NBA Trade Deadline 2023 – what will the Portland Trail Blazers do?
With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, the leaders of the 30 franchises are busy making the necessary transfers before the fateful date of February 9. Of course, each team’s situation is different, and it is precisely for this reason that we want make special deadline paper by franchise. Presenting issues, issues to watch, intentions in the transfer market… we explain it all to you. On the menu today, the Portland Trail Blazers.
BLAZERS, LOVED BUYERS OR SELLERS ON THE DEADLINE?
Save the best, the ship will sink. If the Blazers remain on four wins in five games and Damian Lillard’s hitting is heating up like a peeing cow, on the merits, Portland’s workforce isn’t fooling anyone. There are very few guarantees. A six-time All-Star surrounded by bad guys, who can only count on Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and – let’s be crazy – Jusuf Nurkic to try run in the playoffs. This is ambitious Utopian. The Oregon franchise is obliged to recruit to develop the final years of Damian Lillard (32). If Joe Cronin – Portland’s GM – doesn’t pull off one or two brighter plays than those already under Chauncey Billups’ stewardship, goodbye to dreams of an adventure outside of the losers (and hackneyed) which paths. Too many years to believe that, but in fact it is not. We must react, and for that, the Blazers must play the consumers.
THE BLAZERS PLAYER(S) THAT MAY BE TRANSFERRED
The big tender pushed off the end of the board by captain Joe Cronin was nothing but Jusuf Nurkic. The Blazers have been playing better for five games: five games in which the Bosnian played just 46 minutes. Opportunity? Definitely not. Even if he starts putting up 20 points and 18 rebounds the next few nights, be careful not to fall into his trap. That to a pivot who wants to keep his status as a starter on a team mid range from the West. Problem of problemextended Jusuf Nurkic last summer in Portland for 70 million over four years : the interior is thus linked until 2026 to the City of Roses. A shot in the foot that the Blazers were pretty much forced to shoot themselves. It’s hard to let go without consideration. But it is also difficult to send him to weigh the finances of a franchise. He is only 28 years old and can still put big cards in the racket of a team that doesn’t really know what it wants. Notice to franchisees who have lost a bit: if your future prospects are unclear, that’s yours young core won’t be ready before 2026, and the idea of 300 pounds on the racket doesn’t appeal to you, there’s a way to help a good friend in Oregon. Disclaimer : not the Rockets, not you.
Josh Hart was also placed in an ejection seat. Joe Cronin can’t extend Jerami Grant AND his fullback next summer, he has to make a choice. The latter turns into a 28-year-old strong winger, a solid defender, a versatile attacker who shot 42% from the parking lot this season, rather than some kind of beaver who defends well and averages 35 points in the last two weeks .of the regular. Not the choice of the heart but of the mind.
? The Jusuf Nurkic file should be watched closely, trade as much as possible at the deadline.
Joe Cronin is not happy with his team’s performance so far, the Blazers need reinforcements, and Nurkic is rated well in the market.
Sharpe: barely transferable. pic.twitter.com/1ojA3lgBaG
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 23, 2023
THE PLAYERS DRAWN BY THE BLAZERS
Not in the post but still in position for OG Anunoby (rather announced heading to New York or Phoenix). The idea is good: the Blazers will be well – very well – inspired to strengthen the wing. In the event of the departure of Yousouf Nourkiche (and like 47 other franchises) Portland will have to find 5 titu positions. Strong shoulders, positive performance, attack and defense, a tall figure in the style of Myles Turner where Jakob Poeltl. So we happily think of a trade in the three teams where the Blazers sacrificed, whose bench was really not given and very bad bargaining chip, their capital draft 2024, Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Hart, to strengthen themselves on the wing and in the paint. Three stories of arrival to begin a run in the Playoffs, to convince future free agents to re-sign (including Plumlee and McDaniels), to consider a new run in 2024 – and therefore snub the draft. A bit far? Probably yes, but at least we tried.
Sources: Spotrac, Basketballreference, ESPN
