The Blazers may have to trade either Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum if they are ever going to become real title contenders, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes.
Portland has $110.5MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season and the team’s starting backcourt combines for approximately $53.7MM of that figure. O’Connor adds that the franchise is likely to go into the luxury tax with Jusuf Nurkic, Ed Davis, Shabazz Napier, and Pat Connaughton all set for free agency, so making impactful improvements will likely have to come via trade.
An improvement will be necessary if they are going to contend for a championship, as their series with the Pelicans indicated. O’Connor notes that the Blazers backcourt was particularly weak defensively and without the flexibility to upgrade elsewhere, swapping out one of the dynamic guards seems to be the only option for the organization.
Here’s more from Portland:
- The Blazers are in this salary cap position because of the signings of Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, and Moe Harkless, O’ Connor. All three are arguably signed to player-friendly deals.
- Nurkic, who will be a restricted free agent, wants to re-sign with the Blazers, as Sean Meagher of The Oregonian passes along (video link). “I want to be here, it’s no secret,” the big man said.
- Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post compares this offseason for the Blazers to the Raptors’ offseason two years ago where GM Masai Ujiri had to decide whether he was going to blow up the team or remain patient and allow internal development and chemistry to have its chance. Ujiri remained patient with Toronto, but Bontemps isn’t sure Portland should take the same path and it has to do with the organization being in the Western Conference. Toronto has fewer good teams to compete with for a playoff position, while the Blazers as currently constructed may face stiff competition to even make the playoffs next season.
The Trailblazers would be out of their minds if they bring back Nurkic, dude never made the stride everyone expected. No way you tie up money on the guy, McCollum needs to go not Lillard. Lillard anchored them to the top of the West and is not the player you move, fetch CJ to Philly for Saric. Saric would fit in perfectly at the 4 alongside Collins and make the Blazers frontcourt a lot more potent offensively and from the perimeter to open up the floor for Lillard.
If I was Philly, there’s no way I’d move Saric for McCollum. Dario is the perfect fit at PF plus is and will be much cheaper than C.J. Fultz is also supposed to be the future 2 guard
If Philly misses out on top FA in the offseason, they may look to make a splash depending how the post season plays out. I’m not sure on the numbers, but if they could add McCollum, would they have enough to entice another top FA?
To make it work – RoCo + Fultz + Anderson or Bayless + Fultz + Anderson + TLC.
If you’re trying to save cap – RoCo + Fultz doesn’t help (4 & 3 year deal for each). Basically trading #1 overall pick and an unprotected Kings pick for CJ McCollum when Lou Williams has had a higher PER 3 of the last 4 seasons.
If you’re going to sign or trade for someone and you don’t involve Fultz in that trade, you’re looking at a SF otherwise what are you doing with Fultz?
You’re likely involving picks to prevent giving up any real player. So the contract can’t be larger than a Tobias Harris at 16M – Bayless, Anderson, TLC + 10th overall and a 2nd?
If the Cavs and Thunder are home watching the Sixers play into the Eastern Conference Finals one of them will be in Philadephia next year, even if it’s just a 1+1. If they don’t trade for a 3 like I said below, they could play an undersized guy at the 3 with RoCo like Tyreke Evans/Will Barton.
Probably time to split Same and CJ. When games are coming to end they are similar. But which ever we keep has to realize they are not only player in court. Both attack head down drive middle against 2-3 players hoping for a foul or a hero bucket. Stotts actually should not have allowed this all season and called game ending plays. Nurk not bad but couldn’t follow up on initial play. No doubt Plumlee is a much tougher player. Would be nice to have him back! We have decent supporting class as shown by success of second unit in 13 game run and playoff games. But not used enough and when mixed with Dame and CJ rarely get the ball. I am a Blazer fan but actually turned games off just too predictable.
It was the same problem with Plumlee as it is with Nurkic: they can’t hit that midrange consistently so when they trap Lillard he dumps it off to Nurkic who looks around to every player being hounded and can’t do anything with it but chuck up a brick. Plumlee was the same with way worse of a jump shot. Bringing him back would be beyond stupid with how much money he makes now too.
Pistons will be extremely interested in either CJ or Dame if they are made available. Only thing would be if the Blazers like whatever the pistons would offer back
I’m only moving McCollum if I can’t get a really good player or a top 5 pick back. If it is just role players, then no, I’ll take my chances with Dame and McCollum. First, I would look into the Leonard/Spurs situation. Perhaps McCollum and Harkless for Leonard and Green?
But dame and cj can’t defend. Not at 7-Game series playoff level anyway.
Break it up whilst Dame is in his prime. CJ would be hugely attractive.
See last year, I postulated them shipping their draft picks out to dump players like Leonard, Harkless, and Crabbe/Turner. They only got rid of Crabbe b/c the Nets had a woody for him and gave him that stupid offer sheet in the first place. They had multiple 1st rounders last year they could have used to dump one of these guys.
That would mean they wouldn’t have been able to trade up for Zach Collins, and who knows if he would’ve been available at #15 (assuming that’s one of the picks Portland didn’t trade), but I would definitely rather have Turner and Leonard OFF the roster than have Collins on it if I had to choose.
What you mentioned about Brooklyn having a woody for Crabbe says so much about their inability to trade Turner, Leonard, and Harkless. Another team showed interest in Allen Crabbe at that price. No other team showed any interest in Turner, Leonard, or Harkless at that price. Such irresponsible spending, even with the cap having gone up. I feel so bad for Meyers Leonard because every Blazers fan says horrible things about him like he chose to give himself $41 million dollars. He’s not a great player but he’s a great teammate and doesn’t deserve to get the ridicule he does while Neil Olshey just gets a pass. I wish we could give Meyers that $41 million and put him in witness protection and take his salary off the books. The man deserves better.
I like a CJ package for Kawhi.. Portland is one of the few teams that actually fit well with SA for a Kawhi deal