DO YOU LIKE OUR BLAZERS ROSTER?

[GEE]

I think it's clearly in everyone's best interest that both, Dame and Chauncey click, and the pairing of Dame and Simons works out. We want this... But I still haven't seen it. Maybe tonight against the JAZZ-holes, but I don't have faith that it will ever work against bigger NBA lineups like the Clips.

[DusterBuster]

I'm gonna do my best to enjoy this season... because if the Blazers aren't contenders or the worst of the worst... it's going to be an awful season. This is not a year to be "pretty good". More teams than usually will tank, which means it'll be easier to be really good... so give me an A or an F this season. If this is a B-/C season, I'm not bothering.

[Village Idiot]

One trade target I haven't seen mentioned is Franz Wagner. He would be an amazing fit on this team at SF given his versatility on both ends of the floor. He's just the ideal complimentary player. With Banchero at PF and JI coming back to play SF he might be somewhat expendable.

Orlando really needs outside shooting and a lead guard since it looks like neither Suggs nor Fulz will fill that role. Simons would be a perfect fit at PG for his hometown Magic. Of course Simons can't be traded until January due to his extension. His raise makes it tricky to match salaries and a lot of players need to be added at both ends but I believe this will work:

Orlando trades:

Franz Wagner
Terrence Ross
Gary Harris
RJ Hampton

Portland trades:

Anfernee Simons
Nassir Little
Josh Hart
Greg Brown

Ross has an ending contract, Harris' deal is fully unguaranteed next season and Hampton has a team option on his rookie deal. With Wagner making $5.5 million next season this cuts at least $25 million on our salary obligations next year if we let all three go. This is assuming Little would have been retained and Hart let go. Note that we would be sending out $7.2 million more in annualized salary than we would receive which would generate a decent sized TPE.

[Toizumi]

I like it better than last year, but count me among the people who think its time to trade Dame before they cant get a good enough return for him. Guys like Nurk and Grant could pump up their numbers as a result and be subsequently dealt. But I think a full-on rebuild is needed, and the pieces are already there to begin (Sharpe, Keon, Simons). And I love having a guy like Payton here as a great glue guy

I agree. I don't see this roster going anywhere in the future. We will not attract big names in FA and it will be difficult to grow talent around a ball dominant superstar like Dame, especially in the backcourt. I'd be content building around the guys you mention, especially Ant. Let's see how they develop and end up with good lottery chances in the process.
Also, Dame's given enough to the city and I'd like to see him in a position where he can have more team success.

[BlazersBroncos]

One trade target I haven't seen mentioned is Franz Wagner. He would be an amazing fit on this team at SF given his versatility on both ends of the floor. He's just the ideal complimentary player. With Banchero at PF and JI coming back to play SF he might be somewhat expendable.

I dont see any reason ORL moves Franz. You dont trade guys with his size coming off such quality rookie years. If anything they will move JI.

[Goldbum]

One trade target I haven't seen mentioned is Franz Wagner. He would be an amazing fit on this team at SF given his versatility on both ends of the floor. He's just the ideal complimentary player. With Banchero at PF and JI coming back to play SF he might be somewhat expendable.

I dont see any reason ORL moves Franz. You dont trade guys with his size coming off such quality rookie years. If anything they will move JI.

Hart + Little
4
Isaac
It's a BIG swing and would likely have to be a 3 way deal but if JI is healthy it transforms our team

[BlazersBroncos]

One trade target I haven't seen mentioned is Franz Wagner. He would be an amazing fit on this team at SF given his versatility on both ends of the floor. He's just the ideal complimentary player. With Banchero at PF and JI coming back to play SF he might be somewhat expendable.

I dont see any reason ORL moves Franz. You dont trade guys with his size coming off such quality rookie years. If anything they will move JI.

Hart + Little
4
Isaac
It's a BIG swing and would likely have to be a 3 way deal but if JI is healthy it transforms our team

I would 100% take that roll of the dice.

[BNM]

Concerning the Blazers forward situation:

A week after labelling the Blazers roster “blah”, Lowe and Kevin Pelton agreed on the Lowe Post that the combination of Grant, Nassir Little, Justise Winslow and Josh Hart is better than the 2019 duo.

“Pelton: I think they can actually be better offensively because those guys (Harkless, Aminu) really didn’t have much capacity to do anything off the dribble which showed up often times in the playoffs, Jerami Grant we know can and I think Nas Little has the ability to do it as well.

“Lowe: Josh Hart for sure, Josh Hart in the open court is a freight train. I agree with you. To me not only could they be better than the Harkless, Aminu pairing, they should be way better than the Harkless, Aminu pairing because they can catch and dribble and you can’t just leave them 30 feet of space like teams would do in the playoffs.”

“I described the Blazers as blah repeatedly last week. Blah to me means 500, blah means I don’t see ‘oh my god, the blazers are on a 49-win pace, where did that come from’ sexiness to them. I can see blah being thrown back in my face, I could see it but I’m still going blah, I’m still going under 38 wins.”

I've been saying this since the Grant trade: the addition of Grant, combined with Hart, give the Blazers the best pair of forwards they've had since Aldridge and Batum. Unlike Aminu and Harkless, this gives them a pair of forwards who can play defense, but they are also multi-dimensional scorers, not just guys you park in the corner and hope for the best.

[BNM]

This bodes well for the upcoming season:

Damian Lillard Shot 914 Threes Before Missing Two In A Row In Shooting Drill:

https://www.opencourt-basketball.com/damian-lillard-shot-914-threes-before-missing-two-in-a-row-in-shooting-drill/

"While recovering from his abdominal injury, Lillard performed a 3-point shooting drill on the Noah Shooting System (a shooting/ball recovery machine).

It apparently took Lillard 914 attempts from the 3-point line before he missed two in a row, while shooting for over an hour."

[HoopsFanAZ]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/269855/Celtics-Unlikely-To-Trade-Payton-Pritchard

With depth at PG, this report comes out … which says to me that Pritchard is being shopped.
Keon Johnson is far more athletic and bigger. His defense getting some positive reviews.

Keon Johnson for Payton Pritchard. Pure point guard, grit, handles, 3’s.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Would love to trade Simons, Hart, and a future pick for Pascal Siakam.

Would love to trade Nurkic & Little for Myles Turner.

Pick up a couple vets off waivers and call it a day.

[BlazersBroncos]

Would love to trade Simons, Hart, and a future pick for Pascal Siakam.

Would love to trade Nurkic & Little for Myles Turner.

Pick up a couple vets off waivers and call it a day.

That would be amazing, but dont see the other teams considering it. Especially Indiana. And Ant is a poor fit w/ FVV.

[Myth]

I like the roster, which is why it is so frustrating that we are so bad. I think this team is performing much worse than their potential. Not sure if that is a team construction issue, just a slump, or a coaching issue. But it is certainly frustrating, whatever the cause.