Toronto Raptors Dame trade ideas and rumors

[blazerfan11]

Shaedon has way more upside than people were even giving him credit for when he was drafted and people were really high on his ceiling then. Therefore, regardless of our roster composition Shae is going to get time and touches because he can shoot really well from anywhere and because he is deadly around the rim... that's ignoring the fact that his feet are amazing on both ends of the court, so with coaching he will be elite on both ends. An elite scorer on offense and an elite perimeter defender and weak side shot blocker on defense.

I'm not worried about anyone we have or will acquire taking away from Shaedon's shine because the young man has got it.

 

[blazerfan11]

You're bringing up two hall of farmers and top 20 players of all-time. I don't understand the comparison.

Scoot would still have Sharpe, Simons, and Grant. He's not going to lose his playmakinh feel and become a worse decision maker because he doesn't have enough offensive talent to trust. These are NBA players man. First game of SL he was throwing dimes to Kris Murray...

Why should the Blazers wait a couple years to improve the roster, when the time to do that could be now if Dame is traded?
There are many ways a trade could go, but one of them that should be considered is getting a player around 25-26 or younger who could help the team win immediately.
I'm not saying it's the only route, but if the right player is available for the right price, go for it.

 

[BankTeller]

Why should the Blazers wait a couple years to improve the roster, when the time to do that could be now if Dame is traded?
There are many ways a trade could go, but one of them that should be considered is getting a player around 25-26 or younger who could help the team win immediately.
I'm not saying it's the only route, but if the right player is available for the right price, go for it.

Why should the Blazers have waited till now to improve the roster when the time could be when Dame was still committed to winning in Portland? The Blazers could’ve just traded Ant + #3 (or Ant + #7 + extra, the summer prior) for OG if the FO really believe he’s that good that we shouldn’t even consider trading him when we get him.

I don’t even agree with what I wrote up top, I’m just using it to prove a point. I, for one, knew that the Dame era rosters were not going to compete. We just happened to hit the f’ing lottery being able to land our future starting backcourt BEFORE our star is gone, BECAUSE he was willing to tank.

The FO showed Dame the signs that we were looking to tank to get lottery talents when he was here. If we trade Dame for OG and Ayton and Cronin comes out saying “OG and Ayton give us the pieces to really compete this year”…man. If I was Dame, I would be so incredibly furious that the FO is essentially saying “we don’t think OG or Ayton on a team with you is going to really going to help compete, but we’re so confident in a rookie we’re giving him the pieces we never gave you so he can compete right away”.

 

[BankTeller]

The more I see the furious back and forth debates, I realized something:

I’ll be the first to say, I was all for tanking for those picks, and obviously it paid off. ALOT of people, like me, were for it. Many of us were against bringing in OG or Ayton because we wouldn’t truly compete. Now, suddenly some of those same people think a rookie will doing something with those pieces. It’s crazy, this one singular Keep OG vs Trade OG shows how little faith Blazers fans had in Dame. That so many Blazers fans are putting faith into a rookie who has yet to play a game, over a dude who has willed our team to countless wins.

I actually grow more and more sympathy for Dame as this thread gets longer. If you were for tanking when Dame was here, you should be for tanking initially when Dame is gone (that’s usually how tanking works, y’know?). If you were for trading the pick that could’ve been Scoot or Sharpe, then I can understand you wanting to put the best roster together at all times. Otherwise, you are just more confident in Scoot than you ever were with Dame.

If you were for pro-tanking for the last two years of Dame’s stint, you want OG back in a trade because we can actually compete, AND you’ve had something to say about Dame’s behavior since the trade…kick rocks man. I actually get what Dame’s going through right now.

 

[BankTeller]

Let’s look at a team that’s actually doing tanking right, OKC. I’m going to throw out a hypothetical: let’s say the PG trade happens as it did, but instead of CP3 that came back for Russ, it was OG as he is right now (26, one year left).

Can someone realistically make a sound argument OKC would’ve decided to keep OG to pair with a second year SGA? SGA wasn’t as hyped as Scoot, but he still came from guard-factory Kentucky, and OKC had him pinpointed as the guy they wanted if they had to lose PG. They would’ve traded OG and stockpiled those picks.

Before anyone says “BuT tHeY tRaDeD fOr Cp3 To HeLp SgA wIn NoW”, I’ll remind everyone right away that CP3 was an immoveable contract at that point due to salary and injuries, OKC traded for him for those picks. Surprisingly, CP3 showed everyone what he could do with a young squad, and only then was he worth something again for OKC to trade and turn into MORE picks. Then they started the tank.

Let’s now be overconfident in Scoot and Shae’s ability to the point where we think we’re smarter than OKC. OKC has been doing it right, and they still haven’t made the playoffs. If we don’t realistically think that a Scoot/Shae/OG/___/Ayton starting 5 can beat OKC in 2 years, good lord DO NOT keep OG.

 

[Mediocre Man]

And the marketing opportunities being the face of the only team in a country far surpass what he could get in Miami.

Toronto is one of the largest cities in North America and the Raptors have a far greater reach than the Heat.

And... Drake.

Dame could play in some podunk town like Portland and still have amazing marketing opportunities. He’ll make millions more in Miami

 

[Mediocre Man]

Kawhi threatened not to play AFTER he was traded. Dame ain’t like that.

View attachment 57565

I won’t run from the grind

I’m loyal

Teaming up with players for a super team is not my thing

I want to finish my career in Portland

-also Dame

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The more I see the furious back and forth debates, I realized something:

I’ll be the first to say, I was all for tanking for those picks, and obviously it paid off. ALOT of people, like me, were for it. Many of us were against bringing in OG or Ayton because we wouldn’t truly compete. Now, suddenly some of those same people think a rookie will doing something with those pieces. It’s crazy, this one singular Keep OG vs Trade OG shows how little faith Blazers fans had in Dame. That so many Blazers fans are putting faith into a rookie who has yet to play a game, over a dude who has willed our team to countless wins.

I actually grow more and more sympathy for Dame as this thread gets longer. If you were for tanking when Dame was here, you should be for tanking initially when Dame is gone (that’s usually how tanking works, y’know?). If you were for trading the pick that could’ve been Scoot or Sharpe, then I can understand you wanting to put the best roster together at all times. Otherwise, you are just more confident in Scoot than you ever were with Dame.

If you were for pro-tanking for the last two years of Dame’s stint, you want OG back in a trade because we can actually compete, AND you’ve had something to say about Dame’s behavior since the trade…kick rocks man. I actually get what Dame’s going through right now.

I wasn't for tanking at the beginning of the year. Never have been. Only supported taking when it was clear that the team as constructed wasn't going anywhere. I'll always support trying to put together the most talent possible. So yeah, I'm going to be in favor of a return that brings back Ayton and OG (if that's possible), and will hope for those players to gel together--either with Scoot or Ant at the helm--and will root for wins.

But you know what? If the return is picks, prospects, and expirings, then I'm going to be in favor of that as well, and be excited game in and game out for the development of Scoot and Sharpe, hoping for the most exciting and explosive guard combination this league has ever seen, and rooting for this front office to put pieces around them to help them be competitive as soon as they are ready.

If they had been able to deal Ant and assets to add legit frontcourt players to this team (without ridiculously overpaying) I'd have been great with that. Once it became clear that wasn't happening, I was ready to move on from Dame because I felt we had spent a decade seeing what a Dame-centric team could accomplish. Right now, the team's direction still seems mildly uncertain, so I am too.

I follow this team for enjoyment. Whichever direction they're going, I'm going to hope for the best (while also preparing for the worst, as any fan of this franchise should).

 

[TBpup]

The more I see the furious back and forth debates, I realized something:

I’ll be the first to say, I was all for tanking for those picks, and obviously it paid off. ALOT of people, like me, were for it. Many of us were against bringing in OG or Ayton because we wouldn’t truly compete. Now, suddenly some of those same people think a rookie will doing something with those pieces. It’s crazy, this one singular Keep OG vs Trade OG shows how little faith Blazers fans had in Dame. That so many Blazers fans are putting faith into a rookie who has yet to play a game, over a dude who has willed our team to countless wins.

I actually grow more and more sympathy for Dame as this thread gets longer. If you were for tanking when Dame was here, you should be for tanking initially when Dame is gone (that’s usually how tanking works, y’know?). If you were for trading the pick that could’ve been Scoot or Sharpe, then I can understand you wanting to put the best roster together at all times. Otherwise, you are just more confident in Scoot than you ever were with Dame.

If you were for pro-tanking for the last two years of Dame’s stint, you want OG back in a trade because we can actually compete, AND you’ve had something to say about Dame’s behavior since the trade…kick rocks man. I actually get what Dame’s going through right now.

What some fans would suggest is WITH Dame, we haven't been really competing for perhaps his entire career. Maybe at the very beginning when Aldridge was the star, but it wasn't a team built around Dame and a massive contract....Dame was on a rookie scale deal back then.

Portland won't get anyone as good as Dame offensively, but if out of it, you can get bigger AND be better defensively, we will probably be as good in the next for years as we were in the last 4.

 

[speeds]

https://theathletic.com/4892731/2023/09/24/damian-lillard-trade-toronto-raptors/

Koreen: Damian Lillard is wrong trade target at wrong time for Raptors

Simply, the downside risk of this type of trade is much greater for this version of the Raptors than it was in 2018. That would be fine if he were joining a certain championship contender, but he wouldn’t be. A team with Lillard, Siakam, Poeltl and one of Anunoby or Barnes would be interesting and a lot more fun to watch nightly than the team that is currently assembled. The Raptors would have to give up a lot more value in young players/draft picks than they did for Leonard, and even if they talked themselves into recouping some of that in a second Lillard trade, he would have lost more value by that point, whenever it would be.

Perhaps the Raptors front office could convince itself the Lillard trade would be the first move in getting it an even better star in a year or two: Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid. The Raptors would have fewer assets than they do now at that point. Again, a huge risk with poor odds of working out.

At the trade deadline, the Raptors went the opposite way of what was expected, adding the type of player they badly needed to see if it propped an underachieving team. Poeltl helped, but only so much. The Raptors went 15-11, scoring 75 more points than their opponents in the centre’s 26 games with the team. They went just 5-7 against teams that made the playoffs, though, including wins over the Heat without Butler and the Bucks, by uniform only, on the last day of the season.

With a new coach, a new star and a fresh start in an unstable conference, could they go from middling to good, maybe even to really good? Yes, it’s possible. It could be plenty of fun, too.

There just are many, many ways it could go wrong.

 

[Natebishop3]

The more I see the furious back and forth debates, I realized something:

I’ll be the first to say, I was all for tanking for those picks, and obviously it paid off. ALOT of people, like me, were for it. Many of us were against bringing in OG or Ayton because we wouldn’t truly compete. Now, suddenly some of those same people think a rookie will doing something with those pieces. It’s crazy, this one singular Keep OG vs Trade OG shows how little faith Blazers fans had in Dame. That so many Blazers fans are putting faith into a rookie who has yet to play a game, over a dude who has willed our team to countless wins.

I actually grow more and more sympathy for Dame as this thread gets longer. If you were for tanking when Dame was here, you should be for tanking initially when Dame is gone (that’s usually how tanking works, y’know?). If you were for trading the pick that could’ve been Scoot or Sharpe, then I can understand you wanting to put the best roster together at all times. Otherwise, you are just more confident in Scoot than you ever were with Dame.

If you were for pro-tanking for the last two years of Dame’s stint, you want OG back in a trade because we can actually compete, AND you’ve had something to say about Dame’s behavior since the trade…kick rocks man. I actually get what Dame’s going through right now.

Because they’re different windows and different goals. Dame is 33. He himself has said he thinks he maybe has 3-4 years of high level play left. Trading our young guys like Scoot or Shae for OG would have been stupid. We needed players who could take us to legit contender status because of such a short window, and a lineup of Dame/Simons/OG/Grant/Ayton is probably not a contender. It’s a nice team, but probably not enough firepower to win it all. Mortgaging our future for that would have been stupid.

Scoot and Shae are 19 and 20. They have a massive window. Putting a guy who is 25 and 26 with them still fits their window. If it takes three years for them to hit their stride, OG will be 29 and Ayton will be 28. So they will be in their prime. We could make a run in that time if everyone is living up to their potential.

 

[BIG Q]

Okay, okay, so…

- Ayton has BEEN wanting a bigger role in the Suns offence

- OG has been reported to want a larger role in the offense for multiple seasons

- Scoot is our rookie PG who we are hanging our hopes on, he SHOULD be getting the highest usage

- Sharpe should be upping his ball handling opportunities because he is also part of the future, but will be stuck behind vets

Let’s factor in the fact that Ant and Grant are still here. At some point, not everyone is going to be happy with their situation. Ayton could produce more and flourish with higher usage, but could become a malcontent with 2 more years left. OG could become this guy everyone wants, but could leave if he feels like he isn’t being used more than he wants.

The main goal of the season should be to make sure Scoot and Sharpe have the time to develop. Sharpe is likely to get the least usage out of those four because he’s probably going to defer to the vets, but we want him to make mistakes now rather than later.

I really believe that having vets like Ayton and OG will be incredible with Scoot and Sharpe. Yes, OG and Ayton want to have bigger roles offensively, but we are probably only talking about five points per game or so each. I doubt they are looking to put up 30 each. I would love to get 18-22 per game from those two. Even more from the hot hand day to day. I would love 15/8 from Scoot. I would love 18/5/5 from Sharpe. On the high side, that is only 77 points from the four. Throw in Grant getting 20 and they are at 97. Maybe someone gets more, someone else less. The balance looks good to me. I would like Ant off the bench and eventually moved. I do not see offense on the bench other than whichever guard does not start with this makeup. Sure, someone might put up 10 in a game here and there, but the bench is not deep. Lots of G-leaguers there outside of Nas, Keon, Knox, Thybulle none are NBA players. Throw in a couple rooks.

 

[BIG Q]

Why should the Blazers have waited till now to improve the roster when the time could be when Dame was still committed to winning in Portland? The Blazers could’ve just traded Ant + #3 (or Ant + #7 + extra, the summer prior) for OG if the FO really believe he’s that good that we shouldn’t even consider trading him when we get him.

I don’t even agree with what I wrote up top, I’m just using it to prove a point. I, for one, knew that the Dame era rosters were not going to compete. We just happened to hit the f’ing lottery being able to land our future starting backcourt BEFORE our star is gone, BECAUSE he was willing to tank.

The FO showed Dame the signs that we were looking to tank to get lottery talents when he was here. If we trade Dame for OG and Ayton and Cronin comes out saying “OG and Ayton give us the pieces to really compete this year”…man. If I was Dame, I would be so incredibly furious that the FO is essentially saying “we don’t think OG or Ayton on a team with you is going to really going to help compete, but we’re so confident in a rookie we’re giving him the pieces we never gave you so he can compete right away”.

I want to point out that Portland can do the Ayton deal separately from a Dame deal. Just Nurk/Nas for Ayton. It's been reported here that Lillard never wanted to play with Ayton. Nurk was his preferred center. All reporting here is that if Dame is traded THEN Portland would be interested in Ayton.

Which then just transitions to OG. I am often dumbfounded in the mental gymnastics that GM's throw out passing on one deal and accepting another. When Portland was offering up Ant/7, then Ant/3 there were reportedly little interest. We do not know. We are just fans. We heard Toronto wanted a huge price for OG prior. Now he is a season away from walking for nothing. Situations change. Being prepared to pounce when the opportunity presents itself is important. Dame asked out, situations are changing. I just think it is important to be able to do what Miami does, rebuild on the fly. I like what is being speculated, but it is only because of Dame asking out. We can Have Dame and Ayton, but he doesn't want it. We can't get OG without a massive overpay to pair with Dame. Everything is situational.

 

[KingSpeed]

Golden State took multiple years developing their core and both teams had top 25 players of all time. If we had a championship core that we were adding Scoot too (like Tim Duncan did) then sure, but we don't. This team is not positioned to win a championship anytime soon and when they are, they can add veterans.

Also, the vets on both of those teams weren't being paid max contracts. They were role guys, which should be really easy to add with a boatload of assets.

GS’s turning point was was when they brought in 28 year old veteran Andrew Bogut.

 

[andalusian]

Why should the Blazers have waited till now to improve the roster when the time could be when Dame was still committed to winning in Portland? The Blazers could’ve just traded Ant + #3 (or Ant + #7 + extra, the summer prior) for OG if the FO really believe he’s that good that we shouldn’t even consider trading him when we get him.

I suspect they did not have the assets they wanted to move (The Blazers never wanted to move Dame). This is a very different situation. They now "have" to move Dame sooner or later, so why not go and try to build for a winner when they "have" the assets.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

GS’s turning point was was when they brought in 28 year old veteran Andrew Bogut.

And promoted Draymond to the starting lineup.

 

[KingSpeed]

Also- Dame had vets when he was a rookie and he hit a series winning shot in his second year. We don’t have to wait 4 years. Wade led Heat to title in his 3rd year surrounded by vets.

 

[blazerkor]

And promoted Draymond to the starting lineup.

They drafted Harrison Barnes in the previous off season. Also by acquiring Bogut they added by subtraction because they no longer had the Steph/Monta back court that made absolutely no sense. They only took two and a half seasons to figure out that two small guards don't work in a back court together. I wonder how long it will take them this season.

 

[wizenheimer]

They drafted Harrison Barnes in the previous off season. Also by acquiring Bogut they added by subtraction because they no longer had the Steph/Monta back court that made absolutely no sense. They only took two and a half seasons to figure out that two small guards don't work in a back court together. I wonder how long it will take them this season.

if Portland doesn't trade Ant this season, it will be their 9th consecutive season on not learning that lesson

 

[42N8Bounce]

I like the basics of a Blazer/Toronto/Phoenix trade. It could go a couple of different ways depending on the end goals of each team.

I don't play with the online trade tools very much, but here's an example of one that works if -
1. The Blazers want young talent for Lillard.
2. The Blazers want to upgrade their center.
3. Toronto wants Lillard.
4. Toronto wants to keep their core top 3 players (Siakam, Anunoby, Poeltl) to be able to contend now.
5. Phoenix wants to cut costs and gather assets.



Blazers currently have 9 players on the roster that are 23 years old or less. That's 60% of their roster. I think the team needs some balance. The above trade brings in Barnes and Dick. Two young prospects that were lottery picks. It also upgrades the Blazers center position while going 4 years younger. Boucher and Young are mostly salary filler to make the money work.

Toronto gets Lillard.

Phoenix gets Nurk and saves Phoenix $4.9M in salary.

I tossed in some picks. Every team that looks at a trade like this says their team should be the one getting more picks. I'm not too worried about that. Negotiate the picks with the other team as needed to get the deal done.

I like a trade like this better than anything Miami could offer.

 

[inconceivable]

I like basics of a Blazer/Toronto/Phoenix trade. It could go a couple of different ways depending on the end goals of each team.

I don't play with the online trade tools very much, but here's an example of one that works if -
1. The Blazers want young talent for Lillard.
2. The Blazers want to upgrade their center.
3. Toronto wants Lillard.
4. Toronto wants to keep their core top 3 players (Siakam, Anunoby, Poeltl) to be able to contend now.
5. Phoenix wants to cut costs and gather assets.

View attachment 57569

Blazers currently have 9 players on the roster that are 23 years old or less. That's 60% of their roster. I think the team needs some balance. The above trade brings in Barnes and Dick. Two young prospects that were lottery picks. It also upgrades the Blazers center position while going 4 years younger. Boucher and Young are mostly salary filler to make the money work.

Toronto gets Lillard.

Phoenix gets Nurk and saves Phoenix $4.9M in salary.

I tossed in some picks. Every team that looks at a trade like this says their team should be the one getting more picks. I'm not too worried about that. Negotiate the picks with the other team as needed to get the deal done.

I like a trade like this better than anything Miami could offer.

Barnes Dick and Ayton for Dame Nurk and 2nd rounders? Sign me up

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[inconceivable]

Of course coming from Miami again

 

[e_blazer]

Of course coming from Miami again

True. Some news might come out of Portland if we actually had sports reporters in this city.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If it's this or a Miami offer that includes Jaquez, then give me the Miami offer. NO GRADEY DICK FOR GOD'S SAKE

 

[BIG Q]

Also- Dame had vets when he was a rookie and he hit a series winning shot in his second year. We don’t have to wait 4 years. Wade led Heat to title in his 3rd year surrounded by vets.

Good stuff, and too piggy back, When Portland drafted Dame, they had no idea what they were getting. Same situation with Scoot. Same with Sharpe really. What kind of leap will he make? Will there be a sophomore slump? But both need vets around them. The fact Portland can luck into Ayton regardless of it being part of a Dame deal is incredible. He is a player with vast playoff experience. He has played with super stars. His age and position are perfect for Portland. OG, if available is also a vet at a position of need that age wise fits perfectly. How lucky can one team get in one off season? To me Portland would have to jump at the chance. And who knows what else will be available in a possible OG trade. I would love to get Achiuwa in the deal. Same with Boucher. Can Cronin get a pick out of them? Do Cronin need Gradey Dick? Anything for OG is with the caveat he is willing to re-sign in Portland, and he is not a max guy. He is an above average forward.

 

[BIG Q]

If it's this or a Miami offer that includes Jaquez, then give me the Miami offer. NO GRADEY DICK FOR GOD'S SAKE

Love Achiuwa over JJJ/Jovic. Want nothing to do with Trent. OG or Barnes. Do not really care about Gradey Dick. Can he become a reliable sharpshooter off the bench?

 

[Natebishop3]

Negotiating with Masai has to be one of the most frustrating things any GM can do.

I bet they have him in their speed dial listed as "That Asshole"

 

[Samuel]

Love Achiuwa over JJJ/Jovic. Want nothing to do with Trent. OG or Barnes. Do not really care about Gradey Dick. Can he become a reliable sharpshooter off the bench?

the question is, would trent be enough to pair with nurkic for phoenix?

 

[Samuel]

Of course coming from Miami again

hp has been pro blazers this whole time and is somewhat sourced. I would believe this.

it's a good pod, he is much more articulate than the floridian foamers.