Today, we look at the best trade the Portland Trail Blazers can make with the 3rd overall pick in this years NBA Draft!
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20 Comments
Claxton and Bridges would be great. Might get Blazers top 4 spot in the playoffs. Not enough to win it all without some other difference maker. That being said, I've been working on a trade idea that you might call the antithesis of what you just laid out. Here goes.
Dame to Brooklyn, Win – Win ?
So, let me start by saying Dame is my favorite player and the Portland Trailblazers are my favorite team. I would love nothing more than for the Blazers to win a championship or two with Dame in the next few years. I just don’t see that happening without forfeiting the bench and the future. The current iteration of this team seems to be split between a win now with Dame and more vets vs a go young and build with youth.
I am leaning towards the latter for these reasons.
1. I don’t believe that with what the team would have to give up for the addition of another really good vet or two, even coupled with a Grant resigning, is going to be good enough to win it all. Not with what the team would have to give up to get all-star caliber vets.
2. Dame is the most authentic, honest, loyal, and dedicated professional athlete that I can remember. I want to see him get titles, “and do it here in Oregon”. I just don’t see that happening in the near future. Dame is also a “Brand”. That’s just how it works in professional sports now. I want to see Dame succeed as much as I want the Blazers too.
With that being said, I propose the following trade:
Brooklyn Nets receive:
Damian Lillard — PG ——— $45.64mil. 4 years left on contract. 2026-27 Player Option.
Jusuf Nurkic’ —– C ———– $16.88mil. 3 years left.
Nassir Little —— SG/SF —– $6.25mil. 4 years left.
Total: $68.77mil.
Blazers receive:
Ben Simmons —- PG ——-$37.89mil. 2 years left on contract.
Spencer Dinwiddie — PG/SG — $20.36mil. Expiring.
Nic Claxton —— C ———- $8.75mil. Expiring.
Cam Thomas —- SG ———$2.24mil. 2 years left on contract.
Total: $69.24mil.
Five of Brooklyn’s 1st round picks. One this upcoming draft and 4 more over the next 6 years:
2023 – PHX #21
2025 – 1st choice of available picks.
2027 – 1st choice of available picks.
2029 – 1st 2 choices out of 3.
What the Nets get out of this:
A win now lineup at the expense of future flexibility and luxury tax penalties. Assuming they sign Jerami Grant to a long term for say, $30 mil next year. They would spot a starting lineup of Dame at the 1, Joe Harris or another SG at the 2, Mikal at the 3, Grant at the 4 and Nurk at the 5. Bench could be Patty Mills at 1, Nass at 2, Royce O’Neale at 3, Dorian Finny-Smith at 4 and Day’Ron Sharpe at 5. Except for Sharpe, all the starters and bench are veterans averaging around 29 years of age. The Blazers would also be doing them a great big favor by taking a problem off their hands and giving them a great opportunity to get a title in the next few years.
Dame gets to play with people he already knows well with Nurk, Grant and Nass, in a place where he would be a great influence in an organization and city that’s had some ups and downs recently, to say the least. He gets the “Dame Dollar” brand exponentially more exposure playing in a city of 19 million people than he does in the whole state of Oregon, (4.2 million). And, of course, all the other perks that would come from playing in the Big Apple.
What do the Blazers get:
Well, to start with they keep their own pick this year. Whether Scoot or Miller, both have all-star potential. Either would be a good fit alongside Ant, Shaedon, Claxton and other starter. A great young center in Claxton that they will have the money to extend after next year. They have a great young core that can grow together for the next few years. They have a coach in Chancy that is a great teacher. They get the flexibility to make moves because of being so far under the tax threshold. And they have trade chips to use in the future. I’m not counting on Simmons moving forward. But, if somehow Chancy and the team can get him back to his early self, then we would have a 6’ – 10” former #1 to add to the mix.
As an example of cap flexibility, the Spurs, (those lucky hombres winning the Unicorn lottery), are approximately 77 million under the cap for 2023-24 season. Meaning they could go out and sign 2 or 3 all-stars to put alongside Wembanyama and would have a very competitive roster this year. That’s what I would like to see the Blazers do. I would rather build towards a dynasty then sell the future in hopes of an improbable championship run.
This rebuild that might not take that long if things work out for the best. Even if it doesn’t in the next year, by the year after I would expect them to make the playoffs. Looking two more years down the road they could have enough free capital to say, sign a former player who might be getting tired of the big city and use his player option to opt out and come back to a roster that is just hitting its stride and only needs their general to take them to the promised land.
A guy can dream can’t he. 😊
Make it so.
Rick Hanson
i seen a report today that the nets as zero interest in moving bridges, they are going to build around him.
Trade pick 3 for Magic for the pick 6 and 11, is great idea?
The best move that we could actually get would be KAT.
As a Nets fan, I don't think you'll be able to get both our 1st & 2nd best players, without parting ways with either your young players. Scoot/Miller and scrubs plus picks = lottery hell. For a team that doesn't control it's picks, it doesn't make sense for the franchise as a whole.
They would need to give up more for Mikal. They value him very high
We need Dillon brooks….
Contender for what? It’s called delusion
Jody to Cronin after watching the Heat play and compete for a Championship. Hey Joe, why can we surround Dame with cheap undrafted players like the Heat?
the nets said they arent willing to trade Bridges :/
Hear me out on these trade proposals that I think Brooklyn should make in the off-season
1) mikal bridges for pick 3 and sharpe
I think bridges is worth these assets because one him and lillard already have chemistry, two his durability is very valuable now a days with load management, three he is a borderline all star, and four his contract is a steal. If Portland could get a few more pieces I see a contender in Portland while Brooklyn can rebuild since trading for lillard would probably take too much assets and therefore we wouldn’t be good enough to contend
Trade 2) Cam Johnson and DFS to Houston for the 2 Brooklyn picks they have.
Houston been wanting cam Johnson to help them out on there small forward position and DFS can be a good backup to Jabari smith. While Brooklyn won’t need to worry about giving Houston top prospects while tanking and can at least have control over two years while worrying about the swaps in the future.
Tell me what y’all think about these trades, ps. I also think Brooklyn should try and sign naz Reid since he is young and he’s a big which we desperately need
Garland & Jarred Allen from Cleveland to Portland for #3 and Simons Garland and Mitchell didn't mix as well as people thought. Then they have Mobley, so Allen could be easier for them to let go of. They were both All-Stars the year before. Scoot would be a great piece to go with Mitchell & Mobley. Allen gives us great rebounding and some shot blocking. Garland is good defender and is the pg that would go well with Dame. So that would give us a starting line up of Allen & Dame in backcourt and Allen & Grant @ the 4 & 5 and Nurk @ Center
obviously this is a great trade fo pdx but sucks for nets
You don't give up Simons or Sharpe and Blazers get Bridges and Claxton?! GTFOH! 😂😂😂 You're not supposed to drink the bong water big guy 😂😂😂
This is not enough. Can’t see the Nets doing this without Simons/Sharpe in the deal.
We aren’t giving up the potential all starts or superstars in Mikal and Claxton
If we can't get jaylen brown. I say keep the pick. Especially if the hornets leave miller on the board.
Well Mikal is out of the picture. Brooklyn DORS NOT plan to trade him.
Every fan base wants to trade away there bad players for good players.. the nets are not taking on nurkic.. I honestly don’t think simons is enough.. scoot is a gamble he can be a franchise changer or another markel fultz.. Sean marks is on the hot seat if he makes any of them awful trades he’s a goner
What do these Portland fans dont understand. Brooklyn came out and made a statement that will deal Mikal to Portland for nothing they offer