NBA Expansion - Blazers impacts?

[Butter]

The NBA Expansion is going to have DEEP impacts on the Trailblazers, way beyond the expansion draft. Current speculation suggests 2027-2028 as a possible target for the NBA.

https://ziller.substack.com/p/the-nba-is-slow-walking-expansion

In recent discussions on 1080 the fan, they speculated that Jody Allen is waiting to sell the team because the franchise price will increase after.

Also, other teams will be considering the impacts of big contracts (like Jerami Grant). Combining with the new salary cap rules, all current contracts or extensions are going to play a big role.

Many reports suggest Cronin is subject matter expert on the salary cap, studying it's nuances regularly.

Considering how confusing the Blazers moves have been in the last several years, is Cronin just making dumb moves ... OR... is he positioning the Blazers for the long game?

[JasonStern]

Mark Cuban said it best that expansion is like a short term loan. You get an upfront cash payment, but the dilution to revenue distribution is a forever loan payment.

Personally, I'm all for expanding to 32. I have never liked the fact that more than half of the teams qualify for the playoffs. Nor that a lot of western/northwestern conference teams are neither western or northwestern.

As for who the Blazers leave unprotected, you have to presume Grant based on performance and Ayton based on effort are guaranteed. Tough sell. If you have those players exposed, it's kind of a red flag for whoever is drafting in the expansion draft. Then some replaceable player like Dalano Banton. Not a knock on Banton, but you could fish the g-league for a replacement.

[PDXKnight]

Jerami would be expiring by that year anyhow so I'm not sure why it would help us that much if someone takes him off our hands at that point.

And as for joe being a cap specialist I'm not sure why he'd sign grant to that deal if he's some sort of genius

[zzaj]

Well, if Cronin knew what the hell he was doing the Blazers would be rolling into 2027-28 with a couple of Flagg, Harper, Bailey, Dybantsa, Boozer, Peterson…to play with Deni, Camara, Clingan, Sharpe, Scoot
and a bright future.

But Cronin doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s refused to choose a lane since he’s been a GM and instead will have some sorry, half performing, overpaid, aging vets getting PT over young players and still be missing the playoffs and the impact parts of the lottery.

His mismanagement of the team will cost the Blazers at least 5 years, probably more like 7 or 8.

[Butter]

Revisiting this thread after news of the Blazers going up for sale

[Case2012]

Cronin is losing his job the day the sale goes through and he'll never have a FO role again, same way Olshey hasn't. These people are not smart or respected in the BB community. Not Cronin anyways. Schmitz maybe, but i like him as a scout.