RealGM

If NeO decides to trade CJ what could the Blazers get back?

CJ-Collins for LaVine-Lauri?

Collins is hurt and until he's back and playing at a high level, he's not going to bring back much in
a trade.

I don't think Collins will be going anywhere, anytime soon. Now CJ on the other hand.....

Blazers20 wrote:If NeO decides to trade CJ what could the Blazers get back?

CJ-Collins for LaVine-Lauri?

CHI is really high on Lauri (as they should be)...I don't think he's going out in any trades.

If CJ were to be traded, I would hope it would be to get an impact SF. Leave Collins out of it and let him play PF/C

The answer to this question isn't relevant until we know Simons is capable of playing at this level for a bigger sample size, and capable of maintaining near this efficiency with more minutes. I am confident in this, but we still need to see it.

If he proves both the above, I think Gordon is around his value.

BlazersBroncos wrote:The answer to this question isn't relevant until we know Simons is capable of playing at this level for a bigger sample size, and capable of maintaining near this efficiency with more minutes. I am confident in this, but we still need to see it.

If he proves both the above, I think Gordon is around his value.

Luckily CJ can't be traded until late January so that we don't pull the trigger on something too quickly. If Simons is still looking great at that time, then we can make that move. Hopefully CJ improves in the mean time both for Blazers sake with him on the roster as well as for the sake of trade value if we ship him out.

If Simons proves to be a top 20 player (doubtful), the likely best option is to continue to run a 3-guard lineup with Simons integrated into our best lineup.

Improvement via trade is unlikely. However, the most likely trade avenue that recovers equal or better value would be trading Simons. We would likely lose value by trading Lillard or CJ because of their age and contracts. Simons provides the best opportunity of recovering a premium value.

I think the trades I would do for Cj and collins arent going to happen. I like them more than other teams probably do.

d-train wrote:If Simons proves to be a top 20 player (doubtful), the likely best option is to continue to run a 3-guard lineup with Simons integrated into our best lineup.

Improvement via trade is unlikely. However, the most likely trade avenue that recovers equal or better value would be trading Simons. We would likely lose value by trading Lillard or CJ because of their age and contracts. Simons provides the best opportunity of recovering a premium value.

You seems to be of the belief that CJ is a top 20 player??

Kawhi
LeBron
Davis
Siakam
Giannis
Lillard
George
Harden
Walker
Butler
Doncic
Thompson
Curry
Gobert
Beal
Simmons
Embiid
Irving
Durant
KAT
Jokic

That's just 21 obvious answers. Then there's the endless arguable ones like Westbrook, Oladipo, CP3, Lowry, Middleton, Mitchell, Young, Harris, Murray, Porzingis, Booker

You can't seriously think that CJ McCollum is a top 20 player. I like CJ, don't get me wrong, but he is not a top 20 player today.

Fitz303 wrote:

d-train wrote:If Simons proves to be a top 20 player (doubtful), the likely best option is to continue to run a 3-guard lineup with Simons integrated into our best lineup.

Improvement via trade is unlikely. However, the most likely trade avenue that recovers equal or better value would be trading Simons. We would likely lose value by trading Lillard or CJ because of their age and contracts. Simons provides the best opportunity of recovering a premium value.

You seems to be of the belief that CJ is a top 20 player??

Kawhi
LeBron
Davis
Siakam
Giannis
Lillard
George
Harden
Walker
Butler
Doncic
Thompson
Curry
Gobert
Beal
Simmons
Embiid
Irving
Durant
KAT
Jokic

That's just 21 obvious answers. Then there's the endless arguable ones like Westbrook, Oladipo, CP3, Lowry, Middleton, Mitchell, Young, Harris, Murray, Porzingis, Booker

You can't seriously think that CJ McCollum is a top 20 player. I like CJ, don't get me wrong, but he is not a top 20 player today.

There you go. You just proved CJ is top 20. You can't name 20 better players with 21 tries.

Actually, even if you don't believe CJ is top 20. It doesn't change the main point. The best chance to improve the team via trade is to trade Simons. And, even that isn't likely to yield improvement.

d-train wrote:If Simons proves to be a top 20 player (doubtful), the likely best option is to continue to run a 3-guard lineup with Simons integrated into our best lineup.

Improvement via trade is unlikely. However, the most likely trade avenue that recovers equal or better value would be trading Simons. We would likely lose value by trading Lillard or CJ because of their age and contracts. Simons provides the best opportunity of recovering a premium value.

I disagree. if Simons proves to be a top 20 player, equivalent value will be hard to find. The players above him that would fit Portland's roster wouldn't be moved for a guard.

If Simons proves to be that level player at 20 years old, moving him for another guard makes zero sense.

Big-time players like Giannis, Kawhi, Doncic, etc.... given their versatility won't be moved for a guard. Simons being a borderline top-20 player at 20-21 years old would make him way too valuable to move for the guys down the line like past-prime stars such as Love and Griffin.

No, you're wrong here. If Simons were to prove that he's that high level of a player, there is no good return for him. He's stuck in the land of being too valuable for aging stars and high-end role players, and not quite enough for the uber talented wings and bigs.

The problem for the Blazers is in their good player concentrations:

Going down the positions
1 - Lillard is amazing and excellent
2 - CJ is good and a good playoff performer. He's not great though, fluctuates between average, and high-end starter. Inconsistent.
3 - Nothing here
4 - Collins, or nothing
5 - Nurkic - Really solid center, probably top 8 or so in the league.

So the probelm you get here, is you look at guys that would fit Portland and could possibly become available for a big-time prospect.
Beal? - Bad fit, have to move CJ first
KAT? - Nice fit, but then you're moving Nurkic and Simons. If Simons is top-20, and Nurkic is healthy, are the Blazers getting better?
Kevin Love? Lol... no... not close.
Blake Griffin? Once upon a time in LA maybe. Not anymore.

Ben Simmons? Here's a thought, if Simons ascends this one might work a bit. Still a wonky feat considering both Lillard and Simmons want the ball in their hands.


Let's just say that Simons by this upcoming trade-deadline/offseason looks like he's somewhere around the 25th best player in the league, per your argument. Which similar impact players level players that can slot in at either the 3 or 4 are you targeting?

d-train wrote:If Simons proves to be a top 20 player (doubtful), the likely best option is to continue to run a 3-guard lineup with Simons integrated into our best lineup.

Improvement via trade is unlikely. However, the most likely trade avenue that recovers equal or better value would be trading Simons. We would likely lose value by trading Lillard or CJ because of their age and contracts. Simons provides the best opportunity of recovering a premium value.

Troll-much?

CJ's contract is awful. He's not a good back-court mate to pair with Lillard, and his contract means we're unable to sign any depth except for shopping in the bargain bin for vet minimum players.

Ben Simmons is an awkward fit on the 76ers right now. Targetting him would be a good fit for the Blazers.

Lillard, Simons, Hood, Simmons, Nurkic

Ben Simmons is an awkward fit on the 76ers right now. Targetting him would be a good fit for the Blazers.

Lillard, Simons, Hood, Simmons, Nurkic

I would give up an ungodly amount for Simmons if it meant we keep Damian.

CJ, Collins, 3 FRP's for Simmons and filler? The problem is PHI doesn't really have filler, and probably would do that deal even if they did.

BlazersBroncos wrote:

Ben Simmons is an awkward fit on the 76ers right now. Targetting him would be a good fit for the Blazers.

Lillard, Simons, Hood, Simmons, Nurkic

I would give up an ungodly amount for Simmons if it meant we keep Damian.

CJ, Collins, 3 FRP's for Simmons and filler? The problem is PHI doesn't really have filler, and probably would do that deal even if they did.

I feel like anfernee is gonna be wanted in just about every trade but losing cj means we need to keep him.

The firsts in your scenario better be protected or that would potentially be awful for Portland even with simmons coming here. I’m not saying we miss the playoffs yet but I sure am not comfortable enough to give up Minimally protected firsts yet Unless we get a superstar back

zimpy27 wrote:Ben Simmons is an awkward fit on the 76ers right now. Targetting him would be a good fit for the Blazers.

Lillard, Simons, Hood, Simmons, Nurkic

I have zero interest in Ben Simmons. Sixers can keep him. The Sixers I like are Embiid, Horford, and Richardson.

Me either. I think Ben Simmons is a punk and a dirty player. Fortunately, I don't think the Sixers would be willing to trade him for any package that wouldn't completely gut another teams roster and crush their future as well.

I don't really know what I think of Simmons, but I would probably make the deal if it was offered, just from a sustainability / long-term thinking POV.

That said, the idea of trading CJ isn't even really worth discussing imo. It's just never gonna happen, not while Olshey is GM. Olshey holds CJ in about as high a regards as Dame, if not as high. I think he has every intention of seeing both Dame and CJ retire as Blazers if he can.