Game Thread Game #35 - BLAZERS VS JAZZ - DECEMBER 29, 2021 - WEDNESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) ROOT SPORTS

"most gifted I have ever seen"

 

well, I avoided watching the Blazers get stomped in order to watch the Ducks get stomped

is 2021 over yet?

 

We still should have signed Hassan Whiteside......

 

...but he's over 6'8". No room for that here.

~Neil 'No Deal' Olshey

 

Of course not, it's Stott's fault.

 

Good news, at least--Portland gets an easy "get right" game against the Lakers.

Hopefully they don't look past it. Classic trap game.

 

Amen

 

That has a nice ring to it. No Deal Neil.

 

Just listening to Dame's post game presser from this game and he is so fucking fantastic as a person. You can tell he's not just saying the right things. He's pissed that the team has so many guys out but at the same time he empathizes with the guys here on 10 day contracts. He wants to make sure he's respecting the fact that they're living their dreams. Dame's character doesn't surprise me anymore but it's still extremely impressive.

I just can't understand why anyone that's a fan of this team would want Dame traded unless he wanted traded. He's too good of a leader and if you haven't noticed since he got healthy because of the rest and cortisone injection... the dude is still absolutely dominant on the offensive end. I want to ride with this guy and give him what he wants, a career like Dirk's hopefully with at least one championship and all of that but if not, just give him the chance to try and do it the way he sees fit.

The ideas some of you come up with to get value back for him are just unimpressive. You want us to trade a sure thing that wants to be here for draft gambles who if successful could jump ship. It just doesn't make any sense. So I'm happy to see Dame moving and shooting so well, I'm always impressed by the way he handles himself and I hope he's a life long Blazer.

 

Is it that fans really want to trade him? Or that as good as he is, it hasn't translated to significant wins and being anything close to a contender?

I want him to win a title here, but we are MUCH closer to getting the #1 pick than to being #1 in the league.

Perhaps his greatest contribution would be what he could bring back to try and make a future run. I don't want to do that, but can accept that it at least could be a consideration.

 

Gonna say it again.
Time to shut Dame down for the season and develop a team while keeping the first round pick. Make The trades that can happen and build a brighter future. Give Chauncey a year to learn the ropes while coming back with a fully healthy Lillard next year.

 

Father time is undefeated.

That's great you love Dame. So do I. I would love a team competing for a title more than Dame though.

We are too far away talentwise and Dame is too proud to let us tank. We aren't going to turn coal into diamonds.

 

Easy to say Shut Dame down, if he doesnt want that, he's not going to do so.
The ball is in Joe's court, if he doesn't do a thing he's still wearing his Vulcan wings.
In his PC is mentioned he survived so long because he stayed out of the way...he comes across like e typical corporate yes man that everyone in the company likes.

 

See, I just think we haven't given anyone outside of Olshey a chance to build a contender around Dame and while father time is undefeated you have examples of guys who are much like Dame taking care of themselves and having their impact remain at an all star level late into their thirties. So, I just don't see why we would trade him unless that's what he is asking for before we see what another lead executive can do around him.

As far as the #1 pick is concerned if Dame and Joe want to do everything in their power (Lillard on the court and Cronin off) then we can have a team that is in position and able to compete come playoff time. Due to the fact that I think trades that could be made this season before the deadline would only be a first step in establishing a contender around Dame, I don't think we could build an immediate contender through trades right now but I can't even be sure of that until I see what Cronin does and how what he does impacts what we see on the court.

All I am saying is give Dame a chance... without Olshey here fucking it up.

That being said, if your preference is that we get the best package(s) of young players and picks for Dame, CJ, Norm, Larry, Nurk and RoCo and start a ground up rebuild... I can't tell you that your position has no logic behind it. I can see how it would be attractive to expect nothing out of our team and just be excited for a bunch of guys who have just as much of a chance at leaving our team uncompetitive in five years from now as a team built around Dame that could actually win something during those five years. I get the appeal of when you are frustrated with what's currently going on (which we all are) to completely hit reset because for a few years that eliminates the potential of frustration because it makes it so you have no expectation. I get it.

I just don't think that's the way to go when you have the greatest player in franchise history still in his prime and a bunch of trade chips (max level salary attached to a productive player, a mid level long term/team friendly contract attached to a very good two way player, a mid level contract with a year beyond this one attached to a really good role player and two expiring mid level contracts attached to two role players... all of these players could easily contribute to championship contention now and going forward. Not to mention access to trading any of our picks starting two years after the Bulls pick is conveyed).

I can say this, none of this matters because none of us has control over what our team does. I think Cronin has to swing for the fences and I'd imagine that he can get the Vulcans to go along with anything besides trading Dame. That being said there are only two logical ways to proceed: you either swing for the fences trying to transform the roster you have around Dame into one that is far more competitive right now and especially going into next season or you completely hit reset which I don't know if anyone even has the power to do right now.

 

I'm fine with swinging for the fences and trying to get another star that works with Dame. But, even then, are we better than the Warriors? Probably not.

Tired of this treadmill team. If we squeak into the playoffs this year for another first round exit, i think half of us are gonna give up on this team.

 

I don't know if this shit is at all true. I know we've become accustom to a guy who talks with all of the bravado of a big time deal maker and then does the least amount possible to just keep his job. So hearing someone far more soft spoken might make you expect even less but maybe a guy with the opposite demeanor of Olshey will operate the opposite way and let his big time deals do his talking for him.

I do not think that Vulcan wants a team that the fans are completely dissatisfied with. I think if Joe does anything short of bringing in new talent by the trade deadline, that makes us much more competitive in the playoffs (even if that's just taking an established contender deep into a first round series) he'll be gone and a new GM will be hired before the draft. I don't think the guy is just a yes man and even if he is he has no chance to keep this position if he doesn't swing for the fences.

 

If we squeak into the playoffs this year, just to get beaten badly in the first round again, then Joe will have whiffed when swinging for the fences or just done nothing and both will end up with him having squandered a career defining opportunity.