that I don't know. Phil Knight made an offer but that was before NIL and conference re-alignment in the NCAA. He's also in his 80's and that's not optimal if you want stable ownership but yeah, Jody & the Vulcans suck....a lot
With all the resources and advantages the Clippers have over the Trail Blazers, they are 2.5 games ahead in the standings. The Clippers didn't make the playoffs last season. That to me is crappily run team. Then there's the Lakers. Didn't even make the play-in last season. Behind! the Trail Blazers in the standings. Inexcusable. Who is running that Train Wreck.
I'm talking about poorly run teams. The Lakers and Clippers have every advantage compared to Denver and Memphis (a smaller market than Portland). The Lakers obtaining Russell Westbrook was laughable. How is that a well-run team? What did the Clippers do at the trade deadline? Are they just biding their time hoping magic happens with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard?
Barring something drastic -- and rest assured this GP2 thing won't be it, because GS needs that savings -- Jody's not doing a thing with this organization (sales-wise) until the new TV deal is locked in. I hate her as much as the next guy/gal, and agree that she's running this thing into the ground, but no amount of fan anger is going to overcome the added value to this franchise that the TV deal will provide. In the meantime, the best week can do as a fanbase is to make as many scenes as possible to get the message spread as widely as possible. Picket out front of games, wear paper bags on your head, start "sell the team" chants at games, root for the other team, make a scene, boycott going to games and spending money on the team, cancel your season tickets, tell your ticket salespeople that you won't return until there's new ownership. None of that will change her timeline before the TV deal, but may be enough to get her to sell as soon as that's locked in. I think that's the best we can hope for...
Blazers medical staff giving a Payton toradol injections, so management can get him some PT and trade him for big money as a player with no injuries listed. Blazers management look like crooks. This isn't a used car dealership. These players are human beings.
This is like selling your car to a car dealership and then bitching about dings and scratches that YOU put on the damn thing when you buy it back from them.
one potential upside is this debacle may give Dame an out so he can go to a better organization that is committed to winning. Then Portland can blow it up,.
I've often thought the Blazers strategically would be better long term rebuilding than trying to win with Dame. But as worthless as this ownership and front office has been I highly doubt they could succeed by "blowing it up" so it might be irrelevant to contending if the Blazers trade Dame or not.
So you feel right now the Lakers and Clippers organizations are in worse shape than the Blazers at this point? I disagree.
At this point, I’m actually hoping he does ask out behind the scenes and we deal him similar to how the KD to PHX situation was. If Dame stays, I’d still be more than happy to keep him in our city. If we wants to win elsewhere, I’d be more than happy with the haul of young guys and 1st rounders we’ll get for him. You can’t lose if you think about this team from that perspective I guess. I do believe Chauncey can have success building a team from scratch.
This has all been discredited by Payton's agent today...he never had any injections or was forced to play here. That's weak sauce from the Warriors trying to get a discount on the picks we got.
Starting to look that way? Or maybe there is a reason they don’t want him saying he allowed that to happen? I have a hard time thinking any team can actually force you to do it. It must be something you agree to. We watched that with covid.
So yesterday i started this thread. Probably a bit in haste. Another black cloud i was reading. Another lost opportunity to get better. I'm really encouraged by the statements Josh Hart made. I'm also encouraged by the statements Payton's agent made. I feel it's time for Gary payton to come out and tell his side of this story. All in all i do feel better today about where the Blazers are sitting. I still feel Jody Allen needs to sell this team and we need a clean break and new management.
