The Trail Blazers have shaken up their roster in a major way within the last few days, trading Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers on Friday and reaching an agreement today on a deal that will send CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell to New Orleans.
Despite some speculation that the series of moves could lead to a Damian Lillard trade, that’s not Portland’s plan. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), the Blazers intend to “fully reshape” their roster around Lillard, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery.
As Wojnarowski explains, the Blazers plan to pursue “high-end talent” now and won’t embark on a more full-scale teardown that involves moving Lillard. Outlining the ammo available to Portland, Woj says the team has multiple draft picks and assets from its trades with the Clippers and Pelicans, will create a $21MM trade exception in the McCollum deal, and could have up to $60MM in cap room this summer.
Portland will indeed create a trade exception worth about $20.9MM, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Since they’ll be able to match the incoming salaries of Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker using Nance’s and Snell’s outgoing contracts, the Blazers will create an exception worth the difference between McCollum’s $30.9MM salary and Satoransky’s $10MM salary.
However, Wojnarowski’s projection of $60MM in cap room isn’t realistic at this point. The Blazers currently have $68.6MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season, according to Marks (Twitter link). That’s only about $52.3MM below the projected cap, and it doesn’t include any cap holds, including the ones for free-agents-to-be Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic, or Portland’s one or two lottery picks. It also assumes the Blazers will waive both Hart and Eric Bledsoe, which is possible, but not a lock.
The Blazers’ cap space seems more likely to end up in the $20-30MM range, though that projection remains very much in flux, especially if the club makes additional moves this week. In order to take advantage of that space, Portland would have to renounce whatever is left of its $20.9MM trade exception.
Whatever the Blazers’ cap situation ultimately looks like, their plan to build around Lillard will hinge on the point guard’s willingness to buy in. Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link) says he has heard multiple times that Lillard is on board with a major retooling of the roster since he recognizes this season is a lost cause.
Still, the front office will be under pressure this offseason to adequately build around Lillard or risk having him eventually ask for a trade, according to Fentress (Twitter links), who thinks the 31-year-old will want out if the club fails to add the proper pieces around him.
Blazer still in play for Grant. NAW for a 1 and 1. Then TPE or Bledsoe(partially guaranteed) plus Pels FRP and future FRP for Grant.
They say that now. I’ll bet he isn’t a Blazer by October 1st.
Sun rises in west, Lillard traded. You read it here first.
I second that.
Betcha Portland goes after Harden this summer, if they have the space. He and Dame are buddies and although I wouldn’t want to be one of the other three guys in that lineup (at least if I like to shoot) that’s a pretty nasty group, with Simons.
“…their plan to build around Lillard will hinge on the point guard’s willingness to buy in,” as well as the willingness of free agents to come to Portland to play with “the 31-year-old” Lillard.
What superstar is saying, “yeah, me and Lillard are going to go out and win a title,” especially after what a mess this organization looks like? If their plan is to throw money at people, they’ll probably attract people looking for money and not wins.
Just trade Dame already! It’s over man!
Ant Simons, DSJ, NAW, Keon Johnson, Didi Louzada, Hart, Nas Little, Greg Brown & Nurk are a nice base of talent to start building around 0 but obv much work remains. Turning this into a title contender within the next 3-5yrs is gonna be a tall task no doubt. I would think Portland would be a good bet to trade their 1st this yr which will most likely end up being top10. Maybe if they package their pick with Hart they can get in the conversation for Beal or Jaylen if those guys come available this summer. Spending on a high risk/reward guy like Bagley might be necessary to infuse more talent there & tbh Bagley would be a great fit with Dame. Eventually I think they’re gonna have to flip Nurk if they’re gonna be a championship level team too
So overpay Bagley or give a max to Deandre Ayton in FA … But 2 picks in the 5-10 range in this year draft don’t bring Blazers any top player, if you attach Hart or Bledsoe and a pick you can try Christian Wood or Jerami Grant (contract extension)
Nurk has to go @TD if not extended
Trade Lillard for a bunch of picks and start over. Let Simons become an All-Star.
DSJ is terrible. If they’re banking on him to do anything but sit on the far end of the bench, they’ve got problems.
And I plan to buy a Ferrari…
I read Jody Allen might be looking to sell the team. If true, could change much.
Well, at least they are cleaning up their future cap sheet, didn’t take back much of anything salary wise
Feb 10 2:59 PM, Damian Lillard traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 9 player package headlined by THT, 27’ 1st and 7 2nd round picks.
Russ
Dame
Melo
Bron
AD
Lakers to sign entire Shanghai Sharks starting lineup to 10-day contracts to fill roster. Portland to waive 7 incoming players.
Trading Lillard for Ben Simmons makes sense more than ever now. If that is on the table for either of those teams, they’d be stupid not to make the the deal.
Dame seems to old to “build” around plus the fact that he will be coming off an injury.
Magic 8 Ball says…he gets traded.
Teams have built around older players, granted very few have been PGs.
If Dame is healthy he will ask for a trade this off-season.. rumors of possible sale of team doesn’t help.. if Dame ever wants to win a title he needs to get out of dodge.. he is a loyal player as there is in the league but it’s time to do what’s right for his career..
Who’s worth signing as FA next yr. That will get Dames attention. Blazers are headed for a rebuild. Dame is gone next year.