2025 Off-Season Strategy - What will Cronin do?

[JRoy]

I love this offseason.

Simons…gone.
Ayton…gone.
Could Grant be next?

Grant would take a miracle without likely shelling out more assets than id like to

Admitting a mistake, learning from it and moving on is always a good idea.

[tester551]

Ayton signs with Lakers then Blazers trade Grant & Williams for a combination of Hachimura, Vincent, Kleber, Vanderbilt

Would fix a lot of problems for both teams

Your thoughts? Or rumors?

[PDXKnight]

I love this offseason.

Simons…gone.
Ayton…gone.
Could Grant be next?

Grant would take a miracle without likely shelling out more assets than id like to

Admitting a mistake, learning from it and moving on is always a good idea.

Agreed to an extent but depends on how much it costs us.

[Black and Blue]

Ayton wasn’t fitting the identity this Blazers team is shifting into - high-speed cerebral players that play good defense.

Better to get some money back, a roster slot, and take a major step towards focusing that identity.

This team has so many promising young players that it’s time to let them all shine. I’m good with Jrue if he can bring out the best in them all Mr Miyagi style.

[Butter]

Ayton is a free agent, he was bought out.

Wow, Cronin really sells LOW.

Either it's true that Ayton has no value, or Cronin really does let his players pick what they want without concern for ROI.

[PDXKnight]

Ayton is a free agent, he was bought out.

Wow, Cronin really sells LOW.

Either it's true that Ayton has no value, or Cronin really does let his players pick what they want without concern for ROI.

I mean as a player ayton has limited value. As an expiring id imagine he had some for sure

[Norm2953]

Let's hope Portland got good terms in the buyout

[Butter]

Ayton is a free agent, he was bought out.

Wow, Cronin really sells LOW.

Either it's true that Ayton has no value, or Cronin really does let his players pick what they want without concern for ROI.

I mean as a player ayton has limited value. As an expiring id imagine he had some for sure

Agreed, but for teams looking for cap relief, I thought he'd have SOME value to dump a big contract.

I bet that Ayton had a temper tantrum when they drafted another rookie center.

[Black and Blue]

Wow, Cronin really sells LOW.

Either it's true that Ayton has no value, or Cronin really does let his players pick what they want without concern for ROI.

I mean as a player ayton has limited value. As an expiring id imagine he had some for sure

Agreed, but for teams looking for cap relief, I thought he'd have SOME value to dump a big contract.

I bet that Ayton had a temper tantrum when they drafted another rookie center.

It is likely possible the only teams willing to absorb that deal for the one year were offering garbage in return.

The Blazers telegraphed the past two years they wanted a new look at center too which isn’t great for leverage.

I don’t blame Cronin for this as much as it’s just this new CBA. The ceilings are really low for almost everyone.

[Butter]

I mean as a player ayton has limited value. As an expiring id imagine he had some for sure

Agreed, but for teams looking for cap relief, I thought he'd have SOME value to dump a big contract.

I bet that Ayton had a temper tantrum when they drafted another rookie center.

It is likely possible the only teams willing to absorb that deal for the one year were offering garbage in return.

The Blazers telegraphed the past two years they wanted a new look at center too which isn’t great for leverage.

I don’t blame Cronin for this as much as it’s just this new CBA. The ceilings are really low for almost everyone.

Right, but let's call a spade a spade. The Blazers just potentially subsidized the Lakers center replacement. So the Lakers fill a major hole, don't give up any assets, and the Blazers are paying the bulk of the tab.

Inexcusable.

[Sinobas]

I hope Portland goes after Luke Kennard in FA, since the Knecht idea seems to be dead. The team needs shooting and Kennard is one of the best.

Then see if you can get anything for Thybulle. Though Thybulle is a pretty good backup and fits the defense strategy, the Blazers really need a shooter.

[The Sebastian Express]

Ayton wasn’t fitting the identity this Blazers team is shifting into - high-speed cerebral players that play good defense.

Better to get some money back, a roster slot, and take a major step towards focusing that identity.

This team has so many promising young players that it’s time to let them all shine. I’m good with Jrue if he can bring out the best in them all Mr Miyagi style.

This is 100% the right take imo.

I'm guessing if the Blazers and Lakers did talk, the Blazers didn't like what they had to take back on.

I'm okay with clearing out Ayton, making room for the young centers, and doing Ayton and his agent a solid by letting him choose where he gets to go now. Win-win-win all around, imo.

[Brandon-Clyde]

I wonder if the Blazers need more cap space for a trade? I wonder if there is a team that wants Jrue but Portland needs just a little bit more cap space to complete the deal?

[Sinobas]

Agreed, but for teams looking for cap relief, I thought he'd have SOME value to dump a big contract.

I bet that Ayton had a temper tantrum when they drafted another rookie center.

It is likely possible the only teams willing to absorb that deal for the one year were offering garbage in return.

The Blazers telegraphed the past two years they wanted a new look at center too which isn’t great for leverage.

I don’t blame Cronin for this as much as it’s just this new CBA. The ceilings are really low for almost everyone.

Right, but let's call a spade a spade. The Blazers just potentially subsidized the Lakers center replacement. So the Lakers fill a major hole, don't give up any assets, and the Blazers are paying the bulk of the tab.

Inexcusable.

There's a rumor that this is part of a bigger trade, where we agreed to buy out Ayton so another team can have him for the MLE, and in return, that team will take on Grant for expirings.

One can dream. It sorta makes sense for LA. We give you a center without you having go give anything or pay much, and in return you take in Jerami.

[Butter]

It is likely possible the only teams willing to absorb that deal for the one year were offering garbage in return.

The Blazers telegraphed the past two years they wanted a new look at center too which isn’t great for leverage.

I don’t blame Cronin for this as much as it’s just this new CBA. The ceilings are really low for almost everyone.

Right, but let's call a spade a spade. The Blazers just potentially subsidized the Lakers center replacement. So the Lakers fill a major hole, don't give up any assets, and the Blazers are paying the bulk of the tab.

Inexcusable.

There's a rumor that this is part of a bigger trade, where we agreed to buy out Ayton so another team can have him for the MLE, and in return, that team will take on Grant for expirings.

One can dream. It sorta makes sense for LA. We give you a center without you having go give anything or pay much, and in return you take in Jerami.

OH, please be true. If this is step one of a larger deal to move Grant, I take all my criticism about Cronin back.

[mighty_duck]

Seriously?
A starting center on an expiring contract has ZERO value to anyone, from now until the trade deadline?
With buyouts, you rarely save a lot of money. At best it'll be in the tax-payer MLE range of 5.7M. More likely it'll only be near the vet min range $2M.

I won't miss DA, but not getting value from our assets is not a good way to run a basketball team.

[DaVoiceMaster]

How much sense does Holiday make now? Is there another deal lined up for him? Letting Ayton go doesnt make a lot of sense either unless there is something else lined up.

I think Wuz posted he was wrong about Cronin cuz he didn't think he'd let him go. Is Wiz wrong a second time due to Ayton?

[Wizenheimer]

It is likely possible the only teams willing to absorb that deal for the one year were offering garbage in return.

The Blazers telegraphed the past two years they wanted a new look at center too which isn’t great for leverage.

I don’t blame Cronin for this as much as it’s just this new CBA. The ceilings are really low for almost everyone.

Right, but let's call a spade a spade. The Blazers just potentially subsidized the Lakers center replacement. So the Lakers fill a major hole, don't give up any assets, and the Blazers are paying the bulk of the tab.

Inexcusable.

There's a rumor that this is part of a bigger trade, where we agreed to buy out Ayton so another team can have him for the MLE, and in return, that team will take on Grant for expirings.

One can dream. It sorta makes sense for LA. We give you a center without you having go give anything or pay much, and in return you take in Jerami.

I think the league would come down hard on that kind of wink/not agreement

[Wizenheimer]

How much sense does Holiday make now? Is there another deal lined up for him? Letting Ayton go doesnt make a lot of sense either unless there is something else lined up.

I think Wuz posted he was wrong about Cronin cuz he didn't think he'd let him go. Is Wiz wrong a second time due to Ayton?

yeah....I was half convinced Cronin was going to re-sign those guys, especially Simons. Glad my hunch was wrong. My two least favorite Blazers gone in a week

I'll give Cronin some props for this, and now, I can look forward to watching the Blazers next season. I chose to miss a lot of games this year. Be different now

[cucad8]

I don't understand how waiving Ayton makes the team better.

Buyout will save some cap and if some team pays him the MLE I believe that also comes off our salary - please correct me if I am wrong on this

Whatever he signs for on his new deal, you take that $, minus the league minimum, and divide in half. So if he signs for 5, (5-1.2)/2, so we'd save an additional 1.9. On top of whatever he agreed to give up in his buyout.