We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

The thing is, is OG or even Siakam for #3 + change "Portland getting screwed"?

Some might say yes.

Some might say no.

But it's obviously the right move if you want to win now.

Something that our GM admitted in his postseason presser, saying "We're going to have to take a risk and not worry about what the player we could've drafted ends up as" or something like that.

In my opinion, to move the #3 pick, it's gotta be a clear winner. If it's an "eh" or "meh". we technically aren't getting screwed, but I'd say we are.

And that's what I worry about with Dame. If there is a "toss up" trade, how's he gonna feel?

I'm leaning towards not good.

 

He's not my favorite option either, but, he's probably the most attainable out of all the pie-in-the-sky options we've been presented

 

nope to Siakam.

 

Win what now? Is the goal to win a championship, the conference, or just more than they lose? The Blazers need to come up with a clearly defined goal and a plan to achieve it.

Partially with that in mind, I don't think the "OG or even Siakam for #3 + change " is obviously the right move to win now. It's taking a step toward an immediately better record. However, I, personally, don't think that's what Dame wants and I hope it's not what the organization wants because we've seen a number of these quick fixes do nothing but jack up a decaying roster in the short terms but leading to a more precipitous fall not long after (Powell, RoCo, Nance). Anunoby, IMO, is almost that exact same kind of move. Siakam and filler for 3 and filler? Maybe I could be sold on that.

However, if the Raptors wanted all kinds of other stuff with 7 just for OG last year, I can't imagine they're going to be very cooperative in dealing either Siakam or OG for 3.

Anyway, it boils down to this: Teams win because they have talent. Then there's fit/chemistry and then there's coaching. Talent will always, always give a team a big head start if it has aspirations of contending.

One would hope Dame would realize that his preference might also require someone to make chicken salad out of chicken ####, that he'd see the results of largely meh moves the past couple of years, look at himself and know that he's likely got several years of tread in his tires and say "If we can't get a slam dunk of a trade for the 3, give me the best player we can draft and let's work for a 2-3 year window toward getting this done the right way, the smart way instead of the desperate way of throwing darts at the wall." Understand that pressuring the team to make some kind of move with the 3 for an established player hasn't made it easier for the team to give you what you want, too, and it actually might push you farther from your target.

Hopefully, Dame understands that. It's common sense, and, while I don't know him personally, he generally comes off as pretty sensible. However, if he's saying he's been patient with the Blazers making him a winner in Portland (a goal one would think the organization itself shares purely for itself) and he wants to see results NOW because Olshey's moves didn't work, I think he's being unreasonable and going to ultimately be disappointed in a number of ways.

 

Just a couple of thoughts;

So much talk of Dame and Cronin talking all of the time, presumably about potential trades. Is Cronin talking to Dame about the offers he is getting FOR Dame? Would be interesting.

Personally, I do not think Portland will draft Scoot if he is there at 3 AND they plan for Dame staying in Portland. I believe they can easily trade down with Houston or Orlando for their pick(s) and additional capital and do quite well.

 

That would be so dumb. If you have the possibility to draft Scoot, you go for it no matter what and figure out the rest later

 

Yeah I tend to think the same, even if the Blazers draft Scoot or something, I expect Dame will wait in case Embiid or a star does become available as all free agency is still in motion. The Blazers could possibly trade with them in early July. So that pushes Dame trade requests until the middle of July or later.

Only hick up or thing that might accelerate this is Grant wanting to resign or leaving depending on Dame. Or the Blazers wanting Dame situation resolved before opening the bank to Grant.

 

IF we trade Dame we either let Grant walk or S&T him right? I wonder what compensation we could get?

 

Raptor fans….

This Siakam/OG stuff is worse than last year when Detroit fans convinced themselves Grant was worth the Sharpe pick.

 

I guess I should have added that I think Taylor Hendricks could be the steal of the draft in the same regard Dame was the steal of his draft. Dame I believe only had one D1 offer. He worked his ass off and climbed the player rankings board. Hendricks is doing the same. He wasn't even in the top 50 of his draft class and now is top 10. He is long, shoots great, rebounds and can defend. But he works, a lot. At this point he won't be in the mix at 3. I think he can be had at 5, hence trade with Houston and keep Dame. Getting 6, 11 from Orlando is ideal also. At six Hendricks would be my target and really the only other player in the top 10 that intrigues me.

 

Scoot is a very different guard compared to Simons or McCollum. Scoot can pass the ball at a high level. Scoot also pushes the ball down the court. Simons and McCollum didn’t/don’t do that. Scoot will make Sharpe a better player than if he’s playing with Lillard or Simons because of those two traits.

 

read this thread if you wanna laugh https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2291843

 

I'm not against Scoot at all. If we keep 3 I am all in on he or Miller there. My post above was if we keep Dame and Scoot is available. I don't think Joe has the marbles to draft Dame's replacement with Dame still on the team. I could be wrong. It would certainly be a great conversation here on S2.

 

No, you send out your best player for Ingram. You take a chance on Zion because we can afford to do that.

 

I think, based on what Damian has said, he wants to be on a team that isn’t fighting for its life to make the playoffs.

And it certainly does sound like he wants players that can immediately help towards that goal.

My post was made with that in mind. If I’m wrong about Dame’s hopes, so be it, but he made it pretty clear he wants to at least be in the playoffs.

I’m not in favor of those trades by the way, and I certainly hope the Blazers aren’t either, but that’s why I say it’s tricky. If Dame “wants to make the playoffs as soon as possible” then Siakam and OG are, imo, much more likely to help attain that goal than whoever we draft at 3. But like I said, to me that’s the Blazers getting “fleeced”.

The rest of what you said I agree with, but I’d still caution that what is a slam dunk of a trade to Dame? Is it Siakam?

To me, that’s not even close to a slam dunk of a trade.

You said you’d consider it.

So, I ask…

What if Dame thinks Siakam is a “slam dunk” of a trade and the Blazers don’t?

How will he feel if he knows we could’ve had Siakam but chose to draft at 3 instead?

 

I’ve been very vocal that I’m against trading this pick unless it’s Giannis/Embiid/some sort of other overwhelming offer.

I was just saying OG is pretty clearly available so I think that excites some people.

 

How is Scoot Dame’s replacement? Scoot would be a far better backcourt mate than CJ or Simons. Scoot does a lot what Dame doesn’t do and vice-versa.
I don’t understand this kind of thinking. Was Donovan Mitchell Darius Garland’s replacement?