Ant + lotto pick + future picks should absolutely get you a difference maker. Are people already laying the groundwork to let Cronin off the hook? We don't have to be the odds on favorite to win next season but we do need to add a significant piece that moves the needle. This package should absolutely do it. Then you fill in the rest of the roster with guys you know can bring grit and play right away. I'm still looking at Siakam.
I don't want to trade the lotto pick or future picks. 2-3 years of getting eliminated in the 2nd round isn't worth giving up the future. Look at how attached fans already are to Shaedon. We should want more of that. If we're not going to be contenders (we're not) at least let the fans have hope.
Barring us drafting Wembenyama, I really think at this point it's in our best interest to trade Dame for 3/4/5 (possibly all 3, if we get lucky with draft picks/young studs) of the future. It's in Dame's interest too. There's a reason almost nobody stays on the same team throughout their careers anymore. At some point it's in the interest of either player or team (or in our case both) to move on. Just look what the Jazz got for Gobert--we'd get an absolute haul for Dame. Not just because he's an absolute stud, but he's insanely marketable. Anyone trading for him is going to sell a crazy amount of jerseys and ad revenue. Dame is still my all-time favorite Blazer, and I'll always love him, but he's worth more wins to us in the long-term on somebody else's team. And he deserves to contend, not languish on a fringe playoff team (best case scenario). Ant + Sharpe is an awesome nucleus to build around (along with the amazing haul we'll get for Dame). As long as we don't build around even more guards after them.
Ok, let's do this thought exercise. Let's say for some reason all parties agree to do this. I have no clue why Toronto would want Simons, but ok. Ant + Lotto pick + Future picks + cap filler for Siakam. Let's just assume we get the 7th pick. Dame Sharpe Siakam Grant Nurk Does that look like a LEGIT "contender"? I could squint and see it if Sharpe makes a METEORIC rise in year 2 and other teams get hammered by injuries. But then Nurk is likely to miss a huge portion of the season due to injuries. Our bench is awful. So I go back to... Is it really worth mortgaging our future for being a treadmill team? Because from what I can see, I'm only interested in mortgaging the future if we become a legit contender, and I honestly don't know if there is a pathway to do that. You could probably add BOTH Siakam and Mikal Bridges and I'd still question if that's enough to overcome a team like the Bucks, given what we'd have to give up to add both of them. If we somehow get the #1 pick, this is also essentially a non-starter. NO way can you trade the #1 pick.
My two cents; Until PDX becomes a free agent destination (We know it never will be), you must build through the draft. Why did we hire the draft Wiz if we are going to trade his picks for an aging vet, a disgruntled vet, etc..? We have to catch lightning in a bottle like we did Dame. Where are we repeating the catching lightning in the bottle at? In the damn draft! Let's let the draft Wiz do his thing. We tanked our asses off for the lottery pick last season. That was the end game last season, and Shaedon Sharpe appears to be a special player. Job well done. Again, we tanked our asses off to end this season for a high lottery pick. Now we have a shot at another, especially if we get top three. Play this out. Let the draft Wiz do his thing. Switching to Dame, if he doesn't like the direction, sure, trade him. What else can be said? He has made ridiculous money, been compensated to the max at every opportunity. Great for him. But the NBA is a business. The dynamics of being Portland, Oregon are very limiting. If he can't run with that, so be it. But I would love my point guard trusting his teammates. Getting the ball to them in spots they can excel. I don't want my point guard thinking he has to put up 50 points to have a shot at winning. I would love 15-25 points, 10 assists and a few boards with decent defense. In 2-3 seasons, Dame will be a better point guard because he will be older and most likely unable to put up 50. He will be more of a CP3 type player. That is what is needed when Sharpe and whomever we draft this season are getting into their window. Just two cents though.
I think we need to see where we're picking and who's available. Certainly not many players are going to be on the level of Shaedon Sharpe. Our goal should be to get way better in the immediate. I wouldn't trade the #2 or #3 pick for OG. That ain't gonna get it done. But Bridges, Siakam, Embiid, etc.
question; if we get the 2nd Pick, would you trade Dame and draft Scoot Henderson and build around Sharpe/Henderson?
Pre draft last year I mentioned that Dame didn’t want to bring in more rookies. Wanted immediate help. Looks he finally said something last night. I strongly believe and don’t think I’m going out on a ledge here…. Dame/Ant/Sharpe/Lottery Pick…… of those 4, only 2 will be here opening night.
I didn't say we aren't contending because of him. I'm saying that our team sucks, so it's pretty much impossible to build a team with what assets we have available to build a contender around him. Thus, the most logical decision is to trade him to recoup some level of assets in order to build a contender around a player with a longer time horizon, particularly if you can get proven players in return for Dame.
@THE HCP I kind of thought that @BankTeller was referring to Dorian Finney-Smith who is in fact a defense first specialist but I guess only he could let us know what he was saying.
See, what an interesting thing to type assuming people know what that is. Hope he/she lets us know. I’ll be honest and hope we trade for TSK, PW or LJG. Now THAT would be sweet.
Marang said last night that there are two players that are needle movers that would welcome coming to Portland (referring to Dame's comments), and he also retweeted this. So I'm assuming Jaylen is one of those. Ant + Pick 5 + Nas. Dame/Shaedon/Jaylen/Jerami/Nurk is a sick lineup.
