With his rehabilitation limiting his movements, maybe you can paint him silver and sit him in different places near the Moda center to test future statue locations?
Oh well, it was a good run I guess. I'll enjoy the last two seasons of Blazers basketball and then call it good for the NBA.
Rebumping this thread because this is an ongoing conversation and it doesn't make sense to have it in the Jerami thread. If Dame comes back close to what he was last year, I think Joe pushes his chips in.
Ok - moved my post here; Giannis I can see. Brown I can see. I doubt he will be available in the next 2-3 years, but if he were yes I can see that. Embiid knees are turning into a blend of Oden/Roy. I'm not sure he will ever get through an NBA season again. I'm not even sure I'd take on that contract for free. Maybe thats the type of move just to give Philly cap relief and hope Embiid can give you one healthy playoff run. Last season he played 19 games and the year prior 39. He's averaged 41 games per season over an 11 year career so its not like its now just two atypical seasons. Kind of relied on athleticism to be effective so even if healthy in two years I'm not sure a 33+ year old Embiid is that effective. Booker isn't a great defender and duplicates all of Dame strengths. I don't see that duo contending at all. Its basically an upgraded DameCJ pair but with Dame being 36. Booker only playoff win with Durant was against an injured Clippers team once Kawhi went out. Durant has been way better the last 3 years than Dame will be. I'd pass on this deal too. Of course keep an eye out for Jalen Williams, Chet, Mobley, Cade, Paolo, Bam, Edwards, Luka - etc. Maybe something happens with one of their situations and the team wants to cut salary or pivot to a rebuild in the next 18 months. I bet the odds are highly against that for any single one of these guys, but for the group of a dozen its possible one becomes available. Unless its a Giannis/Brown type of deal or those other younger names I tend to think there might not be any worthwhile time to push "all-in". It needs to be a combo of many things happening at once. The players current situation not working, the Blazers offering in trade what the other team wants, as you say Dame regaining most his form, plus that star wanting to come to PDX. It might be far more likely and preferred to go after a younger player and hope he will become the next star or at least a Siakam quality robin level of allstar. So basically trying to do another Deni type of trade. Or try to assemble a strong starting 5 like the Billups Pistons.
I wonder what a Brown trade offer would even look like? Supposedly BOS was looking at offers with the idea to fully tank for a pick this season if they can get a big haul. Jrue (Dame) Brown Camara Grant Deni Clingan Yang Might go deep in the tax in 2027-28 but then Grant/Jrue deals expire and you give Deni a big raise.
I'll tell you what I like about our current situation. If the young guys come out this year and make the team theirs then you have the team to put around Dame to win now and after Dame is gone. I actually think the odds are very slim that Dame comes back as good as he was pre-injury. So for me, I'm still on the youth rebuild timeline. Obviously some of the guys (Shaedon and Scoot in particular) could show no growth and that would change things for me but as it stands, I like the young guys.
Every other teams’ superstars all got run over at the same time leaving our team the only one untouched. Yang is now a superstar by default.
How many FRP would you include to trade Grant for Markkanen? Probably need to throw in Timelord or such to match salaries. Think I'd throw in the Orlando pick. But also kind of an awkward fit as I want Deni/Camara to start so not sure Lauri makes sense on a massive contract as a 6th man. Also concerned he will be negative value on the last year of that deal which is a year longer than Grants.
Difficult to think of any star player that could have a chance to fit our roster besides Giannis. Bam is one logical idea but I can't see Riley ever being open to a rebuild.
I think Miami would want more. Maybe that changes if they're losing during the season. Don't think it makes sense from the Blazers end until Bam is the last piece to make them a contender. Until we have a potential move that makes us a contender like Bam, Giannis, etc I'd keep our youth/picks.
Because there isn't any reason why you shouldn't. It's not like a trade where by saying something you could hinder it from happening. Being cryptic on something that's so devastating to Blazer fans is irritating as hell. I'm not saying, give us exactly what the guy said, but there's certainly some things you can expand on.
Lauri is negative now... He's a 15% better player than Grant - but being paid 40% more. I would not include any picks in a trade. I would consider Grant + RWIII trade for him, but would likely decline it. I would not add any more value beyond that
