Seriously, for all the moves the Bucks made to make Giannis feel like they were going to put a legit contender around him, when they get into this situation, it's basically him vs. the world. Something Dame and Blazer fans know all about. I think they're two of the best role models in the NBA. It'd be so apropos that they made a run for a ring together in a smaller market ... especially if that market is Portland.
I know they are close, but best friend? I've never read that. Even so, I moved 5000 miles away from my best friend because I had a better opportunity. It was hard to do, but it was the right call. This isn't a high school pickup game. It's not cut-and-dry that just because you are best friends with someone you want to have your career tied to them. Especially if that guy doesn't really complement your own game. Dame knows just how good CJ is, and that he really deserves his own team to be the featured guard. If I were in Dame's shoes, I'd find it pretty easy to approve of a CJ trade even if he were my best friend, provided CJ goes to a destination that CJ likes. The NBA is a business, and nobody gets a de facto no-trade clause just because they are best friends with a franchise player. (Assuming they are best friends, which again I don't know to be the case.)
That's true but CJ no all star he very good on the offense end by scoring that's about it. You can get quality players for CJ to balance out the rotation then I believe this team can make step forward.
Like Giannis, I think Dame deserves to win a championship; so ultimately I wouldn’t fault him if we can’t put a winning team together here and he leaves one day. Could say there are a lot of players who deserved to win a championship and didn’t. Reggie? Malone? Thing is, we should be able to put a team around him here which performs better than we’ve seen. It’s understandable and I wonder how much losing to Denver this year did for some of these guys. They should be disappointed. Plus I can’t really argue… We should have a team contending to be at least in the WCF each year rather than a first round exit. Embarrassing at times, to the point that you wonder if a team which didn’t make the playoffs at all would have given our opponents a tougher series. That Denver series was just a massive disappointment of epic proportions. That’s something everybody needs to be honest about no matter how big of a homer you are. I do figure everybody but Dame is on the block. I have no issues with this. The goal is to build a championship team around our superstar. Do it better…
I remember 1996 as a Broncos fan. They just had a great season, were 13-3, favored to go to the Super Bowl and hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars . Was at the game. They got up early, but mistakes, and taking the upstart Jags lightly, led to a deficit that Elway & Company couldn't overcome. The feeling after the loss was incredible SHOCK. We sat there and just stared at the field till the ushers finally said time to go. As we drove home, we were left to ponder, what now. This was supposed to be our year. Elway's getting older. The Broncos were devastated. In the interviews after the game, Sharpe said it would take years for the franchise to recover from the loss. In the following months, some in local media wrote articles about Elway, saying maybe it was time to retire or leave. I said B.S. The next year the Shanahan & the Broncos staff made some tweaks, and Free Agent signings. Good moves potentially, but nothing earth shaking. Neil Smith, an aging DL from the Chiefs, was probably the biggest move. The Broncos went on to win the Super Bowl in ,not only,'97, but '98 as well. What's the relevance here you ask. The Blazers had high hopes after their finish, and with their matchup with a depleted Nuggets squad, and no other team in the West looking invincible, thought maybe a run could happen. They took the series loss super hard, especially Dame, who gave everything he had to keep his team alive. Now here we are in the offseason, and instead of looking to overcome, and get better, and come back stronger, the air is filled with dire thoughts, and gloom and doom. I still think with some tweaks, and quality player additions, the Blazers can also compete for the prize. Now is not the time to rebuild, it's time to reload, and kick some ass just like that Denver Broncos team did.
Well there few was to build a championship one is FA market or through the draft but your going to have loosing seasons to make that work and to keep Dame that's out of the question. The FA way you got to willing to go way over the salary cap and you got to have willing to play here and so far I don't see that happening anytime soon. The Draft well you can't keep of giving them away either. Now trade way and Dame wants to win here I don't see any other players we have to get that's one superstar to give you a chance. So if Dame wants win championship he probably will have to go to another team to do that.
Disagree. I don't think Portland needs another superstar. But they do need an impact PF, and some really good two way guards off bench like Josh Hart, who is a FA. They also need Nurk to return to being the Beast. That's possible with a New coach riding him hard, and demanding his best. Nurk has to show he's commited this offseason to not only getting in the best shape of his life, but working on his game. Adding a signature shot like a sky hook. With his size, that would be unstoppable.
