Most likely scenario for Powell is Portland ending up with a TPE to use?

[b33nine]

Thinking about this last night, and I think it's probably unlikely that Powell resigns with us. If he decides he's out, I'm desperately hoping he'll agree to a S&T similar to Gordon Hayward last offseason so the Blazers can at least gain an asset to use.

If he's in the $20m range, that might get us in the conversation for Derozan or if he runs higher maybe taking on Horford.

Curious to see other's thoughts on the likelihood of him returning a TPE and what we might be able to use it for.

[HoopsFanAZ]

Most likely: signs with Portland.
Less likely: signs elsewhere.
Less likelier: paying up to get that TPE. IF a team has a plan to get a replacement quickly with the TPE, okay.
If a team is in rebuild and tank-o-rama and uses the TPE to get picks from taxpayers and expiring contracts, okay.

I’ll stick with Norman Powell as a Blazer.

[d-train]

Thinking about this last night, and I think it's probably unlikely that Powell resigns with us. If he decides he's out, I'm desperately hoping he'll agree to a S&T similar to Gordon Hayward last offseason so the Blazers can at least gain an asset to use.

If he's in the $20m range, that might get us in the conversation for Derozan or if he runs higher maybe taking on Horford.

Curious to see other's thoughts on the likelihood of him returning a TPE and what we might be able to use it for.

Have you done the salary cap math to know if Blazers can allow themselves to be hardcapped? Blazers would be hardcapped if they do a S&T. Also, if they get a TPE, they wouldn't be able to use it in the season they are hardcapped.

Edit: There is no rule against using TPE when hardcapped, that I know of. The problem is our high payroll doesn't leave much room under the hardcap.

[d-train]

Let's define salary flexibility, a term used by people that have no idea what they are talking about. In our case, salary flexibility is the quality of options to spend money over the cap.

[b33nine]

Ah, I didn't realize that executing a S&T would hardcap the team. Was Boston not over the salary cap last year when they did a S&T for Gordon and created their 28m TPE?

Definitely makes it a way trickier situation.

[d-train]

Ah, I didn't realize that executing a S&T would hardcap the team. Was Boston not over the salary cap last year when they did a S&T for Gordon and created their 28m TPE?

Definitely makes it a way trickier situation.

The salary cap isn't the hardcap threshold. The apron is the hardcap. I'm not sure about Celtics situation. I believe Warriors got a TPE in a year they were hardcapped, then they were able to use the TPE the next season before it expired.

Sorry, I don't have specific numbers handy. I will try to post more specific numbers later, or maybe someone else can.

[Wizenheimer]

I really don't know what Powell is thinking but I'd bet he's definitely going to opt out. I'd also imagine he does not want to spend the season as a SF. And since the odds Olshey trades CJ are almost non-existent, I'd also imagine Powell isn't anxious to sign on to be a backup

it's not certain by any stretch, but right now I'd guess there's a greater chance he signs elsewhere than in Portland. I'd also question if Seattle would be willing to OK 18-20M a year, and millions in luxury tax for a bench player

by the way, Portland would not be hard-capped if they did a S&T with Powell. It's only the team acquiring a player via S&T that gets hard-capped

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Portland has bird rights, but the only way Powell is staying if we pay out the behind for him, give him the Evan Turner type of bid-against-yourself treatment.

Otherwise, for similar money, a larger market and/or a more tax friendly city will almost certainly also have a better role to offer him.


If we do keep him, he had sure as hell be better utilized than Stotts. Of course that is largely the problem with acquiring a player mid-season, they will never be as well integrated as a player with the team since training camp. I do believe if Stotts had had an off-season to plan with Powell that he would have had a greater impact.

[Brandon-Clyde]

I would consider adding Jones plus a resigned Powell and see about Porzingas. See if he can play Pf alongside Nurk

[HoopsFanAZ]

Powell seems to really have liked his time with the Raptors. Lowry, 6’1. VanVleet, 6’0.
I think he’s used to shorter guards, and he got more minutes with the Blazers (albeit plenty at SF).
With CJ gone, there’s no issue. [If we say it enough, maybe Olshey will think it’s already a done deal, then just does it.]

[d-train]

Portland has bird rights, but the only way Powell is staying if we pay out the behind for him, give him the Evan Turner type of bid-against-yourself treatment.

Otherwise, for similar money, a larger market and/or a more tax friendly city will almost certainly also have a better role to offer him.


If we do keep him, he had sure as hell be better utilized than Stotts. Of course that is largely the problem with acquiring a player mid-season, they will never be as well integrated as a player with the team since training camp. I do believe if Stotts had had an off-season to plan with Powell that he would have had a greater impact.

There is only 1 basketball. The secondary option players always get less action as the number of quality offensive players increase. The options went from (CJ, Plumlee, Aminu, and Harkless/ET) to (CJ, Nurkic, Powell, and RoCo). This leaves CJ, Nurk, and Powell sharing the priority on offense CJ used to have almost all to himself. It's good for the team, but the individual performances of CJ, Nurk, and Powell are going be less and more inconsistent. RoCo, he was once a 2nd or 3rd option, now he's only a defensive specialist who rarely gets a call on offense. Coaches job isn't to evenly divide the scoring opportunities. His job is to layout a plan that uses the team's scoring ability to get the easiest opportunities. And, to keep players happy to sacrifice some individual scoring to make a stronger team.

Good luck to the next coach. The expectations are very high. The Lakers need 2 players to stay healthy and they can succeed. Blazers need 5 players to stay healthy.

[JasonStern]

I'd also question if Seattle would be willing to OK 18-20M a year, and millions in luxury tax for a bench player

If they were contending? Maybe. But coming off another first round loss, I doubt it.

Good news in theory is that the Blazers could theoretically retain Powell without dipping much into the luxury tax. Don't pick up Collin's QO, trade DJJ+cash for a cheaper player like Avery Bradley - add in Powell's 2020-21 salary, and that gets you close. Problem then is there's no room left to do any roster improvements, so Olshey would be back to signing the Hezonjas and Tollivers of the league.

[Epicurus]

The starting 3 guard lineup did well when on the court together, both in the regular and playoff seasons. The defense was even pretty decent. The issue is what happens when they are not on the court together. Now if Collins returns to back up Nurk or augment Kanter, Simmons continues to develop, and Little takes a step up; maybe a second round trip, even win, is not a pipe dream. Actually they weren't far from it at all this playoff, literally a basket here or there.

[HoopsFanAZ]

[...]

There is only 1 basketball. The secondary option players always get less action as the number of quality offensive players increase. The options went from (CJ, Plumlee, Aminu, and Harkless/ET) to (CJ, Nurkic, Powell, and RoCo). This leaves CJ, Nurk, and Powell sharing the priority on offense CJ used to have almost all to himself. It's good for the team, but the individual performances of CJ, Nurk, and Powell are going be less and more inconsistent. RoCo, he was once a 2nd or 3rd option, now he's only a defensive specialist who rarely gets a call on offense. Coaches job isn't to evenly divide the scoring opportunities. His job is to layout a plan that uses the team's scoring ability to get the easiest opportunities. And, to keep players happy to sacrifice some individual scoring to make a stronger team.

Good luck to the next coach. The expectations are very high. The Lakers need 2 players to stay healthy and they can succeed. Blazers need 5 players to stay healthy.

d-train, this was well said. Rather than a bunch of my words ... from you I infer -- as constructed and in order to contend, there's less (or almost no) room for error (injury) for the Blazers. Good luck is right.

[Utah, Phoenix, Denver, and teams defined heavily by stars (Lakers, Clippers)]

[Powell improves upon CJ's D at 2 but less O / a better #2 forward is brought in at both ends / better D out of back-up (different) big men / improvement at both ends from Little and Simons (if both remain) / ... will this be enough to contend given health? Assume the changes are improvements but not earth shattering. Dame's #2 is not a superstar, but is "all star level" at forward ... a complementary #2.]

[d-train]

Thinking about this last night, and I think it's probably unlikely that Powell resigns with us. If he decides he's out, I'm desperately hoping he'll agree to a S&T similar to Gordon Hayward last offseason so the Blazers can at least gain an asset to use.

If he's in the $20m range, that might get us in the conversation for Derozan or if he runs higher maybe taking on Horford.

Curious to see other's thoughts on the likelihood of him returning a TPE and what we might be able to use it for.

Blazers can do a S&T without being hard capped as long as we don't receive the player S&T'ed. I would prefer Blazers resign Powell, but a S&T might be a better alternative than nothing. I also like Horford.

[d-train]

The problem with Horford is his salary. If you add his $27M to what Lillard, CJ, and Powell are getting, that's a tax in excess of $50M. If you trade Powell, maybe we can do better than Horford.

If we let Kanter walk, and traded DJJ and Collins for Horford, would this improve our big man situation? It probably would for 1 year. If you look at the opportunity window of this team, 1 year is about all that's left. Is the improvement worth it? Tough question, it's only Jody's money.