To get us through the late-Summer doldrums of the NBA, we’re reviewing teams from around the league and how their offseasons went.
Portland Trail Blazers
Key Additions:
Deni Avdija
Donovan Clingan
Devonte Graham
Key Losses:
Malcom Brogdon
Moses Brown
Offseason Review and 2024-25 Season Outlook:
The Portland Trail Blazers are in a weird spot. They’re clearly in a full rebuild, one of the few teams in the West you can confidently project as missing the playoffs. They’ll be chasing those lottery odds and Cooper Flagg. But the Blazers also have just enough talent that they could hurt their own odds and be scrappy. The team would probably prefer to move on from Deandre Ayton, but there aren’t a lot of takers. Same for Jerami Grant, and maybe even Anfernee Simons. The team has begun stockpiling young talent, with Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, and the newly-acquired Deni Avdija. So what, exactly, are the Blazers doing here?
Portland’s best bet is to bottom out for one more year and get another high pick in next year’s loaded draft class. Give the young guys some reps and room to grow. Unload one or two of their veterans for players who fit the future timeline. There’s light at the end of the tunnel for the Blazers and their fans, but this is probably another year of just suffering through the darkness.
Why We Hate Them:
They stopped us from reuniting the Murray twins, leading to confusing and unsettling images of a Murray in a Blazers uniform. And for some reason they refuse to give us Matisse Thybulle.
I have PDX finishing dead last in the West this year. Part of that is because I too feel they are going to try and move Ayton, Grant and Simons. I know some folks around here have interest in Grant, but I want nothing to do with his contract, which could end up being one of the worst in the league in 3 to 4 years.
PDX’s future is in Scoot, Sharpe, Deni, Clingan and the hope of landing the #1 in 2025 Everyone else is trade fodder for the tank.
Would have loved to have Avdija to add length, defense, rebounding, ball movement and BBIQ.
Still surprised the Wizards let him go, given his age and excellent contract.
I still don’t understand that trade by the Wizards. They gave up the NBA’s most desired type of player in a long wing who can shoot and defend for Brogdon and the #14 pick (Bub Carrington). The Wiz already have Poole at guard and they went out and acquired two more and gave up their cost controlled wing. Nonsense.
Question for Adamsite. What is your take on trading for either Cam Johnson or Isaiah Stewart? One for offense and some defense and the other for defense and rebounding. IMO these are the 2 I think the Kings make a trade for. I’ve ruled out most others.
not adamsite (at least, i don’t think i am), but neither player excites me much. both are getting paid a lot for some very mid offerings.
cam johnson is pretty good, but he won’t move the needle in a major way, and that’s a lot of money ($22.5m/year thru 2027) for a guy who’s gonna be a bench forward. his defense isn’t much better than Barnes, and as a player he’s got a lot of the same faults as Barnes — inconsistent scoring, doesn’t rebound well, limited motor.
stewart i like more in theory, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and i’m not convinced he could realistically share the floor with Domas for legitimate stretches. at $15m/year thru 2027 (TO 2028), that’s not terrible money but not enough to gamble on
if this team is one piece away from championship contention (we’re not), maybe they’re worth reaching for. as it is, i don’t think it’s worth giving up assets for anything except a clear upgrade, and certainly not for role players
Yeah, I’m in agreement here. I don’t like paying Cam and his deal to come off the bench. Give me Stewart at the 4/5 backup. He’d also allow the Kings to go big with a Sabonis/Stewart/Keegan/DeRozan/Fox lineups at times. Stewart just fits with the current Kings core a bit better, and comes at a better price.
That being said, I don’t think the Kings have anything to trade that would peak Detroit’s interest other than picks, and I’m not willing to give up picks for Stewart.
Thanks for your comments. I to like Stewart. Did research and comparisons with other bigs along with fit contract and age. I also wanted to keep Huerter. I thought a trade involving Lyles, McDaniels and Jones and 2 seconds. At least give it a try.Also IMO HUerter is going to have a really good year. He deserves one.
Yeah, that was so weird. Bub Carrington seems like a good prospect, but like you said Deni is the exact type of player every team is trying to find.
Badge Legend