Free Agency 2023 - Blazers and around the league.

[Dangeruss]

Portland would be smart to match Thybulle. There's a possibility his camp is asking the Blazers to not match if he doesn't want to be on a rebuilding team, so I'm prepared for that potential scenario, but if his camp is OK with the Blazers matching, they would be wise to do so. It can't be that big of a contract since I don't believe the Mavs had any cap space to go above an MLE deal and Thybulle is still pretty young. He's a great lockerroom guy that the Blazers could use as a culture setter and pro for the young guys - but not so veteran that he's going to be needing to ring chase.

Thybulle also has a skillset that teams will always want as a defensive specialist, so it's a forever-movable contract (injuries not withstanding).

Long story short, don't lose the asset if at all possible.

1,000% agreed

And I’ll add that we couldn’t ask for a better teammate mentor for Rupert and Murray and their defensive development. It’s perfection.

[BlazersBroncos]

11M is a bit much but the cap is only going up so we might as well match.

You need high character tone setting vets on a rebuild - MT is that guy, and is young enough to be of use when we are back fighting for a PO spot.

As for backup bigs, Reed is a cut above the rest due to age and untapped potential IMO. If not him, just give Badji run - or steal Castleton from LAL.

[Sinobas]

I've always liked Montrezl Harrell. I don't know if he'd want to come to Portland, but we could offer him the MLE. He's always seemed a bit undervalued, maybe because he doesn't shoot 3s, but he's a terrific scorer in the paint. And he's a legit PF.

[BlazersBroncos]

Trez doesnt seem like the type of personality you want around youngsters - and he is the Anfernee Simons defensively of bigs. Absolute trash.

[Dangeruss]

Harrell isn’t an NBA player anymore. Ship has sailed IMO

[DusterBuster]

Read on Twitter

I guess Joe decided to get up this morning and do his job.

[red_power]

It's weird Mavs didn't even offer him a full MLE. Matching that 3 years 11 mln offer sheet was an easy decision.
Thybulle might not be a perfect fit because of his height and meh rebounding, but he's quite a valuable player at this price anyway.

[red_power]

Wonder if Cronin actually try to chase Reed at the moment. He seems to be the only non-garbage level big left unsigned.

[DusterBuster]

Wonder if Cronin actually try to chase Reed at the moment. He seems to be the only non-garbage level big left unsigned.

I would think the Sixers are just doing the same waiting game Portland was with Thybulle.

[Blazinaway]

Wonder if Cronin actually try to chase Reed at the moment. He seems to be the only non-garbage level big left unsigned.

I would think the Sixers are just doing the same waiting game Portland was with Thybulle.

Isn't PJ Washington still around?

[Dangeruss]

Washington or Wood would be good roster filler at the 4 position. Grant should really be playing the 3, especially with Nurk looking like he’s going to coat tail with dame (thankfully, I’m over it).

[Pattycakes]

Happy we kept Matisse. He’s a perfect 3 for our team and can start in a pickle, don’t get me wrong I hope we don’t have a pickle.

[Norm2953]

It's a win/win for Matisse

[Village Idiot]

Hurray! I love Matisse's personality and defensive focus.

[DusterBuster]

It's weird Mavs didn't even offer him a full MLE. Matching that 3 years 11 mln offer sheet was an easy decision.
Thybulle might not be a perfect fit because of his height and meh rebounding, but he's quite a valuable player at this price anyway.

I think Shams or Woj had more contract details. The Mavs loaded the deal with some incentives to try and get Portland not to match. He has a 15% trade kicker and something like 50% of his first years salary needs to be paid by Oct. so they obviously didn’t think he was worth the full max, but hoped some of those added things to his deal would make the Blazers blink.

[The Sebastian Express]

See, Dallas has to learn you make the annual salary paid on an early date in July to force the team matching to have the value in cash already.

You can't try to do the dirty restricted contract offer to the team that loved doing the dirty restricted contract offer! Did they not even bother to see what we did to Utah with Wes Matthews all those years ago!

[GreenRiddler]

How come people are so low on Simons? His numbers without Dame are pretty amazing and he is one of the best 3 point shooters in the league.

I think we are underestimating him greatly cause we wanted to trade him to get Dame that wing player. Now that Dame is gone could he not grow into a 25ppg+ type of guard? I think he takes a lot of pressure off of Scoot to score and shoot well. The only problem is starting them together would be just like Dame and CJ or Dame and Ant. I don’t think either player is a non starter so that makes it tough cause Ant is probably our best player next year by a large margin and Scoot needs to run the offence.

[The Sebastian Express]

Because he has trouble running the offense and he plays worse defense than Dame. Unless Simons is willing to come off the bench, he limits the opportunities for Shaedon to grow at his natural position of shooting guard and it would not be great if they tried to play him at the small forward where he'll lose his physical advantages.

[Norm2953]

I do think initially, one of Sharpe/Scoot will start the season on the bench. My guess it will be
Sharpe for while neither Sharpe/Simons is a natural PG and Simons does have 5 years of
experience and offers up catch and shoot elements that Sharpe doesn't.

I'm still concerned what Portland does up front for if they have sent Nurk out with Dame, the
team has nobody taller than 6'9 on their roster, who has played one regular season game.

Fortunately for Portland, the 2024 draft has perhaps six 7" guys listed in the early mocks. That
doesn't help Portland in 2023.

[DusterBuster]

I do think initially, one of Sharpe/Scoot will start the season on the bench. My guess it will be
Sharpe for while neither Sharpe/Simons is a natural PG and Simons does have 5 years of
experience and offers up catch and shoot elements that Sharpe doesn't.

I'm still concerned what Portland does up front for if they have sent Nurk out with Dame, the
team has nobody taller than 6'9 on their roster, who has played one regular season game.

Fortunately for Portland, the 2024 draft has perhaps six 7" guys listed in the early mocks. That
doesn't help Portland in 2023.

If Ant isn’t moved, there’s no chance he or Sharpe are on the bench to start the season. Chauncey will not start a rookie over two (semi) established NBA players.

With Ant, it’ll be one of two situations. Scoot/Ant/Sharpe at the 1/2/3 or Ant/Sharpe 1/2 and Scott off the bench as a 6th man.

My money would be Scoot off the bench with a starting 5 of…

Ant
Sharpe
Thybulle
Grant
Jovic (yes, already assuming Dame to Miami is done)

As the team likely struggles or Ant gets injured, then I think Scoot will get his shot to start. Depending how he does will determine what happens with Ant, either Ant coming off the bench or they try and integrate all 3 into starting with Thybulle going to bench.