So here is something small that I was thinking about today, nothing earth shattering but hey I think about the blazers a lot so indulge me... A trade that doesn't involve players and doesn't necessarily have to be done by the trade deadline... this trade could happen on draft day and it seems to make sense to me. This deal isnt necessarily dependent on us still having our 1st round draft pick this coming draft and the more i think about it it could be better actually for us to loose the pick this year and have it next year instead but anyways here it is:

trade our two 2nd round picks in the upcoming 2013 draft (from timberwolves and celtics) for a late 1st round pick in the 2014 draft.... like I said nothing earth shattering but hear me out.

The blazers are a young team as it is (5 rookies mind you) to add 3 rookies this off season (result of us keeping our pick instead of giving it to the bobcats) would just be too much youth I think. You could argue that maybe the blazers trade the two 2nd rounders to move up this year and only have two picks (feasible) or trade the 3 picks to move into the top 10 (not so feasible) or something like that but still i think that makes this team way too young...

keeping and signing the 2nd round picks would pull money from our $13mill (or whatever the number is for free agent money) and we need to keep as much of that as we can... I suppose you could argue "draft and stash" a euro, im not really a fan of this tactic but its probably the way the blazers will go. This draft is a weak draft as it is, so turning two 2nd rounders into a late first next year could get you a much better player than what turning the two 2nd rounders into a late first this year would get you.

A lottery rookie this year plus a late first next year looks good to me. No pick this year and two first rounders next year (one in the 15-20 range and one in the 25-30 range) could easily be turned into a pick around 10-12 or u get two hopefully solid bench players... either option looks better than what we have now: a lottery this year and two 2nd rounders or two 2nd rounders this year and a possible 15-20 range next year or a lottery and a late first this year....

I put together a few trade partners by looking at 2 simple criteria... 1- teams who should have a late 1st round pick in the 2014 draft. 2- teams that could use some cheap roster spots next season due to lack of cap space and # of players on roster....

-Clippers: they have what should be a late 2014 first rounder to trade to us. After they re-sign Chris Paul I only count 9 players under contract next year, 10 when you add their 2013 1st round pick .

-Grizzlies: they have what should be a late 2014 first rounder to trade to us. We have all seen their recent moves to get under the luxury tax. If Bayless picks up his option they only will have 9 players under contract next season, they only have a 2nd rounder in the 2013 draft so that would get them to 10 players under contract.

-Lakers: Should have a late 2014 first rounder to trade to us (and if next year is anything like this year maybe its better than a late first). If the re-sign Howard and all options are picked up then they only will have 9 under contract next season, the already have two 2nd rounders this year so that would get them to 11 under contract (four 2nd round picks would be easier to turn into a decent 1st round pick for 2013 for the lakers if they wanted a better rookie)

Anyways there is my trade idea with possible trade partners... let me know what you think in the comment section and vote in the poll