NBA Trade Deadline 2023 – What Will the Portland Trail Blazers Do?

With the NBA Trade Deadline fast approaching, the leaders of the 30 franchises are busy making the necessary moves before February 9th. Of course, every team’s situation is different, and that’s why we wanted to create a specific deadline document with the franchise. Presentation issues, issues to watch, intentions in the transfer market… we tell you everything. Portland Trail Blazers on the menu today.

BLAZER, GOOD DEADLINE BUYERS OR SELLERS?

Whoever can, the ship will sink. With the Blazers sitting on four wins in five games and Damian Lillard’s flogging raging like a bully cow, essentially Portland’s pitching staff isn’t fooling anyone. Very little guarantee. A badly covered six-time All-Star who can only count on Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and — let’s get crazy — Jusuf Nurkic run away to the playoffs. This Ambitious utopian. The Oregon franchise is committed to recruiting Damian Lillard (32) for his final years. Goodbye to dreams of an adventure off the beaten (and beaten) paths if Portland GM Joe Cronin can’t pull off one or two more flashy plays from those under his care under Chauncey Billups. Although it took many years to believe it, not really. We have to react and the Blazers have to play for that buyers.

BLAZER(S) THAT MAY BE TRANSFERRED.

The great relief pushed to the end of the board by captain Joe Cronin is none other than that Yusuf Nurkic. Blazers have been playing better for five games: in five games, the Bosnian player has played only 46 minutes. Coincidence? Absolutely. Even if he starts putting up 20 points and 18 rebounds the next few nights, be careful not to fall into his trap. A pivot who wants to keep his starting status with the team middle range from the west. Problem problemJusuf Nurkic was extended to Portland last summer 70 million within four years : the interior is thus connected to the City of Flowers until 2026. A shot in the leg that the Blazers had to kick themselves a bit. It is difficult to ignore it. But it’s also difficult to send him to burden a franchise’s finances. He is only 28 years old and can still put big cards in the racket of a team that doesn’t know what it wants. Watch out for some lost franchises: if your future prospects are unclear, yours young core It won’t be ready before 2026, and if you don’t mind the idea of ​​300 pounds in a rocket, a good friend in Oregon has a way to help. Refusal : no Rockets, not you.

Josh Hart is also placed on the ejection seat. Joe Cronin can’t extend Jerami Grant and his quarterback next summer, he has to make a choice. So the latter appeals to the 28-year-old power winger, solid defender, and versatile forward who is shooting 42% from the floor this season, not some kind of beaver who defends well and has averaged 35 points over the past two weeks. . regularly. It is a choice of the mind, not of the heart.

PLAYERS ARE PROMISED WITH BLAZERS

Not at the pole, but still in the OG Anunoby position (pronounced in the direction of New York or Phoenix rather). The idea is good: The Blazers would be good – very good – inspired to strengthen the wing. If Yousouf Nourkiche leaves (and like 47 other franchises), Portland will have to look for 5 title positions. Strong shoulders, positive performance, attack and defense, a tall figure in style Myles Turner Where Jakob Poeltl. So we had fun thinking of something trade With their bench completely unsecured and a very poor bargaining chip, the Blazers sacrificed their 2024 draft capital, Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Hart, to bolster the wing and paint. Three advent stories to begin with run away to the playoffs, convince future free agents to re-sign (including Plumlee and McDaniels), then consider a new contract run away In 2024 – and therefore reject the project. A bit of a visionary? Probably yes, but at least we try.

Sources: Spotrac, Basketballreference, ESPN

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