The writing was on the wall two years ago. We could have cashed him in for young talent and lottery picks. We held onto the hope that he would change his mind, and it was a foolish decision. The Wolves, in the meantime, traded their All-Star forward for Andrew Wiggins. This was by far Neil's biggest mistake.
Honestly BC, I really wouldn't care, but Brian and I took so much shit from this forum two years ago because we held this opinion. And not only did we take shit about it two years ago, but some people never let us forget about it either. They brought it up when Aldridge said he wanted to retire as the greatest Blazer of all time. They brought it up when he said he wanted to sign an extension but he was waiting until he could get the 5th year. Why can't I bring it up now when it turns out that we were right all along? How is that fair?
Right, because when he re-signed here, nobody would have brought up how all the "haters were wrong" about him two years ago?
Unfortunately, Lillard was good enough to get us to the 2nd round. I think if we stunk in 2014 they would have dealt LMA regardless.
Neil has made a lot of 'mistakes' so far...Not quite as pristine as many would like to believe in here.
As I said, I wouldn't let him make another move as the General Manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and I would rescind all deals and agreements he has made with other FA's so far.
That one moment of happiness probably cost us some important assets. Maybe we offer him to Cleveland for the #1 and we get Wiggins instead of Minnesota.
Indeed, if the Blazers were as pathetic as the wolves. The Blazers were coming off the best season in a decade plus, with everyone returning, and high hopes. Bad timing I guess.
IMO you are still wrong. You don't run a franchise that way. If you trade your best player because there is a chance he will leave, you will never be good. It is all gamble. Keeping him was a gamble, trading him for draft picks was a gamble, (especially since we would not have known what that pick was if LMA would have played well for them) opting for cap space was a gamble, hoping for a sign and trade was a gamble, signing players to large contracts is a gamble. You never know, especially when injuries can be so devastating to a franchise. I think we went with the smartest choice. If we would have stayed healthy this year and advanced, he could very well have stayed. We will never know. But in 4 years if Dame is playing well, I guarantee I will not say lets trade him for draft picks so we don't get another LMA situation. Portland has to try to hold on to great players, because they don't come along very often.
I don't think there was a chance he would leave. I still think, even then, it was pretty much a sure thing. I think he wanted out. I think he wanted to go back to Texas. I think he wanted to be closer to home. I thought that then and it seems like it proved to be true now. The Wolves dealt Love, and now they have one of the most athletic, young, and promising teams in the league. I don't think it's a bad way to go if you are able to make a good trade. If the offers are shitty, don't do the trade, but the offers seemed reasonable to me.
