Hollinger: League wide speculation that POR will trade Simons + #3 for “elite forward”

[JRoy]

Building around dame or trading him will ultimately be a business decision

Jody wants to sell the team when the next TV deal comes up

1) if blazers owner feels they can trade dame and rebuild the team by the time the next TV deal comes up, then they will trade him

It's risky because teardown are easy but rebuilding has a lot of unknowns (see hornets, detroit, kings for longest of time, etc)

2) keep team competitive and attractive. Build around dame


I can't speak for what will happen....but these are the main drivers

Phil Knight offered to buy the team again and she declined. She should have sold and let him worry about the Moda Center lease.

[Rapsfan07]

I like Sharpe a lot but god he’s getting so overrated. The odds of him being a Norman Powell type are higher than the odds of him becoming a superstar

OOF!

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

[JRoy]

Yea Blazer fans act like he's prime D Wade

Show me the quote.

No Blazer fan ever said that and you know it.

POR took the risk drafting him and he has a chance to be a star. It would be a mistake to trade him for any realistic trade.

Reading comprehension my friend, I said Blazer fans act like he's prime D Wade.

Saying you would only trade Sharpe for Giannis or Embiid is overrating the dude nasty, and I am rooting for the guy as he's Canadian but you guys are talking egregious.

You posted Blazer fans act like he is prime D Wade.

We won’t donate him for TOR guys who will do nothing to change the teams trajectory.

[NinjaBro]

Pascal’s guy appears to be leaving the Raptors. Probably means nothing for Siakam’s future but fingers crossed it’s an indication of something.

This is good news. I want to see Masai clean house. What happened last season was unnexcusable.

Does Masai cleaning house here also include himself? I assume no.

If this season becomes another disaster he should be on the hot seat. You can't be firing Coaches of the Year every few years without looking at yourself.

[will]

I like Sharpe a lot but god he’s getting so overrated. The odds of him being a Norman Powell type are higher than the odds of him becoming a superstar

OOF!

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Potential is valued greatly in pro sports.

[Rapsfan07]

OOF!

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Fair question. But as you said, potential.

We're trading away a sure thing and regardless of the degree of potential a player has, teams almost never give up a player of that caliber for JUST maybe's. George got SGA, for example. Mitchell got Markannen. Only recent exceptions I can think of off the top of my head right now is 5 picks for Gobert and 3 picks for Murray. I would argue Siakam is a better player than both of those guys and Portland doesn't have the future picks to pile on.

So yeah.

[will]

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Fair question. But as you said, potential.

We're trading away a sure thing and regardless of the degree of potential a player has, teams almost never give up a player of that caliber for JUST maybe's. George got SGA, for example. Mitchell got Markannen. Only recent exceptions I can think of off the top of my head right now is 5 picks for Gobert and 3 picks for Murray. I would argue Siakam is a better player than both of those guys and Portland doesn't have the future picks to pile on.

So yeah.

Name of the game is potential.

All those guys listed were under 29 years of age when they were dealt - the one being Gobert.

The sure thing being dealt away is the sure thing that we know - getting past the first round, let alone getting into the first round ain't happening with Pascal as the go-to guy.

[MiamiSPX]

OOF!

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

I've never subscribed to the notion that trading Siakam is risky because the player(s) you get back will likely never be as good as him. The result of a Siakam trade isn't binary like that (to me anyway).

For example, I know Simons will never be as good as Siakam. That's pretty much a guarantee already. However, the totality of Simons + whomever is picked 3rd may very well be better than Siakam...plus whatever you get out of the filler like Little.

And more importantly, on top of those 2-3 players you have the fact that you are now NOT spending 50M on one player, so you have to factor in what that extra money then leads to (other acquisitions, trades, etc).

You can end up with players that never end up as good as Siakam, but the results of the trade still make your team much better in the long run.

EDIT - I should also add that I am not advocating for Simsons at all. Just using that trade as an example.

[JRoy]

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Fair question. But as you said, potential.

We're trading away a sure thing and regardless of the degree of potential a player has, teams almost never give up a player of that caliber for JUST maybe's. George got SGA, for example. Mitchell got Markannen. Only recent exceptions I can think of off the top of my head right now is 5 picks for Gobert and 3 picks for Murray. I would argue Siakam is a better player than both of those guys and Portland doesn't have the future picks to pile on.

So yeah.

Agreed.

Keep him.

[will]

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Fair question. But as you said, potential.

We're trading away a sure thing and regardless of the degree of potential a player has, teams almost never give up a player of that caliber for JUST maybe's. George got SGA, for example. Mitchell got Markannen. Only recent exceptions I can think of off the top of my head right now is 5 picks for Gobert and 3 picks for Murray. I would argue Siakam is a better player than both of those guys and Portland doesn't have the future picks to pile on.

So yeah.

Come to think of it, SGA barely played that one year with the Clippers. George was the better player by far. OKC went for the potential.

Markannen was very up and down in Chicago for a handful of seasons. Mitchell was the better player by far, and Utah went for the potential.

And salary definitely played a factor there.

Doesn't seem like there are "fair" trades where it is two prime players being dealt for each other.

[YogurtProducer]

I like Sharpe a lot but god he’s getting so overrated. The odds of him being a Norman Powell type are higher than the odds of him becoming a superstar

Norm Powell lol smfh this board loves to underrate any non-Raptor.

What has he done so far to warrant such high expectations? I think he’s gonna be really good but there’s no way we can truly predict how he turns out. Some big performances when the Blazers basically shut down their season to tank doesn’t really mean much

We literally had Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris putting up numbers when we shut down our season in 2021. How’d that turn out?

Yeah it really is not that crazy of a take to say that Sharpe has a better chance of being Powell than a superstar. Such a small % of people become superstars and for some reason this board thinks every young player is going to become one.

Powell peaked as a 20/3/2 60TS% kind of guy with meh defense who IMO is kind of underrated as he has constantly been on good teams and has been relegated to bench gunner. I would bet if you looked at guys who had Sharpes rookie season more often than not Powell it about the average result. Some guys will be studs, some guys will be out of the league, and the vast majority end up as solid starter / really good backup material.

[JRoy]

Norm Powell lol smfh this board loves to underrate any non-Raptor.

What has he done so far to warrant such high expectations? I think he’s gonna be really good but there’s no way we can truly predict how he turns out. Some big performances when the Blazers basically shut down their season to tank doesn’t really mean much

We literally had Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris putting up numbers when we shut down our season in 2021. How’d that turn out?

Yeah it really is not that crazy of a take to say that Sharpe has a better chance of being Powell than a superstar. Such a small % of people become superstars and for some reason this board thinks every young player is going to become one.

Powell peaked as a 20/3/2 60TS% kind of guy with meh defense who IMO is kind of underrated as he has constantly been on good teams and has been relegated to bench gunner. I would bet if you looked at guys who had Sharpes rookie season more often than not Powell it about the average result. Some guys will be studs, some guys will be out of the league, and the vast majority end up as solid starter / really good backup material.

Low end JR Smith (starter on championship team but questionable intangibles, never maximized his potential)

High end Zach Lavine (all star, Olympian etc, probably 2nd best player on championship team though he hasn’t had that shot yet)

[ItsDanger]

If the high end is Lavine, you should trade him. What has Lavine done to warrant being unavailable? Nothing.

[Bruin]

Read on Twitter

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[Fairview4Life]

haha. There's a sense they could be depending on.

[Sandman88]

What has he done so far to warrant such high expectations? I think he’s gonna be really good but there’s no way we can truly predict how he turns out. Some big performances when the Blazers basically shut down their season to tank doesn’t really mean much

We literally had Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris putting up numbers when we shut down our season in 2021. How’d that turn out?

Yeah it really is not that crazy of a take to say that Sharpe has a better chance of being Powell than a superstar. Such a small % of people become superstars and for some reason this board thinks every young player is going to become one.

Powell peaked as a 20/3/2 60TS% kind of guy with meh defense who IMO is kind of underrated as he has constantly been on good teams and has been relegated to bench gunner. I would bet if you looked at guys who had Sharpes rookie season more often than not Powell it about the average result. Some guys will be studs, some guys will be out of the league, and the vast majority end up as solid starter / really good backup material.

Low end JR Smith (starter on championship team but questionable intangibles, never maximized his potential)

High end Zach Lavine (all star, Olympian etc, probably 2nd best player on championship team though he hasn’t had that shot yet)

Low end Gerald Green

[islandboy53]

OOF!

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Potential is valued greatly in pro sports.

Okay, who are you, and what happened to Will? But, seriously, good points. The challenge, of course, is holding on to potential like Sharpe's in the face of the pressure to win now.

[YogurtProducer]

If the high end is Lavine, you should trade him. What has Lavine done to warrant being unavailable? Nothing.

Yeah if the highe end is a player worse than Siakam you might as well just grab Siakam who fits with your current superstar

[YogurtProducer]

It's true. He is quite entertaining, no doubt about that. Lots of potential there.

But the chance of him becoming even Siakam-level player is extremely low, nevermind a bonafide superstar/perennial all-star. Toronto would be moving an all-star in his prime who plays one of the most important positions in the game today.

Now, Mitchell is younger and was locked into a long term deal when he was dealt but assuming Pascal agrees to sign an extension with Portland (which I imagine would be a foregone conclusion if he is traded) then I think Toronto should be getting back a little less than he did.

Son has elite potential. Potential. No guarantees, of course.

Norm was drafted as a 22 year old. Barely played 20 minutes per game the first 4 seasons of his NBA career, until he was 26.

Sharpe could be a franchise player on a max deal by age 26. What he brings to the table purely from a skills and physical standpoint is way more suited to the modern game today.

What Sharpe has demonstrated during the run of 20 something games at the end of the season is worth more than what Norm has and will ever offer.

Again, it's early days, but you can bet that any executive would take Sharpe over Norm's 'peak' any day.

Regarding Pascal, it's not even a fair comparison. He is in his prime and will command a stupid amount per year after putting up numbers on a poor poor Raptors squad, eating into a large part of the cap. The question comes down to paying a guy like that elite money for non-elite production as a Robin, or hold onto a guy like Sharpe who costs less, is 9 years younger and has the potential of being better than Pascal?

Potential is valued greatly in pro sports.

Okay, who are you, and what happened to Will? But, seriously, good points. The challenge, of course, is holding on to potential like Sharpe's in the face of the pressure to win now.

will can actually be a good poster when he wants to be and does not just bait and be edge-y

His current schtick really was not a thing pre Tampa year

[MiamiSPX]

Read on Twitter

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Although I strongly advocating moving him, ngl I will feel some sort of way if it happens. Love the guy and his story.

But I cheer for the name on the front....