Grant Trade?

[Wizenheimer]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not

Grant is not worth a single unprotected 1st round pick unless it's 'certain' the pick won't be in the lottery, Grant for a 17th pick? Sure. Grant for a 2nd pick?....get real

it baffles me how significantly some people are overrating the trade value of Portland's players

[Renegade]

Agree that people on this and other sites grossly overrate Blazer player’s trade values.

But the question isn’t if a team would trade an unprotected first round pick for Grant, but rather would a team trade an unprotected first round pick if they firmly believe that he is the “missing piece” player that would propel them to the finals.

In that the scenario I think some teams would.

[Norm2953]

Agree that people on this and other sites grossly overrate Blazer player’s trade values.

But the question isn’t if a team would trade an unprotected first round pick for Grant, but rather would a team trade an unprotected first round pick if they firmly believe that he is the “missing piece” player that would propel them to the finals.

In that the scenario I think some teams would.

'
Ugly contract to be sure but but given how many guys got paid this summer, its not unreasonable a team would end up
coughing up an unprotected pick as part of a Grant trade in the end.

I think it'll get done sometime before training camps open

[BlazersBroncos]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not

Grant is not worth a single unprotected 1st round pick unless it's 'certain' the pick won't be in the lottery, Grant for a 17th pick? Sure. Grant for a 2nd pick?....get real

it baffles me how significantly some people are overrating the trade value of Portland's players

There is absolutely no chance we get a UNP FRP for Jerami Grant.

Hell - I only think we could get a Top-4 from LAL in panic mode to keep up w/ the West. For most teams I would expect they demand lotto protection - or at least Top-8 protection.

[Walton1one]

Not sure about that, if Cronin's ask is (2) 1st's for Grant, IMO a sensible compromise would be (1) unprotected 1st.

On another note, if Pelinka is concerned about trading away an unprotected 1st because they could bottom out and it could end up being a top pick, then he is a fool and certainly should not be the GM for the LA Lakers. He does know what team he is the GM for, doesn't he? LAL don't rebuild, they re-tool. Any unprotected pick coming back from them will be mid-value, MAYBE you get a late lottery pick, but if LAL is bad enough that POR nets a top lottery pick out of it, then Pelinka will have been fired for incompetence.

[JRoy]

Not sure about that, if Cronin's ask is (2) 1st's for Grant, IMO a sensible compromise would be (1) unprotected 1st.

On another note, if Pelinka is concerned about trading away an unprotected 1st because they could bottom out and it could end up being a top pick, then he is a fool and certainly should not be the GM for the LA Lakers. He does know what team he is the GM for, doesn't he? LAL don't rebuild, they re-tool. Any unprotected pick coming back from them will be mid-value, MAYBE you get a late lottery pick, but if LAL is bad enough that POR nets a top lottery pick out of it, then Pelinka will have been fired for incompetence.

Yep.

Only a matter of time before the next Luka, Giannis etc demands a trade to LAL.

[Wizenheimer]

Not sure about that, if Cronin's ask is (2) 1st's for Grant, IMO a sensible compromise would be (1) unprotected 1st.

that's not sensible at all, IMO.

again...would you trade Portland's unprotected 2026 1st for Grant? I don't think there's a Blazer fan that would.

people need to look at what the Lakers have available...they don't have a 1st until 2029 and they could easily be a very bad team by then. They will not trade an unprotected 1st for Grant when that 1st could be #1. Add that to the reality that the Lakers are only 600K below the 2nd apron. That makes any trade a really tough needle to thread

[PDXKnight]

Not sure about that, if Cronin's ask is (2) 1st's for Grant, IMO a sensible compromise would be (1) unprotected 1st.

that's not sensible at all, IMO.

again...would you trade Portland's unprotected 2026 1st for Grant? I don't think there's a Blazer fan that would.

people need to look at what the Lakers have available...they don't have a 1st until 2029 and they could easily be a very bad team by then. They will not trade an unprotected 1st for Grant when that 1st could be #1. Add that to the reality that the Lakers are only 600K below the 2nd apron. That makes any trade a really tough needle to thread

Add to that the fact if in the futurs an all star player on an expiring essially demands to go to LA in 1-2 years those picks could be more valuable than they appear at the surface.

[zzaj]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not

Even though I agree with you, that's not really a fair analogy.

If the Blazers were a bubble team with a quickly aging GOAT, and the pick was from say 2030? I don't think it's out of the question that the Blazer FO (or fans) would trade that pick for a 3rd or 4th option, 21/3.5/3 player that shoots above average from 3, and over 40% the last two seasons.

[GEE]

It amazes me just how focused people around here seem to be with getting more FFRPs, and perfectly happy to scrap what I believe Cronin feels is an almost finished rebuild of players that he worked really hard to get here. I think that he really likes all the guys he's put on this roster, and believes as I do, that if all the ingredients pair well and we have the great chemistry I strongly believe it will, especially if we can add Rui, Cronin may have a whole lot of poeple around her eatin' some crow, just a few short months from now.

I'm aware that Cronin may have the Lakers over a barrel right now, knowing LeGMs return from France is quickly approaching, but unless Cronin feels that Rui IS NOT the guy he wants, and thinks he can get better before year's end... then JUST DO IT already. But... I too am just fine keeping Grant, hoping that RW3 returns to form and fits great with Ayton, while Reath, Walker and Cling-On provide the b/u duties.

Still just can't help feeling like Rui is that gettable perfect fit piece that would finish the build.

RIP CITY!!!

[tblazrdude]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

it baffles me how significantly some people are overrating the trade value of Portland's players

Isn’t it Cronin’s job to get the most value return in a trade?

If you were him, posturing to the whole market (including teams with bigger pick allocations than LA), wouldn’t you state you’re looking for a bit more for Grant to ensure that when you meet a team in the middle you end up with an okay return? Especially if you weren’t in much of a hurry?

Or would you say you’d be willing to take just 1 first, meaning you may end up with just a pair of seconds.

Is that so baffling? Because it isn’t all that baffling to me.

Of course he’s setting his price high. Of course he’s saying how he’s fine carrying Grant into the future. Of course.

[Wizenheimer]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not

Even though I agree with you, that's not really a fair analogy.

If the Blazers were a bubble team with a quickly aging GOAT, and the pick was from say 2030? I don't think it's out of the question that the Blazer FO (or fans) would trade that pick for a 3rd or 4th option, 21/3.5/3 player that shoots above average from 3, and over 40% the last two seasons.

I'm sorry, but I think it is a fair analogy because Portland's 2026 pick is very likely going to be in the lottery...and so is the Laker's 2029 pick. At this point, those picks might have fairly equivalent unprotected value

besides that, your example sure looks a lot like the situation the Blazers were in at the 2023 draft and I'm pretty sure very few Blazers fans would have been OK trading the 3rd pick for Grant. And for damn sure, the Blazer F.O. wasn't willing

[Wizenheimer]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

it baffles me how significantly some people are overrating the trade value of Portland's players

Isn’t it Cronin’s job to get the most value return in a trade?

If you were him, posturing to the whole market (including teams with bigger pick allocations than LA), wouldn’t you state you’re looking for a bit more for Grant to ensure that when you meet a team in the middle you end up with an okay return? Especially if you weren’t in much of a hurry?

Or would you say you’d be willing to take just 1 first, meaning you may end up with just a pair of seconds.

Is that so baffling? Because it isn’t all that baffling to me.

Of course he’s setting his price high. Of course he’s saying how he’s fine carrying Grant into the future. Of course.

nice theory, but the reality sure seems to be Grant to the Lakers is what most of the discussion is about. It started off as Cronin demanding two 1st's which would mean the Lakers would actually have to send TWO unprotected 1st's to meet Cronin's demand

now it's the Lakers needing to send one unprotected 1st. But that's a huge ask too because of the Laker 2nd apron situation. They finally signed Bronny so now the Lakers appear to be only 45K below the 2nd apron

meaning in order to aggregate salaries the Lakers would need to send out more salary then they take back. About the only trade that would work is Russell + Hachimura for Grant + Walker/Reath. But both Russell and Hachimura played really well for the Lakers last year. They aren't just filler. Russell had, arguably, better numbers than Simons. Russell+Rui averaged 32 points, 7 reb, 8 assists, while shooting 42% from three. They didn't play like throw-in scrubs and Grant wasn't an all-star

[Norm2953]

The thing is though, the Lakers are still a destination city and I don't buy the notion they would have
to totally bottom out like Portland, for there will always be guys who will want to play in LA, especially
those guys who are from Southern California.

Let's say the trade is filler + protected swap and UNP FRP in 2031. Lakers in 2028 will be done paying Lebron
and will have a lot of cap space after they let AD and Grant walk away in free agency.

[Wizenheimer]

The thing is though, the Lakers are still a destination city and I don't buy the notion they would have
to totally bottom out like Portland, for there will always be guys who will want to play in LA, especially
those guys who are from Southern California.

Let's say the trade is filler + protected swap and UNP FRP in 2031. Lakers in 2028 will be done paying Lebron
and will have a lot of cap space after they let AD and Grant walk away in free agency.

Laker records:

2013-14: 27-55
2014-15: 21-61
2015-16: 17-65
2016-17: 26-56
2017-18: 35-47
2018-19: 37-45

the Lakers are quite capable of bottoming out. Their destination city status still had them in the lottery for 6 straight years. As recently as 2021-22, the Lakers were 8th seed in the lottery; that was just 2 years ago. And the last two seasons, they were in the play-in. Their front office knows what their situation is with the age of Lebron and the dubious health of AD

sure, I could be wrong, but I don't think there is one chance the Lakers will trade an unprotected pick for Grant. A team like Sacramento might, but they'd still be likely to ask for top-4 protection

[zzaj]

would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not

Even though I agree with you, that's not really a fair analogy.

If the Blazers were a bubble team with a quickly aging GOAT, and the pick was from say 2030? I don't think it's out of the question that the Blazer FO (or fans) would trade that pick for a 3rd or 4th option, 21/3.5/3 player that shoots above average from 3, and over 40% the last two seasons.

I'm sorry, but I think it is a fair analogy because Portland's 2026 pick is very likely going to be in the lottery...and so is the Laker's 2029 pick. At this point, those picks might have fairly equivalent unprotected value

besides that, your example sure looks a lot like the situation the Blazers were in at the 2023 draft and I'm pretty sure very few Blazers fans would have been OK trading the 3rd pick for Grant. And for damn sure, the Blazer F.O. wasn't willing

Sure, in a bubble an unprotected pick for a player is the same as an unprotected pick for a player…but that’s not what is going on here. Context matters.

The Lakers have two top-10 players, and arguably a Top-5 player all-time—I think it’s fairly logical that they would be trying to capitalize on the rarity of the LeBron/AD pairing, maximizing any championship window that they may have. As you’ve hinted at yourself with regard to the Lillard swaps, 6-7 years is an eternity in the NBA. GMs are looking for “now”. I would argue that making the most of the LeBron/AD window “now” makes a 2030 unprotected first less valuable than a Blazer unprotected pick “now”, because 1) The Blazers are rebuilding and an unprotected pick in the next couple of years can make or break a decade of the franchise, and 2) The Blazers aren’t ever going to lure FAs like the Lakers. It’s a necessity that the Blazers build out of the draft.

Again, I don’t think a Blazer 2026 unprotected pick and a Laker 2030 unprotected pick are equivalent.

EDIT: And I know you know all this, Wiz. All I’m saying is I could see a world where the Lakers are trying to make a push at the deadline and push in their chips. I think there is zero chance Grant gets moved before then. Ultimately, it’s likely much ado about nothing because the Lakers making a substantial trade is very difficult in the current CBA.

[Norm2953]

Even an unprotected FRP has only a 14% chance at being a top 3 pick for just ask the Detroit Pistons
who have drafted fifth for the past 3 drafts despite being one of the worst teams.

Some of those bad Lakers teams were deliberate for they had to clear enough cap space to be able
to sign Lebron and later on AD. By 2029, they won't have that problem for they can just let a mid 30's
Grant and AD simply walk to sign the next star player who wishes to play in LA

[Wizenheimer]

EDIT: And I know you know all this, Wiz. All I’m saying is I could see a world where the Lakers are trying to make a push at the deadline and push in their chips. I think there is zero chance Grant gets moved before then. Ultimately, it’s likely much ado about nothing because the Lakers making a substantial trade is very difficult in the current CBA.

how about this:

2029 - lottery protected
2030 - top-10 protected
2031 - top-4 protected; otherwise, two 2nd's

I think something like that is the best the Blazers could get from the Lakers, but that would also mean the Lakers have no available 1st round picks to trade and I'd bet they wouldn't lock themselves into that kind of corner

personally, I'm really skeptical the Lakers have any intention of trading a lightly protected pick for Grant. Last season, going by winshares, Russell+Hachimura generated 9.2 wins; Grant generated 2.7. Grant's high was 7.3 when he was 24, 6 years ago; his average has been 3.5

Grant is at best, a supporting player. Somewhere between a 3rd and 4th option on a playoff team. I'd wonder if any player of Grant's level has ever been traded for an unprotected pick from a team with a 50-50 chance of being in the lottery

[HoopsFanAZ]

Screw any protections whatsoever. We already let Miami try to make a joke out of us w their offers, let’s not do that again. One pick? Def gotta be unprotected

Would you trade Portland's 2026 unprotected 1st round pick for Grant? Of course not.
Grant is not worth a single unprotected 1st round pick unless it's 'certain' the pick won't be in the lottery, Grant for a 17th pick? Sure. Grant for a 2nd pick?....get real

it baffles me how significantly some people are overrating the trade value of Portland's players

While your questions are reasonable, I'm not sure they are the right questions.

Assuming LBJ is gone in a couple years ... and that AD is diminished (or gone) by the beginning of the 2028 season ... same for Grant, the HOPE is that the 2029 pick would be excellent -- lottery pick and maybe top 4. Some serious maybe's but not unreasonable. Will the Lakers be as bad as we expect the Blazers to still be in two seasons from now -- 2025-2026? Maybe. But if Grant and Simons are gone ... and maybe even Ayton ... then Portland will probably be worse than the 2028 Lakers.

Portland would not be trading Grant for a top 4 pick in 2029 if it's unprotected. It's unprotected and the CHANCE of a high pick. Portland's 2026 is LIKELY to be a high lottery pick. Grant vs. just a lottery pick? C'mon. 10-14 is hopefully a starter and even a quality starter is an excellent outcome.

Again, it's maybe's and likelihood and all, BUT if it's Grant in a package with the Lakers, the 1 (or 2) picks NEVER becomes a 2nd round pick if there are protections that carry over to another year. 1st rounder(s). It is not arguable for Portland to have to accepts 2nd rounders -- IMHO.

[Wizenheimer]

Again, it's maybe's and likelihood and all, BUT if it's Grant in a package with the Lakers, the 1 (or 2) picks NEVER becomes a 2nd round pick if there are protections that carry over to another year. 1st rounder(s). It is not arguable for Portland to have to accepts 2nd rounders -- IMHO.

this is the point I've been making all along: the Lakers are a poor trade partner for Grant. They don't have an available 1st for 5 years; AND, they are way too close to the 2nd apron. In 2029 Lebron will be retired and AD will be 36 with a long history of significant injuries and likely a lot of accumulated scar tissue

in order for the Lakers to guarantee two first round picks, both would have to be unprotected. That ain't happening

I'm done with this debate. I can't imagine the Lakers have ever considered sending an unprotected first for Grant