Shams: the ****? Simons to Boston for Holiday… real

[JRoy]

Okay, this had me laughing.

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AI Jrue spoke no lies.

[DusterBuster]

It's rumored that the reason we went for JRue is because we already had his medical and measurements on file so Blazers ownership would not have to return from an event in Italy when the FA window opens.

This from Quick (subscriber podcast), If true, lol, Bert is the gift that keeps on giving

The "Good Enuff" Blazers.

[zzaj]

Okay, this had me laughing.

Read on Twitter

Yeah, that made my week...

[Wizenheimer]

apparently, the deal is finally done

the hold-up appears to have been Jrue's physical raising some yellow flags. Significant enough flags that the team have cancelled Portland sending any 2nd's to Boston

probably not a big deal, but any time it's a Blazer player with questionable health issues, there's reason to worry

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[DusterBuster]

Interesting the Blazers were able to get those picks back. Wonder what the issue was they raised.

Honestly, even if he is dealing with something that could mean his production is limited moving forward, I still don't hate the deal. It could make moving Jrue to the bench sooner a reality and for Scoot to finally be a starter.

[dckingsfan]

Interesting the Blazers were able to get those picks back. Wonder what the issue was they raised.

Honestly, even if he is dealing with something that could mean his production is limited moving forward, I still don't hate the deal. It could make moving Jrue to the bench sooner a reality and for Scoot to finally be a starter.

This. I like the trade much more now. If it means that Scoot starts (either initially or over time) and Jrue's minutes are limited to preserve him for the next three season - all good.

But it could go to s*** if Jrue goes downhill quickly over the next three seasons. Minute restriction is going to be a key. Does Billups have it in him?

[Walton1one]

Simons' value was clearly low, even on an expiring deal, I am sure this was done not to seperate from Simons per se, but b\c Simons likely was not going to resign here and let POR know that, so they dealt him away for another player, albeit a better one, but with age\decline & injury issues, owed a lot more money for 3+ more years (until age 38), that is a Joe Cronin special. Ultimately, though, this trade will not elevate this team much at all....

[mighty_duck]

Interesting the Blazers were able to get those picks back. Wonder what the issue was they raised.

Honestly, even if he is dealing with something that could mean his production is limited moving forward, I still don't hate the deal. It could make moving Jrue to the bench sooner a reality and for Scoot to finally be a starter.

I'm getting deja-vu from the last time Boston swapped point guards with another team.
Kyrie Irving was traded for Boston's Isiah Thomas, who was coming off a top-5 finish in MVP voting, but also a late season hip injury.
IT's medical came back suspect. Then, instead of voiding the trade, Boston sent out one more second round pick to sweeten the deal. Cleveland accepted.

IT was never the same, and became a marginal NBA player.

TLDR - I don't trust Boston.

[mojomarc]

Interesting the Blazers were able to get those picks back. Wonder what the issue was they raised.

Honestly, even if he is dealing with something that could mean his production is limited moving forward, I still don't hate the deal. It could make moving Jrue to the bench sooner a reality and for Scoot to finally be a starter.

I'm getting deja-vu from the last time Boston swapped point guards with another team.
Kyrie Irving was traded for Boston's Isiah Thomas, who was coming off a top-5 finish in MVP voting, but also a late season hip injury.
IT's medical came back suspect. Then, instead of voiding the trade, Boston sent out one more second round pick to sweeten the deal. Cleveland accepted.

IT was never the same, and became a marginal NBA player.

TLDR - I don't trust Boston.

Meh--that was Danny Ainge's Celtics.

In this case, I don't know that it matters if Jrue can only play five minutes a game on average. He's here far more for his leadership, not his playing ability.

[Black and Blue]

Simons' value was clearly low, even on an expiring deal, I am sure this was done not to seperate from Simons per se, but b\c Simons likely was not going to resign here and let POR know that, so they dealt him away for another player, albeit a better one, but with age\decline & injury issues, owed a lot more money for 3+ more years (until age 38), that is a Joe Cronin special. Ultimately, though, this trade will not elevate this team much at all....

I actually do think it was as much to get Simons off the team. He took so many shots every game that it limited the amount of offense our future core could play together. It was like a black hole many games, where he was throwing it up nonstop and passing was not a priority.

Contrast that with Avdija, who found a way to run the offense while passing others open. It was night and day.

This offseason is the ultimate addition by subtraction offseason, jettisoning me-first chuckers, defensive liabilities, and lower effort guys. If you look at the moves individually they don’t make as much sense, but through the lens of a young team building a cohesive culture things start to come into focus.

Jrue being a higher efficiency, smart, deferential guard definitely fits the mold much more.

[Walton1one]

This is assuming a lot though, that Billups delusion (the next SGA\Jokic is already on the team...aka this team has a #1 type\All-Star player already), that the complete lack of shooting is not going to be an issue, that POR defense is going to level the field against most teams which have better offenses (In the playoffs? yes...The regular season though? Offense trumps defense most nights, that is not built to POR strengths currently. I think they will struggle most nights more than not...

[Black and Blue]

This is assuming a lot though, that Billups delusion (the next SGA\Jokic is already on the team...aka this team has a #1 type\All-Star player already), that the complete lack of shooting is not going to be an issue, that POR defense is going to level the field against most teams which have better offenses (In the playoffs? yes...The regular season though? Offense trumps defense most nights, that is not built to POR strengths currently. I think they will struggle most nights more than not...

So the Magic were in the same exact situation. They jettisoned players, and the fans all said, “Our offense is going to be abysmal”. And to be honest it was, but in the process the team forced their young talent to either sink or swim and figured out who was worth keeping. Franz and Paolo rose while Cole Anthony sunk. This offseason was the Magic finally doubling down on the players that passed that test and sending out the Cole Anthony’s and KCPs of the world.

I think the Blazers are handing the keys over before we have to make roster decisions on a lot of these players so that if they fail we can trade them while they still have some value. They can also see just how far positive players like Advija and Camara can go (for instance, is Advija a number 1,2 or 3 option on a championship team).

So in short yes the offense will likely be bad and at minimum VERY up and down, but it’ll be in service of team assessment to push the chips all in 2 years from now.

[DaVoiceMaster]

The guys on Courtside tonight said they believe Scoot will start. Time to put up or shut up kid. Get'r done!

[PDXKnight]

The guys on Courtside tonight said they believe Scoot will start. Time to put up or shut up kid. Get'r done!

Haha they're full of it, even if scoot is starting on day 1 I cant see Billups not starting jrue eventually. I dont like the trade for that reason

[DusterBuster]

This is assuming a lot though, that Billups delusion (the next SGA\Jokic is already on the team...aka this team has a #1 type\All-Star player already), that the complete lack of shooting is not going to be an issue, that POR defense is going to level the field against most teams which have better offenses (In the playoffs? yes...The regular season though? Offense trumps defense most nights, that is not built to POR strengths currently. I think they will struggle most nights more than not...

So the Magic were in the same exact situation. They jettisoned players, and the fans all said, “Our offense is going to be abysmal”. And to be honest it was, but in the process the team forced their young talent to either sink or swim and figured out who was worth keeping. Franz and Paolo rose while Cole Anthony sunk. This offseason was the Magic finally doubling down on the players that passed that test and sending out the Cole Anthony’s and KCPs of the world.

I think the Blazers are handing the keys over before we have to make roster decisions on a lot of these players so that if they fail we can trade them while they still have some value. They can also see just how far positive players like Advija and Camara can go (for instance, is Advija a number 1,2 or 3 option on a championship team).

So in short yes the offense will likely be bad and at minimum VERY up and down, but it’ll be in service of team assessment to push the chips all in 2 years from now.

This is what I’ve wanted for years and why I’ve pushed to get Grant by any means necessary off the team as well with the purge they’ve been doing of the vets so the young guys can get all the minutes they can get.

Cronin got the team like 70% of the way to where they should be.

[HoopsFanAZ]

This is assuming a lot though, that Billups delusion (the next SGA\Jokic is already on the team...aka this team has a #1 type\All-Star player already), that the complete lack of shooting is not going to be an issue, that POR defense is going to level the field against most teams which have better offenses (In the playoffs? yes...The regular season though? Offense trumps defense most nights, that is not built to POR strengths currently. I think they will struggle most nights more than not...

So the Magic were in the same exact situation. They jettisoned players, and the fans all said, “Our offense is going to be abysmal”. And to be honest it was, but in the process the team forced their young talent to either sink or swim and figured out who was worth keeping. Franz and Paolo rose while Cole Anthony sunk. This offseason was the Magic finally doubling down on the players that passed that test and sending out the Cole Anthony’s and KCPs of the world.

I think the Blazers are handing the keys over before we have to make roster decisions on a lot of these players so that if they fail we can trade them while they still have some value. They can also see just how far positive players like Advija and Camara can go (for instance, is Advija a number 1,2 or 3 option on a championship team).

So in short yes the offense will likely be bad and at minimum VERY up and down, but it’ll be in service of team assessment to push the chips all in 2 years from now.

This is what I’ve wanted for years and why I’ve pushed to get Grant by any means necessary off the team as well with the purge they’ve been doing of the vets so the young guys can get all the minutes they can get.

Cronin got the team like 70% of the way to where they should be.

Exactly this. While the young fellas have to earn their time, fixing the team salary structure and getting the next generation on the court were priorities 1 and 2 to me for the offseason and next season. Grant is the 3rd wheel at the forward spots and that's fine. There's no one else for those minutes at the current time. If Grant and Holiday come off the bench and get starter minutes, that's good.

Together with the big swing in the draft, it's been a good and interesting offseason.

[DC_Melo]

Interesting the Blazers were able to get those picks back. Wonder what the issue was they raised.

Honestly, even if he is dealing with something that could mean his production is limited moving forward, I still don't hate the deal. It could make moving Jrue to the bench sooner a reality and for Scoot to finally be a starter.

Yea, I don’t love that a player I’m worried might be damaged goods has been confirmed by medical professionals to in fact be damaged goods.

I really do hope we get some level of healthy Jrue. In addition to the on-court leadership he could provide our youth, I think it would be much more meaningful for Scoot’s development if he earns his starter minutes. I anticipate Jrue will start to begin the season, and I won’t be mad at Billups about it. It’s the NBA, minutes should be earned not given. My hope is that Scoot outright earns that starting spot away from Jrue. But… if Jrue is a bit banged up and that opens more minutes for Scoot to get there, I won’t be mad about it lol

[Village Idiot]

The guys on Courtside tonight said they believe Scoot will start. Time to put up or shut up kid. Get'r done!

Haha they're full of it, even if scoot is starting on day 1 I cant see Billups not starting jrue eventually. I dont like the trade for that reason

Jrue Holiday has won two championships with two different teams the past four years and has made all-defensive first or second teams six consequtive years until this season. Unless he´s injured, Jrue is going to start. Also the fact that Deni is such a good secondary playmaker makes up for some of the lack of Holiday´s shortcomings as the lead guard.

To me three of the starters are guaranteed. Jrue, Toumani, Deni.

Clingan probably starts at center, but if Robert Williams is healthy and can play every game he might get the nod given his experience.

Who is the fifth starter? Grant, Sharpe or Scoot? Thybulle as an outsider?

I expect Jrue, Toumani, Deni, Grant, Clingan to start and having a high energy group coming of the bench getting plenty of minutes. I imagine we will play a high energy, pressing game with a lot of motion on offense and lots of running leading to frequent substituions to keep guys fresh.

[ebott]

I agree that Jrue is gonna start. The assumption seems to be he'll start at point guard. I'm not so sure about that. I could see Scoot starting with Jrue at the 2.

[Wizenheimer]

I agree that Jrue is gonna start. The assumption seems to be he'll start at point guard. I'm not so sure about that. I could see Scoot starting with Jrue at the 2.

Sharpe isn't getting benched because of Jrue starting. Sharpe was better last season than Scoot