I don't think we had to pay Ant as much as we had to (who else was going to come close to that much money?) but, be that as it may, I am happy he's a Blazer, and I love Sharpe's potential. I wish they were our two best players on a bad team this year with a bunch of draft picks coming up in the next couple of years than what they are now, but... what are you gonna do?
I'm sure Joe could make that happen but I don't think he will or should. If we shopped Dame, even with his contract's length we would get a haul. If we shopped Grant and Hart, they would bring a good return. Same with Nurk. I would like to see us shop Ant, Nurk and whoever else to upgrade around Dame and get Sharpe more minutes.
Time to give up on the “upgrade around Dame” thing. It’s not gonna happen. I’ve been calling for us to shop him for a couple years. This franchise needs to think long term. Cronin needs to shit or get off the pot. Even if we have some late season run. It’s fools gold.
This team would be so screwed, and stupid, to give up young assets to "build around Dame". I grow weary of hearing that phrase. I could see the argument making sense if Dame was playing at MVP levels but he is not even remotely close. You build around the Lukas, Tatums, Jokic' and Giannis' and aging unicorns like KD. The team simply cannot make any changes that will make them even second tier. Show us a realistic trade package(s) that another team would entertain that will suddenly make this team "built around Dame". Take emotions out of the equation and you will see how irrational it is to "build around Dame" given the state of the roster and assets. Italics are fun.
It's not going to happen but can you imagine how much more fun this team would be to watch if we had scoot henderson and shaedon developing together at the 1-2 spots with a bunch of draft picks in the future? We'd be the new lob city.
And probably tied for the worst record instead of playing.500 ball heading into the easiest part of the schedule and looking at trying to make a decent move at the deadline. I guess to each his own right?
This is the season you trade around Dame and go for it. The West is a crapshoot...I'm sure Jody and Joe know this. I fully expect some changes and moves at the deadline. Dame is a beast...he's just in unfamiliar territory playing with different guys and having missed so many games this season....Ant doesn't have that excuse.....Dame will find his form and figure it out. Ant, much like CJ needs his own team to shine. I'm convinced Dame and Ant starting together is going to be cancelling each other out in the first half of every game. Then they'll burn out trying to catch up in the second half against good teams. Dame is this team's identity. Ant is in his shadow and seems way too comfortable in that shadow.
Most likely is a few minor moves (Hart for a center), re-sign Grant and play this Grant-Ant-Dame-Nurk lineup until Dame retires in a few. And no, it won't be a contending roster either.
Nobody saw Markkanen going off like he did this season...he's a guy I'd love right now on this team. Nance was out injured again the last game I checked on the Pelicans...he's an older version of Nassir Little at this point.
hopefully nurk gets traded, just so people cant scapegoat him after every loss and just so they see that nurk is not the reason that the trail blazers arent contenders im really curious to see what trader joe does (sean highkin has hinted that front office wants to trade nurk, but it remains to be seen if the right deal can be arranged)
I highly doubt Nurk will be traded...like Grant he's too close to Dame and players like Nurk are not easy to replace. We need to get bigger, not smaller
