I think a franchise raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in profits can afford it. They just don't wanna. It's like the CEOs of these networks and studios saying they can't afford to pay living wages to their actors and writers as they pocket hundreds of millions for riding the coat tails of creatives.
The Celtics are a very popular and heralded NBA franchise. The Blazers look like an estate sale before the team is put on Zillow.
If ... Jaquez is to be part of the Lillard to Heat trade, is it safe to assume the Dame trade was almost patched up this whole time, and the Blazers asked Miami to draft Jaquez with their 1st round pick?
No inside info, but if this were the case, I don't think we would've seen as much blatant posturing as we have. If all we're waiting for is for Jacquez to be tradeable, you wouldn't have seen Cronin say "if it takes months, it takes months". There's no reason to continue to put out the narrative that the Heat don't have/aren't offering what you want if you're simply waiting for a somewhat arbitrary deadline to pass. Most trades, in that case, are even announced ahead of time with the caveat of the timing -- we likely would've heard a lot more finality around it than we are. All of that said, it does feel like we may ultimately have to acquiesce and take the Heat's "best" offer, given the market, but I don't think we're anywhere close to an agreed-upon deal with them yet.
Sounds like Blazers might not want Lillard going to a west team so that eliminates half the teams in the league. I'd be open to it as the Blazers aren't trying to win today so why does it even matter. So that takes OKC/LAC/GS/SAS/NOP/UTH/etc out of the possibilities. What other east teams don't have any chance to be interested? Bucks, Cavs, Knicks, Hawks, Pacers, Hornets already have established PG's. Wizards, Magic, Pistons are too young. Bulls and Celtics don't have assets. Only teams left are; Heat Nets Raptors 76ers Yeah even if Dame opens up his list thats a very short list. Compared to say Durant where 70%+ of the league would've been interested. If a couple of those teams just don't see Dame being worth it the Blazers might have very little ability to get a good deal. So while yeah I'm ok with holding out against Miami for a shit deal, I do think its very possible the Blazers find themselves without good trading partners and have to seriously consider eventually going for whatever package they can get back for Dame - even if it appears to be a less than desired return.
I see they also have Scoot as 8/1. I think Scoot signed 7/1? Thus 30 days would mean he is eligible to be traded 7/31. Perhaps Spotrac just lists all rookies as eligible 8/1.
I find this very hard to believe because Jaquez is such a stretch to be drafted at that spot, and he doesn't really provide anything over Murray. He's very old with low upside. He makes much more sense to a team trying to win right away with luxury tax concerns and needing a role player - such as Miami. He doesn't make sense to a rebuilding team hoping to hit on upside like the Blazers. I'd think Blazers would've prefer Leonard Miller, Cam or someone else with starter potential. I don't think the Blazers had any contact directly with Miami until after Dame's 7/1 demand. They just didn't care that much over pick #18 IMO. They were more focused on getting their guy at #23 than what Miami is doing at #18. Although I would love a conspiracy theory 4 dimensional chess move where Cronin told Riley to draft Jaquez but it was only to ensure Murray dropped to us.
At this time, this is how I see this playing out: Regardless of when Mr. Lillard moves on to a new team, it will not net the f*ck ton of value many feel they want, and that the Blazers deserve. This is my conjecture. Anything else in this post is based on this conjecture totally. The most compensation that can be had, will likely come from a team that has a shot at the title, and suffers an injury to a player that plays the same position. This is more likely, the farther the year wears on. If Mr. Lillard plays for the Blazers next season, I have zero doubt he will play just as hard as he always has. If this happens, I see some good things because of it, and I see some bad. If Simons is going to blossom, it has to be this year, and he needs the pressure on him, not on Mr. Lillard. Personally, I want to see a top 10 player at the 4 or 5, 2 to 3 firsts, and bench depth at the 4 or 5. He is worth more, and eventually someone may pay more, but I would rather see the new monsters of the midcourt start building their future framework..... now. On a side note, I hope Reath makes it. He might be on someone's bench next season.
my hot take is that I dont think there is much of a potential value loss by waiting till the deadline or next summer. the discomfort and pr hit is just something you have to deal with.
I agree. There are benefits of waiting. Maybe Dame opens up his list. Maybe Herro's value goes up. The one major benefit of waiting until the end of September, at the very least, is that Orlando Robinson becomes available. There are risks. Maybe Herro gets hurt. Maybe Dame gets hurt. Maybe the Heat are killing it and they decide they don't want Dame anymore. But there are some clear benefits as well.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...ankings-post-offseason-edition-changed-summer You have to scroll for a while to find us.
I thought we had to wait until December, but if we only have to wait until September to get Orlando Robinson, I say we wait until September.
Wow! Orlando Robinson! He may almost be as good as Drew Eubanks! Everybody, please stop getting excited about the flotsam on the M'eat roster. They have absolute crap to offer. They only look halfway decent because the system is good in Miami and we're so f***ing terrible.
This would be my dream scenario at this point. Scoot/Lowry Simons/Sharpe/Keon Thybulle/Nas/Jaquez/Rupert Grant/Walker/Jovic/Murray Allen/Robinson
He's an asset. If they have an asset, I want it. I'm not excited about anyone on their team. But he had a fantastic summer league, and that's pretty rare for a center.
