I'm not sure if this is a serious question or not, but I'll answer it assuming it is: The alternative to trading Dame is not trading Dame and capitalizing on his talents, leadership, loyalty, and potential recruiting ability. It appears you put little value in what Dame brings to the franchise and only see the value he could net in a trade. It's possible Sharpe and Ant's trade value is at its highest right now too, but that doesn't automatically mean they should be traded in my opinion.
No, the Blazers won't trade the #1 pick and even Dame realizes that despite Wembanyama being young, he's also very good and can make a big difference now. Getting the #1 pick allows the Blazers to play both timelines to the fullest extent. It solves many issues at once.
A ton of rebuilds have had nothing but time and never gotten off the ground. Getting a top 10 player that wants to be in Portland is extremely difficult. Most teams need years to have enough chances at draft and development to get obtain one. These who want to trade Dame to find a window with more time overestimate the chances of finding another Dame-caliber player in that span. And even if that's accomplished, who's to say that won't be a team that makes a couple 2nd rounds and a WCF and that's all? Youth can be good. This team is built to improve by internal development for the first time in ages. They have more assets to swing a big win-now trade than they've had in maybe a decade. That "alternative" isn't as bad as it's made out to be.
Yes you do have a valid point, it's definitely a concern of mine that Cronin/Jody will screw up a Dame trade or the actions after. I'm not saying any of these two paths are ideal options. Ideally we'd have a different owner who would hire a good experienced GM. But that ideal option appears extremely unlikely in the next year or two. So we're left with two possibly shitty options we have to choose of below average execution in win now moves with Dame or below average moves trading Dame and rebuilding. The big advantage of going young and rebuilding, even if the moves are poorly executed, is the team should have more talent and draft picks in the future for good management to come on board and then later possibly build a contender. If the team does a bunch of terrible win now moves and ships out their future picks, they could dig this franchise into a hole that will take over a decade to dig out of. I have argued the team could do a hybrid approach of rebuilding but keeping Dame on the roster. However Dames comments may indicate he won't accept that, and short of a magical trade offer becoming available that makes the Blazers an immediate contender in the next few months, would likely push me to the trade Dame camp. Overall I'm most concerned the team makes stupid moves that drastically harm this franchise long term. Unfortunately I find that vastly more likely than the team executing great moves to build a contender soon.
I like that people in here point to OKC as an example of a youth rebuild working... those dudes are maybe an 8 seed and maybe still in the lotto. That's the good example but then you have Houston and Detroit who have been in the tank for three or more seasons with no guarantee that they won't be in it again next season. I mean you have the Magic who look like they might have a team that might be able to maybe compete for a play-in spot next season and with the exception of two gentlemans' sweeps have basically been in youth rebuild mode for a fucking decade. People don't trust Joe to put a competent team around Dame but trust him to start a much more dicey process. Kind of weird.
As more and more freshmen apply for the draft, I think the NY pick looks better and better. These young players will take n extra year to help a team, but a smart GM will know the value. Look at Amari Bailey who is projected to go at 52. That kid has a high ceiling IMO. I think trading that pick has more value this year than giving it to Chicago just so we can use next year's pick in a trade. https://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft
Yeah I really don't want to just toss it to Chicago. I think it could have good value to help acquire talent immediately.
another factor is that the 23rd pick could be about a 4-year/13.5M rookie-scale contract starting next season. A chance at a prospect on a 3.3M/year deal is a worthwhile gamble. Also, if they choose right the Blazers would have a player they control for the next 7 seasons that's some significant value to give up, especially for a team that has wasted 6 first round draft picks since 2016 and still owes Chicago a pick
But if we want to get a needle mover don't we need to give that NYK pick to Chicago so we can open up future ones to give?
SGA will be 25 next year and is a lock to make an All NBA team this year, likely 1st team. Their other 4 starters from this season will average being 22 next year and to that they'll add 21 year old Chet Holmgren. Their future is really bright. It's not that people don't trust Joe to build a contender around Dame, they don't think it's possible no matter who is the GM. Putting together a contender is not easy. Putting together a contender capped out and with a short timeline is near impossible. It would be weird for someone else to skip past this obvious conundrum, but every day you find a way. Please provide examples of the supposed easy way other GMs in similar situations have turned bad teams into insta-contenders. The two that spring to mind for me are the Celtics (when they added Bird) and the Spurs (when they added Duncan and welcomed Robinson back from injury). STOMP
I think Joe has a great opportunity to make a name for himself if he can get it done, or come close. GM's have to start somewhere. Once they get the job, it's on them to prove themselves. There is some luck that's involved ( lotto pick landing right). But the hard work, Joe and his Staff have done , should pay off. I just have a feeling Joe's gonna get it done.
And both Orlando and OKC got lucky. SGA turned into a 30+ PPG scorer and Orlando got the 1-seed, suckered Chicago into Vucevic, and got insanely good value with Franz at 8 (there's been some really bad 8th picks). Acting as though a youth movement is guaranteed to be better than if we upgraded the roster now has never made sense to me.
It's always made more sense to me to turn that CHI 1st into a top 8 protection that then turns into 2nd round picks (maybe the five 2nds from the GP2 trade).
Look at the Bucks. Giannis said get me help and they traded a LOT for non-All Star (that season) Jrue Holiday and one alley oop later, won the title. We just have to find the right guy in trade.
There's a difference, but it ain't a gulf. You can doubt Dame all you want. But if he can get some players the quality of what Giannis got around him, Dame will lead the team to the Trophy.
You're just wrong. Giannis brings elite rebounding and defense while also being harder to shutdown with a double team.
