So, the benchmark for a successful GM is that it cannot be conclusively proven that posters on a message board are smarter than he is? I have no idea what deals are currently on the table. I do, however know this: if we can't get the kind of deal for Dame that Utah got for their players, it means one of 2 things. The first possibility is that Cronin is not the GM that we need. The second is that Portland fans have an inflated view of Dame's value. If it's the latter, isn't that a red flag for trying to build a contender around him? For WIW I tend to think it is mostly the former.
How can it be either one until we see that the Blazers are actually interested in making a trade involving Dame?
The question was "what trades are out there" - which would include trade talks initiated by other teams. The answer is we don't know the details of any potential trades that might be out there, but we do know what Utah and SA got for younger, but lesser players.
Sometimes trades don't happen because they don't exist, regardless of which GM is trying for said trade. There are trade machines for this exact type of discussion. To not attempt to provide a trade that would match the satisfaction and deflect to, “ahh, but thats the GM’s job” is lazy, in my opinion.
Bruh, I wasn’t saying Dame can’t get any value. Who tf says we need to trade Dame for value and hits someone with the “ain’t my job to call GMs and make a trade” when asked if there’s a trade you like. You’re just a fan—WE ALREADY KNOW IT’S NOT YOUR JOB. Why is asking Dame to sit and tank the rest of the season if we suck not better than trading Dame for less than he’s worth? Teams with draft picks and no leader guarantee nothing. I would NOT have been comfortable selecting Sharpe, I believed Dame would have the ability to help Sharpe grow into a special player, I didn’t think Sharpe was going to get selected anywhere in the lotto and thrive. I would understand if your young core is talented enough to compete without Dame. But so far, we have Ant (who I don’t have confidence can lead a team yet) and Sharpe who is still learning. I believe Nas can be a building piece, but most don’t. So what does that leave you if you trade Dame? Certainly not another lotto pick this year. But it’s not like we’ve even asked him to sit yet. But you do you bro.
Couldn't really find any place to put this. Somehow this quote was unsettling for me. Maybe it jarred my sense of fairness. Will Grant someday get tired of making up for Lillard and Simons lack of height, athleticism and defensive energy? “I think he’s added a layer to our team on both ends of the floor,” Lillard told HoopsHype before the Blazers faced the Nets at Barclays Center. “A lot of times, he’s taking the toughest matchup defensively. He’s using his size, length and athleticism to be disruptive and give guys like Anfernee and myself the opportunity to play off the ball and not wear ourselves out on the defensive end of the floor every possession and then have to go score and make plays as much as we do offensively. On offense, he’s been able to score in isolation, transition, hit catch-and-shoot threes, and post up. He’s doing so many different things for us on both ends of the floor. He’s so versatile. It’s made us a much better team having him.” –
That's a good point. I guess you are saying that if Lillard and Simons don't play as many minutes. maybe they can give full effort on both offense AND defense? Or are you saying that if one of them at a time can play with both Grant and Payton, they can give even less effort on D?
you can hide one weak defender so staggering Ant and Dame with Payton and Hart gives you a pt of attack defender which takes pressure off Grant and Nurk
I hear what you area saying. but it seems like Anf and Lillard will always play at least 15 minutes together every night. I just wonder if this is sustainable over the long run? If they can both shoot over 40% on threes, maybe so......
With Dame out of the lineup the defense has gotten way worse. The better question is why are people still blaming the Dame/Ant back court instead of asking why the defense is worse with Winslow starting. Can't blame the poor defense the last 3 games on a small back court.
Also, I think you're misinterpreting that quote. https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/269502/Jerami-Grant-Really-Happy-With-Trail-Blazers
I understand that he's happy right now. But what about once he understands the full implications of that quote: "He’s using his size, length and athleticism to be disruptive and give guys like Anfernee and myself the opportunity to play off the ball and not wear ourselves out on the defensive end of the floor every possession and then have to go score and make plays as much as we do offensively." And how come he is able to use all that energy on defense and still be more efficient offensively than Lillard or Simons? I still don't like the tone of that quote.
