The Trail Blazers will Shock Everyone | NBA Offseason Breakdowns Ep.9
The Portland Trailblazers have shocked me and how they’ve been able to recoup this post Damen Miller team and able to really change the direction of this franchise by striking with some great trades and getting in some great value pieces to really fill out this roster. And I truly do believe that in the next couple of seasons, we’re going to see this Portland Trailblazers team shock a lot of others when they take that big leap, that one key season. and I think they’re going to have a very interesting off season with a lot of questions remaining around some older contracts and some veterans, but also diving into the great outlook of some of their younger pieces as well. So, we’re going to dive in and explore the Portland Trailblazers in today’s offseason recap. I forgot to do a video yesterday. So, you know that that means we will have a double upload for you guys today here going over two teams looking at their offseason recaps. First, we’re starting off with the Blazers. So, if you enjoy this video, if you’re a Blazers fan, let me know your thoughts down below in the comment section. If I did great with the Blazers, if I did wrong with the Blazers, and if you do enjoy this type of series or do enjoy this content, make sure to go back and look on the channel as we have a plethora of other teams that we’ve already dived into and already explored. So, without further ado, let’s dive into it and discuss this Portland Trailblazers off season. So, like I mentioned, we’re going to be discussing the Portland Trailblazers, who ultimately had a pretty good season overall in my opinion. If you want to look at the standings, they finished 36 and 46. And personally, I thought they were going to be the worst team alongside the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference. So to go from, you know, not a 17 win or a 21- win team to a, you know, 36- win team, almost 15 wins more than those teams, I really, really am proud of what the Blazers were able to do this off season. And I really like that they have this young talent that they can really dive into and really explore with this off season as well. They made some big trades as well that have really landed them some of these key pieces. And a 36 and 46 season is definitely some positive outlook for a team that is not only a small market team, but hasn’t had, you know, that key cornerstone number one franchise player realistically on this roster yet. If we want to look at their offseason uh roster and projections and stuff like that, we can see projected salary at $177 million. So $10 million under the tax threshold. So they have to pass the tax threshold to get up to that. But 195 in the first apron, 207 for the second apron, sitting pretty comfortably both underneath those. So it has the flexibility to if they want to trade a contract away or trade multiple contracts away to bring back on either some bad contracts or even some smaller deals, that is possible. But the Blazers also have the flexibility with some of these deals to, I guess, combine them to go and get a big time contract as well for the future, which I think really opens their flexibility once again. Like I mentioned, now they do have the 10th. They were projected to get the 10th overall pick. We all know that they landed with the 11th overall pick as they got jumped by multiple teams in the Mavericks and stuff like that. But landing the 11th overall pick, I still think is a pretty solid spot for the Blazers as well. You want to look at their trade that they made last offseason bringing in Denby Avida. He was a fantastic defensive wing for them that they got to add. You obviously look at uh the trade with uh Damen Lillard where they got DeAndre in back. They got Tumani Kamar back and a bunch of firsts in draft capital and Tumani Kamaro made all defensive second team and just his second year as a non-g guaranteed contract. He is someone that’s going to be brought back and be one of the best defenders on a value contract for the Blazers. So ultimately I think that they’ve hit on some really good draft on some really good trades. Their draft strategy has also worked pretty solid as well with guys like Donovan Klingan looking pretty solid and Scoot Henderson having and Shane Sharp looking pretty solid if they can stay healthy. And I think this Blazers team could be pretty solid. So, let’s dive in. Let’s explore their off seasonason. Look at some guys that they could potentially trade this off season. Then ultimately describing who I think they should draft as well. So, the first name that pops up and one that’s been linked in trade rumors I feel like for a little while is Jeremy Grant. And for the reasons of Jeremy Grant being their longest tenure player, I do believe or maybe if I’m mistaken, it’s Anthony Simons. But Jeremy Grant obviously being there alongside when Damian Lillard was there with Anthony Simons as well. And these guys have, you know, been in the pre or with Damian Lillard and now been in the post Damon Lillard time era. And I feel like with Jeremy Grant, obviously they signed him to that deal, that free agency because they knew that or they thought that they were going to be able to keep Damon have Damon him for this team in Portland. Obviously Jeremy Grant was kind of screwed out of that. And then Jeremy Grant just kind of said, “Well, I want to stay in Portland.” Because no one was going to trade for that $40 million contract that Jeremy Grant was getting. And that kind of makes sense now for the Blazers. Now, a trade where you could potentially have some teams with some cap flexibility. Looking to move off this $40 million contract could be key as Jeremy Grant has obviously gotten a little bit older and isn’t really at that level of a $40 million contract. nor do the Blazers really need him as they already have key wings like I mentioned and Denny Avida, Tummani Kamara, Shayen Sharp can play a little bit of the two three and Chris Murray has been pretty solid as well as a scorer and shooter and who knows what they do in the draft or free agency or anything like that. So, I think a player in um excuse me, Jeremy Grant could be used on the trademark potentially with the number 11th overall pick that the Blazers has up as they may not see no need to get that and might invest into, you know, a shooter or two. I could see a trade with the Portland Trailblazers and the Brooklyn Nets getting down where the Nets were able to send Cam Johnson and you know another salary back for Portland to Portland for Jeremy Grant in that number 11 overall pick. It would ultimately get Brooklyn two picks in the draft lottery at 11 and8 as they have the money to take on Jeremy Grant’s contract and could use it as whatever. And for Portland, they would add a scorer in Cam Johnson who could play that power forward position and, you know, provide that scoring and shooting that they do need while also playing that defense. Also was on a cheaper deal than Jeremy Grant. It would provide some great value as well, saving some money or potentially even bringing in, you know, another tradable contract that the Nets have that they want to get off their books. I think that’s a win-win for both teams, and I would not argue for the Blazers to really make that move. Specifically, they want to get a little bit better in this West. Another player that I could think could be traded from this Blazers team as well is Anthony Simons. As Anthony Simons is alongside Jeremy Grant was on this team in the, you know, Damen Lloyd era and now is on the post Damian Lord era. And Simons obviously hasn’t looked that as that number one star guy that they thought he was when they drafted him when Dame went down with the injury a couple years ago before he was traded. They threw Simons in there to kind of be that spark plug to kind of create that offense and he looked very solid while he was a little bit younger, but hasn’t taken that leap as that offensive scorer to be, you know, that number one, number two option on a championship team. And that’s clearly been proven with the Portland Trailblazers now at this point. So, I think looking like a guy and Anfrey Simons to move off of him, specifically when you have, you know, pretty solid guard rotation already and Scoot and Shaden Sharp playing pretty solid. You don’t need Anthony Simons. you can look to move off of him to any team that needs shooting. One team, specifically the Orlando Magic, and you could potentially get back some younger contracts and a guy in uh Jed Howard who was a rookie who has some untapped potential. also could look at a Cole Anthony as well from the the Magic and any other salary fillers that you can get or picks to once again help the Magic kind of take their reign a little bit more, but also getting some shooting back, but also staying the course, getting a little bit younger and trying to figure out the investment plan for this Portland Trails Blazers team in the next light in the next couple years. And I think clearly Anthony Simons isn’t going to take you over the top with this Blazers team. So try to move off of him at the best value that he has now, which is a pretty solid scoring scoring piece at a as a role player, I think, on a pretty solid good NBA team. And then lastly, these two guys we can discuss for his possible trade candidate, but I don’t think they’re going to be traded. It’s looking at Robert Williams and DeAndre. And and the funniest part is is to get a picture of these guys actually to fit the screen here on Getty Images, you had to find it back in college. There’s no picture of them on the Blazers because Robert Williams hasn’t really been playing. DeAndre in obviously has been out a little bit. I don’t necessarily know if they move both of these guys. Like I mentioned, they have pick their pick last year and Don Mcllingan’s pretty good. DuP on a n-g guaranteed deal. He didn’t play that much this year, so they might wave him, but I think he’s a great player that they found some investment in in the year previous that they would like to bring back on a cheap contract. So ultimately, Robert Williams, who’s been injured for most of his career in the NBA, and unfortunately that wise and has kind of remained that for the Blazers here. And ultimately DeAndre in a guy who was drafted number one and hasn’t really panned out to be that number one guy and I don’t think is going to be for the uh Blazers here as his offensive game hasn’t really developed that much as that dominant scorer. I think they could both be viewed as a trade piece. Now I think Robert Williams has a little bit more value just because correct me if I’m wrong in the comments, but I believe he’s on expiring next season. DeAndre Aton is not given the fact and DeAndre makes a little bit more money. could still I guess still still hold over that role while you still develop Donovan Kling and that maybe next off seasonason you look to move off a guy and DeAndre in but I feel like Robert Williams a lot of teams are looking for that type of center once again a rim protector high-flying shot blocking big as long as he can stay healthy he can be a solid piece and I think teams like the Lakers maybe even the Hornets if they look to replace a guy like Mark Williams could be calling up the Blazers for a guy in Robert Williams to really replace that center position need that they would be looking for if they did make a trade or what the Lakers in their case still do need. But overall, like I mentioned, I think the most likely player to get traded is Jeremy Grant. I feel like these are kind of last. Maybe a Robert Williams deal slides and Anfred Simons I’m truly 50/50 on as I think the Blazers could still, you know, sell to the fans and to themselves that they still need to keep him to kind of push this through. But I think if you’re the Blazers, looking to move off those guys is probably the best. really invested into this young dynamic core of, you know, Scoot Sanderson, Shaden Sharp, uh, Tummani Kamara, uh, Denny Avida, and then if you add a Cam Johnson, if you add a Jet Howard and Cole Anthony, and you keep Chris Murray, you bring back Matis Thel, a Donovan Klingan, a Duop Rereath, say you have these cunners, you have a pretty solid team in a Western Conference that, yes, is stacked, but a team that has outlook, has potential, has, you know, some sort of destination they can really get to. And all depending on if you have this pick or if you don’t have this pick, you can add another young talent or another young piece that could really help this squad out. And when looking at this Blazers team, that’s going to be the next part we talk about is talking about the draft. I think there’s three guys that I would be interested in for them to take. The first one is Carter Bryant. And Carter Bryant is a fantastic wing for this Blazers team. Now, once again, they have guys in Avida and Camaro. So why would they want to take a guy in Carter Bryant? Well, one, you could never have too many 3 and D wings in the NBA. I think he also provides himself as a better scorer than both of those players have at the college level. And I think he can be a better scoreer than both Tumani Kamar and Denny Avida at that three position. But not also that just that but if a guy like Tumani Kamara or Denny Valida does get price gouged or does you know play so solid that another team has interest in them and you can’t bring them back having a reserve and Carter Bryant who also can play that role is another key piece to have for the Blazers. And I think once again really hitting on this 3 and D wing talent is going to be a key for this development in squad as we’ve already seen it with their two young guys and Kamar and Navidida. And I’d love to see Bryant get in that mix as well. Now, this is where I think the Blazers do need help specifically if they look to lose shooting. And another player that really would help out that mold is Lee McNeely, and he can play that wingguard uh 23 that they could definitely use. I could also see the Blazers maybe being interested, you know, in a Grayson Allen trade, potentially interested in a Duncan Robinson if he was available out there on the open market. But if you can get a guy like Liam McNeely who can pres ultimately be a Grayson Allen or a Duncan Robinson, but on a rookie scale contract at pick 11, I think that is the big time move to make. It addresses some shooting concerns, specifically if you do get rid of a guy and Anfrey Simons and do bring back Cole Anthony and you know a Jet Howard per se. You have now three solid shooters on the wing there to kind of help out with guys like Scoo Henderson who’s obviously a pass first playmaking point guard. Shaden Sharp who’s a driving um slasher and finisher at the rim and you know a guy in Avida and Kamar who aren’t the best three-point shooters. I think McNeely is one of the perfect glove fits for this team. Now I don’t necessarily know if he’s going to be a top pick at 11 because he kind of fluctuates in draft mocks. Most people having him around the mid first round. So it might be a little bit of an early pull for Leam McNeely but I think this is one of the better fits for the Blazers in the draft is at pick 11. And then lastly, I’m just going to go with Derek Queen. I know that they drafted a center in Klingan last season, but if they want to move off of these bigs, right, and if they move off of both of them in a and or Robert Williams or, you know, another one in, excuse me, in um Dwop Rereath, then I think a guy in Derrick Queen makes sense having two rookie bigs, especially with Klingan not really proving himself to be that dominant number one starter to really take that job from a DeAndre in or a Robert Williams yet. I feel like if you want to have the best potential of growing a top tier big for Scoot Henderson, taking another one in Queen if he is available could be that piece to once again maybe jump Cllingan or you know to have that two big man tandem as we’ve seen big man have been taking more control back in the NBA. And then when we look at free agents for the Blazers, they have some guys here Ryan Repair Matis Libel team and player option. Expect both of them to be back. Dano Banton, he was brought there two seasons ago in a trade. he might be brought back as a point guard, but ultimately I don’t think so. And I think the Blazers are going to be interested in one guy, and it’s already been mentioned that they’ve been interested in him. And I think a lot of teams across the league are going to be, but it’s Chris Paul, and they are interested in him as they think he could be a great mentor for Scoot Henderson. And I definitely do not disagree with that. I think Scoot obviously has some issues kind of scoring the ball and keeping with that scoring consistency. I feel like like a guy who like Chris Ball who was traditionally a pass first point guard and once again a guy who is a smaller guard and had to find his way to get up to be a solid scorer in the league. I think a guy like Scoo Hendrickson could learn a lot from Chris Paul. And once again it ultimately comes down to what CP wants this season, right? Does he want to keep pushing for a championship? Does he want to continue to try to get that ring and go, you know, piggy back on a championship team as a on a vet minimum contract? or does he want to make a decent amount of money, help lead a legacy, be a great mentor, and go to a team like the Blazers, similar to how he was with the Spurs last year, where he was able to help a guy like Wanyama, help a guy like Castle really be able to develop and really blossom. I think a lot of teams are going to be specifically interested in a guy in Chris Paul, but I know that the Blazers are one, and I think he’d be a pretty good mentor as well. It all just depends though on their offseason kind of direction. And the Blazers, like we mentioned, have the cap space. They could get a guy like Paul. So, let me know your thoughts down below in the comment section. This one was a lot longer than the other ones that we have broken down. So, if you have got to this point, I really do appreciate you guys and let me know your thoughts down below and what you think on my thoughts are on the Blazers here is I feel like they are probably one of the more interesting I know I say this a lot, but in my opinion, this off season, they have a key direction, right, to kind of stay young, but also could add talent around this youngness and still be afloat. And I think a lot of people post Damen Lillard did not see this for the Blazers. They’ve really struck in gotten some good trades. And I think even if they are to be able to make some of these moves into trades or even in the draft and able to add some of this talent, we can see the Blazers continue to creepily rise maybe into that playin aspect next season. And then after that, we could potentially see them, if they can get that number one guy there or trade a bunch of contracts to get that number one guy. If they don’t have it already on their roster in the draft, then I think they’re set up for success. So, let me know your thoughts down below in the comments section on the Portland Trailblazers. I think a fun, exciting, interesting team out here in the West. Definitely someone to keep an eye on going into this season. Once again, if you do enjoy the content, let me know your thoughts. I’ll catch you guys in the next one. Peace out.
In this video, Bruce Veliz breaks down the NBA and looks into each team and how they should handle the offseason ahead. In the first episode, we dive into the Portland Trailblazers. Let us know your thoughts down below.
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