I do think PG is better than CJ........no question. But even before his injury they struggled to dominate. True it takes more than just two good players, but nonetheless it is still odd that OKC struggled with Russ and PG and Adams. If PG is on "another planet" than CJ it should not have happened.
The Blazers just didn't want to offer too much because he was a one year rental. Don't take any chances.
Never thought I’d say this, but BGD is right. That’s the point I’m trying to make. It’s a risk I doubt Olshey takes. I think he’d rather be good, than risk it all to be great.
I listened to the podcast, I didn't think it was clear what the actual offer was. It could have been CJ+ whatever. Russilo was just throwing out the situation to show that the Pelicans won't get as much back as the GM said he expects.
Kawhi trade is probably a good template. Not many teams can match it though. Portland is one that could, but they’d have to be open to including CJ.
I don't know man. Olshey just signed a long extension. He doesn't have Paul Allen questioning any moves anymore. AD is probably one of a handful if not the only player in the league Dame wouldn't be totally pissed about trading CJ for. It's a little different now than in 2017.
Paul George is arguably top 10 if healthy. Either way, CJ is maybe top 25 when he's playing well. It's ludicrous that Neil didn't make the trade.
The initial responses to this trade did not age well. Get VO away from Westbrook, he blossoms. Pacer fans absolutely love Sabonis. Every fan base would if he were on their team. I do not think AD will resign with us and it truly would be a one year rental. Whatever we offer should take that in consideration.
I think things change and a year is a long time. If you’ve made it an emphasis to build up your culture, trust it.
Not true. I wanted to trade CJ for Paul George going back four years ago. I remember having debates with people about it.
That isn't what I'm saying Nate. Paul George was certainly not considered a top-10 player at that time and CJ had just finished a season in which he put up incredible shooting stats. It was a lot closer that summer between them than it is now.
I think it has more to do with Neil being obsess with pairing a star with Dame/CJ and not giving up CJ. He thought his three draft picks were going to be enough to get George and he was wrong.
That depends on if you buy into the theory that Pritchard didn't want to deal with Portland. If that's true none of this matters.
It is in hindsight. When the trade happened, hell even until the moment he singed his contract with OKC EVERYONE thought he was a lock for LA.
A lot of the "evidence" for that theory was people thinking he took a garbage return on George, just to avoid dealing with Portland. It's clear now that he didn't get a terrible deal.
I realize that that was the perception at the time--but that perception was clearly incorrect, which makes the "evidence" really, really weak. Unless now the idea is to say "Well, he purposely took what he considered to be a crappy deal to screw over Portland, but lucked out and actually got a great deal." I think, at that point, the tinfoil is real.