Dame Time (for a trade)…

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Touted incorrectly....many "facts" are not facts at all.

Here are the real "facts"

Dame never said he wanted to be traded.
Dame has said he wants to win in Portland and stay in Portland
Players after the top few picks can still be difference makers (Check the Heat roster draft status of the players that helped drive them to the finals)
Teams can get better without adding players. Who did Denver add last season?

OK look, if you're going to be all sensible, logical, and patient you're going to have to find another forum.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Touted incorrectly....many "facts" are not facts at all.

Here are the real "facts"

Dame never said he wanted to be traded.
Dame has said he wants to win in Portland and stay in Portland
Players after the top few picks can still be difference makers (Check the Heat roster draft status of the players that helped drive them to the finals)
Teams can get better without adding players. Who did Denver add last season?

Dumb post. Denver added Brown who was a great two way guy plus returned their second best player from injury. They also have the 2 time MVP. Denver patiently built their team over many years primarily through the draft.

Blazers have none of these attributes to win in the next few years.

 

[Gronk_Brady]

 

[Chris Craig]

Dame never would have speculated going to two other teams in prior years. He would've just said Im on the Blazers. You can try to justify it all you want but Dame is well aware of the media asking these questions as they have been for years and this is the first time he's mentioned specific teams he'd want to go to.

He didn't ask and wasn't asking to be traded to those teams. He said this himself in that Q and A. He was asked what other teams besides the Blazers he might like playing for and he answered. On that very Q and A he said people are putting to much into trade speculation and he was right. People be going chicken little.

 

[Natebishop3]

Perfect summation. The ones that continue to read into and spin this are the ones that want Dame traded. There is no gray, all black and white. They are manifesting what they want to happen.

I want a championship. Maybe you support one player over the rest of the team, but I do not.

I look at this as a pragmatist. The odds do not favor winning a title with Dame at this point. Dame has value that could help the rebuild. It is logical to use assets towards the most likely scenario that could get us a ring.

Do you think I get excited at the thought of trading Dame? He's my favorite player of all time. I wanted to win a championship with him. But he's almost 33 and it's extremely unlikely that we will build a team that can win a ring in the next 3-4 years.

 

[Chris Craig]

Perfect summation. The ones that continue to read into and spin this are the ones that want Dame traded. There is no gray, all black and white. They are manifesting what they want to happen.

People are straight tripping. People need to chill.

If there are people who actively want him gone, just so they can be right, that's just stupid. If Dame gets traded and that's a big if, there are no winners here.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Gawd I hate this time of year.....

 

[BassPlaya]

Denver patiently built their team over many years primarily through the draft.

Yes, this is what I want.

That said, I have never been rude and called someone post, "dumb". How many games did Brown start for them in the postseason?

 

[Natebishop3]

If there are people who actively want him gone, just so they can be right, that's just stupid.

Right about what?

 

[Chris Craig]

Do they really "want" to trade Dame, or do they possibly think that one direction might be better than the other in terms of the health of the franchise, not necessarily the player? Some people are tired of the mediocre results, some are tired of the endless interviews that raise even more questions, some want Dame no matter what our record is, some think a trade or two and we go from way under .500 the last 4 years to legit contender, and some are just happy to have a player like Dame and enjoy him while he is here.

Out of all of those, I don't know how many really "want" to trade Dame, but instead are resigned to do so while there are still assets Portland can get back for the team.

The only real chance Portland has to win a championship is keeping and building around Lillard. Trading him away and starting over will leave the basement for years to come. When we do get out, it will likely be to return as a perennial first round loser.

 

[Chris Craig]

Right about what?

Him being traded.

 

[Mr. Robot]

lillard is a prick, he wants out, trade him, but not where he wants to go (unless its the best offer)

 

[SharpesTriumph]

People are straight tripping. People need to chill.

If there are people who actively want him gone, just so they can be right, that's just stupid. If Dame gets traded and that's a big if, there are no winners here.

Who's tripping? Seems like a lot of disagreements with smart ass comments all around here. Been that was for as long as I remember.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

People are straight tripping. People need to chill.

If there are people who actively want him gone, just so they can be right, that's just stupid. If Dame gets traded and that's a big if, there are no winners here.

Depends what you mean by actively want him gone. I see a lot of people who think the team is better with younger assets. That's just logic. If Dame was 25 nobody would want to move him or prioritize picks/youth over building around Dame.

 

[Chris Craig]

Who's tripping? Seems like a lot of disagreements with smart ass comments all around here. Been that was for as long as I remember.

People worried about Lillard being traded or wanting him traded.

Yeah, that's true. Lots of smart asses around here.

 

[RonBrewer]

I want a championship. Maybe you support one player over the rest of the team, but I do not.

I look at this as a pragmatist. The odds do not favor winning a title with Dame at this point. Dame has value that could help the rebuild. It is logical to use assets towards the most likely scenario that could get us a ring.

Do you think I get excited at the thought of trading Dame? He's my favorite player of all time. I wanted to win a championship with him. But he's almost 33 and it's extremely unlikely that we will build a team that can win a ring in the next 3-4 years.

Honestly, i don't think much about you at all. Couldn't care less what you want, think or feel.

RIP CITY

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Yes, this is what I want.

That said, I have never been rude and called someone post, "dumb". How many games did Brown start for them in the postseason?

Well I'm rude all the time around here. I'm right a ton, although probably wrong more then that.

Brown was playing about 30mpg and they sat MPJ to play him at the end of games so not sure what your point is. He was a huge addition.

Blazers instead paid more money to hard cap themselves for GP2.

Blazers traded away Hart for a late pick.

Not sure how anyone can think the Blazers have a path to contend soon with Dame.

 

[Tince]

If you went on a national public interview and gave that answer talking up competitors it might hold you back from promotions and be viewed very negatively. If it was the CEO he absolutely might be fired. Dame is likewise the highest compensated member of the Blazers paid much more than the GM or President. Him speculation what other NBA teams hed want to play for isn't a normal thing him or other stars do in interviews. Its a legit national story, and some other comment of him saying he is likely in Portland next year doesn't undo those comments.

I never said it wasn't a national story. I'm correcting your incomplete/misleading summary of what Dame did or did not say. He did not say what other teams he wanted to be traded to. He answered a multiple choice, hypothetical question, where staying in Portland was purposely excluded as an option.

Doesn't mean it won't make people talk. Doesn't mean he won't ever ask for a trade. Also doesn't mean he said he wanted to play for another team.

 

[PCmor7]

A far better and more 1 to 1 analogy would be: Say you worked in a car dealership as a salesman and someone asked you "Hey, if you weren't in sales and had to be in finance, accounting, or the parts department, which would you choose?"

If the employee said "Accounting obviously because Tom the acocuntant is my boy." that wouldn't mean the car salesman is being disloyal to his sales job or even looking to leave; it would just mean he answered the question and has relationships in other departments of the dealership.

Yes, the marriage analogy isn't great. A marriage and playing on a team aren't nearly the same priority. For one thing, you can't just go and trade your wife or husband.

 

[Tince]

Yes, the marriage analogy isn't great. A marriage and playing on a team aren't nearly the same priority. For one thing, you can't just go and trade your wife or husband.

Yeah, one is supposed to be a permanent, mutual relationship. The other is a finite, contractual relationship.

Bad analogy.

 

[Whyachi]

- the only thing that will really piss me off is if the front office tries to straddle the line. If we pick Miller or even worse Scoot, take BPA at 23, keep Ant and Nurk and just try to roll with the improvements the rookies and whoever we can get with the TPMLE... that would be worst case scenario.

Remember when the commissioner said he was going to crack down on tanking? Distribute heavy fines to teams resting perfectly healthy star players right before the games.

How did Portland skirt around paying enormous fines after benching everyone, and clearly losing on purpose during the final 3 weeks??

that answer is simple, because there aren't enough star players in Portland's roster to enact fineable offenses. Blazers had 3 lousy games on National TV last season. Opposing NBA fans don't care what the Blazers do.

Of course if you throw Lillard trade rumors into the headlines, all hell breaks loose in the NBA realm. There are several fantastically popular teams (and their fans) who would love to trade scrubs & picks, for the Blazers lone All-Star who was arguably the best PG in basketball last year.

 

[tykendo]

I want a championship. Maybe you support one player over the rest of the team, but I do not.

I look at this as a pragmatist. The odds do not favor winning a title with Dame at this point. Dame has value that could help the rebuild. It is logical to use assets towards the most likely scenario that could get us a ring.

Do you think I get excited at the thought of trading Dame? He's my favorite player of all time. I wanted to win a championship with him. But he's almost 33 and it's extremely unlikely that we will build a team that can win a ring in the next 3-4 years.

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

 

[Chris Craig]

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

Starting over is an eventuality. That eventuality is not here quite yet.

 

[Gronk_Brady]

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

Blow up the whole thing? We had the 5th worst record in the league and only one all star caliber player… what is there to blow up LOL. It’s not worth a try if you have to give up the 3rd pick in a loaded draft. It may take decades to get another top 3 pick.

 

[Sloth]

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

What makes you think the team isn't doing their best to get Dame some help? They are not gonna get ripped off in the process; if the value is not there, then I don't blame them for not taking it. As I put in another thread, I am all for helping Dame and giving him some good complementary pieces, but if it doesn't work out, then it is what it is.

Pick a very good player at 3, and let's just move forward with what we got.

 

[wizenheimer]

Lots of smart asses around here.

I've traveled quite a bit and my thinking is there are lots of smart asses everywhere....lots of dumb asses too

 

[Gronk_Brady]

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

If you wait a couple years to start over, you lost the 3rd pick in this draft, and you lost any possible assets you would get for Dame… and now you have ruined the Shaedon Sharpe era for a pie in the sky attempt to be competing for a few year while Dame is 33-36.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

The only real chance Portland has to win a championship is keeping and building around Lillard. Trading him away and starting over will leave the basement for years to come. When we do get out, it will likely be to return as a perennial first round loser.

Agree to disagree. Blazers have a near zero chance of building a contender around Lillard. He's too old and the team is too far away without enough veteran talent. I don't see the assets to get the other elite players needed, unless some home run trade such as Embiid or Zion can hit.

The Blazers need to build up youth/picks. I'm fine if Lillard want to stick around for that, I'm not saying the Blazers have to trade him. If they hit on a few picks then they'd have the salary space to also have some starters. Maybe they could still win with Lillard, but he'd be a Kidd in Dallas complementary piece, not the centerpiece.

 

[Chris Craig]

Agree to disagree. Blazers have a near zero chance of building a contender around Lillard. He's too old and the team is too far away without enough veteran talent. I don't see the assets to get the other elite players needed, unless some home run trade such as Embiid or Zion can hit.

The Blazers need to build up youth/picks. I'm fine if Lillard want to stick around for that, I'm not saying the Blazers have to trade him. If they hit on a few picks then they'd have the salary space to also have some starters. Maybe they could still win with Lillard, but he'd be a Kidd in Dallas complementary piece, not the centerpiece.

Hopefully, the Blazers hit that home run.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

But it's worth the try. Again, people are too quick to "Blow the whole thing up" and "start over". Make the additions and at least go down fighting. This wussy , give up thinking, makes me sick. There's been greatness that's come out of despair . If you add players the next couple years, a tweak, here or there, and it doesn't succeed, start over then. Not now. There will be other, potential, great players to be had in another few years. Count on it.

I feel like the Blazers have been doing this for all of Cronin tenure and nearly all of Olshey. Blazers are nowhere close to contending. At some point adding a player or tweak as you say just isn't going to matter.