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

[glazeduck]

You weren't watching the same thing as I was. Dame thought for a second after asked if he saw himself in a Blazers uniform next season.

Haven't watched it at all (work is a 4 letter word sometimes). I just think the common theme throughout this saga is that Dame has the levelest head of anyone, and everytime someone makes an assumption or snap judgement, they've been shown to be wrong.

I would guarantee you that the thought was that he can get Neil to do the right thing. He talked about urgency so much. To think he's going to wait around after everything he just said is crazy. He obviously wants this shit to happen this off season, Neil isn't going to get to put things off.

I mean we'll have to wait and see but I thought it was very clear that he wasn't talking about giving it this summer and next. Why would he even talk about it then?

Dame knows what he's asking for isn't easy, and he knows putting a 1-month shot clock on it is going to shoot his own interests in the foot. To quote the greatest movie of all time: "You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles". Urgency is fine, but the move needs to be the right move, guarantee you Dame knows and appreciates that.

Just feels like "by the time he gets back" is a gross overreaction.

 

[James lamphear]

“Do you expect to be in a Portland uniform next season?”
“Yes” - Damian Lillard
All we needed

He said that's his intension stay Blazers but he also said he wasn't sure. To me there was a lot mix massage what he was saying. I still think that's he waiting to see what the roster looks like this year.

 

[Natebishop3]

Quick..... let's trade Dame while his value is even higher because he said he isn't asking for a trade!

 

[blazerkor]

Quick..... let's trade Dame while his value is even higher because he said he isn't asking for a trade!

Might be the conclusion that Neil comes to.

His press conference after the trade, "Look, for the first time Dame wasn't 100% committed to his future in Portland and before he hurt his trade value we had to get the best we could for him."

 

[illmatic99]

I think Dame hinted at it (about how the team always shows up during his Team USA camps) but I believe this CB-NO-DL meeting was happening regardless of the noise from this morning. It's not all about damage control.

He's leaving for Tokyo on Monday. By the time he returns, the NBA calendar will have moved past both the draft and well into free agency. It makes sense that they hash out the plan and targets in person now. Having worked remotely from overseas, I can attest to the time zone difference to being an absolute pain in getting on the same page in meetings and with the ~12+ hr difference between the US and Japan, it's best to get synced now before he leaves.

Also, recall how Dame couldn't meet with Chauncey on the day of his presser due to prior engagements with sponsors, it all falls into place about why they're meeting today in Vegas.

 

[tester551]

This team is a lot closer than many think in being a contender. With guys like Dame, Chauncey & Neil all on the same page, with some exciting younger players developing and many all stars wanting to come to Portland, were almost there! Rip City, Bingo, Bango, Bongo baby....

Not sure what drugs you're on... but they must be strong!

I have NO faith that Neil will be able to deliver.

 

[illmatic99]

Not sure what drugs you're on... but they must be strong!

I have NO faith that Neil will be able to deliver.

it's partially his doing but he's definitely handcuffed as to what he can do to improve.

 

[tester551]

This is going to be good. Free agents will see this and know Dame is serious about winning here. I have a good feeling.

Good thing Portland only has $6M to spend on FA this summer.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Neil has a top 5 player in the league, a top 5 player in a small market who actually wants to win in that market, an owner who is clueless and doesn’t care about luxury tax and it’s come to Lillard saying “look my clock is ticking, let’s do something serious or I want to go somewhere who is serious” for him to finally try and swing for the fences.

Should have been happening a long time ago. You gotta swing for the fences. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work. But at least you fucking tried.

He did. The fences were called Evan Turner. He was (rightfully) fried for it. But, he did try.

 

[Cugel]

Not sure what drugs you're on... but they must be strong!

I have NO faith that Neil will be able to deliver.

I don't have much faith in NO either. But it's the only chance the team has.

On the other hand it's not easy to get a second superstar-caliber player in Portland. I do think plenty of players want to hitch their wagon to the Lillard train. I put him in the top 5 MVP in the league because of what he brings to a team. Not just numbers, it's more than that, much more.

The only chance I can see, the simplest plan forward perhaps, is to resign NP and trade CJ for a guy on the brink of stardom, much like CJ himself.

Dame has to realize this is the most likely path. If he is really honest about being urgent, then he has to sign of on a CJ trade. If he won't trade CJ then Neil is fucked because Powell with walk (?) and you got nothing from the Toronto trade. The other paths would be to trade Roco, Ant, or Nurk who have value, especially Roco and Ant.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Good thing Portland only has $6M to spend on FA this summer.

That's why we're only looking at the Free ones. If we had more cap room we could look at the Expensive Agents.

 

[ehizzy3]

Has Dame been doing press conferences after every practice?

Maybe someone did leak it to Abbott to put pressure on Neil for this meeting tonight. It just so happens Chris Haynes drops a story about dame this morning adding to the drama and anticipation of the press conference. The press conference he says he hasn’t made a choice yet to put more pressure on Neil.

that being said I wouldn’t trade Dame if he asked for a trade

 

[julius]

Has Dame been doing press conferences after every practice?

Maybe someone did leak it to Abbott to put pressure on Neil for this meeting tonight. It just so happens Chris Haynes drops a story about dame this morning adding to the drama and anticipation of the press conference. The press conference he says he hasn’t made a choice yet to put more pressure on Neil.

that being said I wouldn’t trade Dame if he asked for a trade

ratings is all that matters

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Has Dame been doing press conferences after every practice?

Yes he has. So far he has been the best player on Team USA and because of the trade rumors he's been the one more reporters want to hear from.

Maybe someone did leak it to Abbott to put pressure on Neil for this meeting tonight

Olshey is a cocky sumbitch but if Dame says get your ass down to Vegas to talk to me Olshey is jumping on the next private plane as soon as his car is valet parked at the airport.

Dame doesn't need to go to the press to get Olshey's attention.

 

[illmatic99]

Dame retweeted this

 

[Blazerreynolds]

Dame is phony, like most rappers

As a Black guy growing up listening to Nas, Pac, and Digital Underground. They don't make em like that anymore.

Dame wants to keep his baby-face, media darling, by the book hero persona...but have his anti-hero cake and eat it too.

EDIT: Dame is not happy, and wants out....Do not believe him if he says otherwise. This aint Kyrie buying white milk, and the media labeling him racist by taking it out of context. Dame has publicly implied he wants to shake things up.

 

[BBert]

Interesting that everyone's take is essentially that this was a thinly veiled comment from Dame at Neil... I'm not so sure it wasn't directed at the Vulcans telling them to find his replacement... One can hope!

Or to the Vulcans to SPEND

 

[Fairly-Hard]

It's not true that LMA asked to be traded? Boy, I sure am glad you were in the room to dispel that rumor. And obviously it all turned out to be false because LMA re-signed here and is widely considered the best Blazer of all time, right?......... right?

Again another obvious reason you have quite so many posts.
The Lillard rumor is not true. Now go chase another rumor and qualify it with LaMarcus Aldridge all you want but don't include me thanks.
By the way any correlation between the two situations is clearly a stretch.

 

[Wheels]

Dame is phony, like most rappers

As a Black guy growing up listening to Nas, Pac, and Digital Underground. They don't make em like that anymore.

Dame wants to keep his baby-face, media darling, by the book hero persona...but have his anti-hero cake and eat it too.

EDIT: Dame is not happy, and wants out....Do not believe him if he says otherwise. This aint Kyrie buying white milk, and the media labeling him racist by taking it out of context. Dame has publicly implied he wants to shake things up.

 

[The Professional Fan]

Dame retweeted this

Bad ass move on his part. Now everyone shut the fuck up!

Not a peep from Abbot since his interaction with Nurk earlier. True Hoop? Really?

 

[blazerkor]

I think Dame hinted at it (about how the team always shows up during his Team USA camps) but I believe this CB-NO-DL meeting was happening regardless of the noise from this morning. It's not all about damage control.

He's leaving for Tokyo on Monday. By the time he returns, the NBA calendar will have moved past both the draft and well into free agency. It makes sense that they hash out the plan and targets in person now. Having worked remotely from overseas, I can attest to the time zone difference to being an absolute pain in getting on the same page in meetings and with the ~12+ hr difference between the US and Japan, it's best to get synced now before he leaves.

Also, recall how Dame couldn't meet with Chauncey on the day of his presser due to prior engagements with sponsors, it all falls into place about why they're meeting today in Vegas.

Yeah, I believed Dame that the meeting was already planned but that being said, after listening to Dame I also think the plan for the meeting was discussing what the team has to do to keep Dame. So while it's not about damage control from media stuff, it most certainly is about what Dame was talking about... which is that the team isn't living up to his expectations and if they don't he'll want out.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Laker fans in a tizzy — every “asset” on that roster is accurately illustrated here ^

 

[wizenheimer]

I feel like the problem is that it's too late for that. Dame wants a contending roster in training camp. If he doesn't see one when he's done with the Olympics he'll demand a trade. So there's not time to replace Neil because the best time to get what Dame wants is draft time.

could be the case, but I'm not buying the by-training-camp-or-else notion. Sure...If Olshey does nothing and just rinse/repeats the same broken formula Dame would probably say trade me now

but the idea that just one transaction will turn things around seems a little far-fetched. It may take several moves and some of those might be better in season. There are always good-to-great players that become available during the season and as the trade deadline approaches. That's how Portland landed Powell. I'd think Dame is smart enough to understand the process

of course, speaking of Powell, that's the first big test. If Olshey can't convince Powell to re-sign, it becomes a really bad first step in the off-season. That would be major failure and I'd bet dame would see it that way as well

 

[blazerkor]

Dame is phony, like most rappers

As a Black guy growing up listening to Nas, Pac, and Digital Underground. They don't make em like that anymore.

Dame wants to keep his baby-face, media darling, by the book hero persona...but have his anti-hero cake and eat it too.

EDIT: Dame is not happy, and wants out....Do not believe him if he says otherwise. This aint Kyrie buying white milk, and the media labeling him racist by taking it out of context. Dame has publicly implied he wants to shake things up.

You're a troll but not a good one.

 

[illmatic99]

Dwight spitting truth.

Look, I don’t even pretend to know what Damian Lillard’s end game is. My best guess is that he wants to stay in Portland and is giving the front office a not-so-gentle nudge to make something happen. He is, of course, surrounded by the current “ring culture” – which means that if you didn’t win a championship during your career, you just weren’t as good as those who did.

That has often led to more concern, in many cases, with “legacy” rather than “right now.”

Lillard has been playing in a city that loves him way beyond what a normal basketball player should ever expect. And for an owner and front office who gave him the keys to the franchise.

Oh, and for a coach who allowed him as much freedom as anyone who ever played the game.

If he wants to leave, that’s his business, within the constraints of that monster Portland contract that provides him generational wealth.

And if it comes to a trade demand, I believe he should be dealt – but only if the trade is as beneficial to the Trail Blazers as it is to him.

Until that time, I would ask that Portland fans listen to Damian Lillard, not those who would have "sources" speak for him.

And I would ask Damian Lillard to be careful of what he wishes for. There are worse places to be.

 

[blazerkor]

could be the case, but I'm not buying the by-training-camp-or-else notion. Sure...If Olshey does nothing and just rinse/repeats the same broken formula Dame would probably say trade me now

but the idea that just one transaction will turn things around seems a little far-fetched. It may take several moves and some of those might be better in season. There are always good-to-great players that become available during the season and as the trade deadline approaches. That's how Portland landed Powell. I'd think Dame is smart enough to understand the process

of course, speaking of Powell, that's the first big test. If Olshey can't convince Powell to re-sign, it becomes a really bad first step in the off-season. That would be major failure and I'd bet dame would see it that way as well

I think a CJ plus picks move for a star caliber forward and re-signing Norm wouldn't necessarily make us a favorite to win the championship but it would be enough to show the urgency Dame needs to see. I'm not saying we have to have a championship team by the time Dame is done with team USA but Olshey will have to have shown the urgency Dame is demanding or I really do think he will demand to be traded ASAP.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Well he just said that if he demands a trade it will be with Neil and it's not his way to tell everyone else... so unless Neil tries to pull a power play and tell Dame he's staying, I think Dame will keep it in house.

I agree. He will obviously do the right thing. Thus there will not be a story broke like this which was the whole point of the original post.

 

[DDolla]

Olshey one last chance or else Dame is gone

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Dwight spitting truth.

Translation: "Kids these days!"

 

[wizenheimer]

I think a CJ plus picks move for a star caliber forward and re-signing Norm wouldn't necessarily make us a favorite to win the championship but it would be enough to show the urgency Dame needs to see. I'm not saying we have to have a championship team by the time Dame is done with team USA but Olshey will have to have shown the urgency Dame is demanding or I really do think he will demand to be traded ASAP.

like I said, the first giant test is re-signing Powell. If Olshey fails at that the off-season starts out in a deep ditch that climbing out of may be next to impossible

but if Powell is re-signed then Olshey can turn to CJ trades as well as the MLE signing and perhaps dealing Jones, assuming he opts-in, and other players

Olshey can't just re-sign Powell and call it a summer....he has to do something major after that. I have no faith that he will though. This situation was completely avoidable if Olshey would have just done his job 4 or 5 years ago. I still can't believe that oily fuck is still the GM