Blazers to Buyout Deandre Ayton!

[cucad8]

It doesn't have to be all or nothing on veterans and super young guys. The thought that everyone on a team needs to be the same age gets thrown around so much on RealGM.
From what I can see, the team wants to focus on defense, improved pace, and sharing the ball more. You can be 35 and help with that, you can be 21 and help with that. But it's setting an identity for the team to build on. Moving off of Ayton and Simons achieves those goals. Adding Jrue works towards those goals. The direction is for the team to continue to improve, and create that identity. Jrue helps with the direction more than those two who are now gone. Feels pretty simple to me, but what do I know.

[dckingsfan]

Doing literally nothing with an asset. Not even trying. Nurkic got moved. You can’t tell me you couldn’t move DA. This was NBA agents controlling the Blazers roster vs the GM doing his due diligence… that’s what’s the matter.

I’ve given Cronin a lot of rope this summer, but it’s very clear now he’s just in the league to do Klutch’s bidding, not what’s best for the Blazers because Joe has no spine or he’s just a puppet collecting a paycheck.

The reality is it was a bad signing and no team wanted DA. Waiving him is the best for the team and DA.

For the team, it moves Clingan to the starter - he was better last year that DA - full stop. Now there won't be the distraction in the locker room. It also allows Reath to move to the backup (although he isn't a good defensive C) and will present an opportunity for trade or just expire. That also gives Yang a year to develop as the backup. RWIII is just an expiring. This gives clarity to the team on the direction...

You will see a starting lineup of Clingan, Deni, Camara and Grant along with Holiday. That is a defensive minded group. And Sharpe and Thybulle can get their minutes in this rotation. The question is can that starting lineup get you into the playoffs? Will a non rim protector (Reath) be enough as a backup while Yang develops?

The cap space is tertiary.

For DA, he can move to a team as the backup or to a team that is woeful at the C position.

I much prefer jrue-sharpe-deni-camara-clingan personally. Holding out hope we dump Grant to la

I do think clingan at center can get us to the playoffs if he stays healthy. But if he goes down it gets thin pretty quick as rob won't last more than 30 games and duop isnt a world beater. Yang will begin 3rd or 4th in the rotation id imagine with a chance to move up as the season progresses.

I am actually hoping they hold onto Grant one more season. Why? I am hoping he has a bounce back year and is more of a positive asset at the trade deadline or next year in the off-season.

I also think he will be fine (if he wants to be here) in this current rotation.

[dckingsfan]

It doesn't have to be all or nothing on veterans and super young guys. The thought that everyone on a team needs to be the same age gets thrown around so much on RealGM.

From what I can see, the team wants to focus on defense, improved pace, and sharing the ball more. You can be 35 and help with that, you can be 21 and help with that. But it's setting an identity for the team to build on. Moving off of Ayton and Simons achieves those goals. Adding Jrue works towards those goals. The direction is for the team to continue to improve, and create that identity. Jrue helps with the direction more than those two who are now gone. Feels pretty simple to me, but what do I know.

This. And Sharpe gets one more chance to get into that mold or you move on from him as well.

[grigs]

Blazer Banter pod very confident in this Grant rumor.

Do you have a link you could share to the pod?

Watch on YouTube

It’s like midway through.

Ah that explains it. That's Eric Brandt (@hoopsjock), not Eric Garcia-Gunderson (@blazersbanter). I’m still subscribed to the Blazer Banter podcast, but there hasn't been a new episode in years.

Is Eric Brandt known to be someone with sources in the league?

[DusterBuster]

Do you have a link you could share to the pod?

Watch on YouTube

It’s like midway through.

Ah that explains it. That's Eric Brandt (@hoopsjock), not Eric Garcia-Gunderson (@blazersbanter). I’m still subscribed to the Blazer Banter podcast, but there hasn't been a new episode in years.

Is Eric Brandt known to be someone with sources in the league?

Yeah sorry, that was my bad, I got Banter confused here.

Not sure on Brandt’s sources. Marang said today he’s heard from team sources on the buyout and how much the Blazers saved, “unofficially” he’s heard DA gave back enough to open up the full MLE for Portland this offseason. He also has heard they will not resign Banton, so Portland should only have 13 players on the roster and can do a solidly unbalanced trade of 1 for 3 … which would align with a possible Grant to LAL deal… hopefully… fml

[Sinobas]

If Cronin pulls this off, it'll be a genius level move, though undoing a mistake that he made in the first place.

I was so dreading going back into next season and seeing the Blazers trot out a starting lineup (again) that included Ayton/Grant/Simons. It's time to move on to the next generation. All 3 have inconsistent motors and play a bit soft. This years team will be more entertaining even if they are just a .500 team.

[BlazersBroncos]

I cant get my hopes up that we move Grant. I am not convinced LBJ has so much pull that they are willing to take on the big money Grant has on the books for summer 2026. They have a chance to make a move next summer using cap space to get Luka his long term partner.

Honestly, I think they trade LBJ before they mortgage the future and ruin any chance Luka has on playing with a competent team.

I do think we add someone and let Banton + Walker leave. I expect a vet who wont demand many minutes. Gary Harris type.

Even Kennard would have issues getting minutes here. Ya, there are injuries. But I doubt he signs with a team that can play Holiday, Sharpe, Camara and Thybulle at SG over him.

[cucad8]

Read on Twitter

Down to 25.6 on Ayton, with his offset still to come. i like that.

I'm sure our experts here hate Cronin for it, because they could have gotten him to take 15 instead of 10

[DusterBuster]

Read on Twitter

This parts good?

[Black and Blue]

I cant get my hopes up that we move Grant. I am not convinced LBJ has so much pull that they are willing to take on the big money Grant has on the books for summer 2026. They have a chance to make a move next summer using cap space to get Luka his long term partner.

Honestly, I think they trade LBJ before they mortgage the future and ruin any chance Luka has on playing with a competent team.

I do think we add someone and let Banton + Walker leave. I expect a vet who wont demand many minutes. Gary Harris type.

Even Kennard would have issues getting minutes here. Ya, there are injuries. But I doubt he signs with a team that can play Holiday, Sharpe, Camara and Thybulle at SG over him.

Trust me, Gary Harris is the photo when you look up “washed” in the dictionary. He may be done in the NBA altogether.

[Butter]

Read on Twitter

Down to 25.6 on Ayton, with his offset still to come. i like that.

I'm sure our experts here hate Cronin for it, because they could have gotten him to take 15 instead of 10

You beat me to it

NBA writer Jake Fischer is citing sources saying that the amount was $10 million, a hefty 28% bargain for the Trail Blazers.

Sources: Deandre Ayton’s contract buyout with Portland forfeited $10 million of his $35.6 million 2025-26 salary.

[Norm2953]

Love this! Getting some cap relief now with the rest next summer

[DusterBuster]

This is a NBA CBA reality I don't understand. I'm ok saying that. Seeing players give up that much to be bought out and resign elsewhere is unlike any NBA I recognize. Not mad about it, but it's weird. I suppose they'll make it up on the new deal...? Curious to see what Jordan Clarkson gets and if he gave back $$$ in buyout.

[Wizenheimer]

with a 10 million buyout, if Ayton signs for the full MLE, Portland's cap would drop by nearly 16M

last time I checked, the Blazers were around 8M below the tax line after accounting for Jrue and Yang. I'm not certain bout that number but I think it's close

anyway, the Blazers are looking at being 20-25M below the tax line. Been many years since they've had that kind of margin

Jrue Holiday
Jerami Grant
Deni Avdija
Robert Williams
Matisse Thybulle
Scoot Henderson
Donovan Clingan
Shaedon Sharpe
Kris Murray
Duop Reath
Toumani Camara
Rayan Rupert
Hansen Yang

that's 13 players...am I missing anybody?

[Shem]

I'm not entirely convinced there is a logjam at center.

The people that were saying that don't really follow the team very closely. They just saw 4 other centers listed on the roster on draft day and based their opinions on that.

Reath is simply there as a last string center should they need him. RW3 never stays healthy so I don't even count on him.

Yep!

I have a hard time believing Yang is ready for playing time.

Billups thinks he is. His footwork for his age is amazing.

I think there was a place for Ayton. Having said that, I'm not sad he's gone. I am surprised they bought him out rsther than trade him or wait for his contract to expire.

From what I heard, the only offers they could get for his expiring contract was another bad contract. So cutting ties so that it opens the door for minutes for the youngsters made more sense.

I’ve never been more convinced you work for the Blazers. I’ve yet to see you say anything even remotely critical of the team.

Read all my posts then.

Yang's footwork is amazing for someone at the age of 18 in the year 2025. If this was 1985, I wouldn't have bat an eyelash about his footwork because having good footwork was very common among NBA centers and PF's back then. The only NBA big men who have good footwork these days are foreign players which Yang is. American big men's footwork sucks... at least compared to what we use to have back when I was growing up.

I remember being coached as a big man since I'm nearly 6'8" and have a 7'0" wingspan to for example never put the ball down by your waist after getting a rebound because a little guard will likely swipe at it and strip the ball away. When I was growing up, big men did a better job keeping the ball up. That's not the case anymore and time-and-time again you see big men get a rebound, bring the ball down and get it striped whereas if they had kept the ball up, that wouldn't have happened. And it's because in America we're not teaching that anymore.

Yang's overall fundamentals look like he's from the 80's and 90's and that's a good thing. I'm really impressed to see a teenager have that type of fundamentals. And it's not just that, it's how natural he makes it look. It's like watching a mature late 20's classic 1980's center. It's a lost art.

[DusterBuster]

with a 10 million buyout, if Ayton signs for the full MLE, Portland's cap would drop by nearly 16M

last time I checked, the Blazers were around 8M below the tax line after accounting for Jrue and Yang. I'm not certain bout that number but I think it's close

anyway, the Blazers are looking at being 20-25M below the tax line. Been many years since they've had that kind of margin

Jrue Holiday
Jerami Grant
Deni Avdija
Robert Williams
Matisse Thybulle
Scoot Henderson
Donovan Clingan
Shaedon Sharpe
Kris Murray
Duop Reath
Toumani Camara
Rayan Rupert
Hansen Yang

that's 13 players...am I missing anybody?

The radio I've been listening to has been confirming this. 13 players and the cap space is confirmed. With Grant, if they have any chance of moving him, it very likely will require 1 for 3, so this is likely something they should keep open.

[Shem]

with a 10 million buyout, if Ayton signs for the full MLE, Portland's cap would drop by nearly 16M

last time I checked, the Blazers were around 8M below the tax line after accounting for Jrue and Yang. I'm not certain bout that number but I think it's close

anyway, the Blazers are looking at being 20-25M below the tax line. Been many years since they've had that kind of margin

Jrue Holiday
Jerami Grant
Deni Avdija
Robert Williams
Matisse Thybulle
Scoot Henderson
Donovan Clingan
Shaedon Sharpe
Kris Murray
Duop Reath
Toumani Camara
Rayan Rupert
Hansen Yang

that's 13 players...am I missing anybody?

Yep, we're at 13 players currently.

[DusterBuster]

DFS just signed with Houston. Lakers now in need of a PF who can shoot and defend...

JERAMI GRANT... COME ON DOWN!

[DusterBuster]

Calling it now, Grant and one of Reath, Rupert or Murray is going to the Lakers for Vanderbilt (Blazers previously had interest in the Cronin era), Vincent, Kleber and Knecht. Maybe picks involved, but could honestly be going either way, not sure.

Ends up being a 3 for 4 deal when they sign DA for the Lakers, Blazers have the open roster spots.

[twame brown]

How does Jake LaRaiva to the Lakers impact things?