I hope you're right, but I think it's a stretch to act like Dame isn't considering his future with the team at all. I'm not sure how anyone could come to that conclusion at this point.
I think the situation is pretty complex
to start with, I think Dame does not trust Olshey. If he did he wouldn't have gone over Olshey's head to talk to Paul Allen 3 years ago. Adding on to that, I think Dame suspects the Vulcans don't really care about contending or holding Olshey accountable
Dame did an interview a few weeks before the playoffs. Essentially, he said that 'this' year's team was different; that it had a better focus & feel than any past team he was on. He expected them to be very competitive in the playoffs. Then, Denver happened, and that loss, when none of his teammates really stepped up, knocked the pins out from under his expectations and perceptions. I suspect it was the biggest disappointment of his Portland career.
then, Olshey gave that press conference where he threw Stotts under the bus, said the roster was fine, and dodged accountability. Even if Dame realized it was time for Stotts to go I have to believe that the way Olshey treated Stotts in that presser rankled Dame...a lot
so, Dame lacked confidence in both management and ownership and was deeply disappointed with his team's performance against Denver. Then, he watched the Bucks win the championship just months after they traded for a player that Dame has lots of respect for. And he watched the Suns get to the finals in their 1st year after making a big trade and spending their MLE wisely. So he reacted and said the things he did. Then, in a very real way, Olshey threw Dame under the bus and let Dame take the heat for Portland considering Kidd and Billups as head coach candidates...or at least Olshey didn't offer Dame any cover. Dame couldn't have been anything else but a mixture of disappointed and angry
but, on the other side of the scale, rests his love of Portland, the city and the franchise. A love and contentment he has voiced over and over for the last 9 years. And, as the sting of the playoff exit and the aftermath has lessened, I'd think the weight grows heavier on this side of the scale. And the depth of loyalty could run a lot deeper than the disappointment of this season's end
I don't think there is any doubt that Dame will be fully committed to this season. There is some doubt about his total loyalty to Portland though. But I'd think there is some substantial "
time heals all wounds" at work here. I would not expect Dame to take the pressure off Olshey by declaring that loyalty though