To trade or not to trade

[JawsGT]

I'd rather have marc, serge or norm than thompson. Lateral move at best.

[big boi]

I would like to upgrade at the SG position if possible. There’s time to do that, anytime before the deadline.

Im not sure how we address it. Right now Fred is playing too well to be on the bench. But then we do have a very short starting backcourt. We don’t have any, natural, starting caliber shooting guards.

Masai has time to fully appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of this team before the deadline and hopefully find someone that can help us.

I am not for standing pat. I am for competing to win another title and going back to back.

[The Claw Reborn]

Portland is the team to watch from now til the deadline. They are vulnerable and I have no doubt that if they remain mediocre, an ensuing fire sale will most likely happen.

Lillard is someone that Masai can target.

Portland wont mind getting a young Fred Van Vleet, Serge’s expiring salary and possibly future pick or two (1st protected and a 2nd rounder) for Dame and Skal.

A Siakam and Lillard duo can be so attractive for potential free agents in 2021.

[The Claw Reborn]

....then if stars align and they acquire Dame, they can pursue Tristan for Norm/ SJ and Boucher to balance salaries.

Marc/ Tristan
Pascal/ Skal
OG/ RHJ
Dame/ Matt
Kyle/ TD

goal is to remain ultra-competitive this year and next for potential free agents in 2021 to consider Toronto as a destination.

With Pascal and Dame as the main attraction

[G__Deane]

To quote Homer J Simpson, "d-oh"

[The Great One]

The guy they need to trade is LOWRY. He still has some value. And Fred has proven that he's a starting caliber PG. And at this stage in their career FVV > Lowry.

[Nilanka]

Portland is the team to watch from now til the deadline. They are vulnerable and I have no doubt that if they remain mediocre, an ensuing fire sale will most likely happen.

Lillard is someone that Masai can target.

Portland wont mind getting a young Fred Van Vleet, Serge’s expiring salary and possibly future pick or two (1st protected and a 2nd rounder) for Dame and Skal.

A Siakam and Lillard duo can be so attractive for potential free agents in 2021.

Ya, Portland seems like a team that could be on the cusp of a complete teardown. Lillard and Siakam in their primes, would be pretty sweet. Not sure if that messes up the Giannis cap space, though.

[The Claw Reborn]

The guy they need to trade is LOWRY. He still has some value. And Fred has proven that he's a starting caliber PG. And at this stage in their career FVV > Lowry.

I fully understand your concern about Lowry.

But if you are Portland and you are in the process of rebuilding, Lowry an aging Point Guard is not an asset you want in return for a valued player like Dame.

FVV whos value is appreciating these days with his championship pedigree is someone that can be dangled to a team on a reset. Portland will have prime control on how much and how long they will offer him in the offseason.

This could be a young point guard for a point guard deal with fillers and possible futures to match salaries.

Of course, Lowry can still be dealt but I cannot find a team out there who is willing to take a risk on an aging point guard, a massive salary with 1.5 season to go in his contract. Do you think the sixers would take a flyer on him for Simmons?

[The Great One]

I fully understand your concern about Lowry.

But if you are Portland and you are in the process of rebuilding, Lowry an aging Point Guard is not an asset you want in return for a valued player like Dame.

FVV whos value is appreciating these days with his championship pedigree is someone that can be dangled to a team on a reset. Portland will have prime control on how much and how long they will offer him in the offseason.

This could be a young point guard for a point guard deal with fillers and possible futures to match salaries.

Of course, Lowry can still be dealt but I cannot find a team out there who is willing to take a risk on an aging point guard, a massive salary with 1.5 season to go in his contract. Do you think the sixers would take a flyer on him for Simmons?

I think Simmons is untouchable. There's no way they would trade him for Lowry.

I'm looking at a team that is in desperate need of a PG, And also a team that desperately wants to make the playoffs. I'm looking at Detroit and Minnesota.

The Lakers would also be a good fit but they pretty much traded all their assets for Davis.

[The Claw Reborn]

Ya, Portland seems like a team that could be on the cusp of a complete teardown. Lillard and Siakam in their primes, would be pretty sweet. Not sure if that messes up the Giannis cap space, though.

It may not be Giannis even, but the combination of Pascal with Dame Lillard is very attractive for a 2021 potential free agent whoever that is.

By then the massive salary of Lowry is up.

Raps can remain competitive with Pascal and Dame with some scrubs next year. Masai would have flexibility with his roster having those two as his core.

It is a matter of laying the blueprint for that anticipated free agency bonanza in 2021.

Pascal/ FVV and OG doesnt cut it.

While Pascal and Dame has a chance for another big name to consider signing with the only NBA team outside of the US with frigid winters.

[The Claw Reborn]

I think Simmons is untouchable. There's no way they would trade him for Lowry.

I'm looking at a team that is in desperate need of a PG, And also a team that desperately wants to make the playoffs. I'm looking at Detroit and Minnesota.

The Lakers would also be a good fit but they pretty much traded all their assets for Davis.

I hear you, why I could not think of a team that Masai can deal Lowry.

He is a depreciating asset vs FVV whos value is skyrocketing

Very attractive to Portland IF EVER they press the reset button

[bertarapsfan]

I hear you, why I could not think of a team that Masai can deal Lowry.

He is a depreciating asset vs FVV whos value is skyrocketing

Very attractive to Portland IF EVER they press the reset button

Im by no mean advocating a lowry trade.
But if you were looking for a hypothetical target lowry it need to be a team who is a solid playoff team but just needs a little bit more to contend, while also having a hole at PG. Off the top of my head the best fit would be the Nuggets. They could have a murray, Lowry backcourt who can both play on ball and off ball.
In this hypothetical it would be Gary Harris and salary filler. I actually think Harris can be an oldipo type jump if he leaves the shawdow of Murry and Jokic, He also is one the best perimeter defender in the game.
Again not advocating for this. But if our season doesn't look like we can get back to the ECF, i do love Gary Harris

[The Claw Reborn]

Im by no mean advocating a lowry trade.
But if you were looking for a hypothetical target lowry it need to be a team who is a solid playoff team but just needs a little bit more to contend, while also having a hole at PG. Off the top of my head the best fit would be the Nuggets. They could have a murray, Lowry backcourt who can both play on ball and off ball.
In this hypothetical it would be Gary Harris and salary filler. I actually think Harris can be an oldipo type jump if he leaves the shawdow of Murry and Jokic, He also is one the best perimeter defender in the game.
Again not advocating for this. But if our season doesn't look like we can get back to the ECF, i do love Gary Harris

We all know that Masai has the history of overvaluing his existing assets and always aiming to win any kind of deal.

Gary Harris has the potential but if you put yourself in Masai’s shoes and thinking ahead (2021), is Harris a player that you would want to pair with Pascal/ FVV/OG? Will they be enough for a blue chip FA to consider the Raps?

...what happened this past summer with player to player recruitment should be his basis on how he approach 2021.

just saying

[The Claw Reborn]

Masai and company have graduated from just playing for playoff contention, winning one could starve him for more.

He is also making moves from here on out to preserve his brand. Why Jerry West is Jerry West.

[The Claw Reborn]

One general manager who spoke with Bucher was a little more candid about the topic, calling for the league to “step up” on player movement.

"I know players have more juice today and we're a player-friendly league, but it has gotten out of hand," the Western Conference general manager said. "We have players deciding their not even contracts, their guidelines and payment structures. Now we have them saying, 'I'm done hoopin' with you guys; I'm going to hoop with my boys.'

"If the league would step up about player movement once a smaller market signs a guy, then teams wouldn't have to overpay just to show they're not afraid to spend money. What happens is the star leaves anyway and you're left with these bloated contracts, making the problem even worse."

At this very moment these blue chip free agents and top end players are already scheming with each other on where is the next viable destination.

The power of an executive is limited these days unless you have the pedigree like a Pat Riley, Jerry West. Possibly, Masai has reach that point.

Big picture