Owners make decisions like this all the time. Thinking GMs can change their minds is crazy. Neil 100% gave his opinion. Paul Allen makes the final decision and always will.
In theory, sure. In practice, GM's that defy or disagree with Paul Allen don't tend to last very long. I'm sure Neil does speak his mind, to an extent, but at some point, self-preservation instincts kick when deciding which battles to fight. I'm sure he's very aware of how Kevin Pritchard and Rich Cho were shown the door, with prejudice, and would prefer his career not follow a similar arc. In the end, even if he wasn't gung ho on matching Crabbe, he probably didn't think it was worth risking his job over. Matching Crabbe was more of an emotional decision for Paul than it was a business decision. Remember how he addressed that overachieving team after their surprising season? He was highly emotionally invested in that group, and when emotions come into play, all the spreadsheets in the world may not make a difference. BNM
lemme tell you a little story. in 1996 I was in a car with an NBA GM. I was a fresh out of college intern. we were driving to the office from the airport. the phone rings (one of the big grey attached-to-the-car, car phones). Dallas wanted to trade J Kidd for one of two players on the roster - one an all star, one a rookie but putting up great numbers. The GM called the Owner immediately. Said "we have to do this, and do it before they change their mind". The owner (no longer an owner) said simply "No way". Kidd went to Phoenix later. The two guys who the owner would not trade ended up having very long careers, one never made the all start team and was average. The all star made I think 3-4 games. The GM gets labeled a failure. The failed trade opportunity changed the entire course of this franchise and this GMs career. This happens all. the. time.
Well, he's kind of doing that for BKN. They're the ones that gave it to him. It's not like we could negotiate after that. Now, if you want to say we were dumb for not setting up an extension early, ok. But what player isn't going to test free agency? I mean, Crabbe's contract kind of validates why you should...b/c there's always gonna be one! Leonard, yeah, I don't know the story, b/c we were bidding against ourselves, it seems. But Crabbe got a legit offer on the open market, and he took it. Then we get the ROFR.
https://sircharlesincharge.com/2018...blockbuster-deals-heat-raptors-blazers/amp/5/ Heat get: Damian Lillard Trail Blazers get: Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Justise Winslow, Bam Adebayo, 2019 unprotected first round pick, 2022 second round pick.
*^%$#^&*#!!@@$%^ Fansided!!!!! Stop posting that shit like it has anything to do with reality! EVERYTHING posted on any of the Fansided affiliated sites is made up bullshit. BNM
It is amazing to me how so many national sports "journalists" have taken a positive meeting between Dame and PA and used it to run with a "Lillard wants out of Portland" line of crap.
Really? You were in the car with Bob Bass when George Shinn refused to trade Glen Rice and Tony Delk for Jason Kidd? That's crazy...
Fansided contributors are neither national, nor journalists. At least this guy ran it through the trade checker, but he completely ignored the fact that his 4-for-1 trade pushed us even further over the luxury tax threshold, plus we don't have enough roster spots available to absorb all four incoming players. We'd have to waive or trade two players to clear enough roster spots to make this trade work, which potentially creates even more dead salary. All this for Goran Dragic and a couple crappy draft picks. Someone needs to tell him: 1) We ain't trading Damian Lillard EVER. 2) He's worth a LOT more than that. BNM
I agree with you on Fansided writers, but I've seen a lot of speculation about Dame elsewhere as a result of the PA meeting by guys who are media folks.
I feel like, if there was anything to it, it was before the meeting. Nothing I've seen afterwards has said anything except that Dame and PA, at least, are on the same page and "cool". And then PA takes in a few games.
We can probably "thank" Steven A. Smith and his Dame should demand a trade rant for starting that. BNM
It's kind of like that telephone game we all played in elementary school - the one where the message changes slightly with each retelling until the original meaning is completely corrupted. Dame should demand a trade, becomes if Dame demands a trade, becomes when Dame demands a trade, becomes since Dame demanded a trade... BNM
