Dame all but demanding vet roster

That would be very stupid - Dame will be happy for about as long as Harden was when he pushed to acquire Westbrook in Houston. Then the Blazers are stuck with a crappy veteran, no #3 pick, and Dame demanding a trade.

 

Actually, what I'm talking about is the human condition that makes people mince words, al the time. I can sit and think about what I'm going type in a post to this forum and still not convey my thoughts well, and sometimes convey them poorly. Dame, speaking off the cuff, is entitled to clarify what he said, and restate his position...which he just did. Not only that, his thinking two months ago might be his exact thinking now, and his thinking now might not be his thinking at the beginning of training camp

there is plenty of flux and uncertainty about this situation and it's entirely possible some of that uncertainty resides in Dame's thoughts

 

Yeah, I was thinking about that when I was typing it since Siakam is a PF primarily (I believe). Figured people would get the point, you're correct, it should say "forward".

 

I agree

 

Blazer fans don't have to love every action of Dame more so than any other Blazer player that we've often criticized over the decades. We're all fans and can root for or against whatever players or whatever actions they do however we want.

Maybe you should go start a Dame message board and leave this Blazers site to the Blazer fans.

 

But that's kinda what it feels like you're doing. Everything he said reinforced that Dame doesn't want a young team, and that he wants to chase a championship. That he feels we have the assets to go out and get the kind of talent we need to "go for it." And then he says that if that's not possible, or something that can't get done, then a different conversation will be had. So everything Dame said screams that he doesn't want to straddle the timeline anymore. He wants to go all-in and try to chase a championship.

But saying that he expects to be here in October seems to say that Dame is confident that we will do those things.

 

Isn't that what I've been saying? That Dame wants to win now in Portland?

I glad Dame is confident and I hope the Blazers can put a championship roster around him, that would be awesome!

 

Okay, so we agree what he wants.

Are we disagreeing about how he feels if he doesn't get what he wants?

 

I'm disagreeing with anyone (not you) who says he's said he's demanding a trade if the #3 pick isn't used in a trade.

Again, I try to stay out of the business of how other people feel.

 

What we don't really know is how serious Dame is about his threats. He doesn't come right out and say he will demand a trade. But even hinting at starting the conversation is pretty significant change from the past. But to me Dame is a very loyal person. He is the type of dude who means what he says and says what he means, would you agree?

So when he comes out and says that he doesn't want to deal with another 19 year old rookie, and he thinks we have the assets to go get the pieces to "go for it," and if the team then turns around and drafts someone like Scoot..... I just can't imagine Dame is going to take that well. But I don't know. I don't know what his relationship with Joe is like. Maybe he changed his mind about Scoot. I had people tell me that it had been a couple months and Dame might have changed his mind, but then he came out a couple days ago and basically said the same thing that he said in April.

 

Why come in this thread if the topic of discussion doesn't interest you?

 

Some people just don't get the hint. I know I'm slow at times, but this is like watching concrete move.

 

It's not the topic. You do you, man. Don't worry about me.

 

I was in construction for 40 years and I can testify there are only two types of concrete

cracked and gonna-crack

 

Or you can hug a nut or two

 

Ditto!

and i cracked a looooong time ago!

so then you know this thread has become like water on concrete… seeping into every crack and crevice.

 

Do we have a poll on the board about Draft Day?
It would need to have the ability to select several choices given trades, and 3 picks.

1. Blazers select (and appear to be keeping) the 3rd pick
A. Scoot
B. Miller
C. Amen
D. other -- really?

2. Portland uses the 23rd pick / trades the 23rd (not to Chicago) / conveys the pick to Chicago to pay the debt [pick only 1]
3. Portland uses their 2nd rounder / Portland trades the 2nd rounder [pick 1]
4. Portland trades #3
5. Portland trades Ant
6. Portland trades Nurkic
7. Portland trades Dame
8. Portland acquires other pick(s)
9. Portland trades 2nd rounders to Chicago to free future 1sts
10. Portland makes a trade involving future firsts

[And in typing this, it reminds of the gathering around at the pitcher's mound in Bull Durham. They're dealing with a lot. And candlesticks are a nice wedding present. Picture frames, too.]

 

A couple of summers ago, a friend of Dame's brother told me that Dame was gone, and Dame recently alluded to how frustrated he was after that Denver series, BUT he didn't ask out. After the spike of emotions, he settled back down to the Dame we know and love.

Now, a friend of his sister confirms he has no intention of leaving.

I'm as paranoid as the next guy/gal when it comes to Dame leaving, but this truly feels driven by those who profit from such news, the Hayneses and Stephen As of the world. But Dame is just answering questions. Besides, he's said he wants to be here a billion times.

Now maybe mentioning Miami and Brooklyn as possible destinations probably didn't help with any negotiations with said teams, specifically Brooklyn concerning Bridges, but whatever. I actually think it increases our perceived leverage if it looks like we could go either way. If I were Cronin, I'd want teams to think there are two roads and we are fine with either one.

And in regards to free agents hearing Dame say something and having that influence whether or not they come to Portland is silly. Anyone thinking of signing here will reach out to, or has already been reached out to by, Dame.

Lastly, and I'm sure it's somewhere in the forum I just haven't seen it, regarding Nurk talking about next season. Someone on reddit translated an interview he had with some local media in Bosnia, and there wasn't much about Portland apparently, but he did say this (per u/bolrockmathar):

1. [Nurk] said that they are hoping to create one of the best teams in the last 20 years and it seemed like he had some inside info about it but he didn't specify anything.
   
   
2. He also said that him and Lillard are staying if Portland makes a competitive team this summer.

 

Why is Nurk part of this, Ant and Nurk should be used for upgrades.