Portland - 2016 Offseason

[Masterfully]

Here's my hypothetical 16/17 team:
Lillard / (Roberts? McCollum will get most of the minutes at backup PG)
McCollum / Crabbe / Connaughton / Montero
Turner / Henderson / Layman
Aminu / Harkless / Vonleh / Alexander
Plumlee / Davis / Leonard

It's deep and flexible. And probably not talented enough to be more than a 7 or 8 seed. But maybe you get lucky and a great consolidation trade becomes available. Or you stay healthy while the competition has injuries. You never know.

Edit: I forgot Vonleh! That's sad.

[Khazim]

If Sullinger commits to putting in the work, he'd be a good fit and positive addition.

[Wizenheimer]

They have 4 centers now (Towns, Aldrich, Pekovic, Dieng) so yeah.

Unless Durant goes to San Antonio (which I think is highly unlikely) then we should pencil Gasol in on the Spurs.
Same goes for Barnes and the Warriors. Which would hypothetically make Ezeli somewhat attainable, but it would take an overpay to prevent GS from matching.

Zaza is the least sexy, yet most productive player out there. If you bring back all the RFA's you could probably still get Zaza, just renounce rights to Henderson.

Whats the pointto bringing in Zaza though? Our players are arguably better and need the development that comes with playing time. Its not like Zaza is some type of good rim protector or defender? Hes a mediocre back up center on the wrong side of his prime.

He's (porbably) cheap and productive.

Since the draft I have advocated for standing pat at center. Sticking with Plumlee and Davis (and Leonard if he is back.). Since this board is fixated on finding a center I threw Zaza out as an option.

I'd rather bring back Henderson and the RFAs and call it a day.

Also, Meyers seems a likely candidate to accept his QO and play out next year.

look, free agency appears to be over and Portland didn't do that well....like always

so that leaves trades and the draft to keep churning forward. And using trade means keeping some flexibility. with the very real possibility of paying Dame-CJ-Turner-Crabbe 80-85 million/year starting next July, I can't see Portland being able to afford to pay Plumlee 20 million/year. So, maintaining that flexibility would be much easier if the Blazers had a solid C behind Plumlee/Davis, eepecially ih he was on a good contract. After the season Plumlee had, he could probably bring back at least a 15-20 pick in the next draft

[JasonStern]

Since the draft I have advocated for standing pat at center. Sticking with Plumlee and Davis (and Leonard if he is back.). Since this board is fixated on finding a center I threw Zaza out as an option.

I'd rather bring back Henderson and the RFAs and call it a day.

there are certainly worse uses for the cap space than keeping the core of an overachieving team together.

and that's really what has disappointed me the most this off-season. I wasn't expecting a major off-season acquisition. but I was expecting traditional Olshey dumpster diving and value moves. I've gone in great detail about how the Layman trade was an overpay on our end. the fact that the Turner signing has won the "Worst Signing" poll on the Trades & Transactions going on 3 consecutive days proves that, best case, the signing works out okay for the Blazers.

the Blazers didn't have to be proactive. they could have been patient and waited for value. but they didn't. so instead of trading two 2nd round picks for a proven 23 year old backup point guard in Trey Burke, they traded 1 and cash for an underachieving tweener in Layman. instead of adding a couple of value players like Aldrich, they're likely going to lose Harkless or Crabbe due to overpaying Turner (at nearly 20% of the cap! ). it's just not a good use of assets for a team that is likely going to live or die by trades and/or the draft.

[Beeboywhoo]

You know what... after relaxing on it, Im going to trust Olshey again.....

There was only 3 premier FAs (D12, Whiteside, Horford) and im not sure any of them really considered Portland as a realistic destination.

Next there were plenty of serviceable bigs:
Guys like Aldrich, Mahimi, Biyombo... But the thing is I dont place these guys THAT much better than Ed Davis, (MAYBE Plum)..

I hope that Neil is trying to think larger and grasp a bigger picture and go for other tier 1 Centers because of the recent moves to teams:
Vucci, Monroe, Pek, I dont really know who else. But if he got any of these guys thats an upgrade over the tier 2 bigs available, and an upgrade to our current bigs.

I really hope a S&T or just a trade straight up happens, if the rest if our offseason is just keeping our guys and staying stagnant I will really lose hope in Neil and the franchise, as OTHER teams will have more money next year, and we will be handcuffed with larger contracts to accommodate for next year

[Masterfully]

Since the draft I have advocated for standing pat at center. Sticking with Plumlee and Davis (and Leonard if he is back.). Since this board is fixated on finding a center I threw Zaza out as an option.

I'd rather bring back Henderson and the RFAs and call it a day.

there are certainly worse uses for the cap space than keeping the core of an overachieving team together.

and that's really what has disappointed me the most this off-season. I wasn't expecting a major off-season acquisition. but I was expecting traditional Olshey dumpster diving and value moves. I've gone in great detail about how the Layman trade was an overpay on our end. the fact that the Turner signing has won the "Worst Signing" poll on the Trades & Transactions going on 3 consecutive days proves that, best case, the signing works out okay for the Blazers.

the Blazers didn't have to be proactive. they could have been patient and waited for value. but they didn't. so instead of trading two 2nd round picks for a proven 23 year old backup point guard in Trey Burke, they traded 1 and cash for an underachieving tweener in Layman. instead of adding a couple of value players like Aldrich, they're likely going to lose Harkless or Crabbe due to overpaying Turner (at nearly 20% of the cap! ). it's just not a good use of assets for a team that is likely going to live or die by trades and/or the draft.

I wouldn't worry about some stupid poll. Aminu was viewed as an overpay last summer. We know the real bad contracts will be whichever of these signings suffers a catastrophic injury over the next 12 months. What if Conley tears his achilles in December (!!) Memphis better pray for another amnesty clause!

[Jsun947]

Running it back with last years roster + turner wouldn't be as huge of a disaster if we had some star potential players locked in on cheap contracts and rookie deals going past next season. But we don't. We'll have 47.5% of our cap tied up in Lillard+Turner+CJ's Cap hold. If we resign Harkless + Crabbe thats likely going to be in the realm of another 23%-28% of our cap space.

When 75% of your cap is taken up by a star player, another guy who doesn't exactly fit next to him, and 3 above average bench players you're screwed.

[Downtown]

the Blazers didn't have to be proactive. they could have been patient and waited for value. but they didn't. so instead of trading two 2nd round picks for a proven 23 year old backup point guard in Trey Burke, they traded 1 and cash for an underachieving tweener in Layman. instead of adding a couple of value players like Aldrich, they're likely going to lose Harkless or Crabbe due to overpaying Turner (at nearly 20% of the cap! ). it's just not a good use of assets for a team that is likely going to live or die by trades and/or the draft.

I'm not going to argue the high cost of signing Turner, but I'm thinking that they feel with Lillard, McCollum, AND Turner, they have the point position covered. The only position I'm disappointed with is their interior defence and felt Aldrich could have at least been that physical presence to help out. And his cost certainly bears out that he would have been good considering the cost. Leonard's camp now has to be thinking about accepting the qualifying offer before Olshey changes his mind and renounces him. But that's certainly not what I'm hoping for.

As pointed out Minnesota now has an overabundance of centers and I'd love to grab one of them but like Vucevic, I don't think Portland has much to offer via a trade to any team.

[deanwoof]

Funny at people keep moving to Portland. But none are NBA players.

[Wizenheimer]

I wouldn't worry about some stupid poll. Aminu was viewed as an overpay last summer. We know the real bad contracts will be whichever of these signings suffers a catastrophic injury over the next 12 months. What if Conley tears his achilles in December (!!) Memphis better pray for another amnesty clause!

aren't you a Blazer fan??? you should know better then to tempt Blazer injury gods....testing to see if the curse still lives. It would be just like karma now, to not injure Conley but instead, torpedo Turner's achilles

[Jsun947]

You know what... after relaxing on it, Im going to trust Olshey again.....

There was only 3 premier FAs (D12, Whiteside, Horford) and im not sure any of them really considered Portland as a realistic destination.

Next there were plenty of serviceable bigs:
Guys like Aldrich, Mahimi, Biyombo... But the thing is I dont place these guys THAT much better than Ed Davis, (MAYBE Plum)..

I hope that Neil is trying to think larger and grasp a bigger picture and go for other tier 1 Centers because of the recent moves to teams:
Vucci, Monroe, Pek, I dont really know who else. But if he got any of these guys thats an upgrade over the tier 2 bigs available, and an upgrade to our current bigs.

I really hope a S&T or just a trade straight up happens, if the rest if our offseason is just keeping our guys and staying stagnant I will really lose hope in Neil and the franchise, as OTHER teams will have more money next year, and we will be handcuffed with larger contracts to accommodate for next year

You lost me at Pek. He's due another 11 million dollars next season, can't stay on the court, and is a complete negative when he's on the court. It would take at least a good first round pick to dump his contract, even in this new salary cap era.

[Blazinaway]

I know very little about this guy but is Dewayne Dedmon any good at all?

[Run PDX]

I just want Durant to make up his mind, because that will change the whole dynamic of free agency - and, maybe we can benefit from that decision.

[Jsun947]

I just want Durant to make up his mind, because that will change the whole dynamic of free agency - and, maybe we can benefit from that decision.

Hes the type of guy that's your third string center, you sign cheap, and hope he develops.

[deanwoof]

So... Abut those CJ for Noel trades

[Wizenheimer]

I just want Durant to make up his mind, because that will change the whole dynamic of free agency - and, maybe we can benefit from that decision.

Hes the type of guy that's your third string center, you sign cheap, and hope he develops.

c'mon now, are you drinking already?

you meant to click on the post about Dedmon, not Durant. Do you shoot FT's that badly?

[Masterfully]

I know very little about this guy but is Dewayne Dedmon any good at all?

He's had one good (partial) year. He's 27. If Leonard goes he'd make a solid thrid string center.

You guys see what Tyler Johnson just signed for? 4 /50!

Losing any hope of Crabbe getting a reasonable offer.

[JasonStern]

I just want Durant to make up his mind, because that will change the whole dynamic of free agency - and, maybe we can benefit from that decision.

Hes the type of guy that's your third string center, you sign cheap, and hope he develops.

if you feel Durant is third string, then see my prior post about Blazers fans needing more realistic expectations.

[Wizenheimer]

I just want Durant to make up his mind, because that will change the whole dynamic of free agency - and, maybe we can benefit from that decision.

the rumor is he'll decide this evening or tomorrow morning

can you imagine how you'd feel about the 'delay' if you were a Thunder fan?

[Blazinaway]

if Pau goes to SA maybe Boban is the stealth plan? lol