I would rather be a realistic "hater" rather than someone that jerks him off like a sunshine pumping fanboi. Better?
First of all I'm the most guilty of the accusation you are throwing around but calling people who know that this team's success is dependent on us moving on from CJ "haters" just isn't always accurate. I love CJ, I think he's a great character guy off the floor, I think he has one of the sickest handles in the game, he's one of the best in the league at getting his own shot and when tasked with being a lead guard he isn't too selfish on offense. He is an absolutely atrocious defender, do you think he's a good defender? He is a terrible fit next to Dame, do you feel like he fits well next to Dame? When the most glaring need on this team is to get as much value for CJ and move on why wouldn't all roads lead to that conversation? Why would you expect any thread to stay on the rails when his lack of fit so severely derails this team's ability to maximize it's best talent?
I don't view it that way. I don't think anyone here 'HATES' CJ and it isn't necessarily directed at him. It's more that we see the faults/issues in the Dame/CJ pairing and that Olshey is unwilling to address these. Olshey gambled on this pairing and has double & tripple downed on it.
Im sure Dame has made it clear that they are a tandem. Neil knows if he pulls the trigger for a CJ trade the player c0ming to us better be an all star caliber.
1) You are far too late to the party to be one of the most guilty. 2) I generally skip over your posts because of your disdain for the Enter key. 3) I was critical of Dame and CJ's redundancy long before the CJ hate began, but I've also been realistic enough throughout to realize CJ is no more a part of the problem than Dame is. 4) Dame is as bad on defense as CJ, despite people increasingly giving him a pass there.
I just don't see Dame ever doing that. I view this much more clearly being about Olshey's stubbornness and a blind spot when evaluating Dame's and CJ's skills independently as opposed to combined. I don't know how many times I've heard Dame talk about how this is a business and that anyone can be traded at any time but his loyalty is to this team and city. He loves to compare himself to Dirk, I would say he'd be as cool with the Blazers letting CJ go as Dirk was with letting Nash walk. This is Dame's team but I don't think he lords power over the franchise, maybe I'm wrong, it's just not the way I see it.
But who is going to be the next Dirk? (GOZ reference) How many white, tall player who only shoots from perimeter do they need?
I just completely disagree with you about Dame's defense, he is a much more active defender and better than CJ in every single way on defense. That being said, Dame is just an average defender which tells you what I think of CJ's defense. The thing about what your saying overall is that you agree that Dame and CJ don't work well together, so are you saying that you want Dame traded? Because we can not contend with those guys playing major minutes together.
I'm not so sure that Dame is so 'invested' in this pairing as everyone makes him out to be. Olshey has had several opportunities to include CJ for an all-star player (PG13, Buttler), and has always withheld him from negotiations.
I think when Davis was counted out Dame had a closed door with Paul and conveyed his disappointment. It would depend on who they got and if Dame thought CJ would want greener pastures for himself.
can they still do sign and trade if they take horoford/green trade? rumor is the hawks are preparing offers for gallo and rondo with straight cap space.
Several opportunities for an all-star player? Who was the GM at Indiana at that time? Wasn't it Prichard? I doubt he was willing to deal with us. Who were the several other all-stars? Butler, I would have done, but do we really know that those teams asked for CJ? I doubt we turned them down.
Dame is better than CJ. By a lot. It's not even close. CJ has hot streaks but overall he's a one dimensional tweener who doesn't pass or play defense. The fact that you put him and Dame on the same level.... well... that says a lot.
I'm sorry I just think the team has a lot more room to do what it wants than you are characterizing. If CJ is traded Dame won't do anything petulant. There will be no less effort given towards this team's success or trade demands over the next four seasons and if we win more and get further, like to a championship, I think Dame is more than smart enough to see that it was for his own good. Also when he sees CJ play better when not hindered by Dame's need or rather his superior effectiveness with the ball, I think Dame will be happy for that too. The fact is, with all of Olshey's talk about this team never really having a shot and him wanting to see what they can do because he thinks they're a genuine contedner, I've known for over a year now that we would have to endure the Dame/CJ mistake at least until the end of this upcoming season. I hope Olshey proves me wrong but again I think it's definitely him, not Dame.
