The notion that Dame’s remaining prime years are wasted unless the Blazers contend for a title seems off to me. I don’t know if Cronin can build a contending roster in the next 3-4 years or not. I do know that outside of the Lakers and Celtics, who have each won 17 titles, championships are pretty rare. One third of NBA teams have never won a title. Nine teams, including the Blazers, have only managed to win 1 title. Six more have only won 2 titles in their history. The Spurs won 5, the Bulls 6 and the Warriors 7. If winning a title is your metric, you’re going to be disappointed most of the time. To me, watching Dame play his last few years of greatness in another team’s jersey, while the Blazers rebuild another team that likely won’t win a title, would be wasting those years.
You're old enough to have witnessed a Blazers championship. Some of us aren't. One player is not worth more than the team. I would have zero problem with Dame winning a title elsewhere. I would root for him like crazy. Obviously, i would love to have it here. If that doesn't appear to be a possibility in the next year or two, move the fuck on.
I’m not opposed to trading Dame if it becomes clear that this push to reload around him isn’t going to pan out. I’m just opposed to trading him without giving the reload a shot at working.
I don't disagree with this. I'm not a title or bust fan. There is more than just a title to root for as a fan. But what I do have a problem with is the Blazers trading away youth and picks to try to win now with Dame when there's no realistic chance of that. Either trade Dame, or let him play here as Kobe did in LA, where the team stealth tanks to aim to contend many years from now. Don't trade away the future to try and get Dame a couple playoff wins with zero chance to contend.
All conjecture. I don't agree that we'd be a 5th seed. We'd have some really terrific perimiter defense. Even if that's what you think, we ain't trading Dame right now. Neil's treadmill was all talent and zero fit. The lineup I provided is totally different with big time defense.
It isn’t about wasting Dames prime so much as wasting his value. I love Dame but I want to see a championship in my lifetime. If trading him can acquire enough talent to help in a rebuild that puts us on a track to contending, then that’s what we should do. Give them this summer to try to retool and give Dame the first half of next season to show he’s still a top 10 player, but if it’s not happening then it’s time to move on.
I think Ant could be a star, but my personal opinion is that he will never reach that level while he’s paired with Dame. I don’t see it in the cards for Little. If he can stay healthy he could be a very good starter.
True... but there isn't a move that can be made this summer that will make us a contender. You have to take one step at a time to get there.
Basically any team with an aging over 30 star like Damen regardless of how shitty their roster is could say this. So if someone believes your post, then when should a team trade away sich a player and rebuild?
The problem is you have a finite amount of time where Dame is still good enough to be the primary piece for a title. If your steps outnumber the amount of time we have left, it’s better to trade Dame and reset the clock.
Over the last 30 years 12 teams of 30 have won titles. Every year practically 2/3 of the league is mediocre at best. I think this last year over half the league finished under 500. I watch the game because Ive always enjoyed watching it, way before Portland even had a team.
It's like people forget that they still have Draymond, they still have Klay, and then they added Wiggins, a few lottery picks, and GSW is also extremely good at drafting talent. God I wish we had their front office.
Dort might be better as an on-ball defender, but overall give me Hart over Dort every day of the week.
