Zombie Damian Lillard to request trade in coming days (nope, he's not.)

i think it’s more of…he knew they overachieved that year and wanted to make better moves while Olshey felt otherwise

 

Yep. 3 years guaranteed and a player option at $54 million I'd expect almost nay player to opt-into at that age.

 

Sure. I'm not suggesting the trade would need to happen immediately.

However, if I am another team, I'm less open to helping balance the Blazers roster (CJ trade perhaps) if I think Dame will ask out imminently. It's a nearly impossible situation for a GM to build around a superstar who *may* want out.

 

I agree he won't make a trade request today. He might say something like he doesn't want to be a distraction to the Olympics and won't have any comment until USA basketball is finished.

 

Also... I noticed the Clippers were not on his list lol

 

reading this piece and everything dame has said publicly since we lost……it’s obvious what his unhappiness comes from.

he believes not everyone within the org is on the same page with regards to winning a championship.

 

Ha! And that's the equivalent of a trade request...

Anything wishy-washy after practice today, and I think you have to start exploring deals.

 

And Harry Giles, and the one with his son, and his space jam character

 

of course he did. He did like everyone else. That run was why he signed the Supermax.

 

These are solid questions. There is a possibility IMO that Dame made demands that this team needed to be a contender by the start of next season or he'd want a trade and Neil said some shit that sounded too slick. Then Neil did Stotts the way he did and said there was nothing wrong with the roster... that would be a hard pill to swallow. Then Neil gave Dame a list of candidates for head coach with two guys on it that Dame really respected but Neil didn't tell Dame about their past. Then Neil acted embarrassingly at the Chauncey presser when he could have handled it with class. Then stuff that the media says should be embarrassing about the team comes out yesterday. He turns 31.

That's a lot of shit to deal with for a guy who had already thrown down an ultimatum that ended with him being traded. I know that's all conjecture but your questions require speculation.

 

loyatly has no expiring date

 

The list was nonsense. Every team finished either at or below the same spot we did this year.

 

yep all those in the past few days, but that’s not “every post”. Blazers post a lot, and he’s not liked a majority of them like the other team members. he’s noticeably more disconnected than in years past. Prob means nothing, but it’s interesting.

 

Why? As a competing team, wouldn't you rather Dame be in a small market than on a super team?

 

I also want to know what triggered this leaking this week. Was there a trade that Olshey would not do?

 

The next three seasons and then he has an option for a fourth that would pay him like close to 60M.

 

There is 0 reason to trade him even if he does request a trade. He'll play, and play well regardless. We only have a window of 4 years anyways, after that its rebuild. Why not just ride it out?

 

Seems like this happens every time theres a news dump regarding what the Blazers are doing (coaching, Olshey, etc.)

 

it's not that much:



https://www.basketballinsiders.com/portland-trail-blazers-team-salary/

 

No, you don't. Dame is under contract for the foreseeable future. You do everything you can to get him to change his mind first. It's pretty damn clear that he's taking aim at Olshey and the roster. Fire Neil, bring someone in that Dame likes and that will make bold moves, then reassess.

If, after doing EVERYTHING possible to get him to change his mind, Dame still wants out, there will be 29 teams bidding for him. That kind of market doesn't dilute because Dame wants out. Along those same lines, each of those 29 teams (unless they hire Neil) are also competing to improve their rosters. As such, the "don't help Portland get better" argument is pretty benign as well. If there's a deal that they perceive will help them get better, a hypothetical chance at Dame down the line won't hold that up.

Then again, all of the above is how a well-run, well-led organization would do things. Here... I'm less confident.