Did Olshey blow landing Markkanen?

[Blazers20]

In my opinion Markkanen is the better player over Nance. Markkanen is a better fit as he spaces the floor better, he’s also a better fit with Nurk. Nance seems to be a duplication with RoCo. Did Olshey blow this trade?

[Blazers20]

Especially if the Blazers trade for Simmons. Blazers could had started Dame-Norm-Ben-Lauri-Nurk.

[Blazers20]

With RoCo coming off the bench

[Blazers20]

Blazers add a lot of size with Nurk and Lauri

[HoopsFanAZ]

Answer: No.

Getting Markkanen would certainly be seen as a win along with serious questions about Markkanen's lacking D. Actually, no questions about his D because it's not good. He CAN get better.

1. Markkanen costs more. Nance makes putting off being a repeat offender on paying tax more likely.
2. Nance is the more well rounded player by far -- a multi-tool player who guards 3 positions where LM doesn't guard one decently.
3. Nance does hit 3's though less well than LM.
4. Nance wanted to go to Portland. LM? Unknown.

Olshey may blow, but he didn't blow landing Markkanen. He got the better player at a lower cost for lower pay.

[Napoleon7]

Nance is by far the better defensive player and allot bigger need/get than Markkanen


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[Sinobas]

LM"s career 3pt% is 3% better than LNJ, and LNJ is a world better at defense.

[Blazers20]

I don’t see it. Lauri is the younger, taller and more talented player with the higher ceiling. Nance isn’t an elite defender and Lauri still has the potential to be an elite shooter.

[Blazers20]

Nance and RoCo are similar and will be a duplication of talent.

[Wizenheimer]

I detest Olshey and think he's one of the worst Blazer GM's ever, so I'm always willing to participate in bashing Olshey, even if it's a bit of a stretch

but probably not in this case because Markannen was traded using a S&T...meaning, the team that trades for him immediately becomes hard-capped. That cap line is the Apron which is 142.6M

the Blazers are already more than 1.3M over the tax line at 137.94M in guaranteed contracts and dead salary

Nance will make 10.7M this season; Markannen will make 15.7M. So, Portland would have had to cut salary elsewhere before trading for Markannen because as it stands now, his salary would have busted the hard-cap line by 300K. And that's only for 13 players. The Blazers still have to add another.

so then, in terms of cap management, Nance was the better play
*******************************************************************************************

of course, that position between a rock and a hard place in terms of cap-management Olshey found himself in was all his own doing. The Blazers are still carrying 2.85M/year in the dead salary of Andrew Nicholson. That's a direct result of matching the Crabbe offer sheet and essentially paying Crabbe 40M for one season of mediocre play

take away that 2.85M and Portland could have added Markannen and still had room for a minimum contract bringing the roster to 14...and stayed under the hard cap. But that would have also reduced Portland's flexibility the rest of the season. Right now, they could go over the apron if they had to.

(none of this accounts for who is the better player between Nance and Markannen. I think there is as much going for Nance as Markannen)

still, this all gave Olshey another excuse to do what he always does and that's root around in the bargain bin for unwanted, or least wanted players. Cleveland wanted Markannen more than Nance. Chicago wanted an extra 1st round pick more than Markannen. Enter, stage left, Olshey. He has now traded 3 straight first round picks for RoCo and Nance, That's two role players for 3 first round picks, and so far those picks have averaged 18.5 in the draft order

worse than that is because of Oshey's crappy roster construction, the Blazers will not be able to maximize the new players. Powell's best position is SG, but because of Olshey's idiot infatuation with CJ, Powell will very likely be the starting SF. RoCo's best position is SF, but because of CJ & Powell, RoCo will be PF. Nance's best position is PF, but because he will likely come off the bench and will probably spend time out of position

maybe Billups will call BS on Olshey's design and either bring Powell of the bench (Powell's numbers are poor as a backup), or better yet, CJ off the bench as 6th man. That would make the most sense basketball-wise

[Case2012]

I prefer Nance, but I’m really worried about his injury history. That and his Chron’s disease, which is no joke. I developed colitis from antibiotics last year and it was the most debilitating thing I’ve ever experienced. I would be surprised if we could depend on him for more than 40 or 50 games next year with his condition.

[JRoy]

Nance looks like a better fit

[Soulyss]

In my opinion Markkanen is the better player over Nance. Markkanen is a better fit as he spaces the floor better, he’s also a better fit with Nurk. Nance seems to be a duplication with RoCo. Did Olshey blow this trade?

He's a better offensive player, but he's not a good defensive player. Honestly I like the 2 years of Nance at 10/yr more than I would have liked Markkanen at 17/yr.

[red_power]

Definitely no. Math talks here - there is no way Blazers could satisfy Markkanen's financial demands.
This dude is going to earn more than +50% than Derrick Jones next season and that simply put Lauri out of Blazers' salary range.

[kumquat]

Dodged a bullet with Markennen tbh.

As I saw on a YouTube comment

“He’s Meyers Leonard without the racism”

I don’t think he’s that bad, but he’s very slow footed and doesn’t defend well. Maybe a step above a Bargnani, someone who will fill some points, but not take your team anywhere.

Don’t get it wrong, Nance is by far the best player in this trade.

[Blazers20]

I’d take the younger, taller and better shooter over Nance.

[Myth]

It would take Lauri becoming a 20ppg scorer on very good efficiency to convince me he would be better for Portland's team than the defense Nance brings.

[Blazers20]

Marksmen will definitely be a 15-20ppg guy and maybe 8-10rpg.

[Blazers20]

Meant to say Markkanen.

[monopoman]

Nance looked damn good tonight, he provides a lot of what this team needs.