Best exit interviews I’ve seen in a long time. They followed up on what Cronin said at the beginning of the year. It’s a truly good thing that the timeline seems to have sped up — in part because of an unusual 19-year-old phenom named Sharpe. The most exciting rookie since 1996.
my way or the highway So if managament doesn't turn water into wine this offseason, then what Dame? STOMP
I don't think he's asking the team to turn water into wine. I think he's asking them to leverage or if you want to go negative mortgage future capital for players that impact the team right now. It's done all of the time in the league. With up to 5 FRPs and 3 swaps that will all be available to trade on draft day along with enough salaries to match most superstar salaries... he's not asking for a miracle. He's asking for a big win now move or moves. I don't think it's unrealistic. I understand those that say that the team's future is more valuable than what Dame has left in the tank to contribute, I just don't agree. I think getting as much ready to win talent around Dame starting this off season, is our best chance at a championship. I guess we'll see how it all shakes out.
I hate tell you guys I really don't think it's matters who they bring in. Yes Dame is great don't get me wrong but he has to change his style of play to make other players around him better. You can't call your number 60 percent of the time and actually think the team will be successful on the court. Especially if your not strong defender on the other end. Plus you can't start to weak guards on defense and think your going be successful. You got a center that don't fit the head coach defense philosophy due he just don't move as well since all his injuries. Now Dame don't want 2 or 3 years down the road by young players. Then GM might as well to try to trade Dame this summer because if not your got to put Nurk Simons Sharpe for trade bait and none of those 3 players going land you the players to compete for championships in Dame life time here in Portland. Sorry but they should find out where Dame would like to go and see what package you can get for him. More likely if you trade Dame more likely you will loose Grant to free agency. If actually want to compete for championships then he going to have to go somewhere else to do this because it's not going happen here. Portland needs to look for the future and if there in top 7 pick in this draft you draft and maybe look and trading the the NY pick instead.
This is my take as well. I don't quite understand those who say that Dame doesn't have enough left in the tank to make a run at a title. He's two years younger than Steph and four years younger than CP3. Anyone think that the Warriors or Suns aren't counting pretty heavily on those two guys for their plans for title runs? Dame just completed his most dominant season and was a near-MVP candidate if he'd had anywhere near a competitive team to back him up. He's also been much less injury prone than either Steph or CP3. To my way of thinking, he's still got 3-4 All-Star level years left in him. If Cronin can do his job, Dame can certainly do his part.
While we're all entitled to an opinion, it's not an opinion that most championships are won by teams that build their core primarily through the draft. Bundling assets to build around their aging star would give Portland their best chance at winning a championship in the short term, but those would be long odds and a short window. Siting history, the best chance overall would be the tried and true hitting on their picks and building slowly. Can you think of an example of a team gutting their future to build around a 33 year old (or older) that resulted in a championship? STOMP
Anything is possible!!!! ???? I mean all of those guys were a year or two younger than Dame but all of those guys were right around the same point in their careers.
Sure anything is possible but thats a whole lot different then whats most likely. I take it you couldn't come up with an example which helps prove my point of how unlikely the chances are of the route you're advocating for resulting in a championship. what guys? I have no idea what you're referring to. In my opinion, precious little on this current roster is contender level and other then a complete fleecing in trades I don't see the assets needed to land the needle moving proven players they lack. STOMP
Yes it is subject to debate. Looking at the past 10 years of NBA champions: 2013 Miami - Nope. LBJ, Bosh & Wade super team. 2014 Spurs - Yes. Primarily drafted core. 2015 Warriors - Yes. Primarily drafted core. 2016 Cavs - Nope (or at least an asterisk). LBJ returns to the team that drafted him and teams up with Kyrie and Kevin Love. 2017 Warriors - Yes (but that Durant fellow added quite a bit to the core). 2018 Warriors - "" 2019 Raptors - Nope. Green, Gasol, Leonard, Siakam, Lowry ... only Siakam was drafted by the Raptors. 2020 Lakers - Nope. LBJ, Caldwell-Pope, McGee, Davis, & Danny Green. Not a single Lakers draft pick among the starters. 2021 Bucks - Nope. Giannis, Lopez, Middleton, PJ Tucker & Holliday. Only Giannis was drafted by the Bucks 2022 Warriors - Yes So, pretty much the Warriors and Spurs had their core home grown.
The top lotto pick plus other pick assets and Ant….assuming some GM loves his youth and game should get us something. Not enough to contend though
