Portland off-season plan: moves all in/Kings and Suns rebuild

[Myth]

2 scenarios happen for this trade to work/make sense:

1. Blazers make the playoffs via the play-in, thus Bulls get their 2025 pick and Blazers now have full ability to trade future picks. They decide it is time to push their chips in.

2. Suns trade Durant, particularly if it is to the Rockets for their own picks back, thus creating incentive to tank and rebuild.

Trade 1:
Blazers get Devin Booker

Suns get:
Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first

Why for Suns: As they move to tanking, they get a potential future star in Sharpe, a potentially good 2029 1st, and a 2030 first, along with tons of long term salary relief.

Why for Blazers: They update their SG starting position and get a legit star.

Trade 2:
Blazers get: Grayson Allen

Suns get: Kris Murray and Thybulle

Why: So this is really an extension of the 1st trade but Suns can’t combined salary because they are over the cap. For Blazers the purpose here is to get a reliable bench player since they gave up all of their SG depth in trade 1. For the Suns, they get a scoring Thybulle and a cheap young Murray as part of their rebuild while getting off of Allen’s long term money. This trade is good for a competing Blazers, but arguably may need removed for financial purposes on Portland’s end.

Trade 3:
Blazers:
Sabonis

Kings get:
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

Why for Kings: With Fox traded, they move on from Sabonis too. They replace him with a young defensive Clingan, and get 2 firsts. Ayton is included for salary purposes but is expiring, so Kings also get a ton of money off the books. An optional alternative is Blazers send an additional 1st and Murray instead of Clingan (cancelling trade 2), but I figure Kings prefer the future of Clingan instead of an unknown, and Blazers may not want to owe a pick as far out as 2032 to make this happen.

Why for Blazers: Get an all-star big.


Overall for Portland:
Their new lineup includes:
Scoot/(Banton?)
Booker/Allen/Rupert
Deni
Camara/Jerami
Sabonis/(Reath?)/(Walker?)
They fill out some depth with vet minimum guys (prioritizing PG the C then wing).
Team has plenty of passing, increased shooting and overall offense, lengthy wing defenders. Jerami and Allen are very capable bench guys giving a solid 7 man rotation. If Trade 2 doesn’t happen, Thybulle and Murray gives more depth, but only if healthy. Blazers still have a tradable 2032 pick after this if they really need to use it. They also maintain not tradable (except in swaps) picks in 2027, a bad pick in 2029, and a 2031 pick.

[SNPA]

If Monte trades Sabonis in a deal that contains Booker and Sharpe and he gets neither…not good. He’d be getting close to being run out of town.

[BlazersBroncos]

That first deal might get KD but certainly not Booker IMO.

I like a win now move but prefer to keep our future picks. I think ideally you find a convoluted trade that sends out Grant, Simons, RW3 or MT and the 25 FRP for KD with PHX ending up with Grant and someone like Lauri.

[JRoy]

I don’t think POR is ready for this kind of move.

It’s bold, but maybe a year early, assuming POR can continue to improve.

[SNPA]

2 scenarios happen for this trade to work/make sense:

1. Blazers make the playoffs via the play-in, thus Bulls get their 2025 pick and Blazers now have full ability to trade future picks. They decide it is time to push their chips in.

2. Suns trade Durant, particularly if it is to the Rockets for their own picks back, thus creating incentive to tank and rebuild.

Trade 1:
Blazers get Devin Booker

Suns get:
Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first

Why for Suns: As they move to tanking, they get a potential future star in Sharpe, a potentially good 2029 1st, and a 2030 first, along with tons of long term salary relief.

Why for Blazers: They update their SG starting position and get a legit star.

Trade 2:
Blazers get: Grayson Allen

Suns get: Kris Murray and Thybulle

Why: So this is really an extension of the 1st trade but Suns can’t combined salary because they are over the cap. For Blazers the purpose here is to get a reliable bench player since they gave up all of their SG depth in trade 1. For the Suns, they get a scoring Thybulle and a cheap young Murray as part of their rebuild while getting off of Allen’s long term money. This trade is good for a competing Blazers, but arguably may need removed for financial purposes on Portland’s end.

Trade 3:
Blazers:
Sabonis

Kings get:
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

Why for Kings: With Fox traded, they move on from Sabonis too. They replace him with a young defensive Clingan, and get 2 firsts. Ayton is included for salary purposes but is expiring, so Kings also get a ton of money off the books. An optional alternative is Blazers send an additional 1st and Murray instead of Clingan (cancelling trade 2), but I figure Kings prefer the future of Clingan instead of an unknown, and Blazers may not want to owe a pick as far out as 2032 to make this happen.

Why for Blazers: Get an all-star big.


Overall for Portland:
Their new lineup includes:
Scoot/(Banton?)
Booker/Allen/Rupert
Deni
Camara/Jerami
Sabonis/(Reath?)/(Walker?)
They fill out some depth with vet minimum guys (prioritizing PG the C then wing).
Team has plenty of passing, increased shooting and overall offense, lengthy wing defenders. Jerami and Allen are very capable bench guys giving a solid 7 man rotation. If Trade 2 doesn’t happen, Thybulle and Murray gives more depth, but only if healthy. Blazers still have a tradable 2032 pick after this if they really need to use it. They also maintain not tradable (except in swaps) picks in 2027, a bad pick in 2029, and a 2031 pick.

If Portland was open to paying;

Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

For Sabonis/Booker Sac should offer Sabonis/LaVine at a discount. Keep all the picks.

[facothomas22]

The Blazers package for Devin Brooker seems weak on paper, but it's actually a reasonable deal. Sheadon Sharpe still has a lot of potential and has looked quite good as of recent. While I don't see the Suns being too happy about taking back Simons, that's not a problem since he can be flipped for additional assets(think of KCP + Anthony Black+ the Magic 1st round pick this year + Nuggets pick this year for example). Far as the Sabonis trade, I think the Kings do better than Donovan Clingman and 2 late 1st round picks. A few teams with high picks in this year's draft will be looking to upgrade at the Center position and not mention asset heavy teams like the Thunder may look to futher upgrade/retool at the big man position.

[Slim Charless]

The Blazers package for Devin Brooker seems weak on paper, but it's actually a reasonable deal. Sheadon Sharpe still has a lot of potential and has looked quite good as of recent. While I don't see the Suns being too happy about taking back Simons, that's not a problem since he can be flipped for additional assets(think of KCP + Anthony Black+ the Magic 1st round pick this year + Nuggets pick this year for example). Far as the Sabonis trade, I think the Kings do better than Donovan Clingman and 2 late 1st round picks. A few teams with high picks in this year's draft will be looking to upgrade at the Center position and not mention asset heavy teams like the Thunder.

That first deal might get KD but certainly not Booker IMO.

I like a win now move but prefer to keep our future picks. I think ideally you find a convoluted trade that sends out Grant, Simons, RW3 or MT and the 25 FRP for KD with PHX ending up with Grant and someone like Lauri.

If the Suns trade Booker, it's likely rebuild time. I think they'll want Clingan as there's a massive hole at the 5. Certainly can't bring Ayton back, so Clingan is needed. Maybe a 3 way can be worked out tho as I like the idea of flipping Simons to ORL for stuff.

Problem is, even IF Ishbia agrees to trade him, I have very serious doubts that he'll send Booker inside the division.

[Myth]

I don’t think POR is ready for this kind of move.

It’s bold, but maybe a year early, assuming POR can continue to improve.

A year later and we probably don’t have the expiring contracts to make this sort of move unless we commit to not adding longer contracts and go deep below the tax and can make massively lopsided financial trades. But that requires the Blazers committing to not extending Simons nor offering other long term contracts and risking being just a team depleted of players if they can’t make such a swing. Essentially, if they are not committed to tanking for a star (which they don’t seem to be), I think their window to have good contracts to land stars in trade will be short.

[Godaddycurse]

Phoenix dont have control of 2026 pick so this is not happening (neither does houston)

[JRoy]

2 scenarios happen for this trade to work/make sense:

1. Blazers make the playoffs via the play-in, thus Bulls get their 2025 pick and Blazers now have full ability to trade future picks. They decide it is time to push their chips in.

2. Suns trade Durant, particularly if it is to the Rockets for their own picks back, thus creating incentive to tank and rebuild.

Trade 1:
Blazers get Devin Booker

Suns get:
Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first

Why for Suns: As they move to tanking, they get a potential future star in Sharpe, a potentially good 2029 1st, and a 2030 first, along with tons of long term salary relief.

Why for Blazers: They update their SG starting position and get a legit star.

Trade 2:
Blazers get: Grayson Allen

Suns get: Kris Murray and Thybulle

Why: So this is really an extension of the 1st trade but Suns can’t combined salary because they are over the cap. For Blazers the purpose here is to get a reliable bench player since they gave up all of their SG depth in trade 1. For the Suns, they get a scoring Thybulle and a cheap young Murray as part of their rebuild while getting off of Allen’s long term money. This trade is good for a competing Blazers, but arguably may need removed for financial purposes on Portland’s end.

Trade 3:
Blazers:
Sabonis

Kings get:
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

Why for Kings: With Fox traded, they move on from Sabonis too. They replace him with a young defensive Clingan, and get 2 firsts. Ayton is included for salary purposes but is expiring, so Kings also get a ton of money off the books. An optional alternative is Blazers send an additional 1st and Murray instead of Clingan (cancelling trade 2), but I figure Kings prefer the future of Clingan instead of an unknown, and Blazers may not want to owe a pick as far out as 2032 to make this happen.

Why for Blazers: Get an all-star big.


Overall for Portland:
Their new lineup includes:
Scoot/(Banton?)
Booker/Allen/Rupert
Deni
Camara/Jerami
Sabonis/(Reath?)/(Walker?)
They fill out some depth with vet minimum guys (prioritizing PG the C then wing).
Team has plenty of passing, increased shooting and overall offense, lengthy wing defenders. Jerami and Allen are very capable bench guys giving a solid 7 man rotation. If Trade 2 doesn’t happen, Thybulle and Murray gives more depth, but only if healthy. Blazers still have a tradable 2032 pick after this if they really need to use it. They also maintain not tradable (except in swaps) picks in 2027, a bad pick in 2029, and a 2031 pick.

If Portland was open to paying;

Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

For Sabonis/Booker Sac should offer Sabonis/LaVine at a discount. Keep all the picks.

Zero interest in LaVine unless Grant is outbound.

[jayjaysee]

I think I agree. Just build a deal off Ayton, Grant, Sharpe, Clingan, and “…” for Sabonis and LaVine.

Don’t think the jump from Zach to Booker is worth going all in if you’re keeping Scoot and Sabonis..

[Myth]

I think I agree. Just build a deal off Ayton, Grant, Sharpe, Clingan, and “…” for Sabonis and LaVine.

Don’t think the jump from Zach to Booker is worth going all in if you’re keeping Scoot and Sabonis..

I’m ok with this as long as the “…” isn’t legit assets. Zach can opt out and bolt, which would be a big problem long term. Additionally, he has more legit injury concern than Booker, and I have more of a Booker bias in general, which may relate to more team success seemingly on his shoulders. If Portland goes for LaVine instead of Booker, I would want them to do a follow up trade using the picks they kept for a legit upgrade at PG, because I don’t think the LaVine version of the trade is a big enough step towards contention even though it definitely improves us in the short term.

[SNPA]

2 scenarios happen for this trade to work/make sense:

1. Blazers make the playoffs via the play-in, thus Bulls get their 2025 pick and Blazers now have full ability to trade future picks. They decide it is time to push their chips in.

2. Suns trade Durant, particularly if it is to the Rockets for their own picks back, thus creating incentive to tank and rebuild.

Trade 1:
Blazers get Devin Booker

Suns get:
Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first

Why for Suns: As they move to tanking, they get a potential future star in Sharpe, a potentially good 2029 1st, and a 2030 first, along with tons of long term salary relief.

Why for Blazers: They update their SG starting position and get a legit star.

Trade 2:
Blazers get: Grayson Allen

Suns get: Kris Murray and Thybulle

Why: So this is really an extension of the 1st trade but Suns can’t combined salary because they are over the cap. For Blazers the purpose here is to get a reliable bench player since they gave up all of their SG depth in trade 1. For the Suns, they get a scoring Thybulle and a cheap young Murray as part of their rebuild while getting off of Allen’s long term money. This trade is good for a competing Blazers, but arguably may need removed for financial purposes on Portland’s end.

Trade 3:
Blazers:
Sabonis

Kings get:
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

Why for Kings: With Fox traded, they move on from Sabonis too. They replace him with a young defensive Clingan, and get 2 firsts. Ayton is included for salary purposes but is expiring, so Kings also get a ton of money off the books. An optional alternative is Blazers send an additional 1st and Murray instead of Clingan (cancelling trade 2), but I figure Kings prefer the future of Clingan instead of an unknown, and Blazers may not want to owe a pick as far out as 2032 to make this happen.

Why for Blazers: Get an all-star big.


Overall for Portland:
Their new lineup includes:
Scoot/(Banton?)
Booker/Allen/Rupert
Deni
Camara/Jerami
Sabonis/(Reath?)/(Walker?)
They fill out some depth with vet minimum guys (prioritizing PG the C then wing).
Team has plenty of passing, increased shooting and overall offense, lengthy wing defenders. Jerami and Allen are very capable bench guys giving a solid 7 man rotation. If Trade 2 doesn’t happen, Thybulle and Murray gives more depth, but only if healthy. Blazers still have a tradable 2032 pick after this if they really need to use it. They also maintain not tradable (except in swaps) picks in 2027, a bad pick in 2029, and a 2031 pick.

If Portland was open to paying;

Shaedon Sharpe
Simons (expiring)
Robert Williams (expiring)
2029 best of Blazers/Bucks/Celtics 1st
2030 Blazers first
Clingan
Ayton (expiring)
2026 Blazers first
2028 Blazers first

For Sabonis/Booker Sac should offer Sabonis/LaVine at a discount. Keep all the picks.

Zero interest in LaVine unless Grant is outbound.

Sac fans would be interested in that.

[facothomas22]

The Blazers package for Devin Brooker seems weak on paper, but it's actually a reasonable deal. Sheadon Sharpe still has a lot of potential and has looked quite good as of recent. While I don't see the Suns being too happy about taking back Simons, that's not a problem since he can be flipped for additional assets(think of KCP + Anthony Black+ the Magic 1st round pick this year + Nuggets pick this year for example). Far as the Sabonis trade, I think the Kings do better than Donovan Clingman and 2 late 1st round picks. A few teams with high picks in this year's draft will be looking to upgrade at the Center position and not mention asset heavy teams like the Thunder.

That first deal might get KD but certainly not Booker IMO.

I like a win now move but prefer to keep our future picks. I think ideally you find a convoluted trade that sends out Grant, Simons, RW3 or MT and the 25 FRP for KD with PHX ending up with Grant and someone like Lauri.

If the Suns trade Booker, it's likely rebuild time. I think they'll want Clingan as there's a massive hole at the 5. Certainly can't bring Ayton back, so Clingan is needed. Maybe a 3 way can be worked out tho as I like the idea of flipping Simons to ORL for stuff.

Problem is, even IF Ishbia agrees to trade him, I have very serious doubts that he'll send Booker inside the division.

Yeah that's something to consider. The Suns will still have Nick Richards as their Center, but he's not a long term option for them. I also view Clingan as less valuable than Sharpe. So maybe reroute Sharpe to the Kings and Clingan to the Suns with the Blazers adding another 1st round pick to Suns.This way, the Kings have more exiting prospect to build around for the future and the Suns get their Center of the future.

So maybe something this will work.

Trade 1 (Suns/Blazers

Anfernee Simons + Donovan Clingan + Blazers 1st round pick this year + 2029 Best of the Blazers/Bucks/Celtics + Blazers 2030 and 2032 1st round picks for Devin Booker


Trade 2

Deandre Ayton + Robert Williams + Sheadon Sharpe + Blazers 2026 and 2028 1st round picks for Sabonis



Trade 3(Magic/Suns)
KCP + Wendell Carter Jr + Anthony Black + Magic 1st round pick this year(lets say the Magic lose both of their play -in games and get 11th pick in the draft) + Nuggets pick this year(let say that pick is the 25th pick) + for Anfernee Simons

Could make a good case that the Magic are overpaying for Simons if the pick is a lottery pick. The inclusion of Anthony Black would be for the Magic pay another team to take on KCP long term contract, while also getting Simons to significantly improve their offense.

[JRoy]

That team looks like a first round for 4-5 years before POR has to rebuild again.

[Norm2953]

Just let Simons, Ayton and the others walk in free agency.

I would allow Sharpe to enter RFA and let him walk if some team offers him a max contract.

Build around the younger players , who have fueled Portland's late season surge.

Unlikely with 10 games left in the season, Portland gets into the play in with around 36 wins.

Enter the off season by drafting the best player at 11/12 that fits best with their younger core
with an eye perhaps with finding another shooter, especially if Simons forces his way out of town.

The time for an off season plan is the summer of 2026 not 2025

[Myth]

The Blazers package for Devin Brooker seems weak on paper, but it's actually a reasonable deal. Sheadon Sharpe still has a lot of potential and has looked quite good as of recent. While I don't see the Suns being too happy about taking back Simons, that's not a problem since he can be flipped for additional assets(think of KCP + Anthony Black+ the Magic 1st round pick this year + Nuggets pick this year for example). Far as the Sabonis trade, I think the Kings do better than Donovan Clingman and 2 late 1st round picks. A few teams with high picks in this year's draft will be looking to upgrade at the Center position and not mention asset heavy teams like the Thunder.

That first deal might get KD but certainly not Booker IMO.

I like a win now move but prefer to keep our future picks. I think ideally you find a convoluted trade that sends out Grant, Simons, RW3 or MT and the 25 FRP for KD with PHX ending up with Grant and someone like Lauri.

If the Suns trade Booker, it's likely rebuild time. I think they'll want Clingan as there's a massive hole at the 5. Certainly can't bring Ayton back, so Clingan is needed. Maybe a 3 way can be worked out tho as I like the idea of flipping Simons to ORL for stuff.

Problem is, even IF Ishbia agrees to trade him, I have very serious doubts that he'll send Booker inside the division.

Yeah that's something to consider. The Suns will still have Nick Richards as their Center, but he's not a long term option for them. I also view Clingan as less valuable than Sharpe. So maybe reroute Sharpe to the Kings and Clingan to the Suns with the Blazers adding another 1st round pick to Suns.This way, the Kings have more exiting prospect to build around for the future and the Suns get their Center of the future.

So maybe something this will work.

Trade 1 (Suns/Blazers

Anfernee Simons + Donovan Clingan + Blazers 1st round pick this year + 2029 Best of the Blazers/Bucks/Celtics + Blazers 2030 and 2032 1st round picks for Devin Booker


Trade 2

Deandre Ayton + Robert Williams + Sheadon Sharpe + Blazers 2026 and 2028 1st round picks for Sabonis



Trade 3(Magic/Suns)
KCP + Wendell Carter Jr + Anthony Black + Magic 1st round pick this year(lets say the Magic lose both of their play -in games and get 11th pick in the draft) + Nuggets pick this year(let say that pick is the 25th pick) + for Anfernee Simons

Could make a good case that the Magic are overpaying for Simons if the pick is a lottery pick. The inclusion of Anthony Black would be for the Magic pay another team to take on KCP long term contract, while also getting Simons to significantly improve their offense.

Couple thoughts:

1st: Blazers can’t trade this year’s first and future firsts. If they miss the playoffs, they can trade the first, but are limited in future firsts they can trade because of owing the Bulls. In my OP, the scenario required making the playoffs and therefore the Bulls get the 2025 1st, and then those future 1sts are free to be traded.

2nd: As you pointed out, Sharpe has more value than Clingan. I agree with you there, and I think that actually makes it too much of an overpay for Sabonis. I think instead of Portland adding the 2032 (which I wouldn’t do for both value and messing up too much of the team’s future), one of those 1sts gets re-routed from the Kings to the Suns if the Kings are the ones getting Sharpe.

3rd: I think those trades over value both Booker and Simons. If Blazers could get Black, WCJ, and 2 1sts for Simons, Blazers would have already done that. That seems to value Simons at 3 1sts. And given that you have Booker landing 4 1sts, Clingan, and Simon, that is at minimum 8sts you have valued Booker at, who isn’t particularly on a bargain contract at 3 years $171M.

[Myth]

Just let Simons, Ayton and the others walk in free agency.

This is a plan I am on board with, but not something I think this team will actually do. Cronin has not seemed to follow anything that resembles addition by subtraction since Lillard was traded, even with the new CBA. He seems set on not letting skilled players go or tanking, rather he seems more interested in combining assets to add more win now players, which is what led me to this thread of saying “screw it, if we are moving into win now mode, then let’s try to fully go that direction.” Ideally we would have traded Grant and Simons last summer for anything that resembled assets, gave increased minutes and roles to youth, and tanked for Flagg. I predict years of mediocrity, and I’ll probably look back at this season for those years as the year we needed to chance tanking and failed to do so.

[Myth]

Something just occurred to me that I didn’t factor into my proposal: 2028 and 2030 Blazers have the right to swap 1sts with the Bucks, which should increase the value of those picks.

[Skybox]

Ishiba is very unlikely to trade Booker…KD will bring back something more complimentary not trigger a tear down, imo.

PHX would probably love Clingan & Grant for KD.

POR is looking good…but not ready for this, imo. Give Scoot, Avidja and Sharpe another year to grow. Get something from ORL for Simons while you can and see if there’s any takers for Time Lord & Ayton…or any development/chemistry with Ayton and Clingan twin towers.