Portland's Off-Season Has Officially Arrived

[Downtown]

Hey Downtown. I also want to wish you the best on your road to wellness. I wouldn’t normally do this, but do you mind telling me your first name? I like to be specific with my “thoughts and prayers.”

I have an IRL buddy going through chemo right now, I have been reminded how tough it can be. *Internet hugs*

Keep the trade proposals coming so we can shoot them down.

I sent you a pm.

[Norm2953]

Best wishes Downtown

[The Sebastian Express]

Thank you very much guys. Honestly it does mean something to me when you give an encouraging thought. They tell me that the Peritoneal cancer I have isn’t an easy one and is in stage 4 but I’m positive I’m going to keep going for a while.

We got those positive vibes for you here too, Downtown. Best of luck.

[Wizenheimer]

Thank you very much guys. Honestly it does mean something to me when you give an encouraging thought. They tell me that the Peritoneal cancer I have isn’t an easy one and is in stage 4 but I’m positive I’m going to keep going for a while.

We got those positive vibes for you here too, Downtown. Best of luck.

hey SBE...long time no see around here

by the way, Albany's position as goat central is eroding. Now there are goat caddies:



https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/72cc427b148847/now_you_can_golf_with_a_goat_c.html

[The Sebastian Express]

hey SBE...long time no see around here

by the way, Albany's position as goat central is eroding. Now there are goat caddies:



https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/72cc427b148847/now_you_can_golf_with_a_goat_c.html

You've gotta be kidding me about goat caddies. What has the world come to now. Also I've been around, been dealing with some CA stuff, but I check in every day!

[DusterBuster]

hey SBE...long time no see around here

by the way, Albany's position as goat central is eroding. Now there are goat caddies:



https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/72cc427b148847/now_you_can_golf_with_a_goat_c.html

You've gotta be kidding me about goat caddies. What has the world come to now. Also I've been around, been dealing with some CA stuff, but I check in every day!

Pshhhh, wake me when it's an alpaca caddie. Alpacaddie™.

[DusterBuster]

Woj and Co interviewed Olshey and he was actually fairly candid (for him) in as far as how he's planning to be aggressive this summer with the options available to him. I'll post the whole interview, but for those wanting the spoiler version, he made it sound pretty clear that Paul is willing to spend this summer and that they're going to be aggressive in trying to utilize their TPE's they got in the Crabbe and Vonleh trades instead of just letting them expire for nothing...

https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/6/5/17432318/video-neil-olshey-interviewed-espn-nba-draft-on-the-clock

Woj: In trying make trades in this marketplace right now, has it been complicated by the fact there are so many bad contracts with salary spike years that it’s just hard to find basketball trades to make your team better.

Neil: Well, I think it’s going to be, Woj. The league is divided into two different kind of categories. One is teams with salary commitments that are looking to improve because they’re invested in their roster. And then we have another segment of teams that are resetting their timelines relative to the dominance of a few teams that..I know Daryl talked about it in the last segment. We should all be chasing Golden State. It doesn’t mean we’re all going to do that in the same timeline.

So, one of the advantages then you look at it cap-wise, and Bobby can speak to this,, you’ve got 15 teams that are either in or within $5 million of the luxury tax. So there isn’t a lot of financial flexibility to make deals with those teams. But one of the advantages we have, we have an incredibly aggressive owner in Paul Allen. He believes in the core of this group. He wants to improve the group. And we’ve got two really good trade exceptions. We’ve got a $13 million trade exception from the Allen Crabbe trade and we’ve got one at 3.5 from the Vonleh trade.

We’re viewing those trade exceptions as if they’re room when it comes to making deals and acquiring players. So it’s an advantage we think we have relative to the marketplace where we don’t necessarily have the cap room but we have a lot of liquid contracts and we do have two major trade exceptions where we can absorb players that we think can fit into our group that can advance this group going forward come playoff time next year.

And while I know this will be a highly unpopular quote for everyone but me here, I did enjoy this bit in relation to a different question by Bobby Marks.

So you know, I do think it’s getting a little bit out of hand that, you know, if you don’t win 65 games you’re not in the Finals, you should blow up your roster, make your fans sit through 20-win seasons in the hopes of getting lucky in the draft four or five years in a row.

So I don’t think any fan base should have to sit through that, and I certainly don’t expect our fan base to sit through it, because 90% of the time it’s fool’s gold and it doesn’t work out.

[Norm2953]

I could see the Blazers make a deal during draft week with Aminu to clear a bit of cap space so as
to be able to add a player with the full MLE. They need more room to create maneuvering space
to use their $13 Million trade exception. Likely they would let Davis and Napier walk by releasing
their cap holds but would keep the cap hold on PC since he makes peanuts. I'd be curious who
they could get for that trade exception/MLE. Let's see how well NO dances around the cap.

[DusterBuster]

I could see the Blazers make a deal during draft week with Aminu to clear a bit of cap space so as
to be able to add a player with the full MLE. They need more room to create maneuvering space
to use their $13 Million trade exception. Likely they would let Davis and Napier walk by releasing
their cap holds but would keep the cap hold on PC since he makes peanuts. I'd be curious who
they could get for that trade exception/MLE. Let's see how well NO dances around the cap.

Side note, that weird spacing you use is not mobile friendly.

More to your points, why world Portland need more room to use their TPE? As Olshey said, they are viewing it as cap space to absorb a player and PA is committed to spending (likely to keep Lillard happy), so theres no real reason they need to do anything before they use the TPEs in a trade. If PA doesn't care about the tax, than it's open season more / less

[Village Idiot]

Interesting. Thanks for the share.

If we use the 13 million dollar trade exception, how much tax does Paul Allen have to pay? He's certainly rich and can afford it so whatever. We need to stop worrying about his willingness to pay it sounds like. It looks like this constraint, which we've all be considering in our proposals to improve the team, is not such a big deal after all.

Due to timing it sounds like we should use the non-taxpayer MLE first and then the TPE.

With the MLE I would target Avery Bradley. There are a lot of players who could be acquired with a $13 million TPE. It will be interesting to see what we can all come up with.

[BlazersBroncos]

Here is my weekly quick retool idea:

PORTLAND TRADES
CJ McCollum
#24

PHILADELPHIA TRADES
Dario Saric
Jerryd Bayless
Justin Anderson
#10
#56

PHI – This is a ‘win now’ move that only takes place if LBJ indicates he is willing to sign. They consolidate and add a 4th star to their already stacked team. After the deal, they use the MLE to resign Ilyasova to replace Saric as their stretch PF. Use #24 and the R2 picks to deal up and snag Kevin Huerter to improve bench shooting.

PDX – They break up the guard combo and in the process add a PF that seems prime to break out with increased usage. I see Saric as a potential 20/8/3 type player whos is unselfish, can stretch the floor and act as a secondary ball handler at times. They also add a high pick to help the team ‘retool’ their talent base. Bayless can replace Napier and Anderson is a capable 3rd SF.

PORTLAND TRADES
Evan Turner
Al-Fariq Aminu
Caleb Swanigan
Future R2 pick

ORLAND TRADES
Bismack Biyombo
Terrande Ross

ORL – They adjust their roster balance and gain a young prospect + future pick. Aminu fits well as their starting SF until Issac is ready and Turner can backup Trae (Taken #6) and Fournier at SG. Swanigan adds scoring down low off the bench, something they have none of at this time.

PDX – They add a stopgap SG in Terrance Ross and a more useful overpaid player in Biyombo. It allows them to let Ed Davis walk as well.

MLE – Mario Herzonja SG/SF

#10 – Miles Bridges F
#56 - Yante Maten PF

Re-Sign Jusuf Nurkic C

Stretch Myers Leonard

PG – Damian Lillard (32) / Jerryd Bayless (16) / Wade Baldwin
SG – Terrance Ross (24) / Mario Herzonja (24)
SF – Mo Harkless (24) / Miles Bridges (24) / Justin Anderson / Jake Layman
PF – Dario Saric (28) / Zach Collins (20) / Yante Maten
C – Jusuf Nurkic (28) / Bismacko Biyombo (20) / Big Papa

[LillardPortland]

Here is my weekly quick retool idea:

PORTLAND TRADES
CJ McCollum
#24

PHILADELPHIA TRADES
Dario Saric
Jerryd Bayless
Justin Anderson
#10
#56

PHI – This is a ‘win now’ move that only takes place if LBJ indicates he is willing to sign. They consolidate and add a 4th star to their already stacked team. After the deal, they use the MLE to resign Ilyasova to replace Saric as their stretch PF. Use #24 and the R2 picks to deal up and snag Kevin Huerter to improve bench shooting.

PDX – They break up the guard combo and in the process add a PF that seems prime to break out with increased usage. I see Saric as a potential 20/8/3 type player whos is unselfish, can stretch the floor and act as a secondary ball handler at times. They also add a high pick to help the team ‘retool’ their talent base. Bayless can replace Napier and Anderson is a capable 3rd SF.

PORTLAND TRADES
Evan Turner
Al-Fariq Aminu
Caleb Swanigan
Future R2 pick

ORLAND TRADES
Bismack Biyombo
Terrande Ross

ORL – They adjust their roster balance and gain a young prospect + future pick. Aminu fits well as their starting SF until Issac is ready and Turner can backup Trae (Taken #6) and Fournier at SG. Swanigan adds scoring down low off the bench, something they have none of at this time.

PDX – They add a stopgap SG in Terrance Ross and a more useful overpaid player in Biyombo. It allows them to let Ed Davis walk as well.

MLE – Mario Herzonja SG/SF

#10 – Miles Bridges F
#56 - Yante Maten PF

Re-Sign Jusuf Nurkic C

Stretch Myers Leonard

PG – Damian Lillard (32) / Jerryd Bayless (16) / Wade Baldwin
SG – Terrance Ross (24) / Mario Herzonja (24)
SF – Mo Harkless (24) / Miles Bridges (24) / Justin Anderson / Jake Layman
PF – Dario Saric (28) / Zach Collins (20) / Yante Maten
C – Jusuf Nurkic (28) / Bismacko Biyombo (20) / Big Papa

This roster looks mediocre af imo

[Dzon Dilindzer]

this means Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury and I think the info from Bosnia&Herzegovina now makes even more sense, it has to be Portland that agreed to a deal with Nurkic and obviously Nurk is happy with the offer and I bet its at least 4/80

I mean, its common sense, if youre willing to go into luxury, you surely wont low-ball your talented and third best player

[LillardPortland]

this means Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury and I think the info from Bosnia&Herzegovina now makes even more sense, it has to be Portland that agreed to a deal with Nurkic and obviously Nurk is happy with the offer and I bet its at least 4/80

Thats waaaay to much

[Dzon Dilindzer]

this means Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury and I think the info from Bosnia&Herzegovina now makes even more sense, it has to be Portland that agreed to a deal with Nurkic and obviously Nurk is happy with the offer and I bet its at least 4/80

Thats waaaay to much

actually, no, its not, I think they gonna pay Nurk what hes worth (maybe overpay him, but thats the case with a lot of players), that they wont pay him based on current market, which would mean hed get less than he deserves

lets get serious, look at contracts they gave to Leonard, Harkless and ET (or compare Nurk to other C in the league and contracts they got), why would Nurk get less than ET, when hes much better and much more important player to this team... forget the market then and now, Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury, so its only fair Nurk gets a lot of money and I believe that will happen... Paul never lets young and talented players walk

[LillardPortland]

this means Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury and I think the info from Bosnia&Herzegovina now makes even more sense, it has to be Portland that agreed to a deal with Nurkic and obviously Nurk is happy with the offer and I bet its at least 4/80

Thats waaaay to much

actually, no, its not, I think they gonna pay Nurk what hes worth (maybe overpay him, but thats the case with a lot of players), that they wont pay him based on current market, which would mean hed get less than he deserves

lets get serious, look at contracts they gave to Leonard, Harkless and ET (or compare Nurk to other C in the league and contracts they got), why would Nurk get less than ET, when hes much better and much more important player to this team... forget the market then and now, Paul Allen is willing to pay the luxury, so its only fair Nurk gets a lot of money and I believe that will happen... Paul never lets young and talented players walk

Just because they overpaid mediocre Players two years ago doesn't mean they have to overpai Nurkic this year again. The market determines the price, and not many Teams have Cap Space, and i doubt these Teams who have Cap Space are interested in a inneficiency Center who has no 3 point Shooting and can't Switch on the perimeter to defend guards, because that's what modern Centers needs to do in the new NBA. Nurkic is to old school

[Dzon Dilindzer]

tell that to Nurkic and his agent, Im pretty sure they dont care and they gonna use or already have what I said to gain the leverage, but yes, Portland could use current market to gain the leverage, but why would you low-ball your important player when you have aggressive owner willing to pay the luxury, is that really a smart thing to do

sorry, but if he already agreed to a deal, it means hes happy with the offer and I cant see it being less than 4/70

[BlazersBroncos]

[quote]This roster looks mediocre af imo
/quote]

I think it has considerably more potential than our current roster.

Saric is ready to breakout IMO. With increased usage, he can be a more impactful player than CJ as early as next season. He can post, he can spread the floor, he is an excellent passer and unselfish player overall. As a high post offensive initiator, he can allow Lillard to run free off screens and move without the ball to get open 3's. And he is only 24. His offensive skillset compliments Nurkic ideally. With increased usage, some more development and better finishing down low he can become a legit low tier #2 option IMO.

Mario is a gamble but was coming on strong last season and is extremely young still. I think he can be a 14-16ppg talent with mediocre efficiency. His attitude really sells me, as he plays angry and determined. Dislike his 3 ball development but he can slash very well and is improving on defense. Getting a guy with his upside, at his age, for the MLE could be a coup.

Miles Bridges fits perfectly in this positionless basketball era. He is an underrated 3pt shooter with elite effort on both sides of the ball. An explosive athlete, gifted passer, high IQ. Jerome Kersey with a 3 ball is a good comparison. He will be a starter by year 2.

Its a gamble of an offseason but if these guys develop correctly, you have a very balanced team in 2019/20. Ages below are for start of 2019:

PG - Damian Lillard 29 / 2019 R1
SG - Mario Herzonja 24 / 2019 R1
SF - Miles Bridges 21 / Mo Harkless 26
PF - Dario Saric 25 / Zach Collins 21
C - Jusuf Nurkic 25 / Zach Collins 21

Thats a young team, but not desperately young like Phoenix. They are all high energy guys, most of whom can hit the 3 ball, and all of whom play quite unselfishly (Albeit Mario may be an exception). Target a G that can 3/D in 2019 and that team is really, really well rounded. I dont see three consistent 20ppg guys, but everyone in the starting lineup has that potential unlike our current roster w/ Mo/Aminu and their general lack of explosive offensive games. I think that team has high tier 2 potential and most of all would be really fun to watch with the ball movement and high IQ play.

[zzaj]

Here is my weekly quick retool idea:

PORTLAND TRADES
CJ McCollum
#24

PHILADELPHIA TRADES
Dario Saric
Jerryd Bayless
Justin Anderson
#10
#56

PHI – This is a ‘win now’ move that only takes place if LBJ indicates he is willing to sign. They consolidate and add a 4th star to their already stacked team. After the deal, they use the MLE to resign Ilyasova to replace Saric as their stretch PF. Use #24 and the R2 picks to deal up and snag Kevin Huerter to improve bench shooting.

PDX – They break up the guard combo and in the process add a PF that seems prime to break out with increased usage. I see Saric as a potential 20/8/3 type player whos is unselfish, can stretch the floor and act as a secondary ball handler at times. They also add a high pick to help the team ‘retool’ their talent base. Bayless can replace Napier and Anderson is a capable 3rd SF.

PORTLAND TRADES
Evan Turner
Al-Fariq Aminu
Caleb Swanigan
Future R2 pick

ORLAND TRADES
Bismack Biyombo
Terrande Ross

ORL – They adjust their roster balance and gain a young prospect + future pick. Aminu fits well as their starting SF until Issac is ready and Turner can backup Trae (Taken #6) and Fournier at SG. Swanigan adds scoring down low off the bench, something they have none of at this time.

PDX – They add a stopgap SG in Terrance Ross and a more useful overpaid player in Biyombo. It allows them to let Ed Davis walk as well.

MLE – Mario Herzonja SG/SF

#10 – Miles Bridges F
#56 - Yante Maten PF

Re-Sign Jusuf Nurkic C

Stretch Myers Leonard

PG – Damian Lillard (32) / Jerryd Bayless (16) / Wade Baldwin
SG – Terrance Ross (24) / Mario Herzonja (24)
SF – Mo Harkless (24) / Miles Bridges (24) / Justin Anderson / Jake Layman
PF – Dario Saric (28) / Zach Collins (20) / Yante Maten
C – Jusuf Nurkic (28) / Bismacko Biyombo (20) / Big Papa

We've gone over Saric a lot on these boards...

The time to trade for him would have been last year. IMHO, his trade value is now near that of CJ's...I seriously doubt the difference in value is enough to jump from #24 to #10.

If I'm wrong? I do that trade in a heartbeat.

[Fitz303]

An (unlikely) offseason that I'd be happy with...

Trade: CJ for George Hill and the 8th pick
Trade: 8th pick and 24th pick for 5th or 6th pick (Porter JR)
Trade: TPE & sweetener for S&T Avery Bradley @ 12 mil
Re-sign - Nurkic
Let walk - Davis (sadly), Napier, Connaughton

Lillard/ Hill/ Baldwin
Bradley/ Turner
Harkless/ Porter Jr/ Layman
Aminu/ Swanigan/ Leonard
Nurkic/ Collins/ Papagiannis

Still wouldn't be blown away if Nurkic gets a big offer somewhere and Portland lets him walk/re-signs Davis. But if this were to shake down, it's a good blend of compete now, and building with youth in Collins and Porter Jr.