has a ton of value (or at least the type of value some here seem to be giving him credit for) in all honesty because, as you and I are kinda in agreement on, he's gearing towards that "he is what he is" stage. That being a kinda mediocre / run of the mill SF/PF combo guard. I personally think the Blazers could start Aminu in his place and not lose a single step or notice any difference. Quite frankly, I'd sooner give up Harkless than I would any draft picks to dump salary, because again, I think we kinda know what Harkless is and I don't suspect he's ever going to be much more than that on the Blazers.

There's also people kinda losing their s over this trade, which as you rightly mentioned, is as of now, just conjecture. We don't really know if this deal even happens, let alone if the Blazers are involved. It certainly seems there's plenty of smoke and talks have taken place, but as of right now it feels premature to get too up in arms over it. Even if it does go down (again, talking Lee version, not Anderson), I really don't see the Blazers being even slightly worse off than they were with Harkless.

So yeah, this deal as rumored, for me it just amounts to shuffling the deck a bit and saving a bit of scratch. The future impact of the deal seems microscopic in the grand scheme of things, which is why I find it a bit silly for people to be calling for him to be fired for trading Moe.

[HoopsFanAZ]

If the return is Ariza and Gordon, then it's a win. Ariza is short term and can play some D at the 3

It's Eric Gordon. 28 years old. The trio of guards averaging 32 minutes each is 60+ points at PG and SG. Done. And the defense shouldn't take much of a hit ... it would be hard to. Crabbe and Turner are then pretty expendable with their strengths/skills now replaced.

Leave Nurkic and the rookies out of it, and who leaves for Houston, NY, etc. matters less to me.

[BlazersBroncos]

I don't think Ariza and Gordon move the needle enough to justify dealing Mo and Crabbe.

I just roll with the guys that are younger and hope Crabbe can develop into more Redick than Matt Carroll.

Turner needs to be in this deal for it to make any sense to me at all.

[Soulyss]

Gordon is healthy and would be a great get if he comes back to Portland. With Gordon coming in, I would send out Crabbe in a heartbeat.

[Blazers98]

Is Harkless part of the core? No. But he is a decent player on a decent contract. He is young and can still get better. He fits the Lillard window timeline. To me, he is the 4th most valuable player. I don't think you trade that for only getting out of Meyer's contract.

[britblazerdude]

Apparently the Leonard contract is holding up any action.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using RealGM mobile app

[DusterBuster]

Apparently the Leonard contract is holding up any action.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using RealGM mobile app

I just can't understand how 2 teams in under 6 months have been willing to take on Miles Plumlee, but apparently Leonard is that toxic....

[Downtown]

Apparently the Leonard contract is holding up any action.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using RealGM mobile app

I just can't understand how 2 teams in under 6 months have been willing to take on Miles Plumlee, but apparently Leonard is that toxic....

I can understand it. We've been saying it for a long time ourselves.

[DusterBuster]

Apparently the Leonard contract is holding up any action.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using RealGM mobile app

I just can't understand how 2 teams in under 6 months have been willing to take on Miles Plumlee, but apparently Leonard is that toxic....

I can understand it. We've been saying it for a long time ourselves.

You still didn't explain how or why an older, equally as awful, more expensive per year and equally years left on contract player can get traded twice but Meyers is toxic.

[Downtown]

I just can't understand how 2 teams in under 6 months have been willing to take on Miles Plumlee, but apparently Leonard is that toxic....

I can understand it. We've been saying it for a long time ourselves.

You still didn't explain how or why an older, equally as awful, more expensive per year and equally years left on contract player can get traded twice but Meyers is toxic.

No I didn't and I no can't explain it. All I'm pointing out is that we've been talking for a long time about what an awful contract Leonard has given his production output. So it shouldn't be a surprise that someone might think it's toxic. And we don't even know for sure if this is the reason a trade is being held up. It's all speculation.

[Run PDX]

According to Woj: trade talks have stalled.
Presumably, the new GM will want to take some time before committing to a major trade... And, Meyers Leonard will be a Blazer until the end of time.

[DusterBuster]

I can understand it. We've been saying it for a long time ourselves.

You still didn't explain how or why an older, equally as awful, more expensive per year and equally years left on contract player can get traded twice but Meyers is toxic.

No I didn't and I no can't explain it. All I'm pointing out is that we've been talking for a long time about what an awful contract Leonard has given his production output. So it shouldn't be a surprise that someone might think it's toxic. And we don't even know for sure if this is the reason a trade is being held up. It's all speculation.

Sorry, that was a my bad, I totally misread your initial post.

[zzaj]

According to Woj: trade talks have stalled.
Presumably, the new GM will want to take some time before committing to a major trade... And, Meyers Leonard will be a Blazer until the end of time.

Even with his glass shoulders, Meyers is still probably strong enough to be a "Main Base" on the Trailblazer stunt team. Meyers, if you are reading this, here is a schedule for the walk on tryouts, August 4th:

http://www.nba.com/blazers/trail-blazers-stunt-team/