Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters on Thursday that he doesn’t have a firm timeline in mind for when he expects the retooling Trail Blazers to return to the playoffs, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN suggested on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that one reason the team decided against trading any veterans at the deadline was a desire to push for the postseason next season.
“I actually think the Blazers are hoping, dare say, for a Rockets-like rebound, and I think they are hoping that next year they are competing for the playoffs,” Windhorst said. “I think that’s one of the reasons why you didn’t see Jerami Grant or Malcolm Brogdon (traded). Jerami Grant’s name wasn’t out there for an iota, that I heard, and Brogdon’s name never got serious.”
The Blazers had a handful of potential veteran trade candidates on their roster, including Grant, Brogdon, injured center Robert Williams, and swingman Matisse Thybulle, but ended up just making one minor deal, acquiring Dalano Banton from Boston. Cronin said he was “very content” with that outcome and that he wanted to give the current group more time to jell rather than just selling off players for draft picks.
“If there’s great value, we’ll add picks. If it’s great value, we’ll add players,” Cronin said. “But generally speaking, the deals we were pursuing were more player-oriented. Could we find a guy that provides immediate and long-term help? And is there proper value there?
“… We received lots of offers. I think it did make it somewhat more difficult to pry from us because we are happy with who we have and where we’re at. So, of course, we always want to be opportunistic and not just be thorough in this market, but have a great feel for what our options are and what’s available.”
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- Head coach Chauncey Billups was happy the front office didn’t make any real changes to Portland’s roster, as Fentress relays. “A lot of people wanted Malcolm, and rightfully so, I’m one of them people,” Billups said. “So, I was happy that we were able to keep him. A lot of people wanted Rob, and rightfully so. I’m one of those people. I think when it’s our turn to actually really compete and be competitive, those are the type of dudes that you want to do it with. So I’m happy we didn’t let them slip away.”
- According to Fentress, Cronin said one reason the front office stood pat was that he was encouraged by how the Blazers responded to an early-January stretch in which they lost six of seven games by an average margin of 33.2 points per contest. Portland won five of its next 10 after that brutal stretch and Cronin suggested he’s pleased with what he’s seen from both the veterans and youngsters: “I really like where we’re positioned. I like where we’re headed. I like what we’re capable of. I like our team. I like our staff. I like our organization. I think we’re well on our way to good things in the future.”
- In a post-deadline column for The Athletic, Jason Quick argues that the Blazers should have made a bolder move this week, such as trading center Deandre Ayton. Ayton’s first several months in Portland were “defined by tardiness and tantrums,” according to Quick, who cites team sources. “The quicker the Blazers can move off Ayton,” Quick writes, comparing him to former Blazers center Hassan Whiteside, “the sooner I will believe this franchise is headed in the right direction.”
- In case you missed it, the Blazers reportedly received $3MM in cash from Boston in the Banton trade.
Who had 112 days in the office pool before Por started deeply regretting the Ayton pick up?
The guy is just miserable and when he’s gone the memory I’ll have of him was the standing ovations Jock Lawndale got last playoffs just b/c he wasn’t DA and actually gave 2 f$%ks . I’ll never forget that PHX crowd and the circumstances that lead to it
Indy sure is happy
Por has the worst outlook of any Western Conf team today and maybe worse the worst GM to pull them outta this hole to boot. This is going to be a deep re-build rather than a re-boot
You obv should be remembering the huge role he played in the Suns winning the West for the first time in a generation. Also he’s around 20/10 in his last 5gms so clearly you haven’t been paying attention lately.. link to m.youtube.com
I remember Jock Lawndale more tbh and those comments about his tenure has been defined by tardiness and tantrums so far in Por …well that doesn’t move me off my initial read too much if Im being honest
Zubac and Plumlee were giving this guy the bizness last year RD 1
Just bc this particular writer doesn’t like Ayton don’t mean the coaching staff or front office or his teammates regret having him. And the first memories of Ayton & LAC should clearly be of him beasting them in the WCF. Whether u like him or not that happened & it was iconic & more than that he’s been playing really well lately… You’re also sleeping on the Blazers in general. They got a nice collection of talent to build with.. link to m.youtube.com
Its vague put he did quote “team sources”
I don’t always believe that but he was throwing plenty of tantrums last year so it fits the bill
Sorry, Sankara. Cap & Crunch wins this one. Ayton blew his opportunity, and now he must suffer on a lousy team, while the team he started to make a name for himself on in the ‘21 playoffs would rather have Nurkic and is poised to make a deeper run in the playoffs than last year – health withstanding, of course (I’ll take the Suns over the Twolves, the Thunder, the Mavs, the Pelicans, the Kings, and it’s close to a draw with the Clippers). Most fans outside of Portland and Phoenix have forgotten about Ayton.
Casual fans worldwide will get a memory refresher this summer when Ayton leads his Bahamas squad to the Olympics for what has to be the 1st time
Think you’ll find Buddy Heild and Eric Gordon carry that team more than him too
All 3 of those guys carry that team (tho Ayton had the significantly higher PER of the trio in the tourney they won last summer)… but I tell u what if hating was an Olympic sport u might finally have some accomplishments to speak of
Cronin needs to go back to the book, although its possible much is presentation. Building a team is constant, but the type of rebuild period there in now had a beginning and should have a projected end. It’s OK if you miss, but to not have one is a bigger issue. I suspect he really does.
Ayton was a swing and miss, but they didn’t give up much beyond the cap space, and got rid of Nurkic in the process.
Not trading Brogdon and Grant were to me the right moves. Grant’s trade value is more likely to ascend from here, and Brogdon’s (which is depressed by his physical condition) will likely stay level (at a minimum) in his expiring year next season, and in the interim can continue to stablize an otherwise (too) young backcourt.
I can get on board with keeping Grant/Brog but they are projected to be over the tax line next year and I don’t think that’s going to fly
Ofc the NBA doesn’t bill until the last day of the season so they have time to duck under. I just dont trust Cronin to pull something off successfully especially if hes up against a deadline
Agreed, they (absolutely) can’t be a taxpayer, but he’s got an off season and another deadline, etc. to remedy that. By that time, he’ll most likely will have finished the book.
Watching Ayton you have to wonder “what is going on in his head”??? Physically gifted with size, speed, athleticism and skill! But why would he ever be guarding a guy around half court or the three point line? I’m sorry but if I’m Billups I’m telling DA: if you go more than 5 feet outside the key guarding someone, you will be fined. I would also stay in a switching zone when he’s on the floor and tell him to guard the rim not a man! As for all you N’Urkle believers? Just wait until you see him forget he’s playing basketball because his mind is elsewhere. He was equally as frustrating to watch as Ayton. So I guess it was a fair and appropriate trade, since you got Nasir and we got Camara. Love that Tumani kid and hope you guys love Nasir’s energy.