NBA Trade Rumors: Blazers Seeking to Deal No. 3 for ‘Elite’ SF

By Andrew Bancroft May 20, 2023 29 mins read 197 Views

Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images

The Portland Trail Blazers want an “elite” small forward and are willing to part ways with the No. 3 pick to do so.
The Portland Trail Blazers could go in a number of different directions for the No. 3 overall pick.

While ESPN insider Jonathan Givony believes the Blazers would be happy to keep the pick, The Athletic’s John Hollinger says otherwise, mentioning that the Blazers could package Anfernee Simons and the No. 3 pick to land an “elite” small forward.

The Trail Blazers, who currently own the pick, will seek to trade out of the third position rather than select another young player. With Portland in “win it for Dame” mode and the Blazers desperate for playable wings (even presuming they re-sign Jerami Grant), speculation is already widespread that a package of the third pick and Anfernee Simons might be used to snag an elite small forward.

There aren’t too many “elite” small forwards that make sense in a trade for Simons and No. 3, so it narrows down Portland’s search. Names that come to mind off the top of the head are DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls and Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, though the latter is more of a power forward.

Siakam’s teammate, OG Anunoby, also makes sense, but he wouldn’t be considered elite and likely wouldn’t warrant such a high price. If the offer was No. 3 and Simons for Anunoby, the Blazers should ask for more.

More than likely, if the Blazers were to make a trade for an “elite” small forward, it would likely result in a three-team trade or more. Perhaps if Portland could trade back with a team like the Orlando Magic, who holds the Nos. 6 & 11 picks, the Blazers could take those and trade for a player like Siakam, DeRozan or [insert player here.]

BE community, who do you think would be worth trading for the No. 3 pick? Chime off in the comments below.

References:

By: Jeremy_Brener
Title: NBA Trade Rumors: Blazers Seeking to Deal No. 3 for ‘Elite’ SF
Sourced From: www.blazersedge.com/2023/5/19/23730626/nba-trade-rumors-portland-trail-blazers-seeking-to-deal-no-3-for-elite-sf
Published Date: 05-20-2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has the Raptors been in existence?

The Toronto Raptors are an NBA franchise located in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. In 2001-02, the Raptors became the only Canadian-based NBA team after the Grizzlies moved to Memphis, Tennessee.

Toronto Raptors are based at Scotiabank Arena, where they play their home games. The Maple Leafs, a city's NHL club, also uses the arena. Since their foundation, the Raptors were in the NBA playoffs 13 more times. The most recent was in 2021 where they lost 6 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 1999-2000 the Raptors reached their first playoff appearance. They were defeated by the New York Knicks, division rivals, in the first round.

The team was boring and there were very few fans. There was little to watch or root for and no reason anyone would care. The team finally decided to change their image after years of mediocrity and made every effort to appeal to the public.

They hired an advertising agency in 2001 to create a strategy for marketing that would help them achieve national fame. They created a slogan that screamed "Hear me roar!"

The team was experiencing financial difficulties at the time so the slogan was used to highlight the fact that all of their games had sold out. All they needed was a catchy phrase and a great logo to go along with it. This is where the creative genius of the agency shines through. They combined the phrase "hear us roar" with another popular saying, "never say die." This became the Toronto Raptors' official motto.

How did they win the NBA title 2019?

DeMar DeRozan was traded to Toronto Raptors by Jakob Poltl (protected 2019 first-round draft pick) and a Toronto Raptors player in return for Kawhi Leonard.

On February 7, 2019, Jonas Valanciunas (Raptors) and Delon Wright-C.J. Miles, and a 2024 draft pick to Memphis Grizzlies were traded to Marc Gasol (another multiple All-Star player and former Defensive Player-of-the-Year) and Jeremy Lin shortly thereafter.

The Toronto Raptors had an extremely exciting offseason. Two major trades sent shockwaves through NBA. DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poltl, as well as a 2019 draft pick (that was secured) were the first trades made by the Raptors. In return, they received Kawhi Lenard and Danny Green from Spurs. Then, they traded Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright C. J. Miles and a 2024 2nd-round draft pick to Memphis Grizzlies were traded for Marc Gasol--another All-Star, former Defensive Player-of-the-Year. These moves have put the Raptors in a strong position to challenge for the NBA title. Let's have a closer look at each trade.

Kawhi Leonard's trade was a risk-reward deal for the Raptors. Leonard, who is coming off an MVP-caliber year, is one of the top-5 players in the league when he is healthy. He was injured and only played nine games last year, so there are concerns about his long-term well-being. The Raptors decided that the reward outweighed the risk and made the deal. Leonard is healthy so far and has been playing at an All Star level. Leonard averages 26 points and 8 rebounds per game. He also shoots 49% from behind the arc and 38% at three-point range. If he can keep his health, he will give the Raptors a real shot at winning the NBA title.

Marc Gasol traded for Marc Gasol in a more short-term move. Gasol is well into his 30s and clearly is past his prime. But, he's still a good player that brings valuable experience and talent to the young Raptors. He is averaging fifteen points, eight rebounds, and four assists per game. He shoots 45% from three-point range, while also shooting 45% from behind the arc. C.J. Wright and Delon Wright were young assets the Raptors traded. Miles was acquired by Gasol. However, the Raptors believe his expertise will prove to be valuable during playoffs.

The Raptors were off to a good start with a winning 6-0 record. Their 16th win was on November 23rd. To avoid further injury, Leonard was rested by the Raptors for more than 20 games. They still managed to secure the 2nd seed East, just behind Milwaukee Bucks.

The Raptors were able to continue their winning streak in the playoffs by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers (Orlando Magic), Milwaukee Bucks (Milwaukee Bucks) to reach the NBA Finals. Leonard was named Finals Champion and the Raptors took home their first title.

The Toronto Raptors had an extremely successful offseason. It paid off big. Two All-Stars are on the roster and the Raptors look poised to be contenders in the years ahead. They have shown they are capable and willing to make bold moves as well as take risks when it comes to assembling a championship-level team. It will be exciting to see if this team can continue their success.

Why did NBA leave Vancouver?

NBA left Vancouver after a dispute regarding arena financing. The City was going to contribute $40 million towards constructing a new basketball arena, which would include 12 luxury suites, two restaurants, a bar, and a hotel. However, the City Council wanted to give the team owners $60 million in taxpayer money to pay off their existing debt. This meant that the city would have had to borrow $200m in order to build the arena. While the team owners had only to pay $20 million, this was a huge difference. The city would have to pay the remainder of the loan back.

The City Council stated that they would be open to the plan if the NBA agreed not to leave Rogers Arena until the new facility opens. The league, however, refused to accept the plan. They claimed that the arena was not large enough. They were not interested in playing there anymore, as it was too small. They felt it unfair to ask them for more revenue by asking them to stay in the smaller venue.

The City Council asked the province for financial assistance. While the province provided $150 million for the project, the City Council required another $100 million. That was when the City decided that it would instead concentrate on building an arena downtown.

Statistics

By 2018, estimated the Raptors were worth $1.4 billion, 12th in the NBA. (en.wikipedia.org)
This improved during the 2006–07 regular season to an average of 18,258 fans (13th in the league), 92.2 percent capacity at the Air Canada Centre. (en.wikipedia.org)
Thomas named Raptors' GM NBA superstar to have 10% stake in the new franchise". (en.wikipedia.org)
This improved during the 2006–07 regular season to an average of 18,258 fans (13th in the league), 92.2 percent capacity at the Air Canada Centre. (en.wikipedia.org)
In November of the 1996–97 season, Bitove sold his ownership interest in the team to Slaight for $65 million after Slaight had activated a shotgun clause in their partnership agreement,[32][33] giving Slaight 79 percent control of the team, [34] (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

When is the best time to see a Toronto Raptors team play?

Toronto Raptors' games take place between October and April on weekdays. Weekends are often reserved for other events, such as concerts and festivals.

You should book tickets in advance as they sell quickly.

Wednesday is the most popular date to attend a Toronto Raptors match. This is due to the fact that many fans arrive early in order to view pregame warmups.

Fans will then move to Nathan Phillips Square right next to the ACC. They stay there through the end.

The best time to see a Toronto Raptor team play is after 8 p.m. The best time to visit a Toronto Raptor game is after 8 pm. Fans are welcome to return to celebrate the team’s victory.