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B-Roy said:
Portland star Damian Lillard says the Trail Blazers weren't able to get "some of the guys" they would have liked during free agency as he discussed his role in recruiting players with reporters Friday.

"When you go into free agency and things like this, you never know what happens," Lillard said during a media availability at the Tokyo Olympics. "You never know where guys are going to end up and why they go there. You just try to have conversations and convince guys to be a part of our team.

"And obviously, this go around, we wasn’t able to go out there and just get some of the guys that we would have liked, and you go down the list and you go through the guys that are out there that you like who haven’t committed to a team or was a part of your plans in free agency and you get the ones that want to be a part of what you’re doing. And I think that’s what we did."

From the Athletic. Wonder who he’s talking about. Batum and Porter for sure. Not sure who else. Nice to hear he’s been active in recruiting, but our FA options were always limited.
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I don't like this, because it sounds like Olshey's been working to win him over. It makes sense, and I'd do the same thing if I were Olshey, but it means Olshey can say "look, you know we tried, right?" and Lillard understands, so won't hold his feet to the fire.

On the other hand, if he knows Olshey did the best that could be done in Portland, that might make Dame's mind up that it's time to go somewhere else.
 
Scalma said:
I bet McLemore was a guy dame wanted. As for who he wanted that they didn’t get, Porter is the best guess.
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I think Batum was clearly up there, Quick said it and someone else hinted at it too.

But either way, I don't think Dame/Neil are being very realistic if they think FAs was going to be a major tool.
 
Rastapopoulos said:
I don't like this, because it sounds like Olshey's been working to win him over. It makes sense, and I'd do the same thing if I were Olshey, but it means Olshey can say "look, you know we tried, right?" and Lillard understands, so won't hold his feet to the fire.

On the other hand, if he knows Olshey did the best that could be done in Portland, that might make Dame's mind up that it's time to go somewhere else.
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If Dame truly believes using our minimums and exceptions is the "best we could have done", I question his thought process.
 
My biggest positive slant on the Athletic piece is that Dame was involved. You're not gonna go on recruiting pitches for free agents if you're planning to leave.

here's the rest of his media availability .

 
B-Roy said:
If Dame truly believes using our minimums and exceptions is the "best we could have done", I question his thought process.
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I really though by now we would have had a star FA come to Portland and say "I came here to play with Dame Lillard" I wonder why it hasn't happened?
 
Scalma said:
do people not use their brains anymore? The interest is obviously there if they’re having discussions about a trade. The safe guess is Toronto is asking for more than just CJ and Olshey isn’t as interested in that right now. Could still be revisited later.
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It's the brains that actually remember what Neil has and has not done for 9+ years. It's the not even including CJ in conversations for opportunities to get a legit sidekick for Dame. It's a track record of completely overvaluing CJ and then ending discussions.

Hopefully this time is different. Historically, not in his favor, but at the same time, one could say he is WAY overdue.
 
The rich getting richer: Iggy back to the Warriors. Meanwhile the Blazers… ah never mind
 
On a semi-serious note, if you want ring chasers to come, build a front runner. If your team is competing for a title, ring chasers will come no matter how small the market is. Milwaukee has proven that. No ring chaser or coveted vets see our team as a true contender, because why the hell would they? So of course we get McLemore and Snell.
 
Zach Lowe is saying the Spurs would like to trade Thad Young for a late first. I think that’s the easiest move for us to make, DJJ+first for Thad. It’s an obvious upgrade, if not a fancy one.
 
B-Roy said:
On a semi-serious note, if you want ring chasers to come, build a front runner. If your team is competing for a title, ring chasers will come no matter how small the market is. Milwaukee has proven that. No ring chaser or coveted vets see our team as a true contender, because why the hell would they? So of course we get McLemore and Snell.
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These were their free agents last off season:

Bryn Forbes, Bobby Portis, DJ Augustin, and Torrey Craig.

Portis was the only substantial piece. And his numbers and impact in his career are fairly similar to Zeller's. I wouldn't exactly classify these guys as ring chasers.

(also sidebar, Tony Snell started ~70% of his 229 games that he played in Milwaukee)
 
illmatic99 said:
These were their free agents last off season:

Bryn Forbes, Bobby Portis, DJ Augustin, and Torrey Craig.

Portis was the only substantial piece. And his numbers and impact in his career are fairly similar to Zeller's. I wouldn't exactly classify these guys as ring chasers.

(also sidebar, Tony Snell started ~70% of his 229 games that he played in Milwaukee)
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Portis took significantly less to go to Milwaukee last year, it was talked about in-depth. That has never happened with us.

But there haven't been many small market contenders outside of Milwaukee the last few years.
 
B-Roy said:
Portis took significantly less to go to Milwaukee last year, it was talked about in-depth. That has never happened with us.

But there haven't been many small market contenders outside of Milwaukee the last few years.
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i mean zeller taking the minimum was unexpected.

i never saw people flocking to San Antonio in free agency when they were contending either.
 
Milwaukee just won the title, and nobody went ring chasing there this year.
 
B-Roy said:
Zach Lowe is saying the Spurs would like to trade Thad Young for a late first. I think that’s the easiest move for us to make, DJJ+first for Thad. It’s an obvious upgrade, if not a fancy one.
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This is another time I wouldn’t give away a first round pick. Too valuable. Does Thad Young “move the needle”? Portland needs to collect firsts not give them away unless it puts them over the top
 
calvin natt said:
This is another time I wouldn’t give away a first round pick. Too valuable. Does Thad Young “move the needle”? Portland needs to collect firsts not give them away unless it puts them over the top
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Our last 5 firsts have not amounted to anything.
 
B-Roy said:
It was until I saw every other center also taking the minimum.
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it's not really true, though. Some guys did, yes, but certainly not EVERY other center. Here are guys who will make more than Zeller next year who were FAs this summer:

Jarrett Allen - 5yr/100
Holmes - 4yr / 55
Theis - 4 yrs/ 36
Zach! - 3yrs/ 22
Rolo- 5mil
Javale - 5 mil
Dieng - 4 mil
Alex Len - 4 mil

Guys in the same tier ($ wise):

Kanter/Dwight/Drummond/Whiteside/Dedmon/Kaminsky/Bradley

I think Zeller is going to be underpaid this summer and qualifies as a guy taking less than what he's worth to come here.
 
illmatic99 said:
it's not really true, though. Some guys did, yes, but certainly not EVERY other center. Here are guys who will make more than Zeller next year who were FAs this summer:

Jarrett Allen - 5yr/100
Holmes - 4yr / 55
Theis - 4 yrs/ 36
Zach! - 3yrs/ 22
Rolo- 5mil
Javale - 5 mil
Dieng - 4 mil
Alex Len - 4 mil

Guys in the same tier ($ wise):

Kanter/Dwight/Drummond/Whiteside/Dedmon/Kaminsky/Bradley

I think Zeller is going to be underpaid this summer and qualifies as a guy taking less than what he's worth to come here.
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I think all those guys are paid correctly on their teir except maybe Len and Zach.
 
B-Roy said:
Portis took significantly less to go to Milwaukee last year, it was talked about in-depth. That has never happened with us.

But there haven't been many small market contenders outside of Milwaukee the last few years.
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What really hurt the Blazers rise, was injuries. Nurk's was the worse, and hopefully the 2 years removed theory about serious injuries, gets him back to be the Beast again. Especially with new coaching. Zach's brutal luck as well. Those are KEY players for this team. None of those other contenders, except the Lakers & Nets this past season, have had seasons derailed by the same issue. The Blazers have been snake bit for sure. A fully healthy Nurk & Zach, and who knows. Maybe free agents would have come, taken less, to help rip city. But Neil & Dame can't force guys to join them. It's sad cause many of the players that do join the Blazers, end up making it their permanent home after. PDX is a special place, and will Rise Again. Dame is an awesome dude, and has built many friendships around the League, but some players just want the glitz. Gotta feeling, Durant ain't one of them.
 
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