the "build around Dame" vs not....I'm thinking that it is mostly nonsense Q) What would be the kind of players you'd want to in order build around Dame? A) It would be 2-way wings and forwards with length; perimeter shooting; defense; ball-handling Q) What would be the kind of players you'd want in order to build to a contender? A) It would be 2-way wings and forwards with length; perimeter shooting; defense; ball-handling I thinking it's kind of a false narrative to say there are two different tracks here. There is no reason both can't be the same track
As long as we have Dame both have to be the same track. I do think that having players that don't need too much development behooves winning while Dame is still one of the best players in the league but as we saw last season with Mobley and Herb Jones, those players don't have to be NBA vets. So yeah when you have an offensive weapon like Dame you need two way players. We probably need a player that has the size to get Dame out of blitzing traps right as he passes half court and the BBIQ and skills to take advantage of a 4 on 3 situation. That being said, you're right, two way players with skills, athleticism, length and consistency are always what you need and something we've been lacking for quite some time.
The difference is age. A young 2 way forward that has a high ceiling but might not reach it for 2-3 years won’t help with Dame as much as say a guy like Grant
Which is why I think our focus this off-season needs to be narrowed to players who fit that bill. Grant does in fact match this framework--just shouldn't have a high acquisition cost. Mo Bamba would be great. Tari Eason in the draft would be decent. Anunoby if available. Boucher could work. I'm sure there are plenty of others who fit the bill, but I'm pretty much going to downplay anybody who either doesn't have good size/length for his position, isn't a good outside shooter, or doesn't defend the perimeter.
So basically you've got us trading for a bunch of role players. That would be depressing if we had the Damian Lillard of 3 years ago, and now... Tear this motherfucker down!
The Blazers don't need a wing or two way player for Dame. Sure these players have the most value so you'd always prefer these types of players. The Blazers just need talent for Dame. They don't even need one player, all draft picks and expiring contracts could work. That said I don't believe the Blazers must trade Dame, they can try to rebuild with him and stealth tank as the Lakers did with Kobe. But when a franchise has no realistic way to contend in the years ahead as the Blazers they should consider trading any veteran for longer term assets.
It's amazing how many delusional fans don't realize this tear the motherfucker down is what Cronin is doing starting with the Clippers trade. Those fans will wake up one day with Dame gone and wonder what happened. The Blazers royally screwed up the Olshey transition. There were possible ways to aim to rebuild a contender around Dame. It would've started with step 1 Hire a competent GM. Now it's too late, that ship has sailed and the Blazers have no realistic way to contend in the short term years ahead.
I think "pretend reality" is going to be much kinder to Blazer fans in the next decade than actual reality.
Probably. In pretend reality we drafted Jordan, Sabonis came over in 1988, we never traded Petrovic, we drafted CP3 and Durant, Roy's knees didn't disintegrate, we didn't trade up for Z-Co, traded CJ years ago, and have more titles than every franchise but Boston (because the Lakers never got any after 1988).
So you think Dame Chauncey and Joe are in concert to tear it down rather than their talk about building around Dame?
Yep. Has nothing to do with style of player and everything to do with prime window. If you're trying to win with Dame, you're going after the Jimmy Butlers of the world. If you're preparing for life after Dame, you're looking at young guys to develop around Ant and Nas.
you always go after the Butler's of the world; maybe not after they are 36 or older. But you always go after that kind of talent and one thing you should not do is "build around Simons and Little". I mean, Little?...where did that come from? I understand Simons got everybody excited with a 20 game sample size....after 4 seasons. But he has proven nothing yet as an actual impact player on a good team. Once he has for a couple of seasons, then you might consider building around him. Until that point in time he's a supporting player, not the primary piece of a core (Remember Vinsanity?) one of Olshey's fatal mistakes was that he tried to build a team around CJ. Sure, Dame was part of the equation but the flaw was treating CJ as a centerpiece of the roster and the salary cap. And that's what kept the Blazers from adding the desperately needed talent at wing when they had the opportunities for PG13 and Butler. Don't repeat that mistake with Simons