The Lillard Blazers peaked 2 seasons ago

Remember how, when the Drexler Blazers lost to Jordan in the finals (after losing to Zeke and then Magic) we thought they'd be back, but it was first round exits from there on out? And then the 'Sheed Blazers battled the Shaq-Kobe Lakers to a standstill before running out of gas in game 7 of the WCF and we also thought we'd be back? Only - guess what - first round exits for years after? Well (and I think you can see where this is going)...

Realistically, Dame is at his very tip-top peak and has already probably started a decline, and there's no way we're going to get another superstar, let alone the TWO superstars you need nowadays. So, if he's suddenly decided he might not be a Blazer-for-life-through-thick-and-thin, it's time to let him fly free.

Add to that the fact that nobody is going to give us value for CJ (prove me wrong, NBA!) and I say:

TRADE DAME, KEEP CJ
Calm down, CJ-haterz - we just need to keep CJ for the first half of next season. He's at a low in value right now, but if he can start next season like he started this one, then some team is going to be tempted into offering us something of value, and once Dame is gone, it can be a package of picks (trading CJ for picks when we still have Dame would further piss him off, demonstrating that we're not serious about contending).

I'm ready for the Anfernee Simons Era to begin!

 

"if" Dame wants out that is the way to go and trading him now probably gets us max value

 

I will refrain from saying what I want to say about this thread.

 

I asked this in another thread but might as well ask it here too:

Are there any examples of a small-market team trading their only star, their franchise player, for lesser player(s) and a collection of lower picks and ending up better than they were prior to the trade, over the next 5 seasons?...7 seasons?

I'm trying to remember; it didn't with Melo or Deron Williams or Chris Bosh or KG or Westbrook or PG13 or Kawhi or Jimmy Butler. Who am I forgetting?

 

Now ask the same question about hanging on to their only star until he demands a trade.

 

Olshey can fuck up anything. Of course everything would be better with a new GM, but then s/he would be faced with the same dilemma.

 

If you disagree, what's our path to relevance again? "Zach Collins will propel us past the first round"? "Someone's BOUND to overpay for CJ"?

 

that doesn't fucking matter and is just deflection

can you come up with an example where trading the franchise player made the team better over the next 5 years? whether he asked for a trade or not

 

Bullshit. You're acting like your path is better than the path I'm suggesting. I say we're fucked either way, but maybe less fucked my way. And I guess it depends on what you mean by "star" anyway. How about Indiana trading away Paul George?

 

As I live in Flint, I'll settle for a meteor hitting all the NBA cities.

 

Boston trading KG?
Memphis trading Marc Gasol?
Utah trading Deron Williams?
The Pelicans trading Davis hasn't paid off fully yet, but everyone expects them to put it together sooner rather than later.

 

I think the answer in people's hearts is "The Blazers aren't likely to win a title either way within Lillard's career so, in a title-free environment, we'd rather see a franchise great remain with the franchise."

I'm fine with exploring the market for any player on the roster, but I certainly wouldn't pre-commit to trading Lillard and then just trying to find the best offer. Trading superstars for a group of lesser, younger players virtually never pans out, so my default would be to keep him and then be open to another team blowing me away with an offer, if I were GM.

 

What if Lillard starts making more and more noises about how unhappy he is?

 

It's a start. You can build up to not saying anything ever.

 

If olshey continue his moves likes every season the only move you might see is Nurk being traded so he can now have Zach be the starting center next year. First he will guarantee Nurk contract then trade him and I think DJJ will opt in and also be traded. Olshey will take offers for CJ but not pull trigger just my opinion.

 

Indiana didn't become better after trading PG13. They won 181 game in the 4 seasons before the trade, and played in the EC Finals. And 175 games in the 4 seasons after, didn't win a series, and are in the lottery this year

I know what you're suggesting, and here it is: the current GM has fucked up the situation so bad, the most loyal superstar ever is unhappy. So, the path is to keep that fucking GM, trade the superstar on spec just in case he demands a trade 2 years from now, and go down a path that hasn't ever worked for any other team

all I'm saying is fuck that...and if I'm coming across too aggressive I apologize

 

For people who just want a franchise great to remain with the franchise? I'm not sure. That's not really me, I'm not the sentimental type when it comes to sports.

As for what I said my own attitude would be--him suggesting he's unhappy wouldn't change a lot, since he's under contract for 4 years. I still wouldn't be interested in trading him for less than, essentially, a rip-off deal to account for the fact that superstar deals are almost always won by the team getting the superstar.