I don't want to jump to conclusions on anything. I'll wait for it to play out. But a couple of observations and critiques:
1. I was against hiring Kidd because he actually had a record of domestic abuse. Billups was accused 24 years ago, not convicted of anything, I've heard nothing in the interim of similar allegations ... and it was out there as soon as Kidd withdrew his name from consideration. It's almost impossible for me to believe he wasn't thoroughly vetted and the accusation addressed considering the backlash to Kidd's involvement in the opening.
2. If the stories about Dame wanting out because of either the heat he's taken on Twitter or because Billups now might now become coach, as B-Roy said, it's a slap in the face to everything he's built as his image. This organization has given him pretty much everything from Day 1, possibly even to the detriment of his own interests. For heaven's sake, we put his cousin on the team this year.
3. PR-wise, obviously, this could have been handled better. Of course, if, as it appears, Dame immediately went to his journalistic contacts to say he was going to ask out if the Twitterverse didn't pipe down, Dame himself is responsible for a lot of that. Taking a deep breath, having his people talk to Jody's people and Billups' people to see how they gauged the situation and letting more reasonable heads prevail would have made it salvageable. TBH, maybe I'm idealistic, but I think it still might be salvageable.
And, if it's not salvageable, it's not. I've been a fan of this team almost since its inception. I was here when Walton left. When we traded Clyde. When we lost to the Lakers with Whitsitt's super team and we broke that up. If Dame is trying to hold an entire fanbase and an organization hostage over this, then, again, he wasn't what I thought he was or what he presented himself to be. In truth, eventually, he'd probably be traded and he definitely would retire someday and the Blazers would have to deal with a future without him. If he's not being overly sensitive about what a bunch of anonymous people on Twitter are posting -- people who may or may not be Blazer fans and who definitely don't know what went on with Billups -- then it shouldn't be an issue and we go on trying to help each other win a chip.
Either way, I'm not losing sleep over it. The process will play out. The sun will rise tomorrow. Dame will be a Blazer or he might find himself playing in a city that makes him the villain every time he shoots 6-17. The fans might owe Dame a lot, but this isn't a one-way street, either. Dame Lillard, the Blazers, and the fanbase have a lot to be thankful for with each other, because it's been a pretty good relationship despite some shortcomings. If they can't recognize that and reconcile their differences, oh well, the game goes on.
