Blazers

[pezsez1]

We're in better shape to make a playoff run now than we were a few weeks ago.

Now, are we in better shape to make deep playoff runs for years to come? Ehhh, probably not.

[Phalanx]

Nope. Ayton figured to help the Blazers get to the playoffs just like he helped them win 10 out of 11 last season before he got injured. There is a reason why the Lakers snapped him up the minute he cleared waivers. The project center from China seems highly unlikely to fill that void this year. Meanwhile Simons won't play defense, but at least he provided some outside shooting, which is now a gaping hole in the roster. Keeping both players and letting them expire would have been better for Portland's salary cap and the upcoming season's playoff aspirations.

[pezsez1]

There is a reason why the Lakers snapped him up the minute he cleared waivers.

The Lakers snapped him up because they're basically broke and probably got him for a minimum deal. Clingan fits better with this roster and we won't miss a beat with him out there. Yang should be more than adequate to be our backup big. Ayton was really good, and he certainly would have helped us, but we'll be fine without him unless Clingan gets hurt.

Simons was a great shooter at times but just never really fit as a point guard and also couldn't play defense. Scoot already looks far better than Simons did after his second season. Flipping Simons for Holiday absolutely makes us a better team, especially if the goal is to get the ball into the hands of Deni, who is the closest thing we have to a rising star.

[Everythingsducky]

Simons fits exactly how Boston wants him to play, which is hoisting 10+3’s per game. Could take some attempts away from Pritchard, but not likely at the clip they shoot the 3-ball. With Ayton being in a contract year, he is probably going to put up big numbers. LeBron isn’t going to let him pussyfoot, and play sporadically, which could ultimately decimate, or harm his touches or numbers. LeBron isn’t getting younger, and will demand Ayton gives full effort. Will be interesting to see how it plays out in LA.

[pudgejeff]

Nope. Ayton figured to help the Blazers get to the playoffs just like he helped them win 10 out of 11 last season before he got injured. There is a reason why the Lakers snapped him up the minute he cleared waivers. The project center from China seems highly unlikely to fill that void this year. Meanwhile Simons won't play defense, but at least he provided some outside shooting, which is now a gaping hole in the roster. Keeping both players and letting them expire would have been better for Portland's salary cap and the upcoming season's playoff aspirations.

Ayton doesn't get to the line, is lazy on defense and away from the ball and doesn't protect the rim. On top of that, rumors are that he was a bad locker room guy, late to meetings/practices etc. and also missed rehab.

I'll agree for sure about the salary cap, don't think that's particularly debatable. You can argue, maybe those hustle stats and off court stuff improves in a contract season, and I'd agree there's probably some legs there. But if you get the same guy he's been, I would say the team is better now than when he was in Portland. Especially when you're trying to build from youth, those are poor examples to be set.

I have a wonder if Simons had some similar stuff going on, as people had mentioned Portland/Dame did a poor job of helping him grow. Bringing in a guy like J'rue who everyone says is an amazing locker room guy. Maybe trying to reset the tone around the team and instill in the youth a new brand.

With all the likely turnover incoming with sale of the Blazers, most of that will end up being null and void likely as new coaches and management are brought in.

Here's to hoping RWIII and Grant are healthy and wanting to contribute this season, and this team makes a playoff run to get rid of that pick they owe to Chicago from that god awful trade a few years back.

[Phalanx]

There is a reason why the Lakers snapped him up the minute he cleared waivers.

The Lakers snapped him up because they're basically broke and probably got him for a minimum deal. Clingan fits better with this roster and we won't miss a beat with him out there. Yang should be more than adequate to be our backup big. Ayton was really good, and he certainly would have helped us, but we'll be fine without him unless Clingan gets hurt.

I feel like something needs to be explained here: The Lakers signed Ayton for $8.1 million with an $8.5 million option for next year that everyone knows he won't exercise, and they had to bid amongst a number of teams according to reports. Portland got $10 million knocked off his contract in order to let him go. This means it would have cost the Blazers $10 million to keep him over what they did, which is to eat over $25 million. So basically, the Lakers paid what the Blazers were not willing to pay - $8.1 million vs $10 million. The Lakers may be broke, but they viewed Ayton as a strong signing that they are trumpeting around everywhere now, putting him on posters along with LeBron and Luka. I expect that Ayton will be the starting center on a contending team this year, while the Blazers will likely not make the playoffs now, unless a couple of players blow up on the offensive end.

Since the Blazers made no signings this offseason, we are literally talking about having Ayton vs not having him, and you think they are more likely to make the playoffs sans Ayton? The Lakers and apparently a bunch of other teams disagree with you. I agree with another poster that this was a move to satisfy Coach Billups' big culture shift, but other coaches clearly believe they can succeed where he failed. I think losing/ tanking was de-motivating for Ayton, but playing for a contract would have given him some motivation. We are only talking about one season here, but for this season, they are now a much worse team. Of course, that should make you happy, since you like it when they tank anyway, right? I, on the other hand, was looking forward to the playoff run this year.

[pezsez1]

It's not that I think we're BETTER without Ayton. I just don't think we're any worse from a production standpoint. The team played its best basketball last year when Ayton wasn't on the floor. That doesn't mean Ayton is bad, it just means the Blazers were better with Deni as our focal point. Clingan is a better center to have when the center isn't your focal point. I think we're better in the long run without Ayton expecting to be our go-to option. (And I don't think he'll have that same expectation in LA where he's alongside Lebron and Luka... even his ego can't be THAT big.)

Switching Ant for Holiday is what really makes us a better playoff team heading into this season. (But Holiday's contract is going to cap our potential, for sure.)

This team isn't tanking. We're in this position of not really being good enough to contend but also being too good to tank BECAUSE the rebuild was handled so poorly. But this is where we are, so GO BLAZERS! It's playoffs or bust until the team is sold.

[droop10]

There is a reason why the Lakers snapped him up the minute he cleared waivers.

The Lakers snapped him up because they're basically broke and probably got him for a minimum deal. Clingan fits better with this roster and we won't miss a beat with him out there. Yang should be more than adequate to be our backup big. Ayton was really good, and he certainly would have helped us, but we'll be fine without him unless Clingan gets hurt.

I feel like something needs to be explained here: The Lakers signed Ayton for $8.1 million with an $8.5 million option for next year that everyone knows he won't exercise, and they had to bid amongst a number of teams according to reports. Portland got $10 million knocked off his contract in order to let him go. This means it would have cost the Blazers $10 million to keep him over what they did, which is to eat over $25 million. So basically, the Lakers paid what the Blazers were not willing to pay - $8.1 million vs $10 million. The Lakers may be broke, but they viewed Ayton as a strong signing that they are trumpeting around everywhere now, putting him on posters along with LeBron and Luka. I expect that Ayton will be the starting center on a contending team this year, while the Blazers will likely not make the playoffs now, unless a couple of players blow up on the offensive end.

Since the Blazers made no signings this offseason, we are literally talking about having Ayton vs not having him, and you think they are more likely to make the playoffs sans Ayton? The Lakers and apparently a bunch of other teams disagree with you. I agree with another poster that this was a move to satisfy Coach Billups' big culture shift, but other coaches clearly believe they can succeed where he failed. I think losing/ tanking was de-motivating for Ayton, but playing for a contract would have given him some motivation. We are only talking about one season here, but for this season, they are now a much worse team. Of course, that should make you happy, since you like it when they tank anyway, right? I, on the other hand, was looking forward to the playoff run this year.

Ayton is a locker room cancer, and just a guy that puts up good stats on bad teams. Phoenix was eager to get rid of him, and Portland clearly followed suit. The Lakers are trumpeting it as a strong signing, because they're trying to keep LeBron around (yes, I know he picked up his option, but if he demands a trade they'll probably give in). He'll be a starting center on a contending team, because that contending team's alternative is Jaxson Hayes. They had 0 centers that were playable in the playoffs. It's a very low bar that Ayton had to clear for them to want him. Ayton hardly raises their ceiling, and unless Luka comes to camp in the best shape of his life and ready to play defense, they aren't making it past the 2nd round. Blazers might have been incrementally better talent wise with Ayton, but they'll probably benefit more long-term not having him around the team.

[pezsez1]

If Ayton is a cancer, he's more like a slow-growing prostate cancer than a malignant lung tumor. He's not someone you really want in your locker room, but he probably won't be the reason your team dies in the playoffs.

With a young team though like Portland's I definitely think we're better off without him, especially with a guy like Clingan ready to take his minutes.

[Duck07]

So the way I view the off-season is that the Blazers finally went into the Youth Movement and now we know what timeline we're on (which is what I wanted last year).

The whole idea of keeping Ayton/Ant to make the play-in always felt like a Sac Kings type move to just make the playoffs in a way that doesn't build anything but a notation that you made the playoffs. Anything you could have sussed value from them at the trade deadline was always going to be with the knowledge that they would also be in the way of the younger players you do need to give the ball to.

Now do I love 3 more years of Jrue and Jerami as 2nd unit guys for what they're being paid? Not exactly, but as long as they maintain their status as "playable" then we can still hope that there's a move to be made with them in the 0.5-2.5 years while being functional role players. (It should be pretty obvious to them that they are the 6th and 7th guys off the bench with this team along with Cronin and Chauncey)

IF the team makes the playoffs this year, now you can say that is something you can build off of whereas you couldn't have said that with the Ayton/Ant pairing because of essentially having to commit to that as your core roster and nobody thinks that's wise. They'd also convey 2026 1st rounder to Chicago and have options to now trade a future 1st (with less caveats post CHI conveyance) with a much better future.

Do I care 1 iota that Ayton went to LA? Sure in that Greek Opera sardonic humor way wherein the Lakers have Ayton defending the backline and a front-line defense that's worse than what Portland had last year.

Obviously these young players need to step up and show they can fulfill those roles, but now there's really nobody in their way and any success this year is largely all foundational whereas that success with Ayton/Ant wouldn't have made anyone feel like any long-term answers had been solved.

[Duck07]

Blazers are playing GS in their first Summer League game on ESPN2 right now. Already we're seeing the passing from Hansen shine and he's set far better screens than Ayton did last year.

[StevensTechU]

Blazers are playing GS in their first Summer League game on ESPN2 right now. Already we're seeing the passing from Hansen shine and he's set far better screens than Ayton did last year.

Definitely would comp him to old Arvydas.

[alxtw]

Blazers are playing GS in their first Summer League game on ESPN2 right now. Already we're seeing the passing from Hansen shine and he's set far better screens than Ayton did last year.

Definitely would comp him to old Arvydas.

I’d give this pick an A, even if he does pan out to be an old Arvydas during regular NBA play.

[pezsez1]

I’d give this pick an A, even if he does pan out to be an old Arvydas during regular NBA play.

I'd give this pick an A+++++ if he's ever as good as old Arvydas.

I wouldn't go as far as to make that comp yet, but you can definitely see why Cronin reached for him at #16. It's only been one summer league game but he's already feeling like a steal!

[Duck07]

Blazers are playing GS in their first Summer League game on ESPN2 right now. Already we're seeing the passing from Hansen shine and he's set far better screens than Ayton did last year.

Definitely would comp him to old Arvydas.

I’d give this pick an A, even if he does pan out to be an old Arvydas during regular NBA play.

I don't know how high his ceiling can be but his floor right now looks like a playable 2nd unit Center (the role we're asking him to play) and that in 2-3 years time we'll really know what that ceiling might be.

That was a hell of a performance to watch from him with his physicality against the GS bigs and how he didn't back down for squat. I also liked how he decided to respond to aggressive play by the smaller guys and when. Guy tangles him up all game and he doesn't get bothered by it. Another guy wants to brace to essentially screen him from the running the floor so he decides to try and run through him knowing its what the defender is trying to do. That passing though is what's going to make his teammates love playing with him from all the highlights he'll create for them.