These two propositions seem to be believed in tandem by the majority of Blazer fans: This roster can't contend so we have to make major changes You can't trade Dame But you can't make major changes WITHOUT trading Dame. Whom do you trade? Everybody has been saying trade CJ for years, but even before the playoffs (remember? Everybody wanted to unload CJ after the Denver series?) and this disastrous season, about the best we could get for him would have been Tobias Harris. Now it's probably Kevin Love. So, I get kind of depressed every time Dame insists (and now Cronin insists) that he's not going anywhere. I mean, I love the guy for it, but it's just sad watching him getting diminishing returns for his loyalty. Chauncey wasn't the magic fix - if anything, he's worse than Stotts. Cronin won't be the magic fix because we'd have to do the equivalent of finding a Giannis or a Jokic, in the low-ish lottery, and even then Dame will be 32 and with a nagging injury. So: for God's sake talk him into being traded. We have to start again, and he needs to get a shot at at least a deep playoff run. Anyone disagree? Anyone got a model for a rebuild around an ageing star that worked?
Maybe have a better roster to begin with? Stotts wouldn't have been able to coach this team any better. They have no real PF, and no scoring from the PF spot, Dame has sucked for most of the season and they have no backup guards over 6'4". It's like people think the makeup of the roster has been solid this year. I don't think they rebuild as much as they need to fix the roster. But whether or not they can or will is up for debate.
Even if you are correct - it is worth trying to fix it before going on a tear-down imho. Unless something is certainly broken with Dame - you give it a real try to reshape the roster to have speed, size next to him. If I were boss, I would shut him for the year, tank, try to shop the expiring + CJ or Norm for better role players / if possible to go for a Simmons like star do it, and if nothing comes out of it and the picks do not pan out - you tear it down in a year or two.
This is the final fuck you by Oshley. Blowing way too much money on CJ (not to mention Nards, Harkless, Turner, Crabbe none of whom even play anymore), overall poor draft picks when he had 'em in Dame's prime---Zach, Swanigan, Anfernee "the most gifted he's seen" (my fucking ass.), and not dealing CJ when it was apparent to all in the league that the "league's best backcourt" would never contend for a title. Like you, barring a miracle, I fail to see any path to success other than a complete tear down of the team. Jettison everyone on the roster except maybe Nas, DSJ, and some of the other cheap young guys, Brown etc. Even though none of these guys will probably ever see the all star game. I do like Nance and Powell but surely so do other teams with picks/young talent. Unload for picks and guys under 25 ideally under 23.
Dame has already had a deep playoff run... We need to rest him for the remainder of the season. Surgery, whatever it takes. Just get him as healthy as possible Balance the roster and figure out how to get him more help. Give it a go next season.
I agree with parts of your sentence, viz: "We need to rest him .... for the remainder of the season." You make it sound so simple.
It's not simple. But he wants to be here and we owe him a legit shot. If we never give him a legit team that's a very good argument for the next good player we get to bolt at the first chance. We have a responsibility to be the best we can be with Dame, IMO. Thus far we've failed.
Sure, if we want to give every good player the go-ahead to ditch us as soon as possible. Let's go ahead and set ourselves up to be the Lakers farm team then?
You can rebuild around Dame. It's called trades. No one can say what our assets are worth till they're traded. Who the hell knows. Lets see what happens, what we receive in return. But TRADES MUST BE DONE.
Hard truths: We were never a contender during the entire Dame era (possible exception: the 2019 team that the Warriors swept with contemptuous ease) Dame has already had his best team as a Blazer Dame has already had his best season as a Blazer
How is it silly? How did trading Drexler work out for us? The idea that you think we're going to get anything close to Dame's value in return is silly. We're not. We can easily get just as much after next season if we try and fail. Especially if we get him healthy and he gets back to form, as I expect he will.
