2023/2024 NBA THREAD: WHO WANTS TO GO ON PARADE?!?

[BmillsSkier]

Dame's agent apparently contacting teams telling every one not named the Miami Heat that they should not trade for him unless they want a "very unhappy player".

I'm all for player empowerment, but do contracts mean nothing in the NBA anymore? He wants out, Portland is going to help him, but Portland's obligation is to make sure they get as much as possible in return, not guaranteeing his happiness.

[fatnslow]

I can only guess that it's a long game for Cronin...meaning he thinks locking up guys like Grant and Thybulle on these deals means that we will be able to trade them mid-season/mid-contract when playoff bound teams think they need a guy for whatever reason...then the Blazers presumably would get back some nice picks or some younger player(s) with upside? Otherwise I don't see the point in locking up cap space with these guys to be on a team that's destine to finish close to the bottom of the standings.

Only hope as a long time fan is the new team will be athletic as hell and exciting to watch like the young Clippers back in the day. I'm a big time Dame homer and hope he lands where he wants but hope his peeps don't muddy the waters too much. It would be a real shitty way for such a stand up guy to finish his stay in Portland.

[Danno]

Dame's agent apparently contacting teams telling every one not named the Miami Heat that they should not trade for him unless they want a "very unhappy player".

I'm all for player empowerment, but do contracts mean nothing in the NBA anymore? He wants out, Portland is going to help him, but Portland's obligation is to make sure they get as much as possible in return, not guaranteeing his happiness.

Woj kinda made it out to be not a big deal or a bad look: "As interference goes, this is a time-honored agent maneuver to depress offers and clear a path to a predetermined destination."

[Adolf Allerbush]

I would not lump Thybulle and Grant together. For one, Grant is 5/$160M and Thybulle is 3/$33M, vastly different. And Thybulle is quite young and could contribute on the same timeline as their young guys, and $11M isn't locking up a ton of cap space, and is a tradeable contract. Plus, letting an asset walk for nothing is, well, a waste.

Grant's contract, well, that makes no sense to me. I don't see how it's a tradeable asset that would bring back anything, plus you have to match salaries so they would have to take back a bad contract.

Agree. Trying to figure out Cronin is not possible.

[TahoeJ]

Woj kinda made it out to be not a big deal or a bad look: "As interference goes, this is a time-honored agent maneuver to depress offers and clear a path to a predetermined destination."

Yep, this is kind of standard procedure. Won’t be the first time or last by any means.

[The Reverend Floater]

It all sucks but I think GMs gotta know that Dame isn't capable of mailing it in. His agent can say that but you put him on a good team like the Sixers and he's going to play his ass off. He's way too competitive to become a Russ or Harden.

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[TahoeJ]

It’s being dramatized. Perfectly normal for teams interested in a player to want to know if he’ll actually be happy there or not. Some GM got his feelings hurt.

[Adolf Allerbush]

It all sucks but I think GMs gotta know that Dame isn't capable of mailing it in. His agent can say that but you put him on a good team like the Sixers and he's going to play his ass off. He's way too competitive to become a Russ or Harden.

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Exactly. Although I can't really see him going to Utah and being happy even though they're one of the teams that could provide the biggest haul. Brooklyn? Maybe. I bet he'd play his ass off for them...and they'd probably have better luck getting another piece around him. Sixers too, like you point out. I just don't want the Blazers to setting on some dogshit offer from the Heat...I'd rather have him go into the season as a Zer than get 25 or 50 cents on the dollar for him.

[54-46]

It all sucks but I think GMs gotta know that Dame isn't capable of mailing it in. His agent can say that but you put him on a good team like the Sixers and he's going to play his ass off. He's way too competitive to become a Russ or Harden.

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Agree about Dame.

Russ plays hard. It’s just that he can’t shoot and exhibits overconfidence and poor timing with his shooting (in)ability.


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[Danno]

Exactly. Although I can't really see him going to Utah and being happy even though they're one of the teams that could provide the biggest haul. Brooklyn? Maybe. I bet he'd play his ass off for them...and they'd probably have better luck getting another piece around him. Sixers too, like you point out. I just don't want the Blazers to setting on some dogshit offer from the Heat...I'd rather have him go into the season as a Zer than get 25 or 50 cents on the dollar for him.

why not Utah? He went to college there (or do you know something like he hated Utah while he was there?).

[Adolf Allerbush]

why not Utah? He went to college there (or do you know something like he hated Utah while he was there?).

It doesn't really have anything to do with Utah itself, other than size or market and where they're at relative to competing for a championship. East seems easier than the West (no Joker/Den in the way) for example.

ETA: Just listed to the BS Pod...his take on the greatest trailblazers is exactly what I've been thinking. It's #1 Walton, #2 Drexler, #3 Dame...

[riser4]

Air Drexler!!!

[fatnslow]

It doesn't really have anything to do with Utah itself, other than size or market and where they're at relative to competing for a championship. East seems easier than the West (no Joker/Den in the way) for example.

ETA: Just listed to the BS Pod...his take on the greatest trailblazers is exactly what I've been thinking. It's #1 Walton, #2 Drexler, #3 Dame...

Objectively that list is probably right but subjectively Dame could very easily be #1 for being a better leader, team mate and ambassador of the team than the other 2. It isn't his fault he had Neil Olshey during his prime that loved his choices better than trying to get better. People forget how short Walton was here and how loaded of a team the team was around Clyde. Porter, Buck , Kersey and even Duckworth were all legit. All Dame had was CJ, basically a lesser version of himself and nobody else during his tenure. Never bitched(until now) where Clyde whined from the beginning and was known for his laziness. Stories of Clyde showing up 20 minutes before games was legendary .
Sorry, time to take my Dame homer hat off......

[PB]

WHAT?!?!? No outrage at the Brittany beat down???

[BobMc]

She’s still waiting for an apology for tapping him on the back.

First half observations…. Dude is pretty long, he blocked a Miller three point attempt nobody else would’ve got. He likes to put it on the floor, that length can be a detriment at times, shorter guys have stripped the ball from him a few times. The length also allows him to make some pretty nice passes, he can thread a needle easier when his arms are that long. He’s got a pretty good vision and sees his teammates well.

He’s going to be pretty good.

[The Reverend Floater]

It doesn't really have anything to do with Utah itself, other than size or market and where they're at relative to competing for a championship. East seems easier than the West (no Joker/Den in the way) for example.

ETA: Just listed to the BS Pod...his take on the greatest trailblazers is exactly what I've been thinking. It's #1 Walton, #2 Drexler, #3 Dame...

Putting Walton ahead of Clyde or Dame is CRIMINAL.

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[plugboots]

Hmmmmmmm, Walton got them a championship.
Edit: Mrs. Plug said “Whadya mean?”
I explained about picking the greatest Blazer. She said: “Pétur Karl Guðmundsson”
(He’s a family friend.)

[mcski]

Putting Walton ahead of Clyde or Dame is CRIMINAL.

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Walton’s career there was limited due to injury but he be way ahead of either of them before his feet flopped. And ya, he brought a ring back and they didn’t. Kinda a big deal

[The Reverend Floater]

Walton was PART of a championship team that was pretty loaded. Yes, he was the best player but I'd argue that he wasn't the best player to ever wear a Blazer uniform. I'd say Clyde, Dame, Roy and Pippen were better players.

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[plugboots]

Well, it’s a team game.

[BobMc]

Watched the Pistons and Magic this afternoon. The Pistons played a lot of their rostered players, Ivey, Wiseman, and Duren got a lot of minutes. Wiseman looked pretty good, definitely seemed interested in playing the game. The rookies looked ready to play, Sasser handled the ball a lot and made some shots. Thompson was aggressive and looks like he’ll be a good defender, he moves his feet well and stays in front of his man.

Hoping for the play in, but knowing they’ll crush my soul and I’ll watch loss after loss this season.

[stalefish3169]

This looks dope!

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/20...source=twitter

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[fatnslow]

Walton was PART of a championship team that was pretty loaded. Yes, he was the best player but I'd argue that he wasn't the best player to ever wear a Blazer uniform. I'd say Clyde, Dame, Roy and Pippen were better players.

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Roy was a freak but his career was even shorter than Walton's and they never won shit with him. Bill Walton was pretty awesome in his healthy days leading a NOT so loaded team to the playoffs. Outside Maurice Lucas that championship team was full of slightly above journeyman players. Clyde's team on the other hand was built to win but Detroit in their prime and this guy they passed in made sure that second ring will have to wait.
Blazer's training staff fucked Walton when they kept sending him back out with a fucked up foot.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Peak Walton was better than all those guys. He's the only one of them who ever had a legit claim on being the best player in the league. But peak Walton was less than 200 games.

[The Reverend Floater]

Fine.

But I reserve the right to continue hating him.

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