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

[Eastoff]

Fuck this rumor and fuck Henry Abbott

I’m not gonna forget these dudes who are just making up shit

I will. I hate getting old.

 

[e_blazer]

Henry Abbotts "story" is just a compilation of other on-line rumors and a unnamed "source". Nurk called him out on his BS. Abbott's just taking a swing and hoping he hits something.

 

[B-Roy]

Meaning: If Lillard does ask for a trade and doesn't get one before the start of training camp in September, he isn't going to pull a James Harden and make it a distraction. He'll handle it like Chris Paul, who requested a trade from New Orleans in the summer of 2010, then didn't address the issue again during a season in which he led the Hornets to the playoffs. Paul ultimately got his wish and was traded to the Clippers—run at the time, coincidentally, by Olshey—following the 2011 lockout.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-ever-heading-into-tokyo-olympics?share=other

Think this is the more likely scenario than him getting traded this season.

 

[Graduate32]

Also, easily read between the lines:

Regardless of whether a trade demand is officially made, Dame is not fully on-board unless he sees there are significant changes. "Show me you're committed first."

The issue, however, is that if Dame doesn't appear fully publicly committed (even if isn't), it puts Olshey in an impossible position. Why bother trading for CJ if I can wait two months and trade for Dame instead... if everyone thinks Dame is wishy-washy, the Portland GM (whether it's Neil Olshey or Red Auerbach) doesn't have a shot.

 

[illmatic99]

Hopefully Neil isn't approaching Dame the same way he's approaching the drama about Billups. Ignore it and hope it goes away.

He isn't. Message was received. He even references Dame holding him to the fire daily.

 

[Mediocre Man]

It was literally 30 minutes ago.

Really happened early

 

[B-Roy]

The issue, however, is that if Dame doesn't appear fully publicly committed (even if isn't), it puts Olshey in an impossible position. Why bother trading for CJ if I can wait two months and trade for Dame instead... if everyone thinks Dame is wishy-washy, the Portland GM (whether it's Neil Olshey or Red Auerbach) doesn't have a shot.

Neil doesn't have to trade Dame the moment Dame asks for a trade. He has 3 years guaranteed left. We can drag it on for a year even. Dwight Howard's trade dragged for over a year. Same with Chris Paul.

As stupid as Neil is, he's not going to trade Dame for THT and a bag of chips. Yes, Dame will get moved eventually, but it will be an offer that makes sense to the team.

 

[Hoopguru]

This whole media event only improves Dames brand nationally and globally.
On the way home from the gym Coward open his show by stating if he were in Portland again, he'd suggest doing a whole day on this stuff. He presents it like its a done deal and the correct move for Dame. Then a commercial comes on with Coward stating that what he reports is often wrong, but thats his job? lol

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I don't blame Lillard at all for requesting a trade.

I mean who wants to be on the Goon Squad when he can play with Bugs Bunny?

 

[The Professional Fan]

Playing devil's advocate, I don't think Abbott has a reputation as someone who spreads around fake news. Why are people writing him off so quickly? He has been around for a long time.

His speculation has had Dame (and HA's tweet) as the #1 trend on Twitter since at least 8:30 when I first logged on. Still going strong at #1 now. Henry Abbott has certainly gained a lot of attention through this.

 

[Hoopguru]

Dame's destiny is becoming part owner of the PTB's.

 

[The Professional Fan]

This whole media event only improves Dames brand nationally and globally.
On the way home from the gym Coward open his show by stating if he were in Portland again, he'd suggest doing a whole day on this stuff. He presents it like its a done deal and the correct move for Dame. Then a commercial comes on with Coward stating that what he reports is often wrong, but thats his job? lol

I used to really like Coward back in his PDX days and early ESPN days. He's a dope now.

 

[tykendo]

My daughter is a business major, about to finish near , if not the top, of her class, and she said it could be a business decision to let it ride for now. Dame's name is top headlines in the sports world now. Casual fans are surfing the net to find out what's going on. His status has never been hotter, with the Space Jam 2 release, new music, Olympics. Maybe she's just calming her dad down, cause she knows how important Dame is to her ol' man. But it does make sense from a biz standpoint. Hopefully the presser today clears things up, and he's staying. I believe Dame wants to go down as the Greatest in Blazer's History. I do not, and will not believe Dame is just another sports mercenary ala James, Durant, Irving , Harden, and whatever other ring chaser you name. No Way Man!

 

[PCmor7]

Except the whole brother thing. I mean, Nurk legit looks at Dame as his big brother. This isn't a "normal" teammate situation, at all.

It happens a lot, in my experience. Then you have to bring in if Nurk is being sincere. Is he being hyperbolic? At the end of the season he was talking about leaving Portland. All of these guys know how it works.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

If Dame requests a deal….

I’d actually finally respect NO if he stuck to his guns, said he wasn’t trading Dame, and focused on building a stronger team around Dame. He doesn’t need to trade Dame. Dame is under contract for four more years at BIG money. And if Dame is on the team, you know he’s going to “ball out” and play as hard as possible every moment he’s on that court. That’s who Dame is.

Don’t cower and don’t deal one of the best in the game for anything less than he’s worth.

 

[tykendo]

I used to really like Coward back in his PDX days and early ESPN days. He's a dope now.

MFer is on my shit list.

 

[B-Roy]

Really happened early

Clearly a response to the Abbott report.

 

[PCmor7]

Dame is the hot story right now. All these fools want to get in on the feeding frenzy. They know that Laker fans, Knick fans, and Sixer fans are all thirsting for Dame, and on the flip side they know Portland fans are on the lookout for rumors. So it's easy clicks to drop some vague rumor and watch people freak.

Excellent assessment.

 

[blazerkor]

Bottom line is he's wrapped up in a supermax deal for 4 years. Got to treat this like Green Bay and Rodgers if he asks to be moved. There's no urgency to make a quick deal to remove the distraction if it comes to that. I'm not sure at what point the player leverage in the NBA go so out-of-wack.

If Dame demands a trade internally and says publicly that he's keeping things in house... then you have to trade him now. The more public this gets, the lower his value, the longer it drags on, the lower his value, the closer you get to the end of his contract the lower his value. If he called Neil yesterday and made the demand... I would hope Neil would have the teams with the best talent on the line right now and be shopping Dame aggressively. Get a bidding war going now before things are sour.

Also the NBA is different from the NFL. The most Green Bay is getting back for Rodgers is a couple of high picks. We would want and get more value for Dame, especially because one player in the NBA can make such a huge impact.

 

[e_blazer]

I don't blame Lillard at all for requesting a trade.

I mean who wants to be on the Goon Squad when he can play with Bugs Bunny?

What??!! Dame’s a goon? You fricking spoiled the movie for me.

 

[tykendo]

If Dame requests a deal….

I’d actually finally respect NO if he stuck to his guns, said he wasn’t trading Dame, and focused on building a stronger team around Dame. He doesn’t need to trade Dame. Dame is under contract for four more years at BIG money. And if Dame is on the team, you know he’s going to “ball out” and play as hard as possible every moment he’s on that court. That’s who Dame is.

Don’t cower and don’t deal one of the best in the game for anything less than he’s worth.

Kobe almost left the Lakers. But did he really? His pressure did lead to Shaq getting tossed out of Fake Land.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

My daughter is a business major, about to finish near , if not the top, of her class, and she said it could be a business decision to let it ride for now. Dame's name is top headlines in the sports world now. Casual fans are surfing the net to find out what's going on. His status has never been hotter, with the Space Jam 2 release, new music, Olympics. Maybe she's just calming her dad down, cause she knows how important Dame is to her ol' man. But it does make sense from a biz standpoint. Hopefully the presser today clears things up, and he's staying. I believe Dame wants to go down as the Greatest in Blazer's History. I do not, and will not believe Dame is just another sports mercenary ala James, Durant, Irving , Harden, and whatever other ring chaser you name. No Way Man!

Damian Lillard does not Calculate. However, he does get Frustrated.

 

[Shaboid]

If this is true, I'm going to be hitting the bottle pretty effing hard tonight.

 

[Mr. Robot]

dame lillard loyatly is being tested now

front office has nothing to do with it, either youre loyal through and through or youre not

 

[illmatic99]

Kobe almost left the Lakers. But did he really? His pressure did lead to Shaq getting tossed out of Fake Land.

And Duncan almost signed with the Magic in free agency.

Kobe's requests came well after Shaq left. He had a well publicized video throwing his teammate Andrew Bynum under the bus while clamoring for (of all people...) Jason Kidd. Hell, he and his wife were looking at schools in Chicago that summer for their kids.

Dirk was almost traded to LA.

This stuff happens.

 

[The Professional Fan]

dame lillard loyatly is being tested now

front office has nothing to do with it, either youre loyal through and through or youre not

Boy, I couldn't disagree more. If Olshey mushroom stamped Dame's forehead every day after practice I'd question my loyalty to the team.

 

[AldoTrapani]

ya fucking toxic man. i wanted to step away from the team for a break for a few months after that Denver debacle, but it's like one hit right after another.

my friends who are bandwagon laker fans have become insufferable adding to my misery.

You just can’t lose to a short handed Denver Gleague team. You just can’t. That series like I said before was worse than the Pelicans debacle. And that was BAD.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I've noticed that Dame hasn't posted much Blazers stuff on his feed. Nothing in his bio. Almost like he's a FA

 

[Mr. Robot]

Boy, I couldn't disagree more. If Olshey mushroom stamped Dame's forehead every day after practice I'd question my loyalty to the team.

you can disagree all you want, but thats what loyalty means

its like saying: "ill be loyal to my wife while shes good looking, but when shes not, she wont be my wife anymore"

its easy to be "loyal" when its all god, but when the tough times come, its then when you show your true colors

 

[blazerkor]

dame lillard loyatly is being tested now

front office has nothing to do with it, either youre loyal through and through or youre not

To a job? I mean, yeah to the people you love, that's the way things work but when things sour in your place of business, a smart person moves on... especially after years and years of blind loyalty.