OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: JULY 2023

Why would he "not be cleared" if it was mental?

 

If I tell you my back hurts, how do you prove me wrong?

 

And you may even believe your back hurts.

 

If true what would Dame have to say nowv

 

He’s just say that Joe somehow lied.

 

Good article!

Now most stars follow a simple, lucrative, low-risk formula: sign for as much as they can, as soon as they can—and ask for trades later (if necessary), knowing they’ll almost always get it. “You don’t need free agency,” Falk said, “because these teams, the minute the guy says `I don’t want to be on the team,’ they accommodate him.” He added, “I think it’s terrible.”
– via Howard Beck, Condé Nast @ GQ.com

 

I don't think this is fair because if we didn't have Scoot, I don't think we would be so willing to move Dame. I think the team knows that it's time for a split and I think we're ready to hand the team to Scoot, but we're hoping to get the best return on Dame. If we had gone out and traded the 3rd pick and then Dame asked for a trade, I think we'd tell him to calm down.

 

Question is, would Dame still ask for a trade if we got Wemby? Remember he don’t like to play with any 19 years old.

 

So you think once we got Scoot Cronin changed his plan to help Dame retire here?

 

It all depends on who you believe.

Dame stans will tell you that Joe has been planning to dump Dame and rebuild. So getting Scoot was the final piece to that puzzle. They claim that Joe has been sand bagging efforts to make trades.

If you believe Joe, he thought that Scoot and Dame could co-exist. I personally don't see how that would have worked, but Joe keeps insisting that he was still building around Dame.

 

What do you believe his position was once he saw Scoot there. Think he changed course then?

 

I think Cronin would have been thrilled if Dame decided to finish his career here. Ant would be the odd man out, and our three-guard lineup would be Dame/Scoot/Shaedon. It would allow him to rebuild much more easily, as free agents may actually consider us.

In my mind, this route is clearly Plan B.

 

I think Joe is a numbers guy. He wanted to add talent to the team, in any way possible. I'm sure he thought that Scoot was BPA after Wemby and I'm sure they were thrilled to get Scoot. Joe is adding talent, regardless of position and fit. I'm pretty sure he has said that once or twice.

I think what changed our course was getting the third pick. If we had gotten #7 it would have most likely been traded, but then again.... if #3 and Ant couldn't get Bridges, I see no reason to think that #7 and Ant would have gotten him. Siakam doesn't want to leave Toronto. Zion wasn't really on the table. Supposedly the Clippers turned down #3 for Paul George. So I'm not really sure what other moves we could make. #7 and Simons for OG? That's not really moving the needle for me.

 

THANK YOU PASCAL! We owe you almost as much as we owe Mrs. Turkoglu.

 

See, I would’ve done 7/Ant for OG and Dame probably would’ve stayed but you can’t give up 3/Ant for OG. That’s stupid. So Dame’s gone.