I would say that the path is starting Sharpe at SG with Dame at PG. Resigning JG to play one of the two forward roles. Trading for an all star and resigning Jerami to start at the 3 or 4 depending on the all star. Also making sure that Nurk is outgoing in a trade and starting a C who can switch well and defend in space. Let's see where we end up in the draft and go from there but if next season we are starting Dame and Shaedon in the back court and have a new all star and a good bench, we should be contenders.
That Payton signing was the biggest what the fuck move. It was pretty unanimous on this forum it was awful, which is rare. Good on splitting quickly on him after they realized it was awful which is something I don’t think Neil would have done. My issue is that this team has regressed in talent, while Lillard is getting older and resigned players for more than their market value. Obvious blow it up time. Jazz ownership realized they should blow it up way sooner and they had more of a shot at a title than the Blazers do and a player that in my eyes is on the same caliber as Lillard in Mitchell, but was much younger.
From recollection we would have also been able to retain Hart. We had Joe Ingles contract as well as Eric Bledsoe. https://web.archive.org/web/20220426115148/https://hoopshype.com/ I think it was suggested as Julius Randle and the No. 11 pick to the Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, the No. 7 and No. 36 picks. The drawbacks being Randle is a bit of a headcase. But again, from my perspective, let's give Dame a chance to lead him. I bet Dame would be all for it. But I also like Sharpe, a lot. But, Dame, Hart, Grant, Randle, Nurc is probably one of the best starting units in the league. And Ant off the bench would at least be able to keep us scoring.
This could certainly make the Blazers much improved, maybe get in the playoffs. But they'd be nowhere close to contending and no real assets to make another move. The ship has sailed on contending with Dame soon. Time to build for a longer horizon. I'm fine with keeping Dame but it needs to be a Kobe/Reggie Miller type twilight to his career where we also build around a bunch of youth.
This construction is weird, and isn’t how trades work. The center of a debate like this is on the return, which provides context for who you might give up. if I’m getting a boat of picks back, I’m moving dame. If I’m getting an aging star back, what’s the point of moving dame, and is said player even worth sharpe?
Sharpe starting with Dame is not a contending backcourt. I'm as big a Sharpe fan as any, but he's just not going to be a 2 way contending level starter next season. Grant is the only player that could play at that level next year as a starter with Dame. Do the Blazers have the assets to get 3 more of those starters? No I don't believe it's possible. Maybe I'd the Blazers get the #1 pick, and trade away all of that #1 pick, Sharpe, and Ant. But even then that's an unlikely maybe with a lot of risk of being an absolute disaster. Time to plan on a road that doesn't involve contending next season.
Blazers fans and certain blog boys have long overrated expiring contracts. I’d be careful with that narrative.
Yes I too find it extremely unlikely. But for the sake of discussion, maybe Dame says I don't want to wait for young rookies or second year players to develop, so trade for veterans or trade me away. Could effectively put the Blazers in a spot to have to make such decision.
I don't disagree, but the notion a trade could've only been constructed with Hart and Winslow as pieces was false.
Disagree. Not many teams could match up. Doubling Dame would be nearly impossible. Three of the five are excellent to elite rebounders, amd Dame is a very solid rebounder when he needs to be (for a PG). Jeremy Grant is the only below average rebounder, and he can easily be safety. And every player except Dame are very good defenders.
Doubling Dame would be easy, just leave Nurk or Hart open. I wouldn't call Randle a very good defender. Nurk is solid but exposed against small lineups, and can't play big minutes, not has he been healthy a whole season. It would certainly be much better than the last two seasons. But it's not a contending team, nor close to one of the "best starting lineups" in the league.
TBF Knicks fans and jockeys are where I go for hilarious content, not legit ideas about basketball… Guys have a tough stretch and Joe from Long Island wants to drive him to the airport himself.
I thought the last adjustment to the CBA included a provision that non-guaranteed contracts had to be fully guaranteed to be traded after the trade deadline of course, I guess he could have been guaranteed for the next season than traded
It’s my understanding that whatever portion of his contract that was going to be needed to salary match would’ve had to have been guaranteed for this season but the rumor was that the Knicks were cool with eating that to move up because they thought the Randle contract was bad at the time. It was just a rumor though so who knows.
