Zombie Damian Lillard to request trade in coming days (nope, he's not.)

[tykendo]

I just don't see this team as far away as others, especially the media, do. I do think the role plays on the bench must be better, and more impactful. A quality backup PG like D.J. Agustin , as mentioned in here by others, fits the mode. A tough back up SG like Josh Hart, as i've mentioned would be nice. Nas & Simons obviously have to be more impactful, and all signs are they are working hard to be just that. I think the main position that needs to be addressed to contend, is PF. Tobias Harris is the guy who might be had for CJ. He had a fantastic year last season, and really showed his worth when Embiid was down. He's a great character dude as well. He'd fit perfect next to Nurk & RoCo. The 76ers are most likely gonna keep Simmons. I'd rather have Harris. He's an under appreciated talent. Then you re-sign Powell. I believe these are makeable moves that make this team way closer to contending then some think. All the contending teams have warts. The Media likes to overlook them. Father Time is creeping up on LeBron, and Elijah Price ( Mr. Glass), A.K.A. The Unidufus, A.K.A. Anthony Davis is no guaranty to stay healthy either. Same goes with the Nets lineup. Phoenix isn't a juggernaut either. Denver most likely won't have Jamal Murray for most of 21-22. Even with him, they are not light years ahead. Dallas, C'mon man! The Media darling Luka Doncic still needs some major pieces as well. And don't get me started on the Clips. The Blazers, under achieved against Denver for sure. Maybe because CJ wasn't healthy and played under expectations. Nurk played not smartly, and is the guy i look to gain the most from Billups leadership. He will give Nurk more responsibility, but will also be on his ass to put the work in to get back to his Beast Days. But the key is acquiring that PF. CJ would get an infusion from going to Philly IMO, and Harris would fit like a glove here. It's a win-win for both teams. Add A couple veteran role players and i see great things ahead for a team that the Media, and some fans are trying to destroy. Blazers/76ers in 21-22 Finals anyone. Rematch of '77.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

to be precise, if you're gauging by defensive rating, Portland was 8th that season....but for your larger point that's essentially the same thing

I disagree though that the roster construction was the same. Yes, there was the Dame-CJ-Nurkic trio in place, but the supporting cast was simply much much better at defense.

the year after that 8th place finish in defense, Portland finished 16th. and there were really only 2 changes to the roster: one was replacing Napier with Curry which I'd say was a push. The other was replacing Ed Davis in the primary rotation with a combo of Meyers and Kanter. That was a massive downgrade in defense. Davis was integral to that defensive rating in that 17-18 season

Blazers also had the starting forward tandem of Aminu and Harkless. Both long and agile defenders. As a defender, I actually think Aminu was as good as RoCo. He probably wasn't quite as good out on the edges, but he was better at defending size and a better defensive rebounder. And Harkless was a much better defender than anybody Portland had on the wing this season, other than RoCo (and that includes playing the 6'3 Powell out of position at SF)

and when the Blazers brought in their bench unit, besides Davis, Portland had Turner, Zach (who was welded to davis), Napier, and Connaughton. Blazers just didn't have anybody like that this year, except for maybe Jones (didn't see enough of Little). Even down the rotation, Connaughon was a much better defender than Simons

the offensive strength of the NBA is at wing. That 17-18 team had 3 solid wing defenders. The current Blazer team has 1, really. But more than that is a team needs two-way players at wing and Portland has none

no offense but there is no way Aminu isn’t even half the defender that Roco is. Roco’s rotations are at an elite level.

seeing Jrue Holidya in finals is exactly why I kept preaching that he’d be perfect fit next to Dame. Damn wish we could have gotten him for CJ and picks

 

[Rastapopoulos]

no offense but there is no way Aminu isn’t even half the defender that Roco is. Roco’s rotations are at an elite level.

seeing Jrue Holidya in finals is exactly why I kept preaching that he’d be perfect fit next to Dame. Damn wish we could have gotten him for CJ and picks

It's funny that both Chris Paul and Holiday have been available in the past few years, and people on this board were SCREAMING about acquiring them, and now they're both in the finals.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

We obviously need some quality two way players. What none of really know is what Billups and whatever defensive assistant can do with the current roster.

When I want to give myself hope, I look at my Other Team, Leeds United. They were stuck in "the Championship" - which is actually the second of the four English professional leagues, behind the Premier League, for 16 long years. They were a solid mid-table side, going nowhere, when Marcelo "walks on water" Bielsa was hired as coach. He took players that nobody thought were Premier League quality and just transformed them. The clearest example of this was Kalvin Phillips, who is now not only unquestionably at home in the Premier League, but made himself a fixture on the England team, and was voted to the team of the 2020 championships. Bielsa didn't say "I need all new players," he said "I can work with these guys" and just transformed them. But part of that is an insane fitness regimen (so that the whole team can just run relentlessly). I want a coach that has a system and that can just demand of the players that they transform themselves. But Bielsa is an international legend. Billups.... isn't. But I guess everyone has to start somewhere.

(If you haven't watched it already, and you're in the mood for an awesome sports documentary narrated by (HUGE Leeds fan) Russell Crowe, watch both seasons of this)

 

[calvin natt]

It's funny that both Chris Paul and Holiday have been available in the past few years, and people on this board were SCREAMING about acquiring them, and now they're both in the finals.

I guess I don’t totally understand this. The one and only one thing this team everyone unanimously loves is the point guard and the key to getting over the hump would be to add point guards like Jrue or CP?

 

[tykendo]

When I want to give myself hope, I look at my Other Team, Leeds United. They were stuck in "the Championship" - which is actually the second of the four English professional leagues, behind the Premier League, for 16 long years. They were a solid mid-table side, going nowhere, when Marcelo "walks on water" Bielsa was hired as coach. He took players that nobody thought were Premier League quality and just transformed them. The clearest example of this was Kalvin Phillips, who is now not only unquestionably at home in the Premier League, but made himself a fixture on the England team, and was voted to the team of the 2020 championships. Bielsa didn't say "I need all new players," he said "I can work with these guys" and just transformed them. But part of that is an insane fitness regimen (so that the whole team can just run relentlessly). I want a coach that has a system and that can just demand of the players that they transform themselves. But Bielsa is an international legend. Billups.... isn't. But I guess everyone has to start somewhere.

(If you haven't watched it already, and you're in the mood for an awesome sports documentary narrated by (HUGE Leeds fan) Russell Crowe, watch both seasons of this)

Exactly. But no one knew Pop was gonna be who he would become either. I'm sure they had an idea. But like you said, everyone has to start somewhere. Let's hope Billups is the beginning of a special run, where he is the person who can get SPECIAL out of our Blazers.

 

[wizenheimer]

I guess I don’t totally understand this. The one and only one thing this team everyone unanimously loves is the point guard and the key to getting over the hump would be to add point guards like Jrue or CP?

with CP3, sure, there's could possibly be a conflict but he's done really well when playing with ball dominant guards like Harden and Booker

Holiday is as much a SG and wing as he is a PG



he is versatile enough to play with Dame and mesh well. And he'd add the defense the Blazers are really lacking with CJ and Dame together on the floor.

 

[B-Roy]

to be precise, if you're gauging by defensive rating, Portland was 8th that season....but for your larger point that's essentially the same thing

I disagree though that the roster construction was the same. Yes, there was the Dame-CJ-Nurkic trio in place, but the supporting cast was simply much much better at defense.

the year after that 8th place finish in defense, Portland finished 16th. and there were really only 2 changes to the roster: one was replacing Napier with Curry which I'd say was a push. The other was replacing Ed Davis in the primary rotation with a combo of Meyers and Kanter. That was a massive downgrade in defense. Davis was integral to that defensive rating in that 17-18 season

Blazers also had the starting forward tandem of Aminu and Harkless. Both long and agile defenders. As a defender, I actually think Aminu was as good as RoCo. He probably wasn't quite as good out on the edges, but he was better at defending size and a better defensive rebounder. And Harkless was a much better defender than anybody Portland had on the wing this season, other than RoCo (and that includes playing the 6'3 Powell out of position at SF)

and when the Blazers brought in their bench unit, besides Davis, Portland had Turner, Zach (who was welded to davis), Napier, and Connaughton. Blazers just didn't have anybody like that this year, except for maybe Jones (didn't see enough of Little). Even down the rotation, Connaughon was a much better defender than Simons

the offensive strength of the NBA is at wing. That 17-18 team had 3 solid wing defenders. The current Blazer team has 1, really. But more than that is a team needs two-way players at wing and Portland has none

I bet this argument is what Olshey wants to do this off-season and is trying to sell to Dame. Bring in some bench defense and tweak the roster. And Dame isn’t buying.

 

[wizenheimer]

I bet this argument is what Olshey wants to do this off-season and is trying to sell to Dame. Bring in some bench defense and tweak the roster. And Dame isn’t buying.

probably because Dame is well aware that 17-18 team was by far the best Blazer team, gauged by rating, in Dame's career and he knows that was the team that got swept by the Pels because the offense stalled

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I guess I don’t totally understand this. The one and only one thing this team everyone unanimously loves is the point guard and the key to getting over the hump would be to add point guards like Jrue or CP?

I guess you don't like "Best Player Available," huh. So Sam Bowie over Jordan was the right call?

Also: traditional positions matter less and less. Also: CP3 played next to Harden, who routinely gets way more assists than Lillard. Also: Holiday's major contribution is on defense, and he can defend 1-3 easily.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

probably because Dame is well aware that 17-18 team was by far the best Blazer team, gauged by rating, in Dame's career and he knows that was the team that got swept by the Pels because the offense stalled

And why did the offense stall? #1 reason: JRUE HOLIDAY!

 

[calvin natt]

I guess you don't like "Best Player Available," huh. So Sam Bowie over Jordan was the right call?

Also: traditional positions matter less and less. Also: CP3 played next to Harden, who routinely gets way more assists than Lillard. Also: Holiday's major contribution is on defense, and he can defend 1-3 easily.

Huh? Bowie? Going to extremes as examples is dumb. I don’t think best player available should be used when you have an elite player at that position, no. I think you fill voids and improve areas of need. This seems obvious. It’s why the Seahawks and Chargers etc didn’t draft QBs this year. Jrue I can maybe see working. And CP and Harden worked great didn’t it?

 

[wizenheimer]

And why did the offense stall? #1 reason: JRUE HOLIDAY!

no doubt; although I'd add that Rondo and AD had a big impact there

I remember, right after that series saying that the Blazers should try and trade CJ and a couple of picks for Holiday. Several people told me that CJ was much better than Holiday. I got the same reactions about that time when I suggested CJ and a pick for Middleton. ugghh

 

[calvin natt]

no doubt; although I'd add that Rondo and AD had a big impact there

I remember, right after that series saying that the Blazers should try and trade CJ and a couple of picks for Holiday. Several people told me that CJ was much better than Holiday. I got the same reactions about that time when I suggested CJ and a pick for Middleton. ugghh

I want CJ on another team, and I think Middleton is quite a bit better than CJ and would fit better with Dame than CJ

that said, I'd probably be reluctant to give up a pick too because CJ's contract is as big an impediment to Portland upgrading the roster as CJ's fit and usage. And, while Middleton is the better player, his contract is even bigger than CJ's. More than that, I just don't think a Middleto for CJ swap is enough of an upgrade to significantly alter Portland's trajectory. They's still be a 2nd elite player away from being a contender, and they'd still have no cap-flexibility

here’s some 20/20

 

[Rastapopoulos]

And CP and Harden worked great didn’t it?

It totally did, but I get the impression you're saying it didn't?

 

[Lanny]

It's certainly a surprise to me but then I've been too busy noticing what Lillard has been saying and noticing that he has started a business in McMinnville and built a 6 Million dollar home in West Linn. Also, I've been sidetracked by a wife and child who are settled in here.

 

[Lanny]

WOW

I call Bullshit.

 

[Lanny]

Yeah: if this is legit, the best move might be just to trade him to OKC. OKC doesn't give a shit: they'll just sit on him as an asset and wait until somebody offers something they like for him. Meanwhile they have a fuckton of picks for us. And (on the assumption this is true) it would kind of serve him right to cool his heels in purgatory for a while.

At least, that's what I'd threaten his agent, if I were Olshey.

Nobody is going to threaten Lillard's agent! They're going to work with him.
By the way, I think Lillard will get close to $200 Million in the next five years by staying in Portland. He's going to walk from that and all the city's love for him, not to mention all the good work he's doing for kids around here.
It's absurd to think he's wanting to be traded, positively absurd.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

It's absurd to think he's wanting to be traded, positively absurd.

It's not that he's wanting to be traded, it's that he's wanting to compete for a title and realizing that just isn't going to happen here.

 

[Lanny]

If you are Dame and you were already on the edge with this franchise and someone showed you all of the shit from the OPB article and then that dude from the investigation firm... that could just make you call it... as much as he wanted to be the franchise savior. This organization is a shit show right now.

That being said, unless I could get Simmons for CJ... I'd start the blowup by trading Dame for Simmons, Shake, the 28th pick and a future first. I would then trade CJ, RoCo and Nurk on draft night and only bring back picks and young prospects. Tear this shit down but with great pieces to quickly build it back.

Lucky for us you're not the GM.

 

[Lanny]

Hopefully Dame doesn't take the bait and he let's the shit mongers bloviate on without a response of any kind.

Dame does his talking on the court.

This same Bullshit talk has been going on for years and Lillard keeps on denouncing it for years. When will they wake up and smell the coffee?

 

[wizenheimer]

here’s some 20/20

and what exactly is it I said there that's off what I said earlier in this thread? and when was it I posted that?

just to note, what I said was:

I remember, right after that series saying that the Blazers should try and trade CJ and a couple of picks for Holiday. Several people told me that CJ was much better than Holiday. I got the same reactions about that time when I suggested CJ and a pick for Middleton. ugghh

that was around 2018-19 when Middleton was making 14M a season. His 177M contract changed the situation

 

[calvin natt]

It totally did, but I get the impression you're saying it didn't?

Well, They had a terrible relationship. It ended with “trade me or him”. They didn’t even speak to each other so maybe it didn’t work.

 

[calvin natt]

and what exactly is it I said there that's off what I said earlier in this thread? and when was it I posted that?

just to note, what I said was:



that was around 2018-19 when Middleton was making 14M a season. His 177M contract changed the situation

Ok

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Well, They had a terrible relationship. It ended with “trade me or him”. They didn’t even speak to each other so maybe it didn’t work.

It worked well enough so that they were the only team to seriously threaten to defeat the full-strength KD Warriors. Only a historically cold shooting spell in game 7 (ooh, that sounds familiar) stopped them.
CP3 grates on all his teammates, but Harden's a prima donna and Dame ain't.

 

[calvin natt]

It worked well enough so that they were the only team to seriously threaten to defeat the full-strength KD Warriors. Only a historically cold shooting spell in game 7 (ooh, that sounds familiar) stopped them.
CP3 grates on all his teammates, but Harden's a prima donna and Dame ain't.

Harden and Lillard aren’t the same though. Harden is phenomenal because he’s a big dude who can play PG or SG or SF, doesn’t really matter. He’s bigger. CP and Lillard are straight point guards. Could they make it work? I guess. Just seems they have other more urgent needs.

 

[DDolla]

I love Zach Lavine’s game

 

[Natebishop3]

I love Zach Lavine’s game

Me too.

 

[Ripcity4life77]

Dame had a solid game but watching this game I realized what Dame needs and while size does make a difference what he needs is someone who has almost as much confidence as he does and CJ while a good player does not and it's a simple as this. He needs a Zach LaVine or someone like this who know they are good and not afraid of the moment and I think CJ is never really ready for the "moment "

Eminem's song from 8 Mile the iconic one kind of sums it up and if CJ was in it he would be Cheddar Bob and I wish I was joking but in a way I am dead serious.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Dame had a solid game but watching this game I realized what Dame needs and while size does make a difference what he needs is someone who has almost as much confidence as he does and CJ while a good player does not and it's a simple as this. He needs a Zach LaVine or someone like this who know they are good and not afraid of the moment and I think CJ is never really ready for the "moment "

Eminem's song from 8 Mile the iconic one kind of sums it up and if CJ was in it he would be Cheddar Bob and I wish I was joking but in a way I am dead serious.

Bradley.

Beal.