A heretical thought / And something about Orlando

I agree overall, but I think there’s room for some nuance. If Cronin puts together a trade that nets an All-Star level starting 3 using Ant, 23 and future firsts, so that the only starter who’s not a vet is Sharpe, then I don’t know why Dame would have an issue with a talent like Miller coming off the bench.

 

I agree with this. If there is a major move that improves the team now that doesn't involve pick 3 then I don't think Dame will have a huge problem with using and keeping pick 3.

 

Like Stomp posted a couple posts up, Dame signed a huge extension and now gets to make roster demands. And he makes them wearing this self promoting hat. Not a Portland Trailblazers hat, a Dame hat. That doesn't bother anybody? It certainly speaks volumes to me. Again, i'm not a trade Dame guy. I just don't want him playing GM unless he is wearing a Portland Trailblazers hat. Looks to me this is just Team Dame.

 

Sure it bothers me, but I just want people to be clear on where Dame stands right now. He was VERY clear on his feelings.

 

Well sure, that would be fantastic. If they can get Brown or Bridges without giving up #3, that would be amazing. I'm not going to hold my breath, but I would love that.

 

Yes, Dame wants to win now. I think Cronin wants to win now. I think the best opportunity for both Dame and Cronin to win the most, and the soonest is with Dame here in Portland. I think they will trade for or draft the player that gives them the best chance of winning as much as possible as soon as possible.

Nothing about that disputes anything Dame has said. If they can get another 19 year old who they (including Dame) think will be a legit help now or next season (and there isn't a better opportunity to win more sooner) then that's what they will do. And Dame won't have any pressure to request a trade unless he just wants out. I'm not sure there is an opportunity that gets Dame appreciably closer to a championship than he would be here in Portland in that scenario.

 

Everybody goes into a battle with a plan. The plan usually goes out the window as soon as the first shot is fired.

They aren't going to trade Dame for pennies on the dollar, IMO. If they aren't going to basically give Dame away I don't see a better scenario for him anywhere.

 

He could have demanded they trade Sharpe after he signed. Or before he signed. He had the team by the balls. He was getting that contract regardless.

 

Did anybody fault Jordan for wearing Nikes? Or Jump Man brand?
No, it doesn't bother me at all. Dame could have made roster demands any time he wanted to. Dame was on board with drafting Sharpe when he saw what other teams were offering. He's the best player we've ever had. He should be on board with everything we do or we shouldn't be doing it.

It is Dame Time. And we're lucky Dame Time is here in Portland.

 

The best player of all time did not play GM. He did not give ultimatums to management, at least publicly, which would hurt the teams leverage in trades.

 

Speak for yourself. I am not on board with this thinking at all and you know for sure that many die hards here aren't either.

Dame isn't the GM and I don't root for the Lillard Trailblazers. I root for the Portland Trailblazers. I want the GM of my rooting interest to do whats best for the franchise not any one player, and whats best for the franchise is competing at the highest level and winning championships. If a player isn't down with the direction of the team, fine. Albeit with a terrible GM in Olshey, they repeatedly bent over backwards making one bad short term decision after another flailing (but trying) to put a decent team around him and now he's publicly demanding they do it again? If I'm management, I'm playing nice publicly but I'm absolutely exploring all options and then selecting the one that improves the team the most regardless of the timeline. I'm only pushing all the chips into the center on a short term play if I'm sure the move(s) will have my team among the elite of the league not some milktoast maybe make it to the 2nd round collection of fading 30 year olds so Dame doesn't say mean things about me crap like you're promoting.

STOMP

 

Did I say Brown or Bridges? I don’t think you can get those guys WITH #3. I said All-Star level. Guys like OG, DeRozan, etc. are more what could be done without including #3. Guys who can be solid place holders until Miller matures.

 

The idea of this makes me want you to …….. wait for it…… HOLD ME NOW!

 

Some points:

1. No-one but Dame knows where he stands right now - anyone that claims they know are just deluding themselves.

2. The video linked was the one before the lottery. Dame, I am sure, assumed the pick will bring a normal #5 - #8 draft pick. He clearly had the same idea last year but changed his mind about Shae after seeing him and talking to him etc... So, the combination of going up to a #3 pick in a draft where there is supposed to be a drop off after the 3rd pick is a change, and there is a good chance he has changed his mind after seeing some of these workouts.

So, I am sure Dame would want to have more vets on the roster. I am also sure he is smart enough to understand that without a huge trade that brings a proven all-star vet, a high-pick rookie might help as much as another vet that is not that can't miss all-star caliber.

I am not going to assume anything about what Dame's mindset is right now. It was pretty clear that he has no taste for another year with this roster with a normal non-must-have pick even if it is in the #5-#8 range.

 

I've been buying "Best of" CDs of the early 80s hits of the charts of my youth to play in the car for my kid (yes, my 2014 Prius has a CD player), and after great successes with The Human League and OMD I tried the Thompson Twins. JESUS they were shit. I think their breakthrough UK single "Love On Your Side" is half decent, but it gets SO repetitive SO quickly. Mind you, so does the best of the Cars, although they do have about three good songs. Gives me new appreciation for the Cure and Depeche Mode.

 

I was speaking for myself. You can tell because I said "me" in the post.

There is no evidence Olshey was catering to any of Dame's demands, aside from putting his shitty cousin as the last player on the bench. That's why Dame went over Olshey's head twice to voice his concerns.

Of course.

And I've promoted nothing of the sort. I've consistently said I fully expect them to make the best deal to improve the team the most. It just so happens, that more than likely includes keeping Dame.

 

"He's the best player we've ever had. He should be on board with everything we do or we shouldn't be doing it"

this reads.... We're so lucky to have had the honor of drafting him and paying him bazillions to stay that we should do whatever he wants regardless of what it is. Of course everything anyone writes is at least in part their opinion, but you are taking on the voice of the masses with the constant WE theme but we don't agree on everything let along this

take off the blinders. They didn't trade away two 1st round picks for Roco because it was in the long term best interests of the team, they were trying to go for it in the short term with Dame. Prior to that, lacking forwards (and any sense) they way overpaid Evan Turner to come to PDX to go for it with Dame. They consistently drafted for positions of need rather then BPA.

your previous quote reads just the opposite... here it is

Regardless of what you thought you were writing, thats how it reads.

Every athlete wants to win championships & every athlete also wants to get paid as much as possible. Dame got his dollars and now he wants to call the team's shots to maximizes his ability to win a championship over the team's as the team obviously has an endless window. Maybe you and I aren't that far apart, but I feel I'm much more willing to call his bluff and go with whatever option serves the team's best option to do this, well over his. As I analyze things, the Blazer roster is several very good players away from being contenders and Dame Time is nearing the finish line. It's going to take a near perfect convergence of choices and circumstances to get a championship with him... nearly lotto odds. To win in the next few years they'll need major improvements near everywhere even if Dame doesn't start to fade like pretty much every athlete in their mid 30s does. If Trader Joe can pull a magic rabbit transaction out of his ass, awesome! but it takes two to tango and most GM's aren't patsies. My best guess as to how to best swing for the fences with Lillard on board is to hit on the picks in hopes of adding multiple dudes who can contribute to a 2024-25 run. Hitting on picks is the best way to vault up several levels. Trading for established NBA players nearly always costs a premium.

STOMP

 

OG has never been an All star. Is DDR still an All Star?

 

We are so lucky to have had Dame. He has been loyal in a way that no other superstar has been to our team and especially in this era. I don't want him making personnel decisions but I don't mind him being consulted on them. I still want to try and put the best team around him that he has had and see what he can do with it. If our front office doesn't think that's possible then we should move on from Dame but that will be fucking sad because that guy more than anyone else has given this team everything he has.

 

Not only tarnish his legacy, it will be a repeat of all the bad moves NO made that put us in cap hell and also left them with no picks. 3 years from now they will have a couple early playoff exits, Dame will have minimal trade value, they'll have a few overpaid vets that didn't make a difference and they'll have traded their picks and young talent for nothing.
Then, a few years later, we'll be talking about how to build around Sharpe with no picks, paying our star $70m a year and a roster full of role players. Rinsed and repeated.