2025 Off-Season Strategy - What will Cronin do?

Case2012 · Post #961 » by **Case2012** » Wed Jun 18, 2025 8:48 pm

Not sure why but there's something in the ether about RJ Barrett. I'm not super familiar with his game, his counting stats look pretty good, I was shocked by his Duke numbers. Advanced not so much. 6'6 6'10 WS, clutch guy, seem like exactly the type of player we'd go after and he's got that alpha quality we've been looking for, but does he start over Toumani? His defense is not great I'm guessing, hence his boot from NYK.

What would the price be? Simons and 11? Is he just Simons at the SF?

I would rather just draft someone at 11 that could be as good or better on a rookie deal, but thought i would mention it since it was brought up on social media and 1080.

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Sinobas · Post #962 » by **Sinobas** » Wed Jun 18, 2025 10:12 pm

The only thing I can guess is RJ for Simons straight up. They are a similar tier player, with Simons being better offensively (and as a passer), and Barrett being an average rather than poor defender.

It would be a pretty "meh" trade. Basically punting the Anfernee Simons situation. At least he'd have legit SG size and would allow Scoot to be "the man" at PG.

PDXKnight · Post #963 » by **PDXKnight** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 12:48 am

Case2012 wrote:Not sure why but there's something in the ether about RJ Barrett. I'm not super familiar with his game, his counting stats look pretty good, I was shocked by his Duke numbers. Advanced not so much. 6'6 6'10 WS, clutch guy, seem like exactly the type of player we'd go after and he's got that alpha quality we've been looking for, but does he start over Toumani? His defense is not great I'm guessing, hence his boot from NYK.

What would the price be? Simons and 11? Is he just Simons at the SF?

I would rather just draft someone at 11 that could be as good or better on a rookie deal, but thought i would mention it since it was brought up on social media and 1080.

Watch on YouTube
;ab_channel=GameTheoryPodcastw%2FSamVecenie

Yeah you only do this if you think hes a number 1. I dont love it and would much rather get out of the money letting Ant expire or pursue something else

BlazersBroncos · Post #964 » by **BlazersBroncos** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 1:11 am

RJ stinks.

DusterBuster · Post #965 » by **DusterBuster** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 1:16 am

BlazersBroncos wrote:RJ stinks.

Yeah, I'm not much of a RJ fan either. Reminds me a lot of LaVine honestly. He'll put up numbers, but wins...?

Norm2953 · Post #966 » by **Norm2953** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 1:57 am

Trading Simons for RJ would be adding another year for more or less a similar player

Sinobas · Post #967 » by **Sinobas** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:28 am

Norm2953 wrote:Trading Simons for RJ would be adding another year for more or less a similar player

RJ isn't really an upgrade over Sharpe, but would cast a shadow over his development like Simons does with Scoot.

I think I might still do it though, because we replace a poor with an average defender, and RJ can play SF. If it doesn't work out, he's only got 1 more year left.

Beats extending Simons.

Post #968 » by **DaVoiceMaster** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:37 am

He's annoying.

Chanse503 · Post #969 » by **Chanse503** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:42 am

DusterBuster · Post #970 » by **DusterBuster** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 3:16 am

Chanse503 wrote:

No chance the Grizzlies do that. They aren't tearing down the team.

Norm2953 · Post #971 » by **Norm2953** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 4:07 am

Portland can't trade a FRP until draft position is set thanks to the pick obligation to the Bulls

BlazersBroncos · Post #972 » by **BlazersBroncos** » Thu Jun 19, 2025 4:15 am

More than half the teams in the league would beat that deal easily.

PDXKnight · Post #973 » by **PDXKnight** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 2:26 pm

Sinobas wrote:
Norm2953 wrote:Trading Simons for RJ would be adding another year for more or less a similar player

RJ isn't really an upgrade over Sharpe, but would cast a shadow over his development like Simons does with Scoot.

I think I might still do it though, because we replace a poor with an average defender, and RJ can play SF. If it doesn't work out, he's only got 1 more year left.

Beats extending Simons.

Sure it does beat extending simons but what about vs letting simons walk or adding some pick(s) for simons if there's any market for him?

Barrett is what he is, is doubt theres a huge market for him and im pretty sure Toronto would be fine getting out from his contract

Case2012 · Post #974 » by **Case2012** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 4:47 pm

RJ is a 3, plays defense and can get hot for 30-40 point games. He's only 25. I watched a lot of footage of him and he'd be pretty nice from what i saw.

He's kind of that alpha we've been looking for...

What's the hate on him for? Does anyone have any real reasons or is it a case realgm group think? That happens a lot around here, then those players go on to win rings, or get to finals. It's like people just look at advanced stats and forget to actually watch the people play basketball. It makes me think that the people who make those kinds of insights never played in their lives, high key. I'm not referring to Barrett but just in general.

So Barrett isn't a good shooter, but he is known as a hard worker, he's not a bad locker-room guy, he's got the body, he's young, he rebounds and passes.

What's the hate for? Is it just empty stats? He kind of reminds me of Jabari Parker, except without the injuries and actually improved.

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Like, I'm not sure why they would trade him, but if you could get him for a Deni type deal?... Yeah go for it.

cucad8 · Post #975 » by **cucad8** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 4:56 pm

Case2012 wrote:
Spoiler:
RJ is a 3, plays defense and can get hot for 30-40 point games. He's only 25. I watched a lot of footage of him and he'd be pretty nice from what i saw.

He's kind of that alpha we've been looking for...

What's the hate on him for? Does anyone have any real reasons or is it a case realgm group think? That happens a lot around here, then those players go on to win rings, or get to finals. It's like people just look at advanced stats and forget to actually watch the people play basketball. It makes me think that the people who make those kinds of insights never played in their lives, high key. I'm not referring to Barrett but just in general.

So Barrett isn't a good shooter, but he is known as a hard worker, he's not a bad locker-room guy, he's got the body, he's young, he rebounds and passes.

What's the hate for? Is it just empty stats? He kind of reminds me of Jabari Parker, except without the injuries and actually improved.

Watch on YouTube
;ab_channel=NBA

Watch on YouTube
;ab_channel=NBA

Watch on YouTube
;ab_channel=ZHHighlights

Like, I'm not sure why they would trade him, but if you could get him for a Deni type deal?... Yeah go for it.

I'm mildly interested in him. I admittedly don't watch him much, so I think a lot of opinion of him comes from many Toronto posters who have watched him over the last 2 years, and seem to think he is an empty stats player that gets his but doesn't push the team forward while doing it. How much of that is true, and how much is just general frustration with losing is tough to say. Like you said, plenty of those guys go on to win rings, and look better in better situations.

Case2012 · Post #976 » by **Case2012** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:11 pm

I think NY has the most critical fam base in the league, and they wanted him to be someone he wasn't, especially under Thibs. He wanted him to be a 3/d guy and he clearly needs the ball the way Deni does. His stats massively improved the same season he got traded. Go look at his efficiency after the trade, and his numbers this last season were a lot better the first half of the season before they started tanking.

If we got him from Toronto, it would be the Deni trade all over again. They like a big rangy wing type, he fits the bill. I'm gonna go out on a limb and bet they might make a move for him.

I would still prefer to build through the draft but I wouldn't mind getting him if it was like him for Simons straight up or maybe a future first and RW and Thybulle?

Norm2953 · Post #977 » by **Norm2953** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:15 pm

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45545025/nba-draft-2025-five-trades-shake-first-round

Anyone see this ESPN article with 5 proposed trades?

Brooklyn Nets get: No. 11 pick (via Portland), 2031 unprotected first (via Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Lakers get: No. 8 pick (via Brooklyn), No. 36 pick (via Brooklyn)
Portland Trail Blazers get: G Dalton Knecht, 2027 top-4 protected first (via New York)

Portland's getting robbed again for the Knicks top 4 protected pick will likely be in the 20's which
means Portland traded their late lottery pick for Knecht + 2027 pick that will be in the 20's while
while the Lakers get their center of the future (Maluach)

BlazersBroncos · Post #978 » by **BlazersBroncos** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:24 pm

RJ is simply not a winning player. He puts up decent raw stats but nothing he does has ever translated to winning basketball.

Career
WS48 0.50
OBPM -0.6
DBPM -1.2
ORtg 105
DRtg 115
USG 26%
Per 100 Poss OnCourt -2.3
Per 100 Poss On/Off -4.2
EFg .49%

He is fools gold. Not great at anything, requires high usage per his style of play, quite slow as well. Stay away.

Case2012 · Post #979 » by **Case2012** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:27 pm

Norm2953 wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45545025/nba-draft-2025-five-trades-shake-first-round

Anyone see this ESPN article with 5 proposed trades?

Brooklyn Nets get: No. 11 pick (via Portland), 2031 unprotected first (via Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Lakers get: No. 8 pick (via Brooklyn), No. 36 pick (via Brooklyn)
Portland Trail Blazers get: G Dalton Knecht, 2027 top-4 protected first (via New York)

Portland's getting robbed again for the Knicks top 4 protected pick will likely be in the 20's which
means Portland traded their late lottery pick for Knecht + 2027 pick that will be in the 20's while
while the Lakers get their center of the future (Maluach)

That makes no sense for us. That's just using us to help the Lakers. Brk can get the NY pick, that lakers pick would need to come to us, that's pretty obvious. Moving down 3 spots for an unprotected Lakers first is wayyyy too good for Brk, meanwhile we move from 11 to the late 20's for 25 year old Knecht? I like him, don't get me wrong, but I'm not giving up 11 for him when we could get a player just as good or better and a lot younger.

Espn using small markets to help the big markets, classic.

DusterBuster · Post #980 » by **DusterBuster** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:28 pm

Norm2953 wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45545025/nba-draft-2025-five-trades-shake-first-round

Anyone see this ESPN article with 5 proposed trades?

Brooklyn Nets get: No. 11 pick (via Portland), 2031 unprotected first (via Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Lakers get: No. 8 pick (via Brooklyn), No. 36 pick (via Brooklyn)
Portland Trail Blazers get: G Dalton Knecht, 2027 top-4 protected first (via New York)

Portland's getting robbed again for the Knicks top 4 protected pick will likely be in the 20's which
means Portland traded their late lottery pick for Knecht + 2027 pick that will be in the 20's while
while the Lakers get their center of the future (Maluach)

God ESPN is going down the ****.