Trade deadline, buyouts, and waivers

[kumquat]

I think we should look at trading CJ. The CJ and Dame backcourt became painfully obvious when he came back.

Think we would be good getting future picks for him, keep GTJ in the starting lineup.

[Roy The Natural]

I think we should look at trading CJ. The CJ and Dame backcourt became painfully obvious when he came back.

Think we would be good getting future picks for him, keep GTJ in the starting lineup.

Yea... part of me wants to say it's just rust because CJ was so dynamite offensively to start the year. But it's unbearably bad out there. However, it wasn't much better when Trent was starting, we were still a bottom 5 defense. I don't know. At this point though, something needs to be done. I love the healthy Nurkic of 2 years ago, but even he at his peak isn't saving this defense. This team needs a major shakeup. Kanter and Melo need reduced roles, and Hood needs to start accumulating DNPs. Need to bring in more defenders. I think we'll see some desperation here for Portland at the deadline. I'm hoping for Gordon around GTJ, and McGee+something else at the buyout.

[HoopsFanAZ]

Anybody. But. Lillard.

I like the current Blazers players. Nothing against them as people. They're easy to cheer for and support.
I don't want Nurkic traded. But the line is drawn for me at Lillard. I just want a better team that plays at both ends and purposely moves ball and man. Rebounds. D's up. Gets into the O quickly. A better team. I would wish my favorites well at their next stops and welcome a better team so long as gigantic ******* aren't included.

[Roy The Natural]

Since I'm NOT into conspiracy theories, it's just a timing thing that two Blazers from Florida were out tonight because of health and safety protocol 2 days prior to the trade deadline where there is some amount of interest in a player on Orlando. Need to have enough players on the roster with trade deals and all, but ...

Gordon + Dwayne Bacon = Simons + Little + Collins + Hood + sweetener [Blazers another $100K away from being a taxpayer.]
Just saying.

I mean sure.... But the sweetener might need to be 2 1st round picks. I think this team needs to suck it up and trade for Gordon. Build it around GTJ and a 1st. If they can they should look into Richaun Holmes and see if something like Simons and Little can bring him in. They need to push Melo and Kanter to situational minutes and use Hood as salary ballast. It's time to stop screwing around and go all-in on the next 2-3 years. Either that, or blow the damn thing up.

[Andre 2999]

Supposedly Lillard wants AG

Where are you reading that?

Kevin O'Connor: "I've also heard Portland, and Damian Lillard especially, want Aaron Gordon on the Blazers."

https://www.theringer.com/2021/3/23/22346966/trade-deadline-preview-plus-the-bucks-are-back-and-steve-kerrs-comments-on-real-ones (24:15 - 29:24)

[d-train]

I hope AG is traded. Not to Blazers, of course, I want Blazers to get better. I want the market to reveal his maximum value. I haven't seen such nonsense valuation of a player in a very long time. It's nothing new for media and fans to have an inflated value of a player, but this case seems worse to me.

[BlazersBroncos]

I hope AG is traded. Not to Blazers, of course, I want Blazers to get better. I want the market to reveal his maximum value. I haven't seen such nonsense valuation of a player in a very long time. It's nothing new for media and fans to have an inflated value of a player, but this case seems worse to me.

I really hope he ends up here so we can watch your opinion change overnight lol

[Roy The Natural]

I hope AG is traded. Not to Blazers, of course, I want Blazers to get better. I want the market to reveal his maximum value. I haven't seen such nonsense valuation of a player in a very long time. It's nothing new for media and fans to have an inflated value of a player, but this case seems worse to me.

I really hope he ends up here so we can watch your opinion change overnight lol

Meanwhile d-train overvalues this crap out of practically all of Portland's players. It's frustrating.

[BlazersBroncos]

Meanwhile d-train overvalues this crap out of practically all of Portland's players. It's frustrating.

Player value increases by 1,000% once their jersey is red, black and white. Its science.

[Wizenheimer]

Aaron Gordon is a role player, but a good one. So is RoCo. And adding Gordon as a PF while sliding RoCo to SF makes for a pretty intriguing forward combo for the Blazers. It's definitely worth a shot

The 'ideal' Gordon trade for the Blazers would be Hood + Zach + Simons. That gives Portland enough margin under the tax line to finesse some free agent signings. (they'd have to sign one before the trade to not violate the CBA)

Portland could do enough juggling with the cap to probably complete a Hood + Zach + Trent deal. But reports are that the Blazers would probably first have to negotiate a lifting of the draft pick protections they owe Houston so they could send a 2023 first to Orlando

I know some people think that's too much. But this Blazer team is going nowhere. They are still locked onto the high-level treadmill they've been on for 6 years. They aren't risking anything by trading role players for role players. They should be looking at trading CJ, but until Olshey's stubborn ego is kicked out of town, this is the best they can do.

[JasonStern]

In before the big POR/ORL trade is just a Hood-for-Aminu swap.

(And no I would not do that, nor am I advocating for doing that. Something something lowered expectations.)

[d-train]

I hope AG is traded. Not to Blazers, of course, I want Blazers to get better. I want the market to reveal his maximum value. I haven't seen such nonsense valuation of a player in a very long time. It's nothing new for media and fans to have an inflated value of a player, but this case seems worse to me.

I really hope he ends up here so we can watch your opinion change overnight lol

It wouldn't be the first time. Most of the time my opinion changes somewhat on players we acquire because I learn more about a player after seeing them 100 times a year.

Ed Davis is a good example. I didn't like him at all prior to Blazers signing him. I grew to appreciate him more. Lopez is another good example. These are examples of players who turned out to be better than I expected. Walter Davis is a player that wasn't near as good as I expected. And, how can I forget Whiteside, I expected him to be better.

[d-train]

Meanwhile d-train overvalues this crap out of practically all of Portland's players. It's frustrating.

Maybe, better to overvalue our players. It would be disasterous if Olshey undervalued our players like fans do.

[Norm2953]

Aaron Gordon is a role player, but a good one. So is RoCo. And adding Gordon as a PF while sliding RoCo to SF makes for a pretty intriguing forward combo for the Blazers. It's definitely worth a shot

The 'ideal' Gordon trade for the Blazers would be Hood + Zach + Simons. That gives Portland enough margin under the tax line to finesse some free agent signings. (they'd have to sign one before the trade to not violate the CBA)

Portland could do enough juggling with the cap to probably complete a Hood + Zach + Trent deal. But reports are that the Blazers would probably first have to negotiate a lifting of the draft pick protections they owe Houston so they could send a 2023 first to Orlando

I know some people think that's too much. But this Blazer team is going nowhere. They are still locked onto the high-level treadmill they've been on for 6 years. They aren't risking anything by trading role players for role players. They should be looking at trading CJ, but until Olshey's stubborn ego is kicked out of town, this is the best they can do.

One can only hope the accountants in Seattle order the changes that will overcome NO's ego. I've been on the trading CJ
bandwagon for some time, viewing it as the best way to balance out the roster, so that we won't see $100 million
invested in our back court.

[BlazersBroncos]

One can only hope the accountants in Seattle order the changes that will overcome NO's ego. I've been on the trading CJ
bandwagon for some time, viewing it as the best way to balance out the roster, so that we won't see $100 million
invested in our back court.

I dont think its ego, I think its friendship and I believe Dame plays as big, or bigger, a role in keeping CJ near untouchable as NO.

Its a quagmire. You dont want to upset Dame, you also dont want to define insanity by trying the same thing over and over.

That being said, its been like 4 games back for him. He clearly doesnt have his feet under him yet, his shooting will bounce back. But I do agree that the team is already showing signs of the 'your turn / my turn' ball that we all hate.

I just dont get why we cant find a way to use CJ as the shooter that he is. He has a high and tight release that bodes so well for coming off screens and shooting moving either direction. He should be our Klay Thompson but we use him like a 6'3 prime Melo but he starts his dribbling farther out. Its maddenig.

[Norm2953]

Those accountants however have to deal with the team's balance sheet for we're talking about the
$40+ Million for Dame and $33 Million for CJ which will be there for the next three seasons. We're
headed for the same problems the T-Wolves had with KG with one player clogging up a team's
cap and a secondary player (who is not an all-star) making too much money .

Makes me wonder what types of trades out there this summer for CJ for let's say we move him for
a front court player making $28-30 million/year. Balances out the roster for GTJ and Simons while
adding a player up front if DJJ opts out of his deal. It's all a business and Dame will just have to
accept it for he signed a deal worth $196 Million/4

[DusterBuster]

Collins' is on the block? But I was told he was a core player that was untouchable even for Harden... #hardcorefreakingeyeroll

[DusterBuster]

Aaron Gordon depending a trade because he's tired of all the losing in Orlando, only for the top suitor for him to be the Timberwolves is quite funny.

[Roy The Natural]

Collins' is on the block? But I was told he was a core player that was untouchable even for Harden... #hardcorefreakingeyeroll

I really like Collins. I think it would be a good move to retain him for cheap this off-season. However, if he's needed for salary matching for a guy like Gordon, I'll help pack his bags at this point. Let alone involving him in a trade for a Harden level player. This team needs to pony up and build a competitive roster, or move Lillard a la Harden and start over. We tried for a few years but we never hit well enough in the draft to change the team's trajectory. It's time to move stuff and picks for better stuff, unless the team isn't serious about competing in Lillard remaining prime.

The fact that Lillard is a premier pick and roll player and outside of Nurkic the team hasn't had a single other high level pick and roll partner since Plumlee left is inexcusable.

[d-train]

Collins' is on the block? But I was told he was a core player that was untouchable even for Harden... #hardcorefreakingeyeroll

What's your source for Collins being shopped?