The “haul” of picks isn’t what we are talking about. We are talking the actual results. Not potential results. But actual results. It is “very” rare for the draft to end up “chalk” where the best players are picked in the correct order. Which is why trading for a bunch of picks rarely works. Because getting those picks right is HARD. Of course with hindsight it’s easy to say “Oh yeah they shouldn’t have drafted that guy, they should’ve drafted that guy instead”…
I would say the measurable is this: Is your franchise in a better place than it was 2-3 years following the trade? How much longer does it take for a team to reach a “new” level of potential on average? 5 years? 10 years? That’s another thing with having a billion picks as a return. My kid’s kids will be finishing college by the team all the picks convey (obvious hyperbole) but you’re often looking at a pretty long time horizon.
Sadly, the actual results on the court have taken us to the place where we finished as a sub .500 team 3 of the last 4 years, and are now inline for our second lottery pick in a row.
Also, you have to look at which of those picks actually convert to worthwhile players. Is it the pick they received in the trade? Or is it the pick they received for sucking?
Ok, that has literally nothing to do with what I originally stated. I never said don’t trade Dame. I said don’t trade Dame for picks because it hardly ever works out.
In a draft like this would you trade Lillard for a #1 pick? Straight swap. Lets take the Magic for instance? They obviously have Banchero or even the Thunder with Chet? If either of those teams were to get lucky and get the number one pick? Now i understand the Thunder might make the playoffs. But would they be interested in Lillard with their roster as opposed to adding Wemby? If they ended up in the Lottery it could happen? I would assume the Rockets and Spurs would not do that deal. I don't think the Pistons would either? Who would be willing to make that phone call depending on who gets that pick to see if they would take Lillard for what a bunch of people are calling a "Generational Talent"? Now if it's me i would not be willing to trade Lillard. My reasoning is way too many #1 picks don't work out. I have always been in the "You don't trade proven for unproven" class but this year might make a few of those people question their stance?
Picks are also something you can repackage and trade. Their fungibility is sort of the point—their value isn’t just in the ability to draft a player.
The issue with this is, if you’re a tanking team, you’re not going to trade those picks for mediocre upgrades - which is what those picks would fetch. And an elite player isn’t going to request a trade to a rebuilding team. So if you trade Dame for picks, pretty much the only value they have is for drafting players. Especially considering most of those picks are likely to be mid-late first rounders, especially in the beginning stages of conveying. Like I said in the beginning, trading a star for a bunch of picks almost never works out. I’m not even sure it ever has. Now if it becomes a 3 way type trade where Portland redirects those picks for players, fine. But not interested in picks.
Yeah, I'm not interested in trading Dame regardless of the return. If it was a great return like a young all star, a couple future firsts that wouldn't be very early picks and let's say expiring contracts or role players with reasonable contracts it would still be painful. I think that those fans of our team who don't think we can make moves that give us a reasonable shot at winning a title with Dame have limited imaginations and I'm not talking about the fantastic part of their imagination, I'm talking about the realistic part. If someone doesn't think there are scenarios where we can win big with Dame, I actually think they are being unrealistic.
thread in /nba on reddit around the possibility re Dame being shut down for the rest of the regular season always interesting to read other fans comments around the team
A team I’d love to see be interested in Dame if he wanted out would be NOP. They got a ton of young talent and the remaining 1sts from the Lakers. From a talent standpoint, they could get rid of a lot and still have a competitive team to put around Dame with. I think a package of Ingram Murphy or Jones Daniels + 3-4 1sts That would be enough for me to stomach parting ways with Dame if he wanted out. If keeping our lotto pick leads to him wanting out, I’d still lean towards keeping the pick.
Toronto has 3 upcoming Free Agents from their rotation... VanVleet, Poeltl & Gary Trent Jr. There is lots of smoke that Fred wants out, if so they'd certainly have need of a PG https://raptorsrapture.com/2023/01/27/fred-vanvleet-eyeing-huge-free-agency-payday-latest-move/ STOMP
I am SO SO tired of seeing Dame trade idea's when this will prolly not happen at least this offseason cause sounds like he is willing to try again but my gut and that means jack BEEP but my gut tells me this offseason is the Blazers last chance to do something that shows some dedication to trying to win not just lip service. If the Blazers DO not come through this offseason and the results are not seen next season then I would not be surprised at all to see Dame do a 180 and ask out I hope I am wrong but a feeling I am getting. -- of course might be heartburn or gas -- LOL
