I have to ask....do you believe that tweet that said Dame would only play for Miami? That sure seems to have generated a lot of bile and venom directed at Dame in this forum. One single un-sourced, uncorroborated tweet. We know he'd prefer to play for Miami with guys he knows. When stars ask out they always have preferred destinations. I don't see anything wrong in that other than Portland never being on anybody's list but seriously, after 11 years of watching Dame, listening to him, seeing how he operates, do people really believe he gave an ultimatum like that? An ultimatum that would not only be stupid, but that would display corrupt principle and no integrity on Dame's part. Does anybody really believe he told Cronin he wouldn't play for any team than Miami?
This is good for both parties. Dame gets to play for a better team, and the Blazers won't be stuck paying Damian 60 million when he's 35/36. And who would take on his contract at that point? Keeping Damian would only hold back our rebuild, both financially, and in terms of player development. Damian gave them an out by asking for a trade. The fact that we will get something for him before he goes is just icing on the cake.
Many have been saying such all year, only "issue" is where he goes and what we get back. IF, stress "if", he's demanding Miami only that's no go for me and should be for the Blazers from a negotiating for the best deal standpoint - if that happens its hard ball time. Hopefully not and we can accommodate him to a good team and get fair value.
"probably" not but I have to say that there is a "seed of doubt" in my mind, not convinced of anything here but trying to give Dame the benefit of doubt as he deserves
It seems that all the quotes from Cronin and the Blazers have emphasized that they are looking beyond Miami and going to do what's best for the team...I don't think they make those comments unless there is some truth.
Quick's column adds fuel to what I suspected about Dame asking out. I think Dame let what media in other NBA cities and nationally and those in his circle were saying make him second guess himself. I think he heard all these people saying he needed to get out of Portland, needed to win a ring to cement his legacy, because that's what allllll the other guys do. I think he began to wonder if all these people were saying it, could they all be wrong. I think he doubted what he felt in his own heart, started missing what was important to him. If I'm right, Dame isn't going to be happy wherever he plays from here on out. Here's what Dame's missing out on. A lot of forgettable players have NBA championship rings, and still no one remembers them. And a lot of great players never won rings who are still remembered. But there aren't a lot of players that can say they stayed with the same team for their entire careers, through thick and thin, defined an organization, were revered in a city and a community for both what they brought on the court and off of it. THAT is the rarer accomplishment. And he's not going to have that now.
I hope not, but I do believe it. It's coming out from relatively reliable reporters mouths (may be regurgitation from just 1 reliable source though). That being said, I don't have any issue with Dame, or what's going down in general. All I said was that, if I'm Cronin, I'm doing what's best for the franchise. I'd do my best to help Dame out, but there's no way I'm just sending him to Miami because it's the only team I'm allowed to send him to. He doesn't have a NTC, he didn't take any kind of discount over the $449,000,000 that he signed to receive from Portland. He did what was in his best interest, and Portland should be operating in the same way. There is a common ground to find, and I'd certainly hope that Dame gave a wider range of preferred teams, offering Cronin more chance to appease him while working out what's best for the franchise. Unfortunately, we'll probably never know the real story of that conversation. At the end of the day though, I'm a Blazers fan, and I want this team to win.
I don’t have confidence in Joe but still: He didn’t overpay to keep Dame, why would he take pennies on the dollar now to ship him away. You don’t want to be the GM that traded away Dame. But you also don’t want to be the one that got fleeced on a star trade even more.
Dame's to be traded draws intriguing parallels to the tale of Mordred's betrayal in Arthurian legend. Mordred, fueled by envy and a thirst for power, conspired against his own father, seeking to usurp the throne and claim the kingdom for himself. In a desperate bid for personal gain, he betrayed not only his familial ties but also the trust placed upon him as a knight of the Round Table. Just as Mordred turned against his own family and king, Lillard's desire for a trade signifies a departure from the team that has nurtured and supported him throughout his illustrious career. The act of turning away from a long-standing allegiance holds echoes of betrayal. Both instances evoke a sense of disloyalty and the forsaking of communal bonds. Betrayal and abandonment can carry consequences beyond the immediate gain sought. They prompt reflection on the complexities of human loyalty and the impact of individual actions on the collective fabric of teams, communities, and legacies.
you lost me there...sorry I was just asking if people believed Dame told Cronin he would only play for Miami, not any other team, including Portland. That's what the tweet said Dame told Cronin. do people believe Dame would be that stupid, stubborn, and unprincipled?
Hidden in the loss of Dame is the possibility that it will be good for the young guys. It’s not about Damian Lillard anymore.
it's only coming from one person, Amick. I haven't seen any other source for it. that Dame would like to go to Miami I have no doubt about. That he actually told Cronin he would not play for any other team than Miami I find hard to believe
Exactly. I’d be way more upset for way longer if we traded Scoot only to have him light us up 2-5 times a year for 15 years as he goes on to become a big star because we wanted to make Dame happy for 2-5 years.
Also not talked about enough right now is how Coach feels about this. I’m not against Chauncey as a coach and if he’s all in on a young team like this then I’m all in on that. Let’s not forget how huge it could be for Scoot to have a HOFer NBA champion guard as a coach coming into the league as a rookie. Could make all the difference… Coach said something about BB IQ the other day. Dude has it himself, can’t deny that. Countless footage to prove that if you don’t already know. Chauncey has done more than Dame. Chauncey has proven himself in the league. Those are the facts today.
That's not accurate at all. Aminu, Harless, Crabbe, Nurk, Trent, just to name a few. Lillard polished a lot of turds for this franchise.
Hope I'm wrong, and really, I just wanna shut off media until a trade is finalized instead of speculating and reading too far in to things, but all of the Joe's gonna shop him to all the teams talk makes me feel like it'll be Miami, but this lets him save face by saying they shopped, and this was the best deal. And though he maybe listens to offers, he isn't seriously listening
