Man Lowry has really been working on his lower body strength. I bet he does real damage backing a guy down and "creating space down low".
Right, so it's meaningless. He's not taking a salary penalty by not reporting to camp, this is Damian Fucking Lillard, that guy eats, sleeps and breathes basketball.
I see the market changing a whole lot in December when many more players can be traded or at the deadline when teams have underachieved and overpaid for a mediocre team and want to either bust it up or tank. Also teams who overachieve and feel they have a shot at a chip will be wanting to add a Dame to their push for the finals. You can send Dame to an actual contender at the deadline and increase his chances at a ring. Injuries changed our team last season to the point of tanking. Shit happens. If the injury bug hits Miami early and OKC is tearing it up, you might move Dame for picks and youth in a heartbeat for example.
Was this a bad year to squeeze a trade request out of Lillard? Maybe Portland should have put more thought into Lillard's contract extension, before recklessly guessing Damian's loyalty = training a new generation of young Blazers to take over when he retires.
I'm just approaching it from a "what's available?" standpoint. The problem is many teams lack the assets to get a trade done or outdo Miami's package. I agree that teams may decide to risk it for Dame if there season is going poorly and they want to win, but if they don't have the assets to trade for him, that doesn't matter.
I suspect that this means that the Blazers are aware that a shit sandwich will be available later, so why commit to it early? They might still have to accept it, but they should at least see if something better becomes available.
Exactly this. Unless we get the Max MIA package I still see him coming back to start the season despite what supposed insiders claim to know (e.g. DroppingDimes20).
Dont the nets have assets that would best what Miami could offer? Not sure why Miami seems to have a package that can't be beat?
I suspect the Nets are not that interested. They had their fill of disgruntled superstars with Kyrie, KD and Harden recently. Unless Dame opens them as a potential place - I would imagine they would rather see if Simmons can get back to form now that he is, supposedly, healthy.
Yes. - Toronto lacks future 1sts because they just traded one to SAS for Poeltl - Minnesota traded all their future 1sts for Gobert - Atlanta traded all their future 1sts for Murray - Cleveland traded all their future 1sts for Mitchell - Phoenix traded all their future 1sts for Durant - Dallas traded the rest of their future 1sts for Kyrie. - Milwaukee can only trade one 1st because they traded for Holiday and don't have a core group of meaningful young players. - Philadelphia can only trade one 1st round pick right now because they owe 2025 to OKC and 2027 to BKN - Chicago can only trade one of their own future 1sts right now because they owe one to SAS for DeRozan - LA Clippers can only trade two first round picks right now and don't have a core group of meaningful young pieces - LA Lakers can only trade one first round pick right now and doesn't have a core group of meaningful young pieces beyond Austin Reaves. - Memphis has Ja Morant. - Golden State has Stephen Curry. - Indiana has Tyrese Haliburton. - Sacramento has De'Aaron Fox. - New York has Jalen Brunson and I think would prefer using their assets to add to their core instead of replacing Brunson with Lillard - Denver just won a championship with Jamal Murray. - Utah, Houston, Detroit, Washington and Charlotte are all rebuilding. That leaves Boston, who can trade 3 of their own 1sts as well as a 2024 GSW 1st. That's four first round picks, which is equivalent with what Miami could produce if they worked to give their best offer. Boston would have to offer better pieces than Jovic & Jaquez on top of that. And it also leaves Brooklyn, San Antonio New Orleans, Orlando, and Oklahoma City, who could all be wild cards. But I see all four teams being patient and waiting for a star to become available in the coming years that fits their timeline better.
Yeah, they're my favorite wild card but I feel like they would've made a play by now. Also, would they trade six future 1sts or the equilivant in value? Anything less doesn't beat Miami's best package.
Because they're going to have to play Dame, he could get hurt, he could look a little worse than last year, it could be a bit of a problem in the locker room (I think he'd handle himself professionally but your best player and leader not wanting to be there is hard to gloss over), he could be problematic for the development of our other three guards (although I think that's overstated). There's definitely some downside in keeping him around. I don't feel like there's much upside in waiting either.
Portland still has the leverage to demand as such, and they should. Dame makes Miami the best team in the East. He's a perfect fit for them. The opportunity to go from a team that barely made the playoffs last year (we forget this because of their cinderella run) to the favorite in the East is worth a TON, even if there's no other teams involved. Miami with Dame vs. Miami without Dame is enough of a difference to demand that package. If Miami is haggling over a 2030 1st and Nikola Jovic, then they don't value Dame as much as they should.
Well, there is always a risk/reward in anything. Seems like getting a bigger shit sandwich risk is well worth the risk for the potential win of getting more than the current shit sandwich offer.
one thing folks are missing with Toronto as Dame's "mystery team" trade partner... is their FRP used to get Poeltl is top 6 protected. The Raptors almost have to tank really bad to keep their pick. Lillard would screw the Raptors up by winning too many games.
Brooklyn just escaped their failed superteam and luxury tax. I think the Nets are perfectly happy with a decent team with lots of picks. Trading all those future assets for Lillard sounds cool, but I think Brooklyn needs a break from super duper win now mode. Orlando just climbed out of the cellar. Banchero & company is a terrific start to a good team, but the franchise roster is very young and still developing, clearly not ready to go All-in to contend in the East. OKC is laughing at everyone fighting over picks. The Thunder are set up for an amazing rebuild, and probably just want other GM's to stop nagging them. Spurs are full rebuild, they need ping pong balls to create a great team around Wemby. Lillard is too good and has become an official anti-draft dilemma. HUGE fines for benching All-Stars and tanking. The Pelicans have yet to see a full season with Zion healthy. When they were rolling with Williamson early last season, NOLA looked like a raging monster. I don't think they'd be willing to give all that up for a crack at Damian Lillard.
A lot of players will be available to trade in December that are not now. Even with Miami its easier to match salaries. Plus possible a team we aren't thinking of like the Thunder/Spurs/Rockets/Nets/Magic/etc win enough to decide to make a move to win now with Dame. Ideally we trade Dame before camp - but if the offers suck just wait it out.
This is a good list - yes it only takes one of these deciding to make a move to win now with Dame. Probably unlikely any one of them does that, but its extremely unlikely none of these teams are overachieve next season.
It appears your assuming the Heat have offered everything they can. Many rumors they are not offering all their assets.
