NBA Off-Season News

[celticsclay]

I feel like you'd have to expand the trade to include white and get back more players

Boston - Lillard, Little, K. Johnson, Hyland
LAC - Brogdon
Portland - White, Rob, Pritchard, Morris, Coffey, 28 LAC (lotto), 24 Bos, 24 GS, 26 Bos, 28 Bos

Seems like the best I could come up with.  Not sure why that would be better for the Blazers than a Herro centered trade from the Heat

You're trading White in the apparent hope that Keon Johnson is actually an NBA player and Bones Hyland is something more than a low-impact malcontent.  Why?  Out of salary cap concerns?  Because I can't think of an actual basketball reason. 

I don't believe that cleaning out our depth for Lillard is a positive move in the first place, but additionally trading a good guard for two bad ones is just self-destructive.  Lillard can't play all 48.  With Hyland and Keon behind him, he'd burn out by mid-January.  Hell, he might do that anyway.

Little, Johnson, and Hyland for White

My point stands.  Keon Johnson and Nassir Little are below replacement-level.  Bones is low-impact and comes with baggage.  How is trading a good player for three bad ones a positive move for the team? 

I can make a strong argument that Sam Hauser is the best bench player on the roster you've constructed.

I don't think Portland would do the trade anyway that was an illustration as to why Boston just doesn't make sense as a trade partner once Brown was extended.

But I'd absolutely consider that sort of trade if it was available.  As Lillard, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, Horford is the best starting 5 in the league and if they were healthy come playoff time they could easily do what Denver just did and win the title with a thin bench. I'd feel ok enough with Hyland, Little, Hauser, Brisset, Svi, and Kornet as the main bench with flyers on Johnson, Davison, and Walsh as long as the starters were healthy come playoff time.  We'd have a solid 3 year window to win as well as I don't think it would be a 1 and done type situation.

What I don't understand is that if that is the best starting 5 in the league, what is White, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, and Horford?  Not that Dame isn't on a different level than White, but the five with White might also be the best starting lineup in the league.  And it could be with Rob instead Horford, leaving Al, Brogdon, and PP on the bench.

Yeah, I'll go with that trade makes us worse.

Lillard is significantly better than White and he is one of the best closers in the league.

While that is true, given the scoring prowess we already have in Tatum, JB, and Zinger, I'd much rather have White, Brogdon, and the remaining pieces than Lillard. I think White's defense plus the depth and other resources are more valuable than Lillard given what we already have. You don't need another high scoring guard when we have a 30 point scorer, 27 point scorer, and 20+ point scorer already; what you need is more high-level role players and defenders and quality depth.

High level talent is always the most important thing you need to win and I'd rather elevate the 2nd best player to Lillard pushing Brown to 3rd and Zinger to 4th.  Boston would likely have the best 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best player against every team they played and it is really hard to lose a playoff series when that is the case even if you don't have the best player on the floor.  The depth is a thin, but again that is what Denver just went through with an 8 man playoff rotation.

Outside of jokic or maybe Giannis it isn’t clear what team would make a comfortable claim they have the best player against the Celtics. Embid certainly can’t make that claim with his second round history. Doncic needs to get back to the playoffs first. Not really too many other players and definitely nobody I can think of in the east.

[Goldstar88]

I feel like you'd have to expand the trade to include white and get back more players

Boston - Lillard, Little, K. Johnson, Hyland
LAC - Brogdon
Portland - White, Rob, Pritchard, Morris, Coffey, 28 LAC (lotto), 24 Bos, 24 GS, 26 Bos, 28 Bos

Seems like the best I could come up with.  Not sure why that would be better for the Blazers than a Herro centered trade from the Heat

You're trading White in the apparent hope that Keon Johnson is actually an NBA player and Bones Hyland is something more than a low-impact malcontent.  Why?  Out of salary cap concerns?  Because I can't think of an actual basketball reason. 

I don't believe that cleaning out our depth for Lillard is a positive move in the first place, but additionally trading a good guard for two bad ones is just self-destructive.  Lillard can't play all 48.  With Hyland and Keon behind him, he'd burn out by mid-January.  Hell, he might do that anyway.

Little, Johnson, and Hyland for White

My point stands.  Keon Johnson and Nassir Little are below replacement-level.  Bones is low-impact and comes with baggage.  How is trading a good player for three bad ones a positive move for the team? 

I can make a strong argument that Sam Hauser is the best bench player on the roster you've constructed.

I don't think Portland would do the trade anyway that was an illustration as to why Boston just doesn't make sense as a trade partner once Brown was extended.

But I'd absolutely consider that sort of trade if it was available.  As Lillard, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, Horford is the best starting 5 in the league and if they were healthy come playoff time they could easily do what Denver just did and win the title with a thin bench. I'd feel ok enough with Hyland, Little, Hauser, Brisset, Svi, and Kornet as the main bench with flyers on Johnson, Davison, and Walsh as long as the starters were healthy come playoff time.  We'd have a solid 3 year window to win as well as I don't think it would be a 1 and done type situation.

What I don't understand is that if that is the best starting 5 in the league, what is White, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, and Horford?  Not that Dame isn't on a different level than White, but the five with White might also be the best starting lineup in the league.  And it could be with Rob instead Horford, leaving Al, Brogdon, and PP on the bench.

Yeah, I'll go with that trade makes us worse.

Lillard is significantly better than White and he is one of the best closers in the league.

While that is true, given the scoring prowess we already have in Tatum, JB, and Zinger, I'd much rather have White, Brogdon, and the remaining pieces than Lillard. I think White's defense plus the depth and other resources are more valuable than Lillard given what we already have. You don't need another high scoring guard when we have a 30 point scorer, 27 point scorer, and 20+ point scorer already; what you need is more high-level role players and defenders and quality depth.

High level talent is always the most important thing you need to win and I'd rather elevate the 2nd best player to Lillard pushing Brown to 3rd and Zinger to 4th.  Boston would likely have the best 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best player against every team they played and it is really hard to lose a playoff series when that is the case even if you don't have the best player on the floor.  The depth is a thin, but again that is what Denver just went through with an 8 man playoff rotation.

How often does playoff success come down to health? Lillard is 33. He played in 58 games last season and 29 the year before. You really want to bet on him being healthy come playoff time? I think Boston’s chances are better with Derek White and depth. The C’s already have enough firepower with Tatum, Brown, Porzingis and there is only one basketball to go around. Lillard is also not good defensively.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I feel like you'd have to expand the trade to include white and get back more players

Boston - Lillard, Little, K. Johnson, Hyland
LAC - Brogdon
Portland - White, Rob, Pritchard, Morris, Coffey, 28 LAC (lotto), 24 Bos, 24 GS, 26 Bos, 28 Bos

Seems like the best I could come up with.  Not sure why that would be better for the Blazers than a Herro centered trade from the Heat

You're trading White in the apparent hope that Keon Johnson is actually an NBA player and Bones Hyland is something more than a low-impact malcontent.  Why?  Out of salary cap concerns?  Because I can't think of an actual basketball reason. 

I don't believe that cleaning out our depth for Lillard is a positive move in the first place, but additionally trading a good guard for two bad ones is just self-destructive.  Lillard can't play all 48.  With Hyland and Keon behind him, he'd burn out by mid-January.  Hell, he might do that anyway.

Little, Johnson, and Hyland for White

My point stands.  Keon Johnson and Nassir Little are below replacement-level.  Bones is low-impact and comes with baggage.  How is trading a good player for three bad ones a positive move for the team? 

I can make a strong argument that Sam Hauser is the best bench player on the roster you've constructed.

I don't think Portland would do the trade anyway that was an illustration as to why Boston just doesn't make sense as a trade partner once Brown was extended.

But I'd absolutely consider that sort of trade if it was available.  As Lillard, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, Horford is the best starting 5 in the league and if they were healthy come playoff time they could easily do what Denver just did and win the title with a thin bench. I'd feel ok enough with Hyland, Little, Hauser, Brisset, Svi, and Kornet as the main bench with flyers on Johnson, Davison, and Walsh as long as the starters were healthy come playoff time.  We'd have a solid 3 year window to win as well as I don't think it would be a 1 and done type situation.

What I don't understand is that if that is the best starting 5 in the league, what is White, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, and Horford?  Not that Dame isn't on a different level than White, but the five with White might also be the best starting lineup in the league.  And it could be with Rob instead Horford, leaving Al, Brogdon, and PP on the bench.

Yeah, I'll go with that trade makes us worse.

Lillard is significantly better than White and he is one of the best closers in the league.

While that is true, given the scoring prowess we already have in Tatum, JB, and Zinger, I'd much rather have White, Brogdon, and the remaining pieces than Lillard. I think White's defense plus the depth and other resources are more valuable than Lillard given what we already have. You don't need another high scoring guard when we have a 30 point scorer, 27 point scorer, and 20+ point scorer already; what you need is more high-level role players and defenders and quality depth.

High level talent is always the most important thing you need to win and I'd rather elevate the 2nd best player to Lillard pushing Brown to 3rd and Zinger to 4th.  Boston would likely have the best 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best player against every team they played and it is really hard to lose a playoff series when that is the case even if you don't have the best player on the floor.  The depth is a thin, but again that is what Denver just went through with an 8 man playoff rotation.

How often does playoff success come down to health? Lillard is 33. He played in 58 games last season and 29 the year before. You really want to bet on him being healthy come playoff time? I think Boston’s chances are better with Derek White and depth. The C’s already have enough firepower with Tatum, Brown, Porzingis and there is only one basketball to go around. Lillard is also not good defensively.

So you're saying that Lillard would fit right in with this team?

[Moranis]

I feel like you'd have to expand the trade to include white and get back more players

Boston - Lillard, Little, K. Johnson, Hyland
LAC - Brogdon
Portland - White, Rob, Pritchard, Morris, Coffey, 28 LAC (lotto), 24 Bos, 24 GS, 26 Bos, 28 Bos

Seems like the best I could come up with.  Not sure why that would be better for the Blazers than a Herro centered trade from the Heat

You're trading White in the apparent hope that Keon Johnson is actually an NBA player and Bones Hyland is something more than a low-impact malcontent.  Why?  Out of salary cap concerns?  Because I can't think of an actual basketball reason. 

I don't believe that cleaning out our depth for Lillard is a positive move in the first place, but additionally trading a good guard for two bad ones is just self-destructive.  Lillard can't play all 48.  With Hyland and Keon behind him, he'd burn out by mid-January.  Hell, he might do that anyway.

Little, Johnson, and Hyland for White

My point stands.  Keon Johnson and Nassir Little are below replacement-level.  Bones is low-impact and comes with baggage.  How is trading a good player for three bad ones a positive move for the team? 

I can make a strong argument that Sam Hauser is the best bench player on the roster you've constructed.

I don't think Portland would do the trade anyway that was an illustration as to why Boston just doesn't make sense as a trade partner once Brown was extended.

But I'd absolutely consider that sort of trade if it was available.  As Lillard, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, Horford is the best starting 5 in the league and if they were healthy come playoff time they could easily do what Denver just did and win the title with a thin bench. I'd feel ok enough with Hyland, Little, Hauser, Brisset, Svi, and Kornet as the main bench with flyers on Johnson, Davison, and Walsh as long as the starters were healthy come playoff time.  We'd have a solid 3 year window to win as well as I don't think it would be a 1 and done type situation.

What I don't understand is that if that is the best starting 5 in the league, what is White, Brown, Tatum, Zinger, and Horford?  Not that Dame isn't on a different level than White, but the five with White might also be the best starting lineup in the league.  And it could be with Rob instead Horford, leaving Al, Brogdon, and PP on the bench.

Yeah, I'll go with that trade makes us worse.

Lillard is significantly better than White and he is one of the best closers in the league.

While that is true, given the scoring prowess we already have in Tatum, JB, and Zinger, I'd much rather have White, Brogdon, and the remaining pieces than Lillard. I think White's defense plus the depth and other resources are more valuable than Lillard given what we already have. You don't need another high scoring guard when we have a 30 point scorer, 27 point scorer, and 20+ point scorer already; what you need is more high-level role players and defenders and quality depth.

High level talent is always the most important thing you need to win and I'd rather elevate the 2nd best player to Lillard pushing Brown to 3rd and Zinger to 4th.  Boston would likely have the best 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best player against every team they played and it is really hard to lose a playoff series when that is the case even if you don't have the best player on the floor.  The depth is a thin, but again that is what Denver just went through with an 8 man playoff rotation.

How often does playoff success come down to health? Lillard is 33. He played in 58 games last season and 29 the year before. You really want to bet on him being healthy come playoff time? I think Boston’s chances are better with Derek White and depth. The C’s already have enough firepower with Tatum, Brown, Porzingis and there is only one basketball to go around. Lillard is also not good defensively.

So you're saying that Lillard would fit right in with this team?

that is honestly part of it.  If Brown or Zinger is out during the playoffs, White isn't going to be good enough, but Lillard might be.  The team already has health concerns such that it might really need someone else that is a top tier talent. 

[Vermont Green]

Brogdon, TL, and Pritchard work for salaries, technically (we didn’t use the MLE so we can go over the second apron and take back more than we sent out this year only, if my understanding is correct), and with three years left on his reasonably priced deal, maybe TL, picks, and tradeable salaries work for Portland?  But our roster would look even more like Phoenix East.

If the Celtics are actually involved in these discussions, my guess is it would be as a destination for some of the pieces coming to Portland from a third team.

Brogdon, Williams, Pritchard for Lillard does not work with the Fanspo trade machine.  I think what is happening is the added salary from the trade puts us over the 2nd apron, and disallows us taking back more than sending out.  I don't know, I was just going by the trade machine.

I still don't see any trade with the Celtics where we end up with Lillard.  It is always possible to end up with some of the moving parts other than Lillard, but I don't even see that as likely.  The more I see, the more it seems like TOR may have a shot at this.  Someone suggested Anunoby, Trent, and Dick.  I think POR would want to see some picks added to that but that is at at least better than the MIA Herro lowball.

Schroeder
Lillard
Barnes
Siakam
Poeltl

Not bad, pretty small back court.  I don't see this team being a top seed but maybe just behind BOS, MIL.  Probably about on par with CLE or NYK.

[makaveli]

Lillard and Giannis, what a fabulous trade for all sides involved.

[Moranis]

Where does Holiday end up now?

[theswitch]

Where does Holiday end up now?

Jrue would look really good in Toronto. The rumored OG-centric trades to Portland would still make sense to me.

[Atzar]

Where does Holiday end up now?

Do the Clippers have any way to swing that?  Holiday/George/Leonard would be a deadly trio if LA could ever get them all on the court together for an extended run. 

Not sure they have the draft assets to entice Portland though. 

[Roy H.]

Where does Holiday end up now?

Hopefully in the West.  I don't want him on an Eastern contender.

I've seen Miami and Philly mentioned.

PHI gets Jrue; LAC gets Harden; POR gets picks? 

[radiohead]

The Warriors are apparently willing to re trade CP3 in order to land Jrue.

[Roy H.]

The Warriors are apparently willing to re trade CP3 in order to land Jrue.

That's really interesting.  I had thought of that scenario in my head, but disregarded it.

I really hate the Warriors, but the possibility of Jrue and Iggy potentially reuniting (if only on the bench for Iguodala) is sort of cool to me.

[Who]

The Warriors are apparently willing to re trade CP3 in order to land Jrue.

That's really interesting.  I had thought of that scenario in my head, but disregarded it.

I really hate the Warriors, but the possibility of Jrue and Iggy potentially reuniting (if only on the bench for Iguodala) is sort of cool to me.

That would be awesome. Jrue would be a great fit on GSW. Better than CP3. Jrue a natural PG/SG who can better play alongside Steph and take bigger wings defensively without impairing the team's defense.

[Who]

I wonder if LAL could get in on the Jrue Holiday bidding. Maybe something built around D'Angelo Russell. I think they re-signed him in the offseason so they would have to wait awhile before they could trade him. Didn't they hold back from trading a pick far off into the future last deadline. That pick & D'Angelo for Jrue.

[Who]

If you are DEN, would trade MPJ for Jrue?

MPJ struggled as the 3rd option. Not consistent. Dodgy defender. Some health concerns.

DEN goes small with a three guard lineup of J Murray, KCP and Jrue at SF. A Gordon and Jokic up front. Jrue can replace B Brown as the backup PG.

POR gets to put MPJ at SF.

G: Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons
G: Shaedon Sharpe
F: Michael Porter Jr
F: Jerami Grant
C: DeAndre Ayton

Get to go bigger in the backcourt with Shaedon Sharpe starting at SG. Defensive integrity. A Simons as a super 6th man. Two offensive forwards. Ayton in the middle. Scoot running the show.