Can also see other teams saying "no smoke" to agents to keep shit out of the rumor mill(public or agent).
In general, I've been thinking the opposite. He's been too honest with his intentions, and hasn't held his powder when it would have been more prudent.
That absolutely could be it too. Its different when you are lead dog. He is still learning the job. He probably prides himself on being honest and it bit him in the ass by sharing his intentions publicly to support Dame. The other gms were shark in the water smelling blood.
GMs don't jerk the big agents around. Lots of shit happens behind the scenes between agents and GMs. Grant's new contract for example, the Blazers couldn't go to Grant and promise him a new contract when they first traded for him but they can talk to his agent about one. Grant's deal was negotiated last season. The majority of Woj bombs come from agents vs GMs.
I think they're both handling it as well as possible. I think Cronin would have made a trade to swing for the fences if he could have improved the team that way. But I don't think that opportunity was there. That means this team likely is going to have to build with young players, which is not what Dame is interested in doing. It's a shit situation for both sides of the relationship. They are both doing an admirable job, IMO.
Not at all. Not a fan of Riley but like Spo. I rooted for Denver over Miami too. Just a huge Dame fan and dont have a problem with him having a preferred destination.
Meaning Joe was trying to make something happen, but those deals weren't available. This makes total sense. I don't think Joe wanted to lose Dame. I don't think Dame wanted to leave. But I don't think it was possible to do right by the team and compete the way Dame wanted to, considering what was available at the time. Thanks for sharing.
Regardless, bad move going around your GM. If you want out, ask out. I you want to remain a Blazer...do it. But this whole, 'I want to be here if'...when you are going to make almost a half of a billion dollars from a franchise, deserves more respect than going around you to get info. Don't get me wrong, I love Dame. But this marriage has been moving towards a crash for a bit now. Several sets of hands have been driving or yanking on the steering wheel. That includes Mr. Lillard.
Clyde Drexler described his situation as "I looked around and they traded our center. We didn't have a center." That's when he asked for a trade. “They got rid of Kevin Duckworth, and I was like ‘Hold up guys, we don't have a center,'” he said. “And then they started saying, ‘We need to rebuild. We need to trade some of these veterans while they can still play so that we can get something for them.' And that's when I orchestrated the trade to Houston. But if they had not done that, I would have finished my career there.” Cronin didn't trade the center. He didn't trade the power forward. He didn't trade the shooting guard. The only starter he traded was Josh Hart, who became a bench player for New York and might not have stayed in Portland.
And watch Dame rep whoever his new team is in the HoF. People will say it was the organization for Dame but villainize Clyde and say it was his fault.
