I don't agree with Sam at all. He thinks it is better to roll the dice (meaning trade good assets) on a player with an ending contract as opposed to one that has 4 years left. Maybe for a market that can attract free agents and cap space will help, but Toronto ain't that place. "With Dame, I think the Harden-esque escalation wouldn’t happen unless he were dealt to a team like, say, Toronto, where he clearly doesn’t want to be. And for everyone who cites the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard trade as an example of a team winning the risky bet on a player who wanted to be elsewhere, let’s not forget that Kawhi was only one season away from free agency at the time. Lillard, by very significant contrast, has four very expensive seasons left on his contract (including a player option worth $63.2 million in 2026-27). It’s one thing to roll the dice for a season and hope it works out, and quite another to take on a deal worth $216 million and brace for the potentially disastrous fireworks that might unfold from there."
Sure but Phoenix has Booker, Beal, and Gordon......they do not want Trent. I still say give us Achiuwa (and Young) instead.
Indicative of how motivated Riley is here. What does this tell Dame about how much Miami really wants him?
Sounds like Pat felt disrespected and is waited for Joe to crawl back on his hands and knees.....and that never happened.
not sure what it tells Dame... what it tells me is that Riley made a shitty low-ball offer right from the start and hasn't added anything to it. It also tells me that if another team, besides Miami, doesn't make a substantial offer, Dame will be a Blazer when training camp starts because I think Cronin has essentially told Riley to pound sand
The big hurdle here is Dame coming to the realization that Riley doesn't want him that badly. Once he gets over that, other offers will inevitably start coming in. Not like Miami's offer was a high bar to clear.
Annnd Windy also chimes in So now we have 3 locked in insiders (Haynes, Woj, Windy) and Marang all echoing the same message the past 24 hrs. Miami has not seemed very motivated to get this done.
pat riley is trying to show that theyre not desperate and they are fairly confident that no-one will give portland better offer than they can, cause dame/his agent have done damage its risky to trade value for dame (can you image toronto trading scottie for dame only for dame to ask out, sit out and whatnot)
of course, the "we don't want or need him much" is negotiating 101. I'm not sure that posture matches Miami's intentions I do think the notion that Portland had to consider Miami's offers as being their only option has always been bullshit. If Dame's main motivation is to get out of Portland and go to a contender, he must expand his list of destinations. I actually think that's happened, a little, thru back channels. The 'leaks' about him fully intending to honor his contract were the first step
Have more time than that, players always resign for their rookie extension. Team doesn't have to be a legit winner even those first extension years, just have to show there is a good foundation and path to build to that.
"With Dame, I think the Harden-esque escalation wouldn’t happen unless he were dealt to a team like, say, Toronto, where he clearly doesn’t want to be. And for everyone who cites the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard trade as an example of a team winning the risky bet on a player who wanted to be elsewhere, let’s not forget that Kawhi was only one season away from free agency at the time. Lillard, by very significant contrast, has four very expensive seasons left on his contract (including a player option worth $63.2 million in 2026-27). It’s one thing to roll the dice for a season and hope it works out, and quite another to take on a deal worth $216 million and brace for the potentially disastrous fireworks that might unfold from there."
doesnt matter, there are ways to create toxic environment to force your employer to trade you sure, you might think he wont do it and he will be professional about it and you may be right or maybe it could be a disaster
Nobody is buying it. It is definitely going to be used as a negotiating tool, but nobody really buys that Dame is going to make a big stink and sit it out. NOBODY.
Actually, when I was in middle school, that's exactly what happened to me. Not girls paid no attention to me until I got a girlfriend, albeit an ugly one. All of a sudden, the hot girls started paying attention to me. It made no sense, but then again, women rarely do.
It actually does matter. He and his agent already had their wrists slapped by Silver about this very thing. And they both are quoted as saying they would comply.
