Exit Interviews

[illmatic99]

So you base it on a quote from Dame, I base it on a quote directly from Hart.
I'd say your take on it is far more conjecture, but what difference does it really make.

Getting a first round pick for a guy who is going to walk is a fine.

That wasn't the sole point of my post. I was pointing out the choice Joe made to deliberately get worse in a season when things were still somewhat open. We were what... A game behind GS at the deadline? And they ended up in the 6 seed. We chose to get worse.

 

[Graduate32]

Why do we also feel like singing Joe's praises for getting second round picks for GP when he is the one who signed him in the first place?!

He created this problem and somewhat fixed it. This deserves a kudos?

And it wasn't 5 true seconds. There are about a million qualifiers to 3 of the 5. They could turn into some assets. They also could be meaningless.

Singing his praises may be a bit strong, but I see what he was going for in signing GPII. A lockdown perimeter defender would still be incredibly useful on this team. It certainly didn't work out, but I do appreciate that he recognized that quickly and pivoted so at least we could get something out of the signing. And I think the protections on the picks are a little silly to be sure, but they are still tradeable assets, and I'd be a bit surprised if we actually used (picked with) them.

The only downside now from moving on from GPII, who clearly didn't want to be here, was losing a MLE-sized contract that could be used to aggregate salaries for an upgrade... we are a bit short on those.

 

[illmatic99]

Singing his praises may be a bit strong, but I see what he was going for in signing GPII. A lockdown perimeter defender would still be incredibly useful on this team. It certainly didn't work out, but I do appreciate that he recognized that quickly and pivoted so at least we could get something out of the signing. And I think the protections on the picks are a little silly to be sure, but they are still tradeable assets, and I'd be a bit surprised if we actually used (picked with) them.

The only downside now from moving on from GPII, who clearly didn't want to be here, was losing a MLE-sized contract that could be used to aggregate salaries for an upgrade... we are a bit short on those.

Again this comment of "clearly didn't want to be here..."

Is that not his job to identify that beforehand if we're hardcapping ourselves in the process? Or the injury? Did we even do a physical in July?

Props for getting out of it I guess but maybe do better next time?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

And there lies the issue with Joe. He's an inexperienced, likable guy. He has given no other GM reason to take him seriously. Why should they start now?

Certainly seems like that is what is happening. As I said I'm conflicted on the path forward.
A bunch if the comments in this thread are very very good. @Pinwheel1 @illmatic99 @PCmor7 have all had extremely valid points.

I might just need to sit back and enjoy the ride. Hope for the best.

 

[illmatic99]

Certainly seems like that is what is happening. As I said I'm conflicted on the path forward.
A bunch if the comments in this thread are very very good. @Pinwheel1 @illmatic99 @PCmor7 have all had extremely valid points.

I might just need to sit back and enjoy the ride. Hope for the best.

I'm mostly venting cuz this season sucked.

Maybe it's because of the immediacy of these exit interviews but there wasn't much introspection from our key decision makers in these answers. I dunno if we really learned fron our mistakes to not repeat them again if we just blame injuries and youth as the primary reasons for our downfall.

 

[THE HCP]

I won’t read all this bullshit….but I am curious if our starting center is STILL claiming his head coach isn’t using him correctly like in Denver and with Stotts?

 

[Graduate32]

Again this comment of "clearly didn't want to be here..."

Is that not his job to identify that beforehand if we're hardcapping ourselves in the process? Or the injury? Did we even do a physical in July?

Props for getting out of it I guess but maybe do better next time?

Meh, I think both of those critiques are a little unfair. I think many NBA free agents would prefer to stay where they are (but prefer money more). I think that's the chance you have to take in free agency, and I have no doubt that GPII and his agent would have been very reassuring to Blazers management throughout the process.

And the injury... I assume that they did a physical, understood he needed surgery and the healing timetable. What they couldn't expect is that GPII recovery would take MONTHS longer than is standard for his ailment. That's just bad luck, or if one is GPII cynic, maybe something worse.

 

[blazerkor]

Dames comment “I’m not interested in developing guys who will be ready 2-3 years from now”. Sure hope that doesn’t have anything to do with moving Sharpe…….

Hey man, I'm not trying to be a dick but Dame literally said, "We get Shaedon at 19 and he's just different." It was the sentence after the one you are quoting.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

 

[Chris Craig]

I won’t read all this bullshit….but I am curious if our starting center is STILL claiming his head coach isn’t using him correctly like in Denver and with Stotts?

I think he is more so blaming injuries and claiming there is no better center the Blazers can get and sort of putting it out there that he can still be the beast, that he'll get back there. Not sure I see it.

 

[Chris Craig]

Dames comment “I’m not interested in developing guys who will be ready 2-3 years from now”. Sure hope that doesn’t have anything to do with moving Sharpe…….

No, but it means he doesn't want Wemby.

 

[Predator]

I won’t read all this bullshit….but I am curious if our starting center is STILL claiming his head coach isn’t using him correctly like in Denver and with Stotts?

Nope, he had nothing but praise for Chauncey. Saying, "Everyone BUT Chauncey is to blame". (Which is a load of shit, but he did say it.)

 

[Hoopguru]

Just listened to the interviews.
We will be a veteran team next year with a couple perennial allstars and Grant.

 

[THE HCP]

Nope, he had nothing but praise for Chauncey. Saying, "Everyone BUT Chauncey is to blame". (Which is a load of shit, but he did say it.)

See that’s just it. Players realize it’s on THEM! Phil Jackson wasn’t leading this team any better this season than Chauncy did.

 

[BBert]

The bolded portion is what most of the national media left out (typical of not getting the whole story) and they ran with the rest of it. The issue will be, if Portland is lucky enough to get the #1 pick, Dame needs to get on board with another 19 year old in a hurry. There is NO WAY you trade him. That said, if Dame feels that is not the path he wants to go, no issue with him asking out and it sounds like that is the way he is leaning if Portland was to get the #1 pick. I want him to get a ring and it likely isn't happening her regardless of what happens, but very likely not in the next couple of years if they were to get Wemby. To trade Wemby for a still not very likely shot at winning a title in the next 2-3 years, and then having to watch him play in the league for the next 15+ years would be too much to take.

If we got Wemby, and if Wemby is a needle-mover, Dame won't give a shit how old he is. Since we won't get Wemby, Dame's point stands.

 

[andalusian]

Why do we also feel like singing Joe's praises for getting second round picks for GP when he is the one who signed him in the first place?!

He signed him for the right reason - and life (injuries) got in the way, so he pivoted quickly. This team needed a good perimeter defensive player. GP2 is certainly this guy. Injuries happened and as quickly as possible Joe was able to pivot to get another elite perimeter player (MT) and offloaded GP2.

He created this problem and somewhat fixed it. This deserves a kudos?

He identified a problem, worked to fix it, had a snag out of his control and quickly pivoted to fix it again. Yes, it deserves kudos. That's exactly what you can expect from good GMs.

 

[blazerkor]

I think he is more so blaming injuries and claiming there is no better center the Blazers can get and sord of putting it out there that he can still be the best, that he'll get back there. Not sure I see it.

I especially don't see it if Chauncey wants to have him defending on the perimeter and in space as often as he has so far. I would really like to see Ant and Nurk as the outgoing salaries packaged with picks to get us a all star. We'll just have to wait and see what teams underwhelm in the playoffs and where our first pick ends up.

 

[PCmor7]

No, but it means he doesn't want Wemby.

I didn't take it exactly that way. I think he'd recognize there are two guys in this draft that probably are immediate helps out of line with their age, one a generational talent and the other perhaps just beneath that. I'd hope he'd recognize that. Miller probably is a solid contributor sooner rather than later, and then there are four or five guys in this draft that either help pretty quickly (Jarace Walker) and maybe don't have quite the upside or have terrific upside like the twins but might not be ready to step up on the big stage in two to three years.

The last part's kind of moot to me, though. I think in two to three years Dame still is going to be playing a pretty high level of basketball when those guys are fully coming into their own. Further, I think it's fair to presume some of Dame's peers that have been dominating the league since he's come into it (Durant, the Warriors) will be in a decline, and there'll be a void perfect for a younger team that has intelligently stockpiled and developed its own young assets instead of giving it up for pennies on the dollar for a fat chance to compete in 2023-24 to ascend.

If Dame can't see that, I have no issue with admitting his stance is going to make it harder to build a true contender and cutting ties. Heck, send him to OKC for SGA and build around him, Sharpe and whoever we get in the lottery this year.

 

[PCmor7]

Just listened to the interviews.
We will be a veteran team next year with a couple perennial allstars and Grant.

I'm glad that's settled and all the other teams around the league now know they have to make trades with us that all are Blazer-friendly.

Start with Siakam for Thybulle and the Knicks' first. Then Embiid comes over for Nurk, Justise and a future second. I don't know if the Bucks would move Giannis for Ant but I'm willing to explore it.

 

[Chris Craig]

I didn't take it exactly that way. I think he'd recognize there are two guys in this draft that probably are immediate helps out of line with their age, one a generational talent and the other perhaps just beneath that. I'd hope he'd recognize that. Miller probably is a solid contributor sooner rather than later, and then there are four or five guys in this draft that either help pretty quickly (Jarace Walker) and maybe don't have quite the upside or have terrific upside like the twins but might not be ready to step up on the big stage in two to three years.

The last part's kind of moot to me, though. I think in two to three years Dame still is going to be playing a pretty high level of basketball when those guys are fully coming into their own. Further, I think it's fair to presume some of Dame's peers that have been dominating the league since he's come into it (Durant, the Warriors) will be in a decline, and there'll be a void perfect for a younger team that has intelligently stockpiled and developed its own young assets instead of giving it up for pennies on the dollar for a fat chance to compete in 2023-24 to ascend.

If Dame can't see that, I have no issue with admitting his stance is going to make it harder to build a true contender and cutting ties. Heck, send him to OKC for SGA and build around him, Sharpe and whoever we get in the lottery this year.

I don't want to see Dame get traded. I will say he needs understand what team he is playing for and how that hampers the ability to bring in star players. I get he's tired of waiting and doesn't want any more excuses. On one hand, I am glad he is exerting pressure on the Blazers to go big. There has been a lot of retooling with different projects, rookies, and former 1st rounders that hasn't panned out. Maybe, it's time to try to go all in and try that.

But, on the other hand doing that will leverage the Blazers future. Years of picks would be gone. Years of young talent we could develop would be gone. The ability to build something would be mostly gone.

We would be capped out paying taxes with a second star and likely signing Grant to boot. We'd have to hope Dame could get some guys to come cheap. He says there are guys who want to come. But, we have yet to see it.

 

[BBert]

No, but it means he doesn't want Wemby.

Dame is saying he doesn't want inexperienced players who won't be able to contribute to a playoff run for 2-3 years. He said Shae is different, meaning he will be able to contribute. If we got Wemby, and Wemby, like Shae, is able to contribute right away, Dame will want Wemby. No way the Blazers trade Wemby if he falls into their laps. Plus having Wemby would make certain other players available in trades. It would be a double win.

 

[Predator]

No, but it means he doesn't want Wemby.

Funny enough, I think Dame's best shot at a title is if we have him in a CP3 role. Where he's the "old star" who is surrounded by up and comers.

Imagine if we had Wemby, Shae and a 36 year old Da

See that’s just it. Players realize it’s on THEM! Phil Jackson wasn’t leading this team any better this season than Chauncy did.

Even Cronin said in his exit interview that he kinda fucked Billups with the roster.

Was surprised to see how open he was about that.

 

[AngryFan]

I didn't take it exactly that way. I think he'd recognize there are two guys in this draft that probably are immediate helps out of line with their age, one a generational talent and the other perhaps just beneath that. I'd hope he'd recognize that. Miller probably is a solid contributor sooner rather than later, and then there are four or five guys in this draft that either help pretty quickly (Jarace Walker) and maybe don't have quite the upside or have terrific upside like the twins but might not be ready to step up on the big stage in two to three years.

The last part's kind of moot to me, though. I think in two to three years Dame still is going to be playing a pretty high level of basketball when those guys are fully coming into their own. Further, I think it's fair to presume some of Dame's peers that have been dominating the league since he's come into it (Durant, the Warriors) will be in a decline, and there'll be a void perfect for a younger team that has intelligently stockpiled and developed its own young assets instead of giving it up for pennies on the dollar for a fat chance to compete in 2023-24 to ascend.

If Dame can't see that, I have no issue with admitting his stance is going to make it harder to build a true contender and cutting ties. Heck, send him to OKC for SGA and build around him, Sharpe and whoever we get in the lottery this year.

There isn't a chance in hell that OKC would do that.

 

[Chris Craig]

Just listened to the interviews.
We will be a veteran team next year with a couple perennial allstars and Grant.

And bears will shit in the toilet instead of the woods.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

He signed him for the right reason - and life (injuries) got in the way, so he pivoted quickly. This team needed a good perimeter defensive player. GP2 is certainly this guy. Injuries happened and as quickly as possible Joe was able to pivot to get another elite perimeter player (MT) and offloaded GP2.



He identified a problem, worked to fix it, had a snag out of his control and quickly pivoted to fix it again. Yes, it deserves kudos. That's exactly what you can expect from good GMs.

I'm not sure how 6'3" GP2 on an overpaid contract that hard capped the Blazers was a "work to fix it" for any of their issues last summer. I'm glad he was able to move off the deal at the deadline.

 

[Hoopguru]

I'm glad that's settled and all the other teams around the league now know they have to make trades with us that all are Blazer-friendly.

Start with Siakam for Thybulle and the Knicks' first. Then Embiid comes over for Nurk, Justise and a future second. I don't know if the Bucks would move Giannis for Ant but I'm willing to explore it.

They will be lined up to get their hands on a lottery pic and some plus youngsters that have solid upside.
It's Dame Time man! Like he said it not his path to build up with yutes.

 

[andalusian]

I'm not sure how 6'3" GP2 on an overpaid contract that hard capped the Blazers was a "work to fix it" for any of their issues last summer. I'm glad he was able to move off the deal at the deadline.

I will help.

Step 1. Identify need - elite perimeter defender
Step 2. Identify potential players to fill this role. (GP2)
Step 3. Acquire said player.

Overpaid? If he was overpaid he would not have been able to trade him so quickly while he is injured, so it is pretty clear that the overpaid analysis is yours, not what the market will bear.

So, if you actually follow the logic, there is no problem there. But, if you want to sell an agenda, sure, there is nothing to discuss...

 

[Labinot41]

lottery night will be sooooo huge

 

[blazerfan11]

I think it was pretty obvious Hart wouldn't have signed here. If he walked for nothing in the offseason, you'd probably be bitching about how he let a free agent walk for nothing. He got a 1st round pick for a guy who was going to leave. Had nothing to do with the tax.

Why would Hart not have signed here?

 

[Chris Craig]

Why would Hart not have signed here?

Maybe he still will.