Chauncey Billups has his contract extended!

[m0ng0]

Call me a dreamer, but I think the pieces are coming together, drop the dead weight (ayton, Williams, and Grant) because really none of them are contributing much. I would keep Ant around, unless we can find a solid replacement or run Banton just in case something catastrophic happens to Scoot . Trade them for young players or possibly draft picks. Get players via trade or draft players that fit the system the coaching staff wants to run, and run it back next year. I think it's going to be a good next year.

Grant will take assets to move and the best hope of RWIII not being on the team next year is medical retirement IMO.

I would move Simons if we can get a replacement scorer and a pick - again ORL works well here. Simons + Murray for Cole + Goga + DEN FRP.

I also wonder if WAS would be interested in Ayton - allows Sarr to develop more at PF for a year while putting on weight. Ayton to WAS. Smart to PDX. Holmes to X w/ about 10M useless salary to PDX.

Goga and Smart fit our defensive first culture. Goga is at a great rate for a well above average backup C financially. Smart expires summer 2026. Money wise it isnt a burden. Cole gives us a reliable bench gunner to help make up some of Simons PPG.

G - Scoot Henderson / Cole Anthony / Marcus Smart
G - Shadeon Sharpe / Marcus Smart / FRP (PDX or DEN)
F - Toumani Camara / Matisse Thybulle / Rayan Rupert
F - Deni Avdija / Jerami Grant / FRP (PDX or DEN)
C - Donovan Clingan / Goga Bitzade / Duop Reath

IR RWIII

That's not a bad plan...

[DusterBuster]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

[Shem]

I've seen that 3rd best number disputed. It might be semantics

I heard that from multiple people. Tom Haberstroh is likely one you heard that from too when he does his statistical analysis. But I also heard it at the end of the season not too long ago by one of the NBA TV guys when they were covering Blazers highlights. So they're not exactly hometown homers. So there's gotta be some truth to it.

[Shem]

Agreed about Simons. And despite Simons being that horrible on 'D, the Blazers still in the 2nd half of the season had the 3rd best defense in the league.

I was watching Cole Anthony yesterday and wondering if maybe somehow flip Simons for him (plus other pieces to fit salary) since there have been rumors that Orlando which is Ant's hometown is possibly interested. It would finally move Scoot to the starting lineup and finally give him that chance to show if he's got it (I still have doubts), but then use Anthony has a backup PG.

Billups said he cared about effort more than results. I think that is the appropriate framework to view Simons as a defender. He TRIED to defend this season -> which is why he continued to play when Sharpe got benched.

But I'm still on the Orlando trade bandwagon. Cole has always been the ideal return (in addition to Orlando's pick) so he can fill in the backup PG role.

I'm more on the fence that your contract status has a lot to do with how many minutes you get, what your role is, etc. NBA franchises are investments for the ownership and the players they paid well to are ones they expect to be out there. They didn't hand out all that money for you to be a role player unless you really really suck to a point where you have no choice but move them to the end of the bench which Simons, Ayton and Grant did not. They just were a disappointment for sure, but not atrocious to a point where they get buried on the bench. But that is why Sharpe being on his rookie contract got benched over Simons.

Ant really had a down year for sure which hurt his market. But it may not matter if Orlando is interested which I keep hearing reports that they are. Getting Cole Anthony and other small pieces to fit the salaries exchange would be the ideal move. Remember, his father Greg played with the Blazers 25 years ago backing up Damon Stoudamire. Just looking at Cole's numbers overall shows me that's he a definitely backup PG which is what this team will need. I don't want Banton in that role. Keep him at the 3rd string/emergency PG role and a 9-10 guy in the rotation.

Watching Cole go off after coming off the bench really boosted the Magic last night. Cole's not a guy who's going to do that very often, but a guy like Simons coming off the bench for Orlando is more likely and that maybe what gets the Magic interested in getting a guy who is better suited for that.

[PDXKnight]

Looks like they picked up year 5 and extended chauncey 2 years through 2027-2028 per the oregonian. Definitely feels like a punt the ball/ autopilot sort of move which isnt surprising coming from this organization

[PDXKnight]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

Naw if hes hurt we get the roster spot anyhow. And he's expiring and movable

[zzaj]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

Naw if hes hurt we get the roster spot anyhow. And he's expiring and movable

He's a good person to have in both Ayton and Clingan's ear, also.

[DusterBuster]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

Naw if hes hurt we get the roster spot anyhow. And he's expiring and movable

The only way he’s movable is if he’s moved before his final year is garanteed so a team can waive him. Once his contract is fully guaranteed for that last year, he’s only valuable as that expiring near the deadline of next season, and we’ve seen the value of expiring deals really plummet… so yeah, but hey have a few months to move him, but if they can’t find a deal before the date his deal becomes fully guaranteed, the Blazers should waive him to keep that savings for themselves.

[PDXKnight]

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

Naw if hes hurt we get the roster spot anyhow. And he's expiring and movable

The only way he’s movable is if he’s moved before his final year is garanteed so a team can waive him. Once his contract is fully guaranteed for that last year, he’s only valuable as that expiring near the deadline of next season, and we’ve seen the value of expiring deals really plummet… so yeah, but hey have a few months to move him, but if they can’t find a deal before the date his deal becomes fully guaranteed, the Blazers should waive him to keep that savings for themselves.

I thought his deal was fully guaranteed next year?

Not sure it matters anyhow if we arent in tax territory, he's not a bad guy to have around and we don't exactly have cap room

[JasonStern]

Lol, PJ was a waaaaay better coach than Cheeks.

I tend to fall into the camp of W/L is more about roster talent than coaching, but the Blazers have been lucky to have some pretty good ones over the years. Ramsey and Adelman were great coaches, but guys like "the mechanic" Dunleavy and Mike Schuler were also pretty damn good.

I'd put Stotts and PJ on about the same level for different reasons. Stotts was good at implementing a system that played to roster strengths. PJ was just an all around good Xs and Os guy.

PJ was a solid Xs and Os coach, but pissed off most of the roster.
Cheeks didn't piss off the roster, but was a terrible Xs and Os coach. Nice guy, though. But being nice doesn't win games.
Nobody is questioning that Ramsey or Adelman were the greatest Blazers coaches.
Stotts is and will remain criminally underrated. He was only fired because Olshey threw him under the bus for not outperforming a trash roster he assembled. Most GMs get at least one coach reboot. And Billups didn't exactly elevate that trash roster.
I'll throw in McMillan. Solid rebuild coach, but neither Xs and Os competent or player friendly.
Only real reasons I'm moderately okay with Billups is that we are rebuilding, and I don't look forward to the Doc Rivers era - which you know could be a thing.

[JasonStern]

I do find it fascinated that the same people who were pissed about Sharpe's benching won't turn around and credit Billups for it as it turned the season around which led to the Blazers having the 3rd best defense in the NBA during the 2nd half of the season.

Huge Sharpe stan. Kind of true. That win streak we had was with Sharpe off the bench. But we also had Simons, which everyone else hates, going on a tear. And we were playing weak competition. The end of the season stats are skewed as we were intentionally tanking, with Banton starting and both him and Rupert getting 35 minutes a game.

Everyone knows my thoughts on Simons and Ayton. They're great MLE assets. Give them the Grant treatment, and they're bad contracts. Will never understand the Sharpe hate as he is performing at or above an average #7 pick level.

[JasonStern]

At this point I would think it's Deni. No one else has shown the ability and consistency of his talent level yet. Sharpe is a fun player, but super inconsistent and doesn't have the drive factor that Deni very clearly has.

The inconsistency I will give you. But Sharpe not having the drive factor I will disagree with. The guy is Canadian. That's how they are. You don't drive into three defenders repeatedly because you are indifferent. That is just low BBIQ. The ability to draw defenders when driving the lane is great, but not having the court awareness to pass the ball out to an open teammate is a major flaw. Ironically, Ayton helped with this, as he would - intentionally or unintentionally - clog driving lanes, forcing a pass.

[JasonStern]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

How so? He's expiring and unlikely to take a buyout. Doesn't seem to be a locker room cancer. Just ride his last season out and let him walk after.

[DusterBuster]

IR RWIII

Blazers should just waive RW this summer. Cold to say, but it's the smart business move.

How so? He's expiring and unlikely to take a buyout. Doesn't seem to be a locker room cancer. Just ride his last season out and let him walk after.

His final year is a TO iirc. So doesn’t have to be a buyout, just decline the last year of his deal for the salary saving.

[Shem]

I do find it fascinated that the same people who were pissed about Sharpe's benching won't turn around and credit Billups for it as it turned the season around which led to the Blazers having the 3rd best defense in the NBA during the 2nd half of the season.

Huge Sharpe stan. Kind of true. That win streak we had was with Sharpe off the bench.

Yeah, a lot of people like him here and I get it. I like him too even though I have a lot of criticism of his motor. But remember Sharpe was moved to the bench in favor of Deni who is the better player. I think everybody can agree to that.

We have to remember early on that Deni started out slow for us. He was shortly moved to the bench in favor of Sharpe once Sharpe came back from his shoulder injury (rumor has it that he played through shoulder pain throughout the season and needs surgery). Then once Deni was leveling up and breaking out, someone had to move to the bench among the wing players and Camera needs to be out there more than Sharpe TBH.

If Deni was moved in the starting lineup and Sharpe stayed too, then you move Simons a point guard to the bench and the team doesn't start a point guard. Scoot still hasn't developed to a point where he is more valuable than Simons yet and I hate that I have to say that at this point after Scoot has had two years in the league.

Once you look at it as I just explained it, it's easier to accept IMO. Nothing's perfect. The problem at that point was Grant who is going to start as long as he's on the team because of his contract and such. At least as long as he doesn't really really suck. And I think he's going to be the hardest to move this offseason because he's not an expiring contract unlike Simons and Ayton are.

[Tim Lehrbach]

I do find it fascinated that the same people who were pissed about Sharpe's benching won't turn around and credit Billups for it as it turned the season around which led to the Blazers having the 3rd best defense in the NBA during the 2nd half of the season.

Huge Sharpe stan. Kind of true. That win streak we had was with Sharpe off the bench. But we also had Simons, which everyone else hates, going on a tear. And we were playing weak competition. The end of the season stats are skewed as we were intentionally tanking, with Banton starting and both him and Rupert getting 35 minutes a game.

Everyone knows my thoughts on Simons and Ayton. They're great MLE assets. Give them the Grant treatment, and they're bad contracts. Will never understand the Sharpe hate as he is performing at or above an average #7 pick level.

I don't hate Sharpe. He was a good draft pick! You swing for the fences when a prospect like Sharpe comes along at your draft slot. And, as you point out, he's not the total disappointment relative to draft position that I have seen him made out to be (although not as much or as loudly as you suggest, possibly). The questions are whether he is a positive contributor and whether he is worth extending on a contract he'd accept. Right now, I think the answers are no and no. The answer to the first could very well turn around: Sharpe still has time to grow into a difference-making player. But the answer to the second needs to be figured out PDQ, or else the Blazers will be taking a very expensive gamble without a resounding affirmative.

I don't know what to do with Shaedon. He's not hurting the team as a developing player, but decision time is nigh. At minimum, he expects a Jalen Green contract, and that may be low. Can the Blazers afford to make him their #2/3 biggest investment for the next few years? But do you move him? Alone, he probably doesn't return much in trade because of the looming next-contract concerns. In a package with big expiring contracts and picks? Maybe there's something there. Do you not extend him and punt the decision until his RFA summer in 2026? Teams rarely do that. I just don't know what the right move is, and yeah, the situation sours me somewhat because I want (perhaps unreasonably) a more polished product going into year four.