It’s a practical consideration - and I stated upfront that Dame is one of if not my all time favourite Blazers. But we cheer for the trophy and you’re right; Dame plays for one too!
How many of them are the face of a franchise though? Almost always stars don't get traded unless they demand it or are disgruntled. Most of them play out the contract and then split via free agency. So I don't get your point. Wasn't trying to attack you, but I think there are more realistic conversations to be had here and trading Dame has been a topic of discussion for a couple years now and has really picked up since the playoffs in several threads. Just seems you are putting alot of thought and energy into something that wont happen. 99.9% of us know this.
It’s gut wrenching to consider but we’d be fools to think we are even remotely close to a title. Draft is only possible way to create a championship caliber team in Portland. We don’t get free agents it’s been proven time and time again. It’s very difficult to even make a trade that would make us contenders with the roster we have now. Again it would have to be an incredible deal for me to consider trading Dame (multiple drafts picks or great draft pick plus a good young player off another roster). Unfortunately as much as Dame says he wants to be here I think it’s a matter of time before he request a trade especially if we aren’t able to get some help for him. Obviously before you ever trade Damr you consider all other options especially trading C.J. who is your next most valuable player. We are in the worst position possible in basketball right in the middle of the pack. We’ll definitely be entertained during the regular season just don’t expect much else.
I get so tired of hearing this. Do you really think we are in a worse position than BRK? They have averaged 23 wins per season for the last 3 years and have the 29th pick in the draft. Do you really think we are in a worse position than SAC? 12 straight trips to the lottery and 12 straight losing seasons. Sure, they have the 2nd pick in the draft, but they'll fuck it up. They always do. They've had 9 top 8 picks in the last 9 years and have Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein and De'Aaron Fox to show for it. Winning 49 games is not "right in the middle of the pack". We have a 1st team All NBA player, another proven 20+ PPG scorer and two promising young bigs to build around. Will that eventually get us a championship? Who knows. Building a championship team takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. There is no sliver bullet, not even the draft lottery. BNM
I’m not saying to trade Dame I’m saying we’d be foolish not to listen if someone was willing to make the right deal then we have to consider it.
My comment wasn't about trading Dame, it was a response to your claim that: "We are in the worst position possible in basketball right in the middle of the pack." To bring this full circle... How can we be in the worst possible position in basketball? At the very least, we have a 1st team All NBA player we can trade. Only 4 other teams can claim the same. BNM
Aside from perhaps five teams, I say we are in a very good spot, just not good enough to advance beyond the first or second round. Our overall roster (and bad contracts) further have us, quite frankly, in a mess. And Portland as a destination for free-agents won’t improve with what we have to offer. Too bad we are strapped with Turner, Leonard and Heartless.... We most likely won’t re-sign Ed Davis and I’m going to guess that there is at least one team out there prepared to offer Nurk a poison pill - I predict Neil is gone sooner than anyone is thinking....like by July 15th!
Because how else are we supposed to be rejected if we can't get a meeting because signing them is impossible?
Being over the cap doesn't matter. However, being over the tax line does, as it alters the decision making process of the team relative to contracts. Additionally, each team has limited assets. When players are overpaid, they are no longer assets.
Well that is one reason I like to keep young players and draft picks because they are usually assets. The tax line only alters decisions if the owner wants it to. I think he was right to get under the tax at the deadline the last two years based on where the team has been at that point of the season but if he wants to please Dame he's gonna have to pay it this year.
Rebuild is probably the smart route to take. This team is nowhere near contending. Combine this with our cap, we're screwed if this core is kept intact. I would be on the phone with PHX about their pick. Draft Doncic and build with a plan to build around Doncic and Collins.
