Highkin? I'm sure they did. I know Cronin negotiated in good faith. He may just not be good at negotiating deals.
A reporter is going to ask one of the rookies a question about Dame, Cronin is going to take a sip from a little water bottle and the press conference will be over.
When the Blazers got Bledsoe, Coach Billups said Eric can guard LeBron James. If Cronin once again thinks Blazers will need to "step up" and play bigger then their natural positions, we might actually see Chauncey making Scoot play 1-4 in Portland. That's just - not - right
Let me take the other side of the defensive thing because it kind of dovetails into something else that's been percolating in my brain. One of the reasons Dame should like playing with Scoot is because Dame won't be stuck defending the other team's best guard so much. As challenged as Dame is as an on-ball defender, Ant is 10 times more (or more) challenged. You don't run into that with Scoot. Scoot will not be physically overpowered or outquicked by almost any guard out there. He can take that big defensive assignment that would tax Dame or reduce us to trading baskets. And Dame already is a very good post defender at his size; what we need is a guard who can keep the other team's primary ballhandler from getting two feet in the paint and forcing the rest of our defense to help and scramble. I think having Scoot out there with Dame instead of Dame and Ant already improves us in the single biggest defensive shortcoming we have. Scoot is 6-2, but he plays a very, very big 6-2. The other thing that Scoot's right about where he and Dame can be a good tandem is that Scoot is one of those ballhandlers that are very hard to keep out of the paint. He's a very natural passer. Can you imagine you much it will save Dame's legs for late in the game or late in the season having someone else be able to effectively initiate offense even against good defenders or multiple defenders for stretches? Can you imagine how many more open 3s Dame might be getting because the defense had to help and pack the paint against a strong driver? And that strong driver also has a good eye for drawing defense and dishing or pitching? That's what Scoot can do that Ant doesn't. Ant's a much bigger 3-point threat, but he doesn't attack the rim, and, when he does, he's not doing it creating an even better shot than he himself would get, not very often, at least, not as often as I expect Scoot to do.
I guess that's the thing. Imagine defenses trying to guard a backcourt of Dame and pre-injury Derrick Rose. I don't care if they both are 6-2 or 6-3. The way their styles complement each other would be murder.
Uhhh. That's the "Joe has more work to do". I'm just ecstatic that we didn't fuck up the 5 years after Dame leaves. There's risk, but mortgaging the future for a risk bigger than needed based on value of assets outgoing... That would have been stupid. Dame is our franchise guy, but he's not our franchise guy forever and that has to be taken into account with all the other possibilities and contingencies. I want Dame and the blazers to win so bad. Dame has earned it. MORE THAN earned it. But the timing of everything (thanks Olshey) really fucked us. I'm not speaking for everyone but that's how I feel.
Dame has said numerous times that when players jump for championships to other teams there is no guarantee it works out and you may give end up in a not so good situation for the end of your career. I believe Dame believes Joe ,when he say's we want Dame to retire a Blazer and we have ways to make it work. Dame Im sure appreciates the stats he has here as much as anything along with the recent contract he signed. I don't expect Dame to request out this next year I think he just wants a few more older vets that can help out....
I think Dame knows he can be the aging vet on a talented team of youth and get it done. Anything is possible when you put a competitive team out there. Look at the Heat. They went further than they should have this year. Things have to fall into place. Injuries happen. Chemistry happens. Often, the obvious team isn’t the winner. So, I think as long as we add a key big or two, Dame would give this team a chance. Scoot is a rookie, but he adds a dynamic this team has lacked. Same with Sharpe. They’re so athletic and explosive. Scoot is a competitor. I am so bored with the team I lost interest. Predictable. Redundant A dude like Scoot is gonna grind, IMO (not that I know shit). If he can earn his time on the court, he will change the dynamic of the team. Like Sharpe does. Make it more versatile. When one style isn’t firing on all cylinders, the other will. That’s why I bring up the redundancy in our player styles. That’s why CJ and Dame failed (yeah, they’re different but more alike than people acknowledge). Scoot’s gonna fuck up and learn, but he’s gonna work hard and the team can gel together. That’s gonna bring Dame a ‘ship faster than jumping every year or two chasing a ring. But if Cronin doesn’t bring in a high-quality big or two now or early into the year, then he should trade Dame, get the assets, and let’s move on into a rebuild. something like that.
If Scoot is as great of a prospect as everyone (including me) says he is, then Cronin shouldve be able to use that as leverage for a bidding war.
Cronin basically said Scoot is better then any deal he tried to wrangle up. Scoot is a young rookie who has never played in the NBA, and Cronin made absolutely no moves, trades, anything. So this statement is full of more holes then a cattle crossing sign in Pendleton. this presser was after a desperate failed attempt to get Dame's best friend Mikal Bridges on the team by trading Scoot & Ant to the Nets. Why on Earth would Brooklyn shut down that offer ?? I think Lillard is packing his gear. I'll definitely be rooting for Dame wherever he winds up.
Yeah I have no idea what Joe's process is I just know that the results have been a youth rebuild when he keeps saying the goal is contending with Dame (Jerami being the one exception). I don't know if it's that he isn't aggressive enough (that would make sense given what he shows us in public), I don't know if his searches for deals lack breadth and he just gets fixated on a few targets, I don't know if the guy has a bad reputation because he took a bad deal way too early before the trade deadline in his first move as GM... I just don't know. I do know that he is either full of shit or shitty at getting to where he wants to go.
Listen man, I wish I shared your optimism about a rebuild. You said I wasnt being logical, but I am not the enemy. I'll try to explain my thinking: I love who we've acquired the last two drafts as prospects. I watch a decent amount of film for a fan. It's not about Scoot not being a great prospect. I wouldn't bet on nearly anyone to likely be as good as Dame became (Wemby is the only guy I would out of recent drafts). We saw Josh Hart average an efficient 20/7/4 for a tanking Portland team. Can't read too much into tank ball (although I thought Sharpe improved a TON over the season). Dame has never won anything - Hence why I want to truly give him a chance because the rebuild route, even if it goes well, is likely to put us in the same position as we're in now, and that's if Scoot and Sharpe want to be here as bad as Dame does. I hate never taking a swing for Dame and this was, in my opinion, our last chance. I think giving Dame a star and improving the bench could give this team a chance. You disagree. That's fine. I don't think the West is loaded, I think the league has more parity than ever. Who's to say the West won't be harder down the line?
Hey man, I disagree with your view of the team, but I like your YouTube show. Good work putting out all the content you do and keeping community engaged.
