Vote - If the Blazers don't succeed, should they trade Dame?

[B-Roy]

and in the playoffs, their record is 14-4; that's a .778 winning percentage (would be 64 wins in a standard NBA season). The margin of victory in their 14 wins is 13.3 points. Their overall MOV is +7.6. What makes that even more impressive is that the combination of Booker, Ayton, Bridges, Johnson, and Payne had a total of 68 minutes of playoff experience, and all of that was by Payne. Conventional wisdom would say the Suns would have failed because of that inexperience. But of course, the Phoenix GM was smart enough to mix young talent with a couple of savvy veterans

Not sure why you point this out. This has been what Olshey has been trying to do since the beginning. He's just been choosing the wrong young talent and wrong veterans.

Anyways, the longer answer isn't just "everyone else get injured". It's:

1.) Trade a 1st round pick and some spare parts for an all-NBA second team player who also finished 3rd in MVP voting
2.) THEN get some injury luck.

Chris Paul is a major product of their record and overall play. Not discounting the circumstances and the context of why they were able to get Paul for just a single first round pick, but still. That was clearly the most important move.

 

[wizenheimer]

Not sure why you point this out. This has been what Olshey has been trying to do since the beginning. He's just been choosing the wrong young talent and wrong veterans.

Anyways, the longer answer isn't just "everyone else get injured". It's:

1.) Trade a 1st round pick and some spare parts for an all-NBA second team player who also finished 3rd in MVP voting
2.) THEN get some injury luck.

Chris Paul is a major product of their record and overall play. Not discounting the circumstances and the context of why they were able to get Paul for just a single first round pick, but still. That was clearly the most important move.

well, Olshey has never traded for an all-star. And from what we've gleaned from leaks and rumors, he's never even made a serious offer. Taking that kind of risk doesn't appear to be in his DNA, especially when he is trapped by his perception of value on 'his guys'

besides, Portland had better injury luck against Denver than Phoenix did and still lost while Phoenix swept

 

[B-Roy]

well, Olshey has never traded for an all-star. And from what we've gleaned from leaks and rumors, he's never even made a serious offer. Taking that kind of risk doesn't appear to be in his DNA, especially when he is trapped by his perception of value on 'his guys'

besides, Portland had better injury luck against Denver than Phoenix did and still lost while Phoenix swept

Yeah, I mean, what? We're discussing Phoenix here right? Not Portland. No argument that in Portland we've done a poor job all around.