Can’t say it enough. Two D’s in the name, none in the game. It’s literally been a shit factor for us. I can tell you from personal experience, when I was out into a position of power and I lacked “the game” to be the guy, I started looking elsewhere for employment because I’d eventually be exposed. I showed up, I killed it all, I earned every penny, but some shit just above you, and I started to realize and I moved on under my own accord. That’s all Dame is doing here. We built him up and he ain’t it.
The way we have been drafting lately I want as many 1s as possible, we are gonna suck next year so taking shit contracts for more 1s is fine with me. Ideally a young big prospect and 5-6 1s is what I want.
Nets would like to dump Ben, they also would like to get Herro. Give up a 1st for dumping Simmons, give up another one for getting Herro. Thats a good deal for them. Both to Portland. Miami wants Dame. And Nurk. They give up Herro, and they also send Kyle Lowry and Jovic to Portland, along with two unprotected 1sts. They're instant contenders. Portland loses Dame and Nurk, and eats the Simmons and Lowry contracts, and gets Jovic (he or Highsmith need to be included to make the $$$ match), plus the two Nets 1sts and unprotected Heat 1sts. Lowry expiring. Simmons expires before Shaedon's rookie contract comes up. Jovic is a good talent. This works money-wise for every team involved. It also seems to align with what these teams supposedly want?
I think most people are respecting Dame's decision. We understand he has the right to do it. It's the vacillating and seemingly moving parameters and such that bother people, especially when if he'd have just come out and said it without being wishy-washy, no one would have begrudged him. He might want a trade. He might not. He wants vets, but, no, wait, Shaedon is OK. He wants another star and to be a contender. No, he wants a borderline all-star and he'll take it from there. He's giving the Blazers through the end of free agency. D'oh! The Blazers only re-signed Grant on the first day or free agency -- TRADE ME! For my part, I wish people would consider the idea that the Blazers probably did make attempts to "swing for the fences," because, I mean, ask yourself this: Why wouldn't the Blazers want to have a better team? "Hey, Dame wants us to re-sign Jerami and get another all-star." "Nahhhh, we don't wanna ...." I mean, it's a silly idea. There's also a level to risk. Trading a guy regarded as a potential generational talent for OG isn't risky. It's reckless. It's foolhardy. It's personnel malpractice and any other GM in the NBA would be sacked for doing it. Finally, I wish people would understand that Cronin's first responsibility is to the organization, not to Damian Lillard. Dame got a lot he requested in 11 years with the Blazers -- teammates, coaches, playing style, relatives on the roster, max contracts. Now you're asking Cronin to mortgage the future, too, to get another Jerami Grant with no assurance Dame won't ask out anyway if it doesn't work out any better than the previous trades for vets and signings? I'm sorry, but that seems unreasonable.
Four 1sts isn’t enough for me to go through with it. Jovic can’t be the best player coming back if we are only getting four picks back.
Yeah but it was Dame who was sending sexy messages to the Heat so why should he get to keep the Foam finger collection from the 1985 NFC.
I think we are all gonna be surprised at what sell low Joe gets, seems like the past 2 season has been all about half assing shit to pretend he wants to build around Dame to not piss everyone off. My gut says he wanted a full rebuild from day 1 and now he gets nasty.
If you're Danny Ainge, I think you're right. Let's see what Cronin can do. Again, I did a bunch of research and the article that all of the "Miami or bust" buzz is coming from actually states very clearly that while Dame prefers Miami, it is the Heat that are in Dame or bust mode, not the other way around. Everything I've seen that says that Dame demanded Miami only cites Amick and that is not what Amick has reported... in fact in every Amick report that I've seen he says Brooklyn is the other team that he has heard Dame would be OK with... honestly that leads me to believe that Amick is just going off of that Showtime interview but that's just me being cynical towards journalists.
I really want Jaquez thrown in, too. Just seems to me like a guy that understands how to play and his teams always seem to be at a high level. Tests as a good athlete but his game is based on skill. Tough. If people like P.J. Tucker, they'd love Jaquez. Always will make your team better and more competitive and it'll take you 12 years to realize and appreciate just how good he is.
The problem is that they can't pay what they don't have. Also Riley is a fucking pit viper and Joe just hasn't shown himself to be close to that. Signing Jaquez was brilliant because now either Joe has to wade through this shit storm for 30 more days or not get Jaquez. I don't know if Jaquez is worth the drama if you can get the right three team deal out of Miami and Brooklyn. I think if you get any combo of Clowney, Whitehead (neither of which have been signed by the Nets yet) and Jovic along with at least 4 FRPs and have to take on expiring salaries or I guess Simmons if you want to sign up for that. I think that's a pretty decent haul... not equal value necessarily but when dealing with prospects and picks it's very hard to tell.
which is an assertion I have not seen backed up anywhere. An Amick tweet does not mean Dame actually told Cronin that
