Let me start by saying this is a lot of conjecture. A lot of hypotheses. Frankly, a lot of make believe. Going forward, what do you think would give us the best, and quickest, chance of winning, or at least seriously competing? Is it Dame and another all-star type like Siakam? That would likely minus Ant and Sharpe, + What type of player and what would it take could we get? Or would adding young pieces like Jalen Brown or Mikel Bridges plus multiple picks to go along with Ant, Sharpe, Reddish, etc with a deeper bench be better? How many good young players and picks could Dame fetch? What type of coach is best for either roster?
Moving forward we need a great coach first and foremost. Until the super teams flame out in the playoffs and break up...it's hard to say who we could target to pair with Dame but I know the guy who drafted him first in the allstar draft is the guy he most wants to play with.
I think the question is whether a “big 3” of Dame, Grant and, say, Siakam is enough to compete with the other contenders. Like MM said, you’re going to have to probably give up Ant, Sharpe and picks to get him. It’s certainly an interesting core, but is it enough? Maybe, if you also upgrade Nurk and find a solid starting 2 guard. Cronin’s got some serious work to do to pull it off. It would be a lot easier to keep Ant and Sharpe as the starting backcourt for the rebuild, and trade Dame to someplace he’d like to go in exchange for a massive trove of first round picks and players. I’m hoping for the contender around Dame, but I’m enough of a realist to know there’s a time to say when and change to a new plan. This team has been straddling the mediocrity fence for so long they’ve worn holes in the crotches of their shorts.
I just don't see Cronin being able to land a player that transforms this team into a top 10 team. Anyone capable of that (in theory) will be plucked away by teams with tremendous assets like UTA and OKC. Start with a list of who is available. I doubt Jaylen Brown or Bridges are even available. Maybe Siakim but I am not convinced TOR is blowing it up. Would have to be a risky player like the perpetually injured KAT. Plus, how do you transform record low defense to a top defense or shit even average? Billups has to go. He ain't the guy.
Been consistent with my opinion for quite a while, BLOW IT THE FUCK UP! Love Dame, trade him somewhere where he has a shot at a title nd we get some picks/players back to rebuild.
does anybody honestly believe the Blazers would ever trade Dame unless he publicly asks for a trade? as far as what would be the quickest way to contend: we know what it would take...a top-10 player and a top-20 player, plus several excellent role players. Portland has the top-10ish player now in Dame. And it took them 25 years after Clyde to land him. If Portland trades him then they'd have to not only find a top-20 player, but also another top-10 player. so the quickest way, however a long of a shot it is, is to try and add a top-20 player to Dame
The original post is asking what the quickest way to win is. You can't possibly think blowing it up is the quickest way to win.
Best and quickest chance of seriously competing. If one doesn't think that building a contender around Dame is legitimately possible, then yes, one absolutely can think that blowing it up is the best and quickest way to get there.
Why are we assuming the contending roster has to be built around Dame? Why can't he just be part of it?
We need a near All-Star or better power forward. Pascal Siakam would be perfect. If we can get him without giving up Dame or Grant we should do it. Would have loved to keep Hart. I'd try to re-sign him or aquire him (or somebody similar) if the opportunity presents itself. Then Siakam could help Nurk at Center when needed and we could swing Grant to the 4 as well. Then we need a much better Coach.
I think we trade Dame and let Grant walk. We plug in the young, talented, rookie-scale guys we'll have after the Dame trade. We let the team grow together. After Dame and Grant are gone, Ant can still be an important piece on a very good team. Sharpe can be. That's about it, unless Little somehow becomes more than a three point shooter. We wouldn't be as terrible as Houston and San Antonio, but we'd have a leg up on a rebuild while probably only being a few games worse than we currently are. I think that's the fasted reasonable path to championship contention. The coach isn't really a consideration until the roster is better; it's unlikely anyone coaching during a rebuild would be around for the competitive times.
Because it's just not at all likely. He's ball-dominant, he making half of earth's GDP in salary (when his extension kicks in), and he's gooooooood. What kind of roster is going to exist given where we are where Dame is just a piece, rather than the key? What kind of offense would we run to take the ball out of Dame's hands? Dame could be acquired by a team with a current superstar or two, but I don't see how Portland is going to acquire a current superstar or two to team with Lillard.
We finally have some chips to play with this off season so for me let's see how Joe, plays the game. I think he will go all in, so don't get too excited about keeping our next pic, and NY's, and maybe Simon and or Sharpe.
Dont know if it has ever been known to happen, but how about trading off our popular talent, and target guys that are out of favor, troubled or stuck behind super stars.
