I don't know that Jordan, his agent, or his mother for the matter ever actually called back Addidas or Converse with the demand of equity. His mother did demand it from Nike, and got it, and that was enough. They certainly would have balked and likely not acquiesced. No player had ever received equity prior to Jordan. Jordan's mom wanted him to go with Nike to begin with because they were a new company and he could use that to his advantage when he became a star. Also, it wasn't Sonny Vacarro who led the deal. It was George Raveling, played by Marlon Wayans, who coached Jordan in the Olympics.
Agreed, it would be best to finalize this trade before the season but the Blazers don't need to rush and close it out. Blazers really need to pressure Dame more than they need to pressure other teams. If there is a true open market for Dame then Blazers would simply pick the best offer. Right now other teams can't submit their full bids due to Dame demanding Miami. Blazers need to propose the motherload offer to the Heat that gets everything possible Heat can give up. Blazers should call the Heat and say: please accept Dame for all of these items... I and others have detailed it in the Dame Heat trade ideas thread. Blazers should respond PUBLICLY there are 3 options: 1. Heat accept Blazers Dame offer 2. Dame puts other teams on his list besides Miami 3. Dame returns to play for the Blazers The Blazers offering a deal to Miami shows their willing to trade Dame as he requested, but the holdup is Miami lowballing offers or Dame not allowing other teams to bud. The Blazers can claim their being very accommodating, and they truly are. Of the ~dozen assets I listed in the Heat thread Id ultimately give up one or two items such as needing Martin or them eating Nurks deal to finalize the Dame trade. But I sure as heck would open negotiations with asks for all of that, it would be the final concession to close a deal. If Dame accepts other destinations it will greatly improve the offers from all possible trading partners. The option to return to the Blazers at this point probably wouldn't make sense for either party but it again shows good faith effort by the Blazers.
THIS is a bullshit piece to scare Joe Cronin. Pay it no mind, Joe. Get the best deal. https://ahnfiredigital.com/nba/port...-blazers-treat-damian-lillard-on-his-way-out/
I think it might be worse that that. Lillard will be coming in as the final piece, the missing ingredient. If he goes to Miami and they flame-out after making the finals this season, he's going to get lots of blame. That's Miami...imagine if he goes to Philly or Boston and they flame out....yeeeeeeesh
Miami's media and fans can be pretty brutal. The Dolphins' QB, Tua Tagovailoa, had a great year last season when he wasn't hurt, but you still have fans bickering back and forth about him being too small, too injury prone, lacking arm strength, or just not good enough to get them over the top. The media down there more than happily fans the flames, One week Mike McDaniel will be the new wave in NFL coaches. The next week, the Dolphins lose, every potential problem with his style will be laid bare -- he's a nerd, players don't listen to guys like him, etc., etc. And a lot of the people living down there came from the Northeast, so you get those New York, Boston and Philly fans that freak out after every loss.
Another element to consider, if the Blazers take a poor return for Dame just to send him where he wants to go it sets a very bad precedent. It could lead to Blazers other players eventually asking out in later years. Scoot, Sharpe, Ant, all the other rookies, future players, etc will all see what the Blazers do with Dame. If the Blazers create a precedent where guys with 4 years left on a contract can demand a trade and get to the single team of their choice we really will be the Washington Generals of the NBA. Blazers need to show Dame and everyone they're willing to play hardball on this exactly like Dame first started doing by sending out those 1 team on his list comments. If Dame only has 1 team on his list then he isn't truly demanding "a trade" and the Blazers have no obligation to send him to that one team which is offering few assets.
Yes this is true. But it's incomplete. The problem is Dame putting out this "only Miami on the list" comment means the other teams that could offer better assets will not give them all up. They want Dame to be committed first. If Dame wants a trade he needs to allow more options than a single team just weeks ago in the finals. This is worse than Durant going to the 73 win Warriors after they just went to the finals. At least Durant was a free agent.
If Dame went to Philly, Brooklyn, Boston, LAC, etc. it's hard for me to see a scenario where he doesn't give it his all. Hell, he's been giving it his all in Portland the last couple seasons, when we had no chance.
And, again, it's not like he was poorly treated by the Blazers. DAME is the one that felt slighted by the Blazers that no other team would offer the Blazers reasonable return for the third pick and that the Blazers picked a player largely regarded as having transcendent potential with that pick. I still think Dame let someone get in his ear and in his head that he was being done dirty by the organization -- but, objectively, there is no other player in the NBA that would have a legitimate complaint if their team treated them the way the Blazers treated Damian Lillard for 11 years.
He only plays one way, and that's all out. The problem is, none of those teams are interested. Maybe Philly. Boston has shotmakers, and all the PG they need to get those guys going. It sounds like Brooklyn is more interested in being a facilitator to pick up a piece or two, but not close enough to contending to pay for Lillard. Shit...This is not a pretty situation.
What makes you think none of those teams are interested? I think Boston is probably out, but those are the teams that have been reported as showing interest and with the best odds of landing him. Interestingly, the odds for him playing in Portland have improved a lot today. +1200 this morning.
Also, Miami is at a high point right now... they lost in the first round last year. So you add Dame, you lose Herro and other pieces in addition to Strus and Vincent losing. Higher ceiling, but definitely less depth and stability. And, again, this was a team that flamed out last year. If he goes to Miami, there's a real chance that they don't have enough depth to be as good as they were. Or Dame gets hurt. And/or Butler gets hurt. There's a big variance in what can happen, but the hype would be off the charts if they get Dame. So it could end poorly.
Unless Joe gets a great offer he can't refuse, he should let the season start and see how the rookies look on possible trade partners.
I question how much of that is Dame and his people I think Pat Riley and the Heat are pumping out a lot of that narrative
