Dame asks for trade (And there it is) (16 Viewers)

[blazerfan11]

I agree with your perspective on that article, and the crappy journalism, except the bit about 'being written by Fentress' (even though he's a disciple of crappy journalism). It has the look of an opinion piece ghost-written by Pat Riley

Here's one written by Fentress, so the other one must be Riley.
https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/...with-trail-blazers-report.html?outputType=amp

 

[Samuel]

Ant at the 3? Barf.

 

[HailBlazers]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

 

[Natebishop3]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

We are so freakin guard heavy.... it's so annoying.

 

[riverman]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

this is how I see us opening night but I put Brown ahead of Badji in the rotation...Badji is still not ready for the NBA

 

[e_blazer]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

Sure, from a basketball sense, but from a, "let's drive the value of Dame and Ant up for a midseason trade" perspective, the Blazers have to put Ant into the starting rotation.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Sure, from a basketball sense, but from a, "let's drive the value of Dame and Ant up for a midseason trade" perspective, the Blazers have to put Ant into the starting rotation.

I feel like Ant's usage--and likely, his value--will be greater playing alongside Scoot than Dame.

 

[e_blazer]

I feel like Ant's usage--and likely, his value--will be greater playing alongside Scoot than Dame.

True, but if the goal is to simultaneously boost interest from other teams in making a strong trade offer for Dame then you have to start him and let him show he’s still prime Dame.

 

[cdub503]

True, but if the goal is to simultaneously boost interest from other teams in making a strong trade offer for Dame then you have to start him and let him show he’s still prime Dame.

So if i understand this correctly, you think that hes only going to really improve his trade value if he can play along dame and still get his numbers rather than playing with scoot and either doing the same and or possibly better?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

True, but if the goal is to simultaneously boost interest from other teams in making a strong trade offer for Dame then you have to start him and let him show he’s still prime Dame.

Yes--start Dame and let him show he's still prime Dame, and have Ant play high-usage minutes in the second unit alongside Scoot. All those things work together.

 

[BassPlaya]

this is how I see us opening night but I put Brown ahead of Badji in the rotation...Badji is still not ready for the NBA

He's closer offensively, than he is physically for defense.

 

[BigGameDamian]

We are so freakin guard heavy.... it's so annoying.

That’s why we need Skyler Mays at Power Forward and Keon Johnson at Center.

 

[e_blazer]

So if i understand this correctly, you think that hes only going to really improve his trade value if he can play along dame and still get his numbers rather than playing with scoot and either doing the same and or possibly better?

My thought is that if the Blazers want a star-caliber player in a trade, they need Ant to be considered a star-level starter. If he puts up big numbers playing with Scoot in the second unit, he's probably going to be considered a sixth man level talent, at best. Maybe that's what he is, but I think the Blazers are hoping for a bigger trade value for him than that.

 

[blazerfan11]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

That's a good one.

I hope Rupert can move up the ranks at SF because of his defensive potential and length.
A 1-2-3 of Scoot, Sharpe, and Rupert could someday be tremendous.

For now, I want Sharpe to get around 35 minutes a game, and he could be able to get some of those minutes with two other guards.
The way Sharpe ended last season, he could actually be the best option at SF.
Matisse is good, but has a weird come-from-behind style of defense that doesn't always work.
Sharpe is far better on offense.

 

[Whyachi]

I'd care to see this rotation.

Dame/Scoot
Sharpe/Ant
Matisse/Little/Rupert
Grant/Walker/Murray
Nurk/Badji/Brown

Simons is not getting benched. He'll get plenty of run and become the Blazers primary scorer.

Coach Billups has already shown his willingness to bench Shaedon at any given moment of a game. I'd see Sharpe hit 3-4 shots in a row, then Chauncey would have a pause for the cameras photo shoot, "look at Billups coaching the young guys" mini-huddle with the rookie, before telling him to go sit on the bench.

the local podcasters are already promoting Sharpe benchings. I stopped listening to their reasons for benching Shaedon. This Blazers roster is a complete clusterfudge until Lillard is traded.

 

[blazerfan11]

Simons is not getting benched. He'll get plenty of run and become the Blazers primary scorer.

Coach Billups has already shown his willingness to bench Shaedon at any given moment of a game. I'd see Sharpe hit 3-4 shots in a row, then Chauncey would have a pause for the cameras photo shoot, "look at Billups coaching the young guys" mini-huddle with the rookie, before telling him to go sit on the bench.

the local podcasters are already promoting Sharpe benchings. I stopped listening to their reasons for benching Shaedon. This Blazers roster is a complete clusterfudge until Lillard is traded.

I hope that isn't the case. Lillard should play meaningful minutes but be used as little as possible. Sharpe should get as many minutes as possible.

 

[Propagandist]

I'm excited for the Dame/Scoot connection. We have watched Dame--and it's his style; I'm not being critical--walk the ball up for YEARS, but now we have Scoot. Scoot is energy personified and a willing passer. We are in for a treat. Once we start winning games, Dame is going to walk back that trade talk...

 

[Mediocre Man]

I'm excited for the Dame/Scoot connection. We have watched Dame--and it's his style; I'm not being critical--walk the ball up for YEARS, but now we have Scoot. Scoot is energy personified and a willing passer. We are in for a treat. Once we start winning games, Dame is going to walk back that trade talk...

If we roll out Dame and Scoot on the floor at the same time we’ll get killed defensively

 

[Whyachi]

If we roll out Dame and Scoot on the floor at the same time we’ll get killed defensively

that 1-2 puts Anfernee at SF. "Hey Simons you got Jaylen Brown tonight. Oh and tomorrow, you check Scottie Barnes. Then on Thursday, we're in Milwaukee, so we need you to lay some wood on Khris Middleton, and guard Giannis on the switches. You got that Anfernee ??

I mean Simons is just soo much taller then the other guards, he should be able to "swing up" and defend Small Forwards in the NBA now... right?

 

[Whyachi]

Yes--start Dame and let him show he's still prime Dame, and have Ant play high-usage minutes in the second unit alongside Scoot. All those things work together.

Lillard was #3 in NBA scoring. Dame dropped a 71 point game in one of the most fantastic showings in NBA history. What more proof of "prime Dame" does anyone need?

The Blazers will never have a more valuable outgoing trade then Damian Lillard. We can spend all day ripping Miami players. But remember, the Heat system is a winning format. Not the "omg, they fired Olshey, what do we do now?" setup in Portland. Even bench scrubs from Miami might look good in Portland.

Except Lowry of course, but he's expiring, and Jody Allen loves that player named ca$h.

 

[BankTeller]

True, but if the goal is to simultaneously boost interest from other teams in making a strong trade offer for Dame then you have to start him and let him show he’s still prime Dame.

Boosted interest for Dame will not come from an uptick in production. It will come from a tight playoff race in the East and/or a major injury in the East. With the next two drafts being categorized as weak, there’s going to be a team that thinks this is their year.

Sit Dame at home. Let the East teams beat up on each other as the season progresses. Whoever goes all in on Dame is going to have a fully healthy and rested Dame. He was All-NBA and had his best year just last season and it was widely know that he sat due to tanking, not injury.

 

[Whyachi]

Boosted interest for Dame will not come from an uptick in production. It will come from a tight playoff race in the East and/or a major injury in the East. With the next two drafts being categorized as weak, there’s going to be a team that thinks this is their year.

Sit Dame at home. Let the East teams beat up on each other as the season progresses. Whoever goes all in on Dame is going to have a fully healthy and rested Dame. He was All-NBA and had his best year just last season and it was widely know that he sat due to tanking, not injury.

I just don't see those weirdo Vulcans cutting massive Dame checks so Cronin can continue play his GM chess basketball game thingy. If there's picks and young talent from Miami, (+ all the money Blazers save by discarding Lillard), that's good enough for the people above Joe, that's all he gets to run with.

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

Boosted interest for Dame will not come from an uptick in production. It will come from a tight playoff race in the East and/or a major injury in the East. With the next two drafts being categorized as weak, there’s going to be a team that thinks this is their year.
Sit Dame at home. Let the East teams beat up on each other as the season progresses. Whoever goes all in on Dame is going to have a fully healthy and rested Dame. He was All-NBA and had his best year just last season and it was widely know that he sat due to tanking, not injury.

Sitting Lillard with phantom injuries preserves value and eliminates most all risk. Playing him means Portland fans get to see him play for a good chunk of the season. Both are arguable courses of action.
The Blazers are paying his salary or the salaries of those returning in trade this season, so it's pretty much a wash -- the money gets spent. Any expiring contracts received makes resetting the salary structure of the team a next summer opportunity. That goes for Nurkic as well.
If the goal is to strengthen the front court at SF and C, maximizing Lillard is issue 1. The hard core move is sitting him, he doesn't travel, and he just works out.

 

[blazerfan11]

Boosted interest for Dame will not come from an uptick in production. It will come from a tight playoff race in the East and/or a major injury in the East. With the next two drafts being categorized as weak, there’s going to be a team that thinks this is their year.

Sit Dame at home. Let the East teams beat up on each other as the season progresses. Whoever goes all in on Dame is going to have a fully healthy and rested Dame. He was All-NBA and had his best year just last season and it was widely know that he sat due to tanking, not injury.

I want to get the biggest return on any trade if it happens.

Not playing Dame means the Blazers are 100% trading Dame for something, even if it's crap.

Bad idea.

The Blazers should be showing all the other teams that they're fine keeping Dame, and they can happily walk away from any negotiation.

Not playing Dame seems like a particularly bad idea as he has requested a trade to one team.

What if he never changes that position?

 

[Hoopguru]

Dame’s position could be Miami Or he stays.

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

I want to get the biggest return on any trade if it happens.
Not playing Dame means the Blazers are 100% trading Dame for something, even if it's crap.
Bad idea.

The Blazers should be showing all the other teams that they're fine keeping Dame, and they can happily walk away from any negotiation.
Not playing Dame seems like a particularly bad idea as he has requested a trade to one team.
What if he never changes that position?

Your argument, despite risk of injury, is the better one, IMHO. Playing him means Lillard can’t dog it or else his reputation goes to crap. It becomes clear Portland won’t take Miami’s offer. Other teams can have him by simply making an offer better than Miami — a starting, promising, youngish player at a position of need.

 

[blazerfan11]

Your argument, despite risk of injury, is the better one, IMHO. Playing him means Lillard can’t dog it or else his reputation goes to crap. It becomes clear Portland won’t take Miami’s offer. Other teams can have him by simply making an offer better than Miami — a starting, promising, youngish player at a position of need.

Durant was actually injured when he was traded.
He was 34 years old at the time of the trade.

"After being listed out since January 8 with a right knee injury, Durant made his Suns debut on March 1 against the Charlotte Hornets."

edit: So even an injury didn't keep the trade from happening and Brooklyn getting what I think most people would consider a good return.

 

[RonBrewer]

Dame’s position could be Miami Or he stays.

I believe this to be correct

 

[blazerfan11]

I believe this to be correct

I think the "Miami or bust" position hasn't been acknowledged by many people as being a possibility.
They think Dame wants out of Portland no matter what happens or where he ends up.
That may not be true.

Dame may prefer to stay in Portland if he can't get to Miami.

In that scenario, if Cronin wants to keep Dame (which I assume he does) , the chance of a trade this season goes way down.

 

[blazerkor]

I believe this to be correct

I think the "Miami or bust" position hasn't been acknowledged by many people as being a possibility.
They think Dame wants out of Portland no matter what happens or where he ends up.
That may not be true.

Dame may prefer to stay in Portland if he can't get to Miami.

In that scenario, if Cronin wants to keep Dame (which I assume he does) , the chance of a trade this season goes way down.

You guys have been beating this drum for a little while now and we really only have one thing to go off of. "I'm not going to speak on the Blazers there's a lot of love and respect but I won't speak on the Blazers." and addressing the trade request, "I would say there was and I would prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers."

Sorry that just doesn't sound like a guy who is saying it's the Heat or the Blazers it sounds like a guy who is respectfully saying that it's definitely not the Blazers. Now I guess his mind could be changed but I don't see how Scoot as our most valuable acquisition takes this team with Dame as it's best player and Ant likely it's third best to the level where Dame would want to stay. Obviously that last part is just speculation by me but it's pretty obvious by his most recent interview that he doesn't want to even talk about our team, let alone stay on it.