All Things Ayton

[3TheHardaway]

Caleb Martin would be intriguing, but we’d be setting ourselves up to get drop defense exposed in the post season with a center as immobile as Nurkic. If Toronto rather than Miami gets the prize they have more interesting bigs to deal along with Nurk.

I’m with the others who are worried by Gambo not only not shutting this down, but already going in PR mode to sell us on Nurk, and following it up with expectation of Dame traded within 24 hours. Guess we should prepare to be underwhelmed in advance.

There was never a chance to get good value for Ayton once he signed that max deal.

Sure, but I guess I’d rather a more athletic rim running phenotype.

[TOO]

Caleb Martin would be intriguing, but we’d be setting ourselves up to get drop defense exposed in the post season with a center as immobile as Nurkic. If Toronto rather than Miami gets the prize they have more interesting bigs to deal along with Nurk.

I’m with the others who are worried by Gambo not only not shutting this down, but already going in PR mode to sell us on Nurk, and following it up with expectation of Dame traded within 24 hours. Guess we should prepare to be underwhelmed in advance.

There was never a chance to get good value for Ayton once he signed that max deal.

Sure, but I guess I’d rather a more athletic rim running phenotype.

Absolutely.

[Shabazz]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

[JeremyG]

If we trade Ayton, I guarantee we won't win a championship this season.

[3TheHardaway]

If we keep him it’s no sure thing that we win it, let alone that he shows up motivated.

He has played uninspired for 80% of his career. The only time we saw him play to his level of talent/physical gifts was for 8 weeks just before he was eligible to play for an extension, and then again right before he was about to hit restricted free agency.

We should listen to people when they tell us who they are. He told us he was playing for that next contract. With 3 years of guaranteed money heading his way, I’d put my money on uninspired play.

[specialsauce]

It’s happening

[Split T]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

And I still am operating under the assumption that Nurkic isn’t the only thing coming in the trade.

[TOO]

It’s happening

Swami.

[Shabazz]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

And I still am operating under the assumption that Nurkic isn’t the only thing coming in the trade.

I don’t forget. That doesn’t make it any less crazy to willingly downgrade. It makes no logical sense. There are probably 20 centers in the league I’d take before Nurk.

[specialsauce]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

And I still am operating under the assumption that Nurkic isn’t the only thing coming in the trade.

I don’t forget. That doesn’t make it any less crazy to willingly downgrade. It makes no logical sense. There are probably 20 centers in the league I’d take before Nurk.

I’m going to assume there’s some other pieces inbound

[JeremyG]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

Maybe because that is flat out false?

[JeremyG]

If we keep him it’s no sure thing that we win it, let alone that he shows up motivated.

He has played uninspired for 80% of his career. The only time we saw him play to his level of talent/physical gifts was for 8 weeks just before he was eligible to play for an extension, and then again right before he was about to hit restricted free agency.

We should listen to people when they tell us who they are. He told us he was playing for that next contract. With 3 years of guaranteed money heading his way, I’d put my money on uninspired play.

Yeah, it's too bad he played uninspired when playing for zero money for the Bahamas.

[specialsauce]

https://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2xw36sba

It's happening!!!! with 2 first round picks from Toronto to Portland

[Vladimir_Taltos]

If we keep him it’s no sure thing that we win it, let alone that he shows up motivated.

He has played uninspired for 80% of his career. The only time we saw him play to his level of talent/physical gifts was for 8 weeks just before he was eligible to play for an extension, and then again right before he was about to hit restricted free agency.

We should listen to people when they tell us who they are. He told us he was playing for that next contract. With 3 years of guaranteed money heading his way, I’d put my money on uninspired play.

Yeah, it's too bad he played uninspired when playing for zero money for the Bahamas.

Excitement over above average play against a cast of 5' 5" effectively midgets doesn't mean jack nor diddly...that aside, I am not for trading him for an oft injured player. I wouldn't mind a step down in his overall game if we could swing a solid traditional PG to go with the crew and a 'solid' center (s.a.Turner.) But Nurik and 30 games out a season doesn't excite me. FIgure out how to swing an avg center and Damien trading Ayton...bring it on.

VT

[Flagrant Fowl]

https://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2xw36sba

It's happening!!!! with 2 first round picks from Toronto to Portland

Link doesn't work. What's the deal?

[Split T]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

Maybe because that is flat out false?

It really isn’t…here are their per-36 numbers from the playoffs:

Ayton 15/11
Landale 14/9

Ayton shot 55%
Landale shot 63%

Ayton averaged 1.9 turnovers
Landale averaged .6 turnovers

Ayton had a .047 WS/48 and a -3.5 BPM
Landale had a .144 WS/48 and a 0.1 BPM

Ayton had a -4.2 on/off rating
Landale had a +15.7 on/off rating

[Split T]

You can just bench Nurkic in the playoffs. Play Eubanks

You keep saying that as if it’s not insane to trade our starting center for an ostensible backup center when we’re going for a title.

You forget our backup center playing for the minimum outplayed our starting C last year in the playoffs.

And I still am operating under the assumption that Nurkic isn’t the only thing coming in the trade.

I don’t forget. That doesn’t make it any less crazy to willingly downgrade. It makes no logical sense. There are probably 20 centers in the league I’d take before Nurk.

Nurkic isn’t a downgrade if Ayton plays like he did last playoffs. Now I doubt he’s that bad again, but I’ve also said I wouldn’t do a Nurkic for Ayton straight swap. You seem to be assuming there is nothing else coming back. Mostly I just want to be done with Ayton. I can’t stomach another season resting our chances on a guy who’s so unreliable. The fact he could play like he did last postseason because he couldn’t get along with the coach tells me he could do it again.

I can’t imagine Book and KD want to keep holding his hand. Just get him out. Bring in someone who can approximate 75% of the good version of Ayton and add another rotation piece in the process. About as much as we can ask for after how bad he was last year.

We trade Ayton’s up and down reliability for Nurkic’s shaky health. I’m cool with that. At least we know Nurkic will show up when he’s healthy. Eubanks being on the roster and us getting an additional piece(Caleb Martin perhaps?) pushes it to yes for me. Gives me enough to pass on the upside of Ayton staying motivated all year.

[Split T]

https://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2xw36sba

It's happening!!!! with 2 first round picks from Toronto to Portland

Link doesn't work. What's the deal?

The dream trade would be if Toronto sent OG/Trent/Flynn and picks to Portland for Dame and Portland turned around and flipped OG/Nurkic for Ayton/Ish

[Split T]

The hope being that Portland would know OG being expiring wont re-sign and therefore they’d value Ayton and the 3 years left on his contract more.

Probably not likely though as they could probably move him for more later if they held onto him till the deadline. Trent would make more sense as the other piece, but I’d have no interest in him.

[Split T]

Ok, 1 last post to get my thoughts out as I can’t sleep for some reason. Here would be my A, B, C, D, and F trades involving Ayton for Nurkic

F: Ayton for Nurkic and a bad contract. Neither Miami or Portland seem to have someone that would fit here, but the point is the same. If we have to match salary by taking on a useless player, it would get an F from me.

D: Ayton straight up for Nurkic. I wouldn’t like it, but I could understand it. Ishbia saves a ton of money and we get flexibility going forward by downgrading our C position. Something you do if both parties are just done with each other.

C-minus: Ayton for Nurkic and a mediocre player on a reasonable deal. I heard Ayton for Nurkic and Otto Porter mentioned. I still lean towards no on that, but Porter would upgrade the back 3rd of our roster and could be a tradable contract later. Not enough for me though. I don’t care enough about upgrading Ish to downgrade Ayton.

C+: Ayton for Nurkic and a good player(not so great contract). I’ve seen Duncan Robinson mentioned. His contract isn’t great, but he gives us another rotation guy that could play in the playoffs. Don’t love this one, but this is where I cross to saying yes.

B: Ayton for Nurkic and a good player on a reasonable deal. This is the Caleb Martin deal. I like this one and wouldn’t hesitate. Martin is good and could start for us. He’s not a great defender, but he’s solid and probably a better option defending POA than Beal or Book. Great deal, though basically expiring because of his player option. We would have bird rights though.

A: Ayton for Nurkic and OG. Get a great player alongside Nurkic and you get an A from me. OG would be the perfect defensive fit next to our big 3 as he can guard basically anyone. He can play small ball 5 as well. Not great offensively, but should flourish as a 4th option. Only downside is if he wouldn’t be happy as a 4th option.