Thoughts on this off-season plan

[Bigpoppapomp82]

Trade #1
Blazers In : #13 & #15
Hornets In : #7 (Duren or a SF)

Trade # 2
Blazers In : John Collins
Hawks In : TPE/Bledsoe (Whatever the Hawks prefer, #13, Keon & Winslow/Didi/GB3

Draft :
#15 : one of the following - Sochan / Eason / Williams

My thought process is that we need all the assets we can get and unless someone in the top 4 drops to us at 7 flip that to Charlotte, add Collins who is both an upgrade at the PF spot and closer to Ant’s timeline which works for both a rebuild and a retool.

My reasoning for Sochan, Eason, Williams is all 3 can come in and contribute on the defensive end immediately which fills a massive need for us.

Sochan and Eason both can guard 1-4 and some 5’s. We need some Swiss Army knife SF’s.

With this we both improve and still have either the TPE or Bledsoe left as a trade chip, MLE, BAE & we have 2 seconds which could maybe be packaged for a backup 5 or Vice versa a back up SF depending on who you snag at #15.

FA’s I’d love - Bamba, Boucher, SloMo, T. Bryant, Looney, Batum , LA

Lastly this prepares us for the chance Dame demands a trade and we don’t have to completely start over and have a solid you core to build off.

Starting 5:

Dame / Ant / (Sochan/Eason) / Collins/ Nurkic
Bwill / Hart / Nas / Batum / Bamba

I still think they should use Nurk and 2025 Bucks pick, renounce rights on the Bulls pick so we can add to the deal and go after a Myles Turner Type or draft 2 young guys that are ready to seriously contribute on the defensive end of the floor ( Eason / Sochan / Williams) which sets your front court for the foreseeable future. Also if you can find a taller , more defensive minded 2 that you can flip Ant for do it!

If Dame leaves you acquire a young prospect and hopefully 3 FRP’s , Trade Nurk for at least a 1st, Flip Hart for a 1st or a couple 2nd’s and you have yourself a treasure trove of picks to add to Ant, Nas, Collins, and whenever you draft at #15 to add to.

Can you tell what type of players I want to see this roster have?! Haha! BALANCE! Like the Detroit Championship teams Mr. Big Shot lead in the past!

[Norm2953]

That team wouldn't have the cherished 3/D player to play the Batum role for Portland.

I'd be skeptical Atlanta would deal Collins for a mid FRP. Likely they'd have to give up 7 to get Collins.

I do think its possible one of Ayton/OG could be gotten but I'd hate to give a max contract to a guy who
had problems with a good guy in Monte Williams in Phoenix. OG would really have to want out of Toronto
before Toronto would trade him.

[Case2012]

I mostly like this idea, but it depends on who is available at 7, if Murray is there you take him. If he isn’t I like the idea of trading down with Charlotte but not get Collins who I think is really overrated. I’m with you on Sochan and Eason though. I think it would be amazing to get 2 of Sochan, Eason or Daniels and hope they can be major contributors day one on the defensive end while letting the guards and Nurk get the majority of the buckets.

I keep forgetting TJ Warren is a FA because he’s been so injured but I think he would be a huge get for the second unit with Hart and could be attained for cheap with a team willing to risk a chance on his health.

A forward line up of Warren, Nas, Sochan, Daniels and Winslow would solve a lot of our problems and create a lot of flexibility with line ups.

Dame/Dunn/Daniels
Ant/Hart/Nas/Daniels
Warren/Daniels/Nas
Sochan/Winslow/Warren
Nurkic/Sochan/Eubanks

[Goldbum]

If that was our off season I would be happy. I also agree with the potential it opens for Dame/Nurkic deals.

[Goldbum]

Dame trade idea:

Alex Len
28 year old, 7-0, 250 lb C from Maryland
6.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.2 apg in 15.9 minutes in 2021-2022
Obi Toppin
24 year old, 6-9, 193 lb F from Dayton
9.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg in 17.1 minutes in 2021-2022
Cam Reddish
22 year old, 6-8, 218 lb G from Duke
10.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg in 20.7 minutes in 2021-2022
John Collins
24 year old, 6-9, 235 lb PF from Wake Forest
16.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.8 apg in 30.8 minutes in 2021-2022
Outgoing Players
Damian Lillard
31 year old, 6-2, 195 lb G from Weber State
24.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.3 apg in 36.4 minutes in 2021-2022
Sacramento Kings Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: -15.7 ppg, -9.0 rpg, and -0.6 apg.

#4 pick From Sacramento
1 future 1st and 2 future seconds from Sacramento.
Dame gets to go close to home and pair with Barnes/Sabonis/Mitchell ect

Fox goes to NY
Fournier and assets to Atlanta

[Bigpoppapomp82]

I mostly like this idea, but it depends on who is available at 7, if Murray is there you take him. If he isn’t I like the idea of trading down with Charlotte but not get Collins who I think is really overrated. I’m with you on Sochan and Eason though. I think it would be amazing to get 2 of Sochan, Eason or Daniels and hope they can be major contributors day one on the defensive end while letting the guards and Nurk get the majority of the buckets.

I keep forgetting TJ Warren is a FA because he’s been so injured but I think he would be a huge get for the second unit with Hart and could be attained for cheap with a team willing to risk a chance on his health.

A forward line up of Warren, Nas, Sochan, Daniels and Winslow would solve a lot of our problems and create a lot of flexibility with line ups.

Dame/Dunn/Daniels
Ant/Hart/Nas/Daniels
Warren/Daniels/Nas
Sochan/Winslow/Warren
Nurkic/Sochan/Eubanks

I’m still not sure about Daniels. A guy brought up on a podcast is he Killian Hayes in heels? Because Hayes was the belle of the Ball in his draft and he hasn’t done much. I agree Murray would be a good fit. TJ Warren if heathy is a beast. However that’s a big if.

[PDXKnight]

Og and Ayton aren't gonna be the piece that win us a title next to dame..

[Norm2953]

Og and Ayton aren't gonna be the piece that win us a title next to dame..

Indeed, you'd need Giannis or another top 5 player to get Dame a title in Portland. That player is not
going to be in Portland with Portland's current assets.

[Jsun947]

By definition there’s only 5 top 5 players in the league, and those guys don’t get traded. At best only one of those guys is going to win a championship too.

You can build a championship team around Dame without a top 5 player on the roster. Like virtually all championship teams your odds of winning it all are poor and you need luck along the way. Pretending otherwise is silly.

[Norm2953]

The only other way to build a championship level team without another top 5 is a team like the Celtics
who have a top 15-20 caliber players in Tatum, Brown a solid core of component parts that have been
playing together for 4-5 years.

I do wonder if that team would have beaten the Bucks if Middleton had stayed healthy but it takes years
of playing together which perhaps the reluctance of the team to break up Dame/CJ.

[JRoy]

I mostly like this idea, but it depends on who is available at 7, if Murray is there you take him. If he isn’t I like the idea of trading down with Charlotte but not get Collins who I think is really overrated. I’m with you on Sochan and Eason though. I think it would be amazing to get 2 of Sochan, Eason or Daniels and hope they can be major contributors day one on the defensive end while letting the guards and Nurk get the majority of the buckets.

I keep forgetting TJ Warren is a FA because he’s been so injured but I think he would be a huge get for the second unit with Hart and could be attained for cheap with a team willing to risk a chance on his health.

A forward line up of Warren, Nas, Sochan, Daniels and Winslow would solve a lot of our problems and create a lot of flexibility with line ups.

Dame/Dunn/Daniels
Ant/Hart/Nas/Daniels
Warren/Daniels/Nas
Sochan/Winslow/Warren
Nurkic/Sochan/Eubanks

I’m still not sure about Daniels. A guy brought up on a podcast is he Killian Hayes in heels? Because Hayes was the belle of the Ball in his draft and he hasn’t done much. I agree Murray would be a good fit. TJ Warren if heathy is a beast. However that’s a big if.

Killian Hayes in Heels (KHIH) lol.

[DaVoiceMaster]

13 & 15 for 7 seems a little low to me. #11 & #13 seems closer (I know that's not possible this year).

#15 & #20 got us #10 in 2017. They sure screwed the pooch on that one. I said it on draft night; they picked the wrong Collins.

Can Charlotte sweeten the pot a little?

[GEE]

These days leading up to the draft have me so nervous, but I love it. First off, kudos to both Norm & Jsun... I agree with the line of reason behind the last posts. I too think it will take a player as good, or better than Dame coming to Portland for us to win a title. That is why I'm not a fan of the non-needle moving trades discussed that involve trading very valuable assets like Simons(#1) & our #7.

The Blazers are at an obvious intersection, so far, not showing a direction. The team has made alot of cost cutting moves to get to where we are now; stocked with some good assets heading into the draft, and currently are at a stop. The organization can turn toward trying to make a title run with Dame, while deciding if Simons is, or isn't tradable in that process. If you believe in going for it all with Dame now, then Simons is without a doubt, our best asset if we can control his destination at all. Committing to Dame may change that decision of Simons' as well. No guarantee he will want to stay here. Would be a huge mistake to let Simons go anywhere IMO, which leads me to the turn in the opposite direction...

The Blazers could decide to accept a too good to be true offer for Dame, and use the assets acquired to largely complete a rebuild of this team. Unless you truly believe you can build a team of players that are better than the many that have already been placed around Dame... then you must at least consider turning the ship in the other direction. This outlook IMO, at least provides hope and a future we can get excited about, vs the rearranging of less than top talent NBA role players for Dame's sake, while expecting a different outcome from previous years. The fact that I have yet to see Dame look good in Chauncey's system is also a huge reason why I continue to state that "I have no idea which direction this team heads".

I stated an intersection instead of a crossroad very much on purpose, because IT has a third direction, which is NOT committing either of the above changes in direction, and rather just coast fairly straight ahead. Draft well, make some smallish moves and keep Dame. IMO, A new "Treadmill" of sorts.

[Goldbum]

How about Hart+Winslow+Watford and #36
For
John Collins
(Maybe Christain Wood)
Draft
Dyson Daniels #7
Dominic Barlow #57

[Norm2953]

Just don't try to do everything one off season. Add a player who will be a good player for Portland for
years to come.

Portland has a good player in the 22 year old Simons. He'll never be Dame but he seems to coachable for
he had a breakout season under new HC Billips. All those Nurk haters forget he played his best ball in
years with Simons, who regularly got him the ball where he could score. Billy Ray Bates used to say you've
got to keep the big men's happy in order to win.

It'd be interesting if Dame would accept playing the CJ role in Portland's offense next season. Let the
young Simons handle the ball and play Dame off to one side and get another shooter (preferably a PF
type who could shoot and help Nurk rebound and protect the basket. Dame might end up scoring a ton
of points if relieved of the primary ball handling role.

[Pattycakes]

How about Hart+Winslow+Watford and #36
For
John Collins
(Maybe Christain Wood)
Draft
Dyson Daniels #7
Dominic Barlow #57

I’d rather trade the pick and keep all three of those guys

[Dame Lizard]

How about Hart+Winslow+Watford and #36
For
John Collins
(Maybe Christain Wood)
Draft
Dyson Daniels #7
Dominic Barlow #57

There's no way Atlanta would do that deal.

John Collins would be a far better get than an expiring Jerami Grant though.

[PDXKnight]

Id love if we could somehow add collins without giving up any major pieces but i’m not sure 7 gets it done. Trade number 2 def doesn’t happen for atlanta id imagine

[GEE]

If the plan is to start both Dame and Simons, then we will get killed defensively, just like with CJ. Would also make Hart an undersized 3, if he is starting. And good freakin' luck try to convince Simons to ink a new deal to play 6th man cause he's way too good not to start... Just like CJ was. I think we are fooling ourselves to think this isn't the very definition of insanity at play, cause I can't honestly envision the pairing ever working.

A full commit to rebuilding around Dame or Simons, would be my proverbial Left or Right turn. But like I said before, I expect the franchise to do neither and instead coast. Very tough decision to make for sure, but I hope they can thread that needle cause I really don't want to see a New Treadmill.

[BlazersBroncos]

Well we are going to resign Simons and not trade a gimpy Dame coming off his worst season so prepare for that.

But Hart not starting means little. We can use other pieces to improve the Forward rotation and move Hart to backup SG while allowing him 30mpg there as long as we assume Ant gets all the PG backup minutes.