I don't think Embiid is worth that much but again, if the goal is winning a title and especially winning one with Dame (like so many around here can't see past) than yes you add in Sharpe if that's the difference in getting an MVP level player.
I was at the game. If it was 96% full, then about 8000 people were weaing camouflage to look exactly like empty seats.
To your point, we're all guessing as to why Cronin was the choice. It was reported that nobody else was even interviewed for the job. To me, hiring an internal candidate, with no experience, when your star candidate is in his prime, without even doing a search elsewhere, screams of a cost savings exercise. Same for the president. Same for the coach. It's a pattern. Your point that she's making moves based on selling the franchise would also be an indicator that she is looking to maximize the bottom line more than she's concerned about winning. Signing All-NBA players to max deals also isn't a sign of big spending, it's a sign of someone who realized the stars are who bring in the majority of the revenue.
What is the salary situation in Memphis and Sacramento, compared to the LA Clippers? Are the Clippers trying to win more than Memphis and Sacramento? Are Memphis and Sacramento looking to sell their teams? Their team salaries are lower than Portland's, and much lower than the Clippers'. I don't see the correlation. In the Western Conference: Denver is in 1st place. Their team salary is 8th. Memphis is in 2nd place. Their team salary is 26th. Sacramento is in 3rd place. Their team salary is 24th.
If I said that the teams who spend the most are trying harder to win, then I mispoke. Though I don't believe I even brought that up. I pointed out that there have been a handful of moves made within the organization over the last 3 years that indicate they are more concerned about cost-savings than they are maximizing the opportunity to win. When you are not fully invested in player development (G-League), player evaluation (GM), on court production (coaching), and roster maximization (use of exceptions), that combination makes me believe Portland isn't as committed to putting the best product on the floor as say the LA Clippers. Now, can you just spend wrecklessly and automatically be the team in the NBA? Of course not. If I had to pick which franchise is more committed to winning between the LA Clippers and the Blazers, I would pick the Clippers in a heartbeat. Also, note that Memphis has the benefit of having Ja on his rookie contract. They will not be the 21st (you said 26th for some reason) in salary next year. Sacramento 20th (not 24th) also has the benefit of multiple lottery picks still on rookie deals, and they went out an added an all-star last season. https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/
When Dame gets a $100 million 2-year extension when he's 34 years old, this org. is not "pinching pennies."
And since you brought up not seeing correlation between spending money and winning, using 3 cherry-picked teams in one season to back up your point, I thought I'd dig a little and see if there was actually correlation. When looking at all teams, over a 10 year period, there was a strong correlation between spending and winning. Do you see it now?
You overlooked my main point. The truth about whether the refusal to go into the LT this year was due to frugality or instead to maintain maximum flexibility to improve the team this summer will be revealed in how the Blazers use their assets this summer. Until then, we all have our opinions, but the team’s actions next summer will speak much more accurately than our springtime suppositions.
Last night is exactly why I have this .005% doubt of Sharpe being elite. Last night Pelicans fronted Sharpe the 1st 3 quarters and Sharpe was content to stand around. Does he have that fire that makes players like Kobe, MJ, and and Dame special? They might have bad games but they give max effort at all times and they take tough challenges like last nights defense as an opportunity to prove something. Please don’t take this wrong I’m not ripping on him he’s a kid and will have to learn. But if there is any red flags for me with this kid that would be one.
Ok.... here's the thing..... you just listed arguably the best player to ever play the game, another guy who is on many people's top 10 to ever play, and then Dame who is a top 75 of all time. Sharpe can have a very very very good career without being Jordan.... or Kobe..... or even Dame. Dame isn't MJ but he's one of the best to ever play and we're extremely lucky to have him. If Sharpe isn't as good as Dame, that's fine. He can still be an extremely good player without being driven to be the greatest ever.
This is what people said last season. Then here we are, below the luxury tax again and in the lottery again. If the team is under the luxury tax next February we will probably hear the same story; "yes they were cheap and under the tax again this yeat, but it's so they can improve the team even more for the 2024-25 season without having to pay extra tax"
He has some passiveness that does alert me as well. I'd like to see a little more fire in his demeanor. People can say, he's young. But when i was in my teens, i hated to lose anything, period. That fire has never changed. I wish i had been born with his God given gifts. The skills are there. But is the heart. Big question.
Thats why I hope they have him in the summer league as it's an opportunity for to be dominate and be aggressive.
those 3 guys had/have incredible handles. An ability to break down a double team with the dribble. Sharpe doesn't have that yet so of course he'll have difficulty breaking away from a suffocating defense, especially when the coach and his teammates don't seem to have a clue, or the handles themselves, about how to help him
The Blazers aren’t going to be under the LT next season barring a decision to trade Dame. The fact that Dame’s contract extension kicks in virtually ensures that. But, as I said, the results this summer will tell the tale. If Cronin doesn’t spend the non-taxpayer MLE you can say that the tax savings was the driving factor.
Agree with every thing you said. I realize it’s being a little picky, he’s just a special talent that has all the tools to be elite, my only question mark for him does he have the fire or desire to be one of the greatest to play the game ( truly think he has the talent to reach that level). Think the only hole offensively in his game is his handles ( decent but needs improvement).
Ok, so we don't know about the cause of the cap related spending habits either way the last couple years. Still doesn't address the non salary cap related operations I pointed out.
