What makes me laugh is that people that post here think that Joe and Jody are going to turn this roster in the next six months to compete with the;
A) Phoenix Suns, currently comprised of KD, Devon Booker, CP3 and Deandre Ayton
or
B) Golden State Warriors, currently comprised of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole
All the while trading every asset we have not named Dame? Get me the Vegas odds on this project please. I'm not a betting man, but I can be persuaded to bet against that plan. Hell, I'll give to next trade deadline and Portland will not be close to having a lineup that could compete in a seven game series with either Phoenix or Golden State. Why? Because Portland does not have the assets to get it done, but even worse, the players constantly being coveted on this board are not available. I have never heard that Bridges, Bamba or Embiid are available. I know Brooklyn declined four first rounders while consummating the KD trade for Bridges. I've seen posters here posit that if Miami or Philly suck in the playoffs that Bamba/Embiid could be available. But that is wishful thinking, not actually based on anything. I have seen scuttle butt about Brown being available in Boston if the Celtics flame out, but am sure that has more to do with only one year left on his contract and the perception he is tired of being blamed for not delivering a title playing Robin to Tatum's Batman. A deal might be had there, but they will want Dame. Not Nurk, not Simons not picks. They want a difference maker to help Tatum now. They are in win now mode.
The way I see it, Dame asks for a trade and the Blazers try to oblige after the draft lottery. Or, Dame accepts the fact we wasted assets getting Nance and Covington and traded players (CJ, Norm) that did not have near the value many here thought they did, all in the name of building around Dame. He opts to stay in Portland and rolls with developing what we have and is the second or third option in a playoff run when the youngsters develop. The sad truth is what someone else posted, Dame is a top five scorer. Not so much defensively to a great extent. He is a small PG that is getting older, just as CP3. He is fun to watch, that's for sure. It is what it is. I thought we were gonna be world beaters when we had Roy/Aldridge and won the lottery. To bad we lost the draft (Oden over KD), Roy's knees flamed out and Aldridge didn't want to be Robin to Lillard's Batman.
Now we have a very exciting prospect in Sharpe and a lottery pick we haven't realized yet. It's a great start. Just let the Schmitz do his thing. There are seven very good players in this draft at the top end, and value throughout the top 25 in my opinion and most evaluators are saying so. Just don't do the rebuild with Robert/Simmons. Those are the type of vets that will be available to Portland, pennies on the dollar, and for the reasons all are aware of. My two cents again.