Who says this? You, it's your opinion. Personally there's a lot of players I would trade Lillard for.
I dunno - Philly could probably use him. He can play at the PG position as a SG while Simmons handles the ball. Particularly if they're about to lose JJ Redick. If they offered a package including NW native Fultz and that Miami pick they just acquired off Phoenix.... Philly is now in direct competition with Boston, who beat them WITHOUT their two star FA acquisitions. So Philly needs to upgrade. (Of course, if they get Kawhi, then never mind.)
If a young League Star playing Center or PF were offered straight up for Lillard, we should definitely take it.
The time to "blow it up" was probably just before the draft when there was a shot at possible franchise players. Now we're stuck for another year. If we do blow it up, let's start with the front office. I don't trust the current one to manage a rebuild.
Getting fair value for a star player is always difficult. Take the case of LMA - would they have been better off taking $.75 on the dollar for him, or were they better off just taking the cap relief? I'm the first to admit there is no easy answer here.
It sucks to have to think this way but if other teams are healthy, I don't see any way the Blazers get HCA this year and even with it last year, they obviously weren't close to being a contender. So maybe it is time. Get in a 3-way with SA and the Lakers and trade CJ for whatever young pieces you can get from LA. SA doesn't want Ball and Randle doesn't want to be there anymore. I don't really want Ball either (not because of him but because of having to deal with Sr.) but he would be an interesting piece. Would much rather have Ingrahm but don't think you could get him and Randle for CJ. Then the unthinkable comes although if somehow it was Ingrahm/Randle, I think this team would be as good as with CJ and contend for a Playoff spot just like last year. But would Dame still buy in? At that point, you might have to consider moving him as well and Philly has a lot of picks/young assets and Dame is coming off a 1st Team All-NBA season which I don't see happening again this year. If you are strictly doing it from a 'highest value' standpoint, I'm not sure when Dame's value will be any higher. Sadly, due to the Summer of Neil, circa 2016, this is what Portland is stuck with. However, with those young pieces and likely a Lotto pick or two, this team could actually make some noise in 2-3 years as the Warriors start their decline, CP3 is old, and LeBron inevitably starts to go downhill.
What's the point of blowing it up? It's not like we'll ever land the stars necessary to win big anyway. I'd rather try to compete for 50 wins with a superstar on the roster and try to get lucky.
Now is not the time to blow it up...it's the time to build a core identity. I'm not getting younger...don't want to lose my Blazer fix for the next 5 years...if they blow it up, I'll have to find something else to enjoy in the world of sports...
I don't think you guys realize how hard it is to find someone like Dame. Both on the court and off it. He was just first team all nba and is loyal to the core and is on contract for 3 more years. Good luck finding and developing that in the draft.
Funny, we should blow it up because they're not winning anytime soon, but by blowing it up, they won't be winning anytime soon. Makes sense.
The rebuild is inevitable... you will wait longer if you put this off 3 years... the assets you could get for Dame and CJ, combined with building around Zach, Nurk, and Simons should actually make it a pretty quick rebuild and set us up perfectly timeline wise with Warriors decline
Fultz and Miami pick isn’t enough. If you add Saric, Zhaire Smith then maybe but that still feels short of his value. Thing is they will prefer to throw those assets at Spurs and get Kawhi.
No one is saying it is easy to find someone like Dame. I'd ove to keep him but with where the franchise is and the cap restrictions Neil has brought them to, it's not really fair. If he is up to stay, would love to have him. Or the logic is, since you're not winning either way, reset and get out of salary cap hell so in a few years, when you have might have a chance to compete again, your players aren't on the wetting side of 30. Bigger picture.
