Mike Richman here, the host of the daily Locked On Blazers podcast, with your daily Locked On Blazers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Blazers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Is Addition By Subtraction Real
Mar 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) gives Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) a high-five during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports|Troy Wayrynen/Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
The Trail Blazers won three straight games without Deandre Ayton and Anfernee Simons* in the lineup and undeniable these absences coincided with the best stretch of basketball has played all season. (*Ant played 5 total minutes, you get it)
It’s been a small sample size, just three games, but the improvement is hard to ignore. The team has shown a more cohesive and effective style of play, raising questions about the impact of these two players on the court.
Without Simons, the Blazers have been able to field bigger lineups, reducing the number of negative defenders on the floor. And Portland has been able to make up for Simons’ offense — which admittedly has been a struggle in its own right to begin the season — with a obscenely hot shooting night against Minnesota, and two impressive breakout games from Shaedon Sharpe.
With Ayton out, the Blazers have leaned on Robert Williams, who continues to look like the team’s best big man. Plus, Donovan Clingan had the best game of his young career last Wednesday against the Timberwolves.
The sample size is small enough that one-off hot shooting games, and an monster Clingan night have had out sized impact. Certainly the Blazers have played their best basketball without Simons and Ayton available. And yet, three games is probably not a large enough sample size to be definitive. Three games is three games.
So what’s the solution here? If you’ve read this far I’m sure you’re screaming it at your screen. TRADE THEM! But finding a deal for Simons and Ayton isn’t going to be simple.
Both players have significant contracts, making them challenging to move. Simons, with his $25 million salary, and Ayton, earning around $34 million, present financial hurdles for potential trades. The market for players like Simons, who are high-volume scorers but struggle defensively, is limited. And Ayton came in with very little trade value and hasn’t exactly upped his market in his short time in Portland.
The reality is that trading these players isn’t just about finding a willing partner; it’s about finding the right fit that aligns with the Blazers’ vision for the future. The team is navigating a complex landscape, balancing the need for immediate improvement with the long-term goal of building a competitive roster.
And to be blunt: Chasing a crappy trade based on three games over the course of the week is not how decisions like this should be and are made.
The Blazers have benefited from some short term addition by subtraction, but the back half of this roster-based math equation is tricky.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Blazers’ strategy and potential trade scenarios, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- The impact of recent lineup changes on team performance
- Simons and Ayton’s trade value
- The challenges of navigating the NBA’s new CBA rules
The Sixers are no longer just bad, they’re cornered
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center|Photo by Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Look, I held off as long as I could, told myself it was only an awkward start. I looked to silver linings, to the tendency that things going wrong for this long tend to right themselves. I looked to the surrounding conditions for clues and when none revealed themselves, I decided to stay positive but now, it’s time: time to talk about the Philadelphia 76ers.
Beyond what Sixers fans know intimately and don’t need reiterated (things are bad), the mood around the franchise is starting to feel closer to cornered than merely frustrated. Last night, after a third quarter collapse against the Heat in Miami, the Sixers held a postgame meeting that lasted over an hour. The game already had a bizarre feel to it, Philly led by 19 before being down 20, and Joel Embiid went from being listed as doubtful to starting. No one on the Sixers roster looked especially comfortable, a trend that’s emerged throughout the team’s first full month of regular season play.
Slipping now to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, with a record of 2-11 I still feel the need to double check as I write this, one thing has become abundantly clear — the Sixers don’t have room to hedge.
There’s no scapegoat to pin the team’s shoddy performance on, not this early in the season. Even when healthy, and Embiid, George and Maxey are on the floor together, it’s been for naught. Both the teams wins came in arduous overtime, one without George and both without Embiid. The Sixers win against the Hornets was missing Maxey completely.
Here’s a problem I’ve wondered about since Daryl Morey landed George in what was declared an undisputed win for the franchise and the best move of the offseason — what about Philadelphia’s role players? To clear the books for cap space enough to sign George, Daryl Morey liquidated the team’s working roster — 13 of the team’s 15 man squad became free agents. Tobias Harrias and Nicolas Batum may not be spring chickens in NBA terms, but they provided the mechanical support the Sixers are now woefully lacking. This isn’t the Sixers only problem, that much has been made clear, but it’s a big one.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Coach Chauncey Billups emphasizes the importance of practice as the Portland Trail Blazers prepare for upcoming games. Anfernee Simons and Deni Avdija are making notable progress. (Blazer’s Edge)
Roster The Trail Blazers’ bench has been a game-changer, leading the team to a three-game winning streak. Their depth is proving to be a significant asset. (Oregon Live)
Biz Former NBA stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are looking to buy a minority stake in the NFL’s Buffalo Bills (CityTV)
Must Read Knicks forward OG Anunoby says he’s tired of being known for his defensive prowess. (The Athletic, subscription required)
3peat (ICYMI)
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Blazers podcasts.
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Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan Lead the Trail Blazers to the Best Win of the Season Donovan Clingan dominated inside, Shaedon Sharpe delivered late, and the Trail Blazers earned their best win of the season.
