I think the answer is: they're a suboptimal combination. Without Dame, we have a scrappy young team that it designed for the kind of basketball Chauncey preaches: PG: Simons SG: Hart SF: Nas PF: Winslow C: Nurk Everybody is just the right size for their position, and all but Ant are plus defenders. But with Dame, everybody except Nurk is forced over a slot: PG: Dame SG: Simons SF: Hart PF: Nas/Winslow C: Nurk And suddenly we're back to the CJ years of having a backcourt where both guards are lackluster defensively and the SG is undersized. Now, when we were briefly clicking in the run-up to the All-Star break, I daydreamed about swapping Dame for a (healthy) Ben Simmons. Then our lineup would be: PG: Simons SG: Hart F: Nas/Winslow F: Simmons C: Nurk That lineup is built to run. It's elite defensively, size at every position. Add Jeremy Sochan to that and I could be really excited. So, long story short: if we're keeping Dame (as it looks like we are), we really should think about what we can get for Ant. If I was Ant's agent, I would be whispering about greener pastures elsewhere. Perhaps suggesting that Chauncey might even want to start Hart at SG. Now, I know that some of you think I'm a Dame-hater, but with any luck those people already have me muted and we can have a sensible conversation.
I think Dame, Ant and Hart make a great backcourt rotation. Mix and match as needed based upon the opposition and the situation. I’m not worried at all about the backcourt. The 3 and 4 spots are where I want to see improvements. Edit: And screw the idea of Simmons in a Blazers uniform as far as I am concerned. That guy is a headcase.
We haven’t really seen how good they are or can be together. Sample size. Hart getting starter minutes off the bench (and with some small ball match-ups) looks strong. Depth and quality. But we’ll see. Add in Ingles as a secondary initiator 7th man and I’m happy with that. This team CAN come together quickly. FORWARDS.
So... everyone's ecstatic we trade CJ... just so we can replace him with a not-quite-as-good version? Anyone want to compare CJ and Ant offensively and defensively?
Would Dame, CJ and Hart have made a "great backcourt rotation"? I take it this means that Hart is pushed to the bench.
I don’t know how many people would argue that Simons is better, now. I wouldn’t … yet. For the Blazers, it was either Dame or CJ at a given time. With Simons, it can be both. Will be? In a year, I’m picking Simons. Just IMHO not an in-depth analysis. At the beginning of next season, Dame 32, Simons 23, Hart 27.
Since Simons will likely never be as good as Dame (top 10 nba player), and Dame likely has at least a few "top 10 player in the league" seasons left, the answer would be to trade Simons for what we need to compete in Dame's window. If we were unable to make it work this season. Unless of course Dame decides he wants out. Then you honor his wish, trying to send him to a good situation, with the understanding that we'll need to get back a fair return.
And that's the rub. We either need to go all-in on trying to win with Dame, or we need to fold and trade Lillard for the best haul possible.
Seems obvious to me. We're not going to trade Dame for a top 10 player, so we should keep him unless he wants to leave. The whole world could change before the end of Dame's contract. The landscape of the NBA certainly will.
Yes they would have made a great backcourt rotation. Yes by replacing CJ with Ant in that scenario you will still have a great backcourt rotation. No that does not mean Hart goes to the bench. Once Ant gets paid this summer I think he will be happy as long as he gets 30 + minutes. And he easily will since Hart can get minutes at SF even if he starts at SG. Bringing CJ off the bench might have been tougher to do than Ant.
IF this ownership were prepping for a sale and had concerns over Dame’s super max and age the player who would look great next to Ant is Tyler Herro - the runaway winner for 6th Man of the Year. Jody appears to not care about tradition or loyalty, but this move would be a great step towards a full rebuild. Dame would get to play in Miami - it’s not like we’re dumping him in Tumble Weed, Oklahoma.
Was going to post this same thing in the "Long Game" thread as no one seems to be talking about this. This backcourt is just Dame/CJ 2.0, so I'm not sure how any one thinks it's going to yield drastically different results. At least now we only have two 6'3" guards that are iffy on defense instead of 3 or 4 like we did last season and to start this one. IMO the only way this works is if Ant comes off the bench and Hart gets the starts. We need to really limit the time that Dame/Ant spend on the court together to short spurts when offense is badly needed.
I guess I missed the part where Simons is exactly the same as CJ, and that at 22 he's already done improving his game.
