How Will the Trail Blazers Handle Potential Trades of Veteran Players?

How Will the Trail Blazers Handle Potential Trades of Veteran Players?

in today’s show a case study in Drew holiday how the Blazers handled trade talks last offseason and how it might impact those same discussions this summer welcome to lock on Blazers let’s get into it you are locked on Trailblazers your daily Portland Trailblazers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team everyday what up world it’s your past first point guard and Trailblazers reporter Mike Richmond you are listening to another episode of locks on Blazers part of the lockon podcast network available wherever you get Podcast and also on YouTube thanks for making this show your first list and coming at you each and every weekday Monday through Friday so making a part of your da routine make your first listen tell your friends to do the same it’s lock on Blazers your team every day in today’s show I want to talk about a trade that happened several months ago like you know 10 almost and why that might impact the Blazers going forward we’re calling into case study and Drew holiday and there’s some reporting from ESPN that uh indicates how Joe Cronin approached the the trade talks when it comes to Drew holiday and I think that it could be telling for how he might approach the trade talks when he has to or chooses to deal some veterans here in the coming months I think it’s I think it’ll be worth your time I promise plus uh want to close the show with um a little bit of proof that the Blazers if nothing else aren’t afraid to spend small Millions let’s get into the Drew holiday stuff there is um thanks to the short Conference Finals rounds four games in the East and five games in the west we got a long time like the Super Bowl in between in between sporting events uh in between basketball games um it’s too long in my opinion bring them back I don’t think the Finals should be a fixed TV date but I get it I understand why they are blah blah blah blah blah but it’s just it’s too long it’s too long but it it one of the things that that the long break has afforded us is a lot of writing and Brian wior a veteran reporter for ESPN um wrote a long story today about how Drew holiday um who’s going to be pivotal in the NBA Finals wound up in Boston Drew holiday of course made a pit stop for your beloved Portland Trailblazers one of a blaz an all-time great Blazers Legend joining Mike Miller and Steve Francis as just Legends in the game I think you could probably throw Pal Gasol and fesa in that mix but I think they’re they’re different they’re in a different category similar category but a different category this is more Stevie franchise and Mike Miller um the story is long and and and and goes a lot of different directions but it it it focuses a fair amount on Joe Cronin trading holiday to the Celtics because that’s how he ended up on the Celtics the Blazers has of course traded Damen Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks Drew holiday ends up a Blazer and right away he finds out from Joe Cronin that he’s he’s going to be flipped right that he’s going to be he’s going to be traded into the future and there’s a there’s a there’s a couple paragraphs I want to read you I want to read you the first one and then the second one here um I believe this story is free I’m going to link it in the comments and might be an Insider story um unfortunately in 2024 you got to pay for journalism because no one else will pay them um here’s the here’s the pay directly for journalism a subscription fee like you used to with a newspaper um it’s here’s here’s the first paragraph that I think is of note from wind horse’s longer story again this will be linked in the episode description for this very episode quote when the call was over there was a list of five or six teams Portland was made aware and the bidding commenced Drew holiday talks to Joe Cronin says here are the five or six teams that I’m willing to go to don’t trade me anywhere else and Joe crin says I’ll make it happen several teams armed with draft pick draft picked assets that would have been attractive to the Blazers called only to be told they weren’t on the list this included the Pacers in the New York Knicks teams that M later made big inseason trades and had long playoff runs but the Blazers stuck to holidays list you remember that right when it came out Drew holiday was very appreciative and and said very positive things about Joe Cronin he was very upfront with him and he was very very thankful and he was kind of um holiday was pretty down on the way the Bucks handled it he felt like he was kind of Blindsided and all those things and he was very very very complimentary of Joe Cronin in in public settings and this kind of shows you why right is that Joe Cronin says where do you want to go okay here’s five six teams cool I’ll make it happen other teams come in with good offers right like um interesting intriguing uh draft pick offers and Nick’s have a bunch of picks they could potentially trade and he says nah we’re good he doesn’t want to go there I got to trade him to the places he wants to go and I think you can read this one of two ways my read on it is that um maybe those like we don’t know the reported deals but I don’t think um the Pacers trade that they made for um for p allakum is like wholly better than what the Blazers got for holiday and holiday is is a better player and um I don’t think the what the Knicks traded for OG and anobi I don’t think the package RJ Barrett and Emanuel quickley is particularly intriguing I like Emanuel quickley a lot I don’t think RJ Barrett’s very good um you know more draft picks could have those aren’t the only like the packages that went in those the seak trade and OG trade aren’t the only trades those team could offer but I don’t think those are overwhelming um so I could see like why Crona wouldn’t be like call Drew holiday back and like hey wait hold on hold on what about Indiana have you ever been um I’ve got giant pork sandwiches there you’re going to love you’re going to love that state um what about what about the Big Apple um but I I think there’s one of two two ways to read this my read on this is that this is how Cronin has typically operated he’s been um famously you know kind of found a place that CJ McCollum was comfortable going before trading him made sure that Josh Hart was comfortable before he he traded him traded him away made sure that that worked out for him uh even with with Norman pal he and Robert Covington trade him to places they were happy even though it was just like a salary dump for the Blazers and they found a good spot for him um kind of ironically and this irony is absolutely not lost on me the only person that Joe Cronin hasn’t like sort of worked with is Damen Lillard um there is a certain irony to that obviously that situation is unique only wanted to go to one spots yada y like you know but but um like I don’t think cron handled that that situation particularly well although he may have come away with a good trade you can do a bad job and you can do you can do a good job poorly and he may have done that like the Public Public perception poorly but the actual execution of the trade totally good um but there is a certain amount of irony to that the other read on this and this was shared with me by friend of the program Brandon sprag I I did a little video segment with him and and his uh co-host Andy dirt Johnson tonight uh and this evening as I’m recording it you listening to Thursday June 6 show and Brandon shared this perspective is that so for me I’m like yeah that’s that’s you know Jon cronin’s doing something that he’s done for the like often for the most part this is a good way to build positive relationships with powerful agents in the league um the blaz are never going to be like a free agent destination so you’re not really building Goodwill with like Superstar players that are oh we’re going to want to come there but it’s like agents are going to say this dude is good to work with he he gets my clients where they want to go so if if you’re choosing between two teams and the money and the situation is relatively equal you know push steer your clients to Portland Etc like that like I think this is just like a good way of doing business and that that and he’s continued to do business that way and you feel like you create positive relationships um these positive relationships you you think that sort of will come back down the line not just like karmically but like literally they will come back down the line because you have you’ll have good working relationships with folks in the league that that was that’s kind of my read on oh Cronin has operated this way he’s continued to do so and bra sprag offered this um other take which I had not considered and I don’t know that I agree but I think it’s worth flushing it out is that Cronin prioritized player happiness over the franchise that might be harsher than than sprag put it but I think that was the gist ofate it’s like that if there were better offers and quote draft pick assets that would have been attractive to the Blazers uh only to be told they weren’t on the list teams were aren’t weren’t on the list offering offering those draft pick assets like if if the Blazers did indeed turn down better deals because they wanted to do right by um Drew holiday that is a little weird that’s weird that like um I do think there is part of um and my friend of the program Katie hindle has has has kind of helped me see this is like a lot of way we talk about trades very ruthless it’s very just like it’s it’s not very people Centric and like people are are are are the central figures being traded and remembering that they’re humans and all these things and like prioritizing their happiness is just like a human way of treating folks but um I think the sort of um probably the flip side is that the best way to run a basketball team in terms of like is just like ruthless disgusting efficiency is the like um all players are assets maximize your assets Sam presty approach uh you know I think the the OKC currently has a very very positive vibes in in their with their team so maybe he’s he’s prioritized Vibes in a way that we we from the outside didn’t know but you know it’s it’s sort of the coldhearted uh all players all everything you trade as an asset whether it’s a human or a draft or a future human in a draft pick um I do think that’s probably generally just like the right way to do business I think that that ruthlessness that is a little bit gross is is is the right way to go and I think sprag helped me see that like yeah maybe M maybe passing up on quality deals and again like I’m not sure the Pacers and Knicks in specific situations um were were quality deals but it’s it’s worth it’s worth considering both sides I I think this is um yeah okay I’ll just say it I think this is not something that I would have parsed as deeply if it wasn’t June and the the basketball team that this podcast is about was a little bit better but um it’s June and the basketball team’s bad so we’re kind of digging a little bit deeper than we normally would so I think there’s there’s that it’s like did did Joe Cronin prioritize you know future relationships with player and player agents or did he and and and by doing so did he kind of um not maximize the value in return but in continued reporting from wi horts Cronin was very specific about what he wanted in fact there were two teams that came forward as as the leading suits for Drew holiday it was the LA Clippers and as as well as the Boston Celtics and the Clippers they were going to give expiring contracts did not importantly did not get expiring contracts um that would have helped clean up the Blazers books but Portland pushed for more look quote looking for draft pick swaps and having those selections be unprotected and I’m going to read a little bit more apologies Brian the Clippers proposal Drew out the type of strong offer from the Celtics that Portland was hoping for the Celtics heavily committed to going all in uh came with a bid the Clippers couldn’t match the Celtics offered two first round picks their own in 2029 in the 2024 Golden State Warriors selection that ended up becoming a lottery pick uh B Boston agreed to make the 2029 pick unprotected included defensive specialist uh big man Robert Williams those were the Blazers push for for the two two final Acquisitions was making sure the 2029 pick was fully unprotected which is could be valuable I think the Celtics are likely to be pretty good as long as Jason Tatum and Jaylen Browns are around and they may probably be around in 5 years but 5 years is an eternity and I think an unprotected pick in into the deep future is actually has some has some real value and the teams obviously really expensive and and and some of the role players on the older side so um yeah there’s there there I think that’s a worthy worthy um a worthy flyer and Rob Williams who like if he’s healthy is really good wasn’t healthy had knee surgery played six games didn’t work out um I think this is telling is like that Cronin wanted to do right by right by Drew but also in the end he wanted to do right by the team he wanted the specific things unprotected future unprotected picks the Warriors pick like pushing like it’s a little bit weird because like the Warriors pick was very specifically protected it’s top was top four protected this year and top one protected in the following year um so like maybe lightly protected picks and then a specifically an unprotected future pick and I and the since like specifically the Clippers in this instance they didn’t have near-term picks to trade they were going to be trading future picks and I could see why the Clippers would want to put some protections on those deep future picks because they might suck they’re old um they it’s it’s I think in the end Cronin got what he wanted now he may have artificially narrowed his negotiating Partners but he got what he wanted um and to me this suggests that Joe Cronin has a has a specific approach and instead of like retiga the Damen Lillard Drew Holiday trade I don’t I don’t care to and I probably just straight up will never do that on this podcast maybe I will it might get I should not say that there’s a long summer ahead I might do for a week um who knows but I want to spin it Forward what does this approach what does this way that Joe Cronin specifically approached this trade tell us about how he might approach trades for other veterans this summer Malcolm Brockton Jeremy Grant uh Robert Williams anrey Simons what might those look like let’s talk about that to to close the show in the second segment join me there won you first though I want to tell you that Today’s Show is brought to you by game time it’s the the number one spot for getting last minute tickets are you in the Boston area or thinking about making a trip there what about if you’re going to be in beautiful North Texas and head to head to Dallas well if you’re in the area and you’re thinking about getting last minute F NBA Finals tickets faster and easier the game time app is it’s the spot for you because tickets on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets to TI tip off you can walk away with killer last minute deals because that’s what they do you can save up to 60% off uh on last minute tickets for Not Just Sports not just the NBA Finals but concerts and comedy and theater shows whatever you might be looking for you’re going to find it on the game time app so go check it out download the game time app create an account and use the code locked on MBA you get $20 off your first purchase it’ll help you take the guess work out of buying NBA Finals tickets with game time or whatever tickets you want to buy again terms apply create an account use that redemption code locked on NBA that’s l c k d o n NBA for $20 off your first purchase download game time today last minute tickets lowest prices guaranteed all right so short of re litigating the Drew Holiday trade which I litigate a little bit I think it’s fine um we’ll see what happens a lot of is what happens on the back end right like like what do they do with the 14th pick although I think the transitive property is not maybe Fair it was a good it was a worthy trade to get the 14th pick it might end up being a dud selection that’s just that’s I I I don’t think I don’t think you get to connect those dots although you can you can do whatever you want but what they do with with um with Malcolm Brogden and Rob Williams will will really kind of help you see the the quote total Hall um for for the for the end of the Daman lower trade and I do think that is a fair use of the transitive property of Trades um I I that’s to me those are like very specifically connected the Blazers didn’t prioritize um uh expiring contracts like the Clippers may have offered they prioritize tradable parts in in Malcolm Brogden and and and Rob Williams and they also have some other veterans on their own on the you know that were already on the team and anrey Simons and Jeremy Grant and all of those gentlemen could potentially be traded um and and like I don’t like I do think they will trade Malcolm brog I think there like he’s a lock he’s he’s heading into the final year of his contract they probably show trade him at the deadline maybe maybe he was hurt and the and the market was was depressed but like they got to move him now it doesn’t make any sense to hold on to him any longer his value is is only going to go down once the season starts because the clock sticking you get less you’re trading for Less Malcolm brogen as as you negotiate into the season um but uh I I think it’s worth considering like how knowing what we know about Joe Cronin that he has mostly negotiated with his guys like he like he said hey Josh Hart we we know you’re not going to resign here you don’t want to you don’t want to be here you certainly don’t want to be here as a like forced to play small forward or or like you don’t get your ball the ball in your hands to do the point guard stuff you like to do you don’t don’t get to play like small ball freaky decky power forward you just have to play like other guard um in in in a ball dominant situation where you’re like a spaced out shooter and just like it’s not it’s not a good fit for you and maybe you don’t like the city like we know you’re not going to resign where do you want to go find a place for him to go CJ McCallum hey we’re teing this bad boy down where do you want to go would New Orleans be okay okay great we’re going to find a deal we’re going to find a deal that works we know how he operates so I’m thinking about like that moving forward um without getting like too too deep into like the specifics of a trade I have some trade ideas that I want Wonder like how would if you’re Joe Cronin how do you approach um said veterans on the team with like with that opportunity I think one of the deals that was like spun up for Robert Williams during the year or like popped up as as a rumor is that the the Rockets were interested in trading for Rob Williams it’s like hey Rob do you want to go play for emo yoka again he probably would be cool with that from from what I understand so like that might be a useful spot for him but otherwise it’s like you know where does Rob Williams want to go I don’t know him well to Guess that I don’t even know like sort of what his physical health basketball playing status is to to to have a guess either but one trade that I have talked about a bunch is trading athrey Simons to Orlando at the Magic in something that would be akin to like centered around getting a future draft pick and Anthony black those are the two names that I would want if I’m trading with with with the um with the magic but who knows what they what they would what they would be willing to say yes to Anthony Black’s like a recent top six pick in the NBA draft you know never never know if those those guys are like deeply invested in them but to me the sell from Joe Cronin is do you want to go home not everybody wants to go home some guys do not want to move back home there are reasons that folks leave home in the first place but for Anthony zimon the C could be yeah like I mean I would love to be back in Florida I would love to be back in in my hometown or in my home region depending on where he lives uh but like that could be a a sell for Cronin that’s like a job where he like a trade where he could be like hey does this interest you uh when thinking about teams that might be interested in Jeremy Grant um I I think like the the California teams Golden State if they were to like work some multi-team trades where either uh uh Andrew Wiggins or Chris Paul were to were to leave then I think like the Blazers obviously those players specifically wouldn’t be valuable back on the Blazers but like a multi-team swap a three to four Team Swap where Jeremy Grant is routed to Golden State I could see that being a sell hey do you want to go play on a really good team and you kind of fit in some ways what they want to do although you’re not much of a passer but um they’re a bad rebounding team that could use Shooters and you’re a bad rebounder who can shoot you would help um like I think that’s a sell uh but sort of the same flip of that coin it’s like uh and maybe living in the bay in general has some appeal to to Jeremy Grant um but like Sacramento I think Sacramento could be a team that would be interested in Jeremy Grant say they strike out on the Brandon ingrams and they strike out on the Kyle kusas and they just really feel like they need an upgrade or at least a change from Harrison Barnes because running it back is is not appealing and they strike some some multi-team deal which the Blazers end up sending Jeremy Grant to Sacramento and and the and Harrison Barnes gets rerouted somewhere and the Blazers get draft picks for the for the troubles Sacramento might be a harder cell to Jeremy grants and I think that’s where this type of thing could come in it’s like does Joe Cronin say sorry no matter what at this at this stage I’ve changed what I like instead of nego instead of limiting the parameters of my trade Partners to help to that would be appealing to the players on my roster and their representation do I maximize their absolute value and and to to sort of more more prove my point a team that I think um would be really appealing uh would should have some interest in Malcolm Brogden is um is Oklahoma City um you know I think they lost in the playoffs in part because they’re just not big enough they they they weren’t they got size was a problem against Dallas and if they played the other teams in the other side of the bracket size would have been a problem against Denver size would have been a problem against Minnesota like whoever that played in the final four of the West they they would have they would have been too small but I Al I I think another reason they just straight up lost to the Mavericks is because they didn’t have enough dudes who could dribble in and take a pull-up jump shot a lot of their spacers like Isa Joe and Lou Dort they don’t have that sort of mid-range mid-range game like even if that’s the best shooting team in the league like it’s not like they’re light on Shooters what they’re light on is like those guys who can shoot but also like make a play off the bounce that aren’t just Shay gild just Alexander and jdub like they could use one more guy who could go get a bucket go get a shot I think Malcolm Brogden is that however would is Malcolm Brogden interested in going to play in going to live in Oklahoma City and I think that’s the kind of thing where this comes up it’s like is Malcolm brogen’s list hey I I want to go to these places I want to play for these teams I want to play for this level of team I want to or or or does he say like hey Oklahoma City has not traditionally been a place that that many players want to go outside of I guess uh Paul George although I think that that kind of was sprung on him more than him specifically asking to yet there but once he was there I think he was pretty happy um but like this is not has not been a traditional landing spot for players they’ve done a good job acquiring and churning out really high level trades and so maybe you like this is a this is sort of that um that thing it’s like does is is OKC the line or are they good enough that the line has changed is OK see the line where it’s like he’s like nah that’s not on my list sorry like I that’s not a place I want to be and does Joe Cronin honor that or does Cronin go more of the Damen lard approach where he says hey you can you can you can give me your list but if I hate the offers I’m just straight up not going to approach that I’m not going to negotiate it I’m going to send you a place that is okay like sending Damen L to Milwaukee is a really nice landing spot it’s a pretty darn good um consolation to end up Milwaukee maybe not like city-wise versus South Florida um the weather’s a little bit different but it’s on the water it starts with an M um but like in terms of competitive basketball environment um I don’t know if it’s a perfect fit for Dame in terms of his skill set at Miami really would have fit what he wants to do for fright reasons uh oh am I re litigating the Dame trade even on this very podcast but like would would Cronin change his approach I think we have a lot of data to suggest that Cronin will work with players within reason would this summer he limit his would he I think the thought experiment here is what does within reason mean like the case study in Drew holiday suggests Joe Cronin will be he’ll work within reason but then he’ll maximize his return within that reason okay these are the five teams I’m able to negotiate with these are the two best offers from those five teams here’s the offer that here are the things I are must have I absolutely have to have these things unprotected future pick and and a tradable young tradable good young player and and Rob Williams obviously at risk but like does is that the approach where you sort of narrow your narrow your negotiation parameters and then make demands or do you kind of widen your net because at this point what the Blazers need to do is absolutely maximize their return I think the best best version of this is the ladder right is that you absolutely maximize your return and you just like trade someone to hell right you’re like guess what Jeremy you’re going back to Detroit because they’re willing to give us I mean would Detroit wouldn’t do this but like they’re willing to give us multiple first round picks right um apologies for calling Detroit hell the city totally nice the basketball organization in in chambles um but like I think this is I think we have a good sense of how Joe Cronin does does business with players for the most part and I think this is will be telling when this summer he will trade some veterans how he continues to do business because if it is relatively narrow parameters there I think there is a point when you get diminishing returns where you are too nice to players and their representation you not maximizing what you can get in your return but there is a point where doing right by folks and maximizing your return is actually um whatever the opposite of burning the candle at both ends is growing the candle at both ends adding wax to both ends of your candle where it both endear you to agents you know player representation and also helps the franchise as well um yeah that was 25 minutes on two to three paragraphs from Brian Windhurst it’s it’s early June okay it’s early June um I actually do think it’s telling I do think it’s an interesting case study and some interesting reporting I’m I’m I’m teasing myself uh because that’s what I do here I’m a little bit minor self-deprecation okay to close the show Blazers ownership spent some money um and not in the way that you might have guessed let’s talk about it join me in that third segment won’t you first though let’s talk about prize picks it’s daily Fantasy Made Easy prize picks is the number one fantasy sports app it’s over 3 million members excuse me they are out now up to 5 million members it’s the most fun exciting way to get in on the action while you watch your favorite sports and players you just pick more or less on two or more player stats for a shot to win up to 100 times your cash with prize picks you can turn $10 into $1,000 in a single game watching your favorite sports all summer long you can make a prize picks lineup in as little as 60 seconds you just need to pick more or less on two to six player stat projections and you’re locked in uh if you’re looking for promotions prize picks has got you covered every week from lowering select player stat projections on Tuesdays with their Taco tu special which increases your chance of getting win to getting your entry fees back if you have a losing lineup on Fridays so go get in on the action this week on prize picks you’re going to get all of your NBA Finals actions like Jaylen Brown for more than 25 points or uh how about a little Jason Tatum for more than 10 rebounds as we get into the NBA Finals download the app today use the code locked on NBA for first deposit match up to $100 that is locked on NBA for first deposit match dollar for dollar up to 100 bucks prize picks pick more pick less it’s that [Music] easy still a pass first point guard I’m still Mike Richmond and you are still listening to locks on Blazers Blazers ownership spent some money in a way that you might not expect um I am not going to sit here and tell you that I think the Blazers have a great ownership situation and that you shouldn’t be worried about it I think in general they’ve got an ownership situation that is in like Perpetual flux like I don’t think they’re going to sell the any time soon I think they’re going to sell once the television rights deal is negotiated I think the what what’s going to happen is the deal with um it sounds like it’s going to be like Amazon NBC and some other partners and once that deal is finalized and the money is there and everybody knows how much money the NBA is going to get from that deal and that ink is dry I think the Blazers will move to sell but I don’t think there’s really much reason to do that I don’t think they would hold out for expansion because I think expansion could be a ways away in the NBA but I do think the media rights deal will be the thing that kind of pushes ownership over the edge so until then they’re like the over theedge in terms of like agreeing to sell but like I also think the Allen State and the folks that are running the Allen State uh Bert cold specifically they like owning a basketball team they’re not they don’t like they like running a basketball team like being the owners of the basketball team I I I don’t think um and there’s no like mechanism for a force sale or anything like that it’s like they’re going to own the team I don’t I’m not here to sell you on the team be like the ownership situation being like Rosy and good and like don’t whine about it um it I do think it’s over like I think it’s a classic sports fan thing where it’s like uh a team is bad and you’ll see this like not with just with blazers but like literally literally every team a team is bad and they’re like sell the team we have no hope and like sure um ownership is a huge competitive advantage in the league but also like sometimes you get Matt ishbia who’s like an an incredibly committed owner um who like just did what new owners sometimes do and spend a whole bunch of money badly catch just like get make a roster that doesn’t make sense and C cash and all your assets and like do you know be aggressive and do all those things and maybe they’ll get out of it because money can buy your way out as well but like not always you can’t you don’t get more magic draft picks um but I do think the Blazers spent a little bit of money this week or actually a few months ago and we’re just learning about it this week according to a report from The Oregonian the Blazers on in on February 5th bought a plot of land adjacent to their practice facility in twon they their practice facility is out in the suburbs um it’s actually for visiting reporters what a nightmare they have to drive like deep into our suburbs to go interview the team uh for those of us who have covered the team regularly it’s just normal you drive to 1210 it’s fine um but they bought the adjacent property it’s like a Mercedes-Benz mechanic shop I’ve parked in front of it like a kajillion times going to practices in my time but they bought that that land for $4.6 million back in February this is reporting from Andrew Miller of The Oregonian Oregon live the Trailblazers confirmed in a statement and I’m reading verbatim from the oregonians article the Trailblazers organization confirmed in a statement that it bought the property saying it was quote a great opportunity to secure land more lands near our current facilities for future flexibility the Blazers Representatives did not immediately respond to questions on potential future uses of the property so the obvious thing is like now that the G League team also practices out there the Rip City remix they just need more space the other thing is like you just you’re always going to need more room like you’re never going to need less stuff in like the modern NBA world of for E pratice facility facilities nice um it’s not like brand spanking new but it’s nice it’s in it’s it’s it’s I’ve been in worst ones in the NBA um like it I think this is this is there are two reads on it one like the obvious just expansion for the Blazer facilities expansion for the remix facilities in The Oregonian article they mention potential expansion for the WNBA it doesn’t make any sense the Blazers aren’t going to be involved in the ownership group of the WNBA um so if there is a WNBA team that moves here and I hope there is that’d be really fun um that they’re not going to be they’re probably not going to be practicing in the Blazer facility they’re certainly not going to have a built to suit products by the Blazers for them to practice in that just doesn’t make any sense um there’s a couple things one is this is they’re just you know they’re they’re obviously expanding two um that area is pretty built out like um you got Club sport right there um and and a couple other things that are right there in the train tracks and it’s like the Blazers is just like it’s $ four and a half million dollars it doesn’t it’s like totally meaningless to a giant billionaire estate and it’s just like let’s buy it you know I I work in real estate in my um day job it’s like maybe they got win that they were going to sell that piece of dirt and they were like piece of dirt that’s like operating a a a mechanic a mechanic shop a mercedesbenz uh mechanic shop but like maybe they there was like they they knew the autoshop was for sale or or it’s maybe going to be for sale and they just moved to say hey let let’s just buy it because we don’t want anything next to us and what is $45 million to US so it’s either just like an obvious protect what you have type of um land play uh purchase or they’re going to expand the facilities it’s not any more to mean to it to lean into it but I think this is important this is what I want to say Blaze’s ownership has spent plenty of money the things that they have not done is make decisive decisions about high fir hiring and firing within with within the the the basketball portion like wing of things they haven’t quickly moved off and bought out chony Bops um when they hired Joe Cronin they didn’t run like an extensive search for new GM They promoted from within without any interviews right like they they they’ve they’ve kind of just um they have operated in a certain way and they have not been decisive in choosing a direction I think um you know like it’s unclear like ownership’s sort of um role in the Damen Lord Saga and Dame was profusely thankful of of uh of jod Allen in one of his goodbye notes but like um were they kind of leaning one way and the and the organization other and like the decision makers another in terms of of of the F like rebuild versus versus revamp around Dame type of thing like who knows and I think that that’s more the like issue with ownership is that it’s unclear what they’re sort of like clear laid out obvious Vision doing things with decisive action to make the team better but in terms of spending money they’ve spent money they they they launched a g-league team in 10 months they gave Jeremy Grant $160 million um they’ve held on to player contracts and allowed the team to prioritize having players under contract as a opposed to doing things like trading with the Clippers to clean their books and just be cheaper for the sake of being cheaper like they haven’t they haven’t done that stuff and this is like another thing it’s like $4 million maybe nothing to them and maybe they need the expansion but maybe they just want to they just want to make sure that they have their privacy and have their space and that no one encroaches on them and what what does it matter like the the team isn’t failing or whatever because of like deeply cheap ownership the money has been there maybe the other Vision hasn’t been there but the money has been there and this is just the latest example of it okay this was a silly show uh tomorrow let’s get back to regularly schedule programming how about a Heavy Deep dive into the draft um also if you’re into deep into the show I’ll tell you right now I have heard the next two Blazer Pro Prospects that are going to work out for them Thursday and Friday are going to be better players um two different people have told me that the that the workouts are about to get better so um be on the lookout for that Thursday and Friday um and Friday show a deep dive with friend of the program Keandre Ashley from hoop intellect it’s going to be really good going to talk all things draft Nobody Does it as well as hoop intellect on YouTube it’s probably my favorite um draft scouting service that there is or like uh breakdowns uh YouTube breakdowns that there is Keandre rocks he’s been a guest in the show before and I’m really excited to have him back so come back for that show come back for tomorrow show tell your friends to do the same I appreciate you listening I’ll talk to you soon [Music]

Reporting from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, in a larger story about Jrue Holiday landing on the Boston Celtics, sheds light on to how Joe Cronin and the Trail Blazers approached trade talks this summer. Will that approach play out again this summer if the Blazers look to deal Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, Jerami Grant or Anfernee Simons.

Windhorst’s story: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40265510/nba-finals-2024-boston-celtics-dallas-mavericks-twists-turns-led-jrue-holiday-back-finals

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBlazers?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Watch the show and subscribe on YouTube
📺 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeE7WdPaNWwA-IZGfHek90Q?sub_confirmation=1

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Yahoo Finance
For comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

eBay Motors
From brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.
PrizePicks
Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#TrailBlazers #NBA