The Jan 25 win over the Jazz, with Dame showing the best shooting efficiency in the NBA, is the evidence that Dame is still ascending to his peak, and probably will bring the Blazers 2 or more NBA Championships before he retires. And I expect that he will have a career longer than LeBron. This performance is a compelling argument in favor of getting Dame at least 1 more all-star now and competing this year!
I think the championships only happen if we get at least one all star not to play with Dame and at least a few of the other guys we have that fit in Chauncey's system.
If he's at his peak and you already annointed us 2 championships with him, by that logic we don't need to do anything so why get another all star? #phrasing
Stren, I am saying that with the added all-star that fits with Dame and Chauncey the Blazers can have 2 or more NBA Championships. Dame is still ascending to his peak, which is not yet reached, and is really worth building around and depending on. Wouldn't you like to add an all-star forward like Markkanen?
This franchise is at a fork in the road with three paths, 1. Trade Dame- This one will be the most painful in the short term. I get it, he's arguably (though it's less and less of an argument every game) the best player this franchise has ever seen. If he has a couple more years left in him, than the team should get a great haul back for him and you reset around Sharpe/Ant. 2. Trade Anyone Else- Ideally in this scenario you hold on to Grant, as he could be a good #3 but anyone else is available as the franchise makes one last push to win a title around it's 'arguably' best player ever. 3. Make Fringe Moves- Keep doing what they've been doing for the most part, banging their heads against the wall and frustrating fans wasting Dames career My %'s of what will happen ... #3 60% chance, #2 30% chance, #1 10% chance
What Joe has to take into account is how it affects the franchise in terms of winning, if that is indeed the goal of the organization. For as tremendous as Dame has been offensively, it has not translated into elevating the team in terms of being a contender. There are a multitude of reasons for why or why not that has happened, but all those points haven't changed the direction of the franchise to where you would like a team to go. As of now, they have been out of the 1st round of the Playoffs once in the last 7 seasons. The points aren't translating into meaningful wins. Does trying to add to Dame and sacrificing the future cause more of a positive trend, or does moving Dame for what would likely be the most they could get for any player on the roster, do more to help the team reboot, rebalance and possibly be better going forward? Losing Dame would be a HUGE blow, but it's not like the TEAM has been anywhere near the status of not breaking it up to try something else to see if it is better. It has been the definition of mediocrity for years. It will take some hard decisions either way.
Not sure there is decision with re: to Dame as I believe he will retire a Blazer, so the question is do they want to use what other assets they have to maybe give him a shot at a cship?
The "either/or" is used by fans regarding sports.....a great deal. The other analogy is that X isn't being done.....therefor Y is being accomplished/wasted/ignored....yada, yada, yada. Great players, coaches, moves, etc.....exist on/by nearly every franchise on their way to a title. So are mistakes/bad players/coaching etc. Rarely is everything aligned the way a fan might want, but rather some great things covering over the bad things to get to the top. It's talent, coaching, hard work, luck, and low$ players suddenly exploding at the right time. Here in Sensitivity U.S.A, it is hard to get the top players to come. We do not have tax advantages, night life advantages, population base/TV viewership advantages....etc. Right now, we are witnessing the greatest Blazer of all time, playing at the top of his game. But there is more to it. DL is going to die on the hill of "I am a Blazer....period. I want a championship here! " I see suggestions of him as a "trade value". I shudder. There is no compensation in my world that replaces DL. Championships are a rare thing. Players like DL are just as rare. To put one over the other, as far as value, is ignorant in my world. I'll take the one in my hand...rather than the one in the bush. This current team is a group of really good human beings, and that is a treat to root for as a fan. It is so rare. I am going to enjoy this group and see where it goes, regardless of the preconceived ending. Thanks Dame. I respect you perhaps more than any other sport player ever. You set the highest standard for what a player should be and act like.
If he really was "win a championship at all costs" though, he wouldn't have taken the super max extension. I have no problem with him getting paid, and no one should do the job for free, BUT this 'willing to do whatever it takes' talk is lip service because one of the best ways for him to help bring more talent is to do the exact opposite of what he did, that's taking the most money he could.
As much as I can't stand Tom Brady, he has done exactly that to make sure there was more money available to spend on good players to put around him. Then when he won championships, he made a ton of money in endorsements.
I think they have to go with #2. This roster is less than the sum of it's parts and if you're being real with Dame he needs a second all star along with Jerami. So you have to be willing to guarantee Chicago the 2023 pick and use all three of the FRPs that would free up to get that second star who fits in Chauncey's system and complements Dame along with moving anyone who doesn't for players who do.
I thought he was hurt again when he had a few bad shooting games a couple of weeks ago. Every since then, he's been phenomenal. Right up with the best I've seen him play (still a few shaky decisions, but as unstoppable as there is much of the time). Obvious Dame reads this board and I lit a fire under him. No, no, your thanks are unnecessary ... I mean, I'll take them but I'd prefer Zelle.
I like 2 bigbailes! Wait.......that didn't sound right. I like choice #2. Can't, under any way of thinking, justify trading Dame whose loyalty and desire to stay in Portland should serve as a great example to future "stars". I think we all know about choice #3 and have had enough of that shit.
I agree that’s the most likely plan, but I doubt that it happens before next summer. They are too constrained by the hard cap, the need to avoid the luxury tax this season in order to put the repeater penalty start date off one more season, and the unavailability of including a first round pick in a deal without removing the protection on this year’s pick. How bad would it suck on that last one to remove the protection, fail to make the playoffs, have the lottery balls come up magical and see the Bulls grab Wembanyama? Shades of giving them Jordan all over again. I think they use Hart at the deadline to balance the roster a bit and avoid losing him for nothing. Save the big moves for summer.
