Well Crap.....7th Pick....

[Wizenheimer]

Spoiler:

I don't think anybody here has some hatred for Dame and want him gone, imo he is the best player we have EVER had, it's just there seems to be no way out of the treadmill situation the team is in.

I see it as Dame is our most valuable asset who is getting a little long in the tooth, eats up a lot of salary space and is possibly on the downward trajectory of his career. It's unknown how many more DAME years we have left.

We only seem to succeed going the homegrown route, free agency never seems to work out, nobody wants to come here, So you think well we need more draft capitol, how do we get that? Sure maybe some of the deals could have netted better assets but that's over and done and we are where we are.

How do we dig out of this hole?

At this point he needs to come back and look like Dame from the 2020-2021 season to make his value anywhere near what it once was.

He looked pretty damn bad in the 2021-2022 season and most teams won't be willing to give up much for him right now. So even if you are the biggest fan of a Dame trade, trading him now is likely trading him at his lowest value ever.

yep. As you said, his value right now is the lowest it has ever been. At present, Dame is a soon to be 32 years old 6'2 guard who had a season end due to surgery to correct a chronic injury. That's too many red flags. Ironically, his value to Portland may be at it's highest as he continues to show incredible loyalty and great leadership

here's a reality: Neil Olshey never once tried to build a contender around Dame. Not once. What he did was weld his ego to CJ, weld CJ to Dame, and try to build a contender around Dame/CJ. But it was CJ's usage and CJ's salary and Olshey's blind attachmen to CJ that was the bottleneck in any path to contention.

Here's another reality: Less than ayear ago Dame average 34 & 10 in the playoffs with a PER over 30 and a TS% .660 while leading all playoff performes in winshare/48, OBPM, and BPM. Less than a year ago. The odds are that if Portland traded Dame it might be 20 years before the Blazers build a contender and even more before they find a player that combines the talent and leadership that Lillard has. How many years was it after Clyde Drexler that Portland landed Dame?

I want the Blazers to at least give an honest effort, for a couple of years, to build a contender around Dame before just giving up and saying it's impossible. Yeah, it was impossible as long as Olshey was GM and CJ was around. But that's not the case anymore.

Sure, it's probably a real long shot. But, just 3 years ago Miami was 39-43, Memphis and Dallas were 33-49, Atlanta was 29-53, and Phoenix was 19-63. Look at those teams now

[JasonStern]

Neil Olshey never once tried to build a contender around Dame. Not once.

Dame/Matthews/Batum/Aldridge/Lopez
CJ, Barton, Crabbe, Blake, Kaman, Wright

Pretty solid core. You'd have to be an idiot to mess that up.

The odds are that if Portland traded Dame it might be 20 years before the Blazers build a contender and even more before they find a player that combines the talent and leadership that Lillard has. How many years was it after Clyde Drexler that Portland landed Dame?

I get the point that you are making, but feel the need to put some respect on Brandon Roy's name.

[Wizenheimer]

Neil Olshey never once tried to build a contender around Dame. Not once.

Dame/Matthews/Batum/Aldridge/Lopez
CJ, Barton, Crabbe, Blake, Kaman, Wright

Pretty solid core. You'd have to be an idiot to mess that up.

The odds are that if Portland traded Dame it might be 20 years before the Blazers build a contender and even more before they find a player that combines the talent and leadership that Lillard has. How many years was it after Clyde Drexler that Portland landed Dame?

I get the point that you are making, but feel the need to put some respect on Brandon Roy's name.

if you credit what both Jason Quick and Chris Haynes said, that being that Dame was going to be the pick even before Olshey was hired, then the only guy Olshey added to the starting lineup was Lopez; all the rest were already 'Blazers'. The bench was meh. In fact, the benches for Olshey's first couple of teams were historically bad

as far as Brandon Roy, yeah, he was pretty good but he never made it to being the franchise player because, like it or not, durability is a huge part of the equation. And unlike Dame, Roy had a hard time sharing the ball and usage. If Roy couldn't deal with Andre Miller he would have lost his mind dealing with MeJ

[dunlop212]

My prediction: somebody high on all the boards inexplicably slides to number seven. We either pick him and find out why he slid, or drive everyone on this board crazy by not picking him, and he becomes a big star for another team.

[ebott]

Looking at the list of historical seventh picks it makes me feel like it's not a bad place to be. This is the spot where you draft a role player in the hopes that you get a better pick in the future to draft a potential cornerstone player. If we weren't trying to retool around Dame having the 7th pick wouldn't be such a bummer. Drafting a player in the hopes they might be able to fill a role in a few years doesn't fit into the Dame timeline and that pick doesn't feel like it has much trade value for a player that is on Dame's timeline.

[Catchall]

Would you be interested in Gordon Hayward and #15 from CHA for #7, Bledsoe and some additional salary going out?

Blazers could then keep #15 or offer it in a package for Jerami Grant.

[Dame Lizard]

Would you be interested in Gordon Hayward and #15 from CHA for #7, Bledsoe and some additional salary going out?

Blazers could then keep #15 or offer it in a package for Jerami Grant.

I wouldn't do that personally. It'd have to be #12 at least.

I just don't think Gordon has a huge amount of value given his $30m+ salary.

[Wizenheimer]

Would you be interested in Gordon Hayward and #15 from CHA for #7, Bledsoe and some additional salary going out?

Blazers could then keep #15 or offer it in a package for Jerami Grant.

nope...not a chance

his salary is too high, he's too old, he's bad at defense, and he's way too injury prone to give up a top-10 pick for. Only one season in the last 5 has he played more than 52 games. In fact, over the last 5 seasons he's averaged 43 games. He has significant negative value and he's the type of asset you have to attach value to in order to move him, not bring back high value

depending on how the draft goes there might be a deal where the Blazers send #7 for #13, #15 and a future 2nd or two (big gap in slots between 7 and 13 though)

[Wizenheimer]

probably hoping for 'too much' but I'm wondering if Detroit would send Grant and #5 for #7, the Milwaukee 2025 pick and a future 2nd (or the 36th pick).

Detroit dumps Grant without taking on any salary and they do so by only moving down 2 slots while picking up and extra 1st plus a 2nd

[Norm2953]

The problem with these Charotte deals is that the player drop off from 7-13

[Case2012]

I think the key to moving up in the draft or going all in on a star is getting control of our pick back from Chicago. Trade the Milwaukee to Chicago and our options and flexibility open up dramatically. With our picks back we can potentially move up to grab Murray or trade down with Charlotte and add our own picks to grab guys like Grant and Turner. Then we can sign and trade Simons plus as many picks as we want to Phoenix for Bridges. Personally I think they need to move on from cp3 and Simons gives them the back court of the future with Booker. Cam Johnson can step in full time at the 3 as he's a borderline elite 3/D guy himself. They save money moving cp3 somewhere which makes signing Ayton easier to swallow.

Dame/Hart/Bridges/Grant/Turner is the ideal line up next to Dame, fits in billups style, and would be a top 5 defense.

If we could convince Simons to agree to a sign and trade, what is the defensive wing we could get while attaching picks?

[Case2012]

The problem with these Charotte deals is that the player drop off from 7-13

Since Cronin screwed up getting that second pick, if we trade down we're using those Cha picks in trades for established players.

[soobias]

imo we all speculate on players value and also on what deals we can get.
i think we all have a decent idea what PHILI was going to give up for DAME since they wanted him more than HARDEN.
if we keep DAME and have a avg to poor season, some will say "well no one could foreseen that ".
i like most think DAME is the best blazer we have had as far as all intangibles. that being said in this NBA i've always believed that DAME would have the 2nd best player on a contending team unless we had a really good team that plays a good version of a motion offense and solid defense.

all that being said the team the way it is now with some of the players they want to bring in imo wont be contending in the west in the near future, call me pessimistic all you want then look at those contending teams in the playoffs and ask yourself a honest question " is this team capable of competing with those teams and how far can we go ?"

i also believe in the 80-20 rule so i believe we can get someone or multiple players that can give 80% of his production at 20% of his price.

also i look at a team like MEMPHIS and what they did while MORANT was out and that's the kind of team i get excited about( not a MEMPHIS fan).

i believe deals can be done and moves can be made, i just don't want to hold on to an aging star too long and past any perceived good value.

[Norm2953]

The problem with these Charotte deals is that the player drop off from 7-13

Since Cronin screwed up getting that second pick, if we trade down we're using those Cha picks in trades for established players.

Historically, those trade down deals are usually a mistake for the chances at getting star player are simply better at 7.

I like Wiz's idea of Grant + 5 for 7 and other compensation. Likely Detroit is looking at a SG at 5 who should still be there at 7 and they can pick extra compensation for nothing.

[Blazinaway]

The problem with these Charotte deals is that the player drop off from 7-13

Since Cronin screwed up getting that second pick, if we trade down we're using those Cha picks in trades for established players.

Historically, those trade down deals are usually a mistake for the chances at getting star player are simply better at 7.

I like Wiz's idea of Grant + 5 for 7 and other compensation. Likely Detroit is looking at a SG at 5 who should still be there at 7 and they can pick extra compensation for nothing.

This "other compensation" needs to be defined as they are trading down AND trading Grant. Sounds "easy" but devil is in the details, they are gonna want a good bit and what do have to offer that we would be willing to give up?

[Norm2953]

Likely the other compensation would include Josh Hart going to Detroit along with the Bucks pick
and perhaps 36.

If the draft board works out to be the three bigs and Ivey going 1-4, the Pistons would be looking at
Murray/Sharpe at 5. Unclear if they are that high on Murray but they know Portland would leap on
Murray at 5 with the Pacers likely taking one of Sharpe/Mathurin at 6. With Hart helping fill their
needs at SG, they could go BPA at 7.

Whether its enough for Detroit is another matter but the chances at drafting a star player rise with
the higher pick. Its unlikely Murray is going to be a superstar player and most of us know, trading
for Jerami Grant is not like Paul George is walking through the door. If he were that level of player,
Detroit would simply pay him.

[wjun15]

probably hoping for 'too much' but I'm wondering if Detroit would send Grant and #5 for #7, the Milwaukee 2025 pick and a future 2nd (or the 36th pick).

Detroit dumps Grant without taking on any salary and they do so by only moving down 2 slots while picking up and extra 1st plus a 2nd

this would be a robbery. Detroit is not dumping Grant for a 2025 bucks first and giving up 2 spots.

[wjun15]

the problem with this draft is there's also other teams looking to trade for veteran help that are picking in our range I.e. kings, pelicans

[GEE]

I still can't understand the fixation on Grant... like he's the solution. For the record, I'd much rather just draft Williams from Duke and call it a day, versus using that pick on an expensive veteran role player. I like the idea of trading down if we can still get the big fella later in the draft order, but with the level of talent throughout the top 20, I think other teams may be more hesitant than in previous years. I also worry that Williams may go top 10 with recent hype.

I know drafting Williams does nothing to address our current gaping hole at PF, but I love the idea of having: Nurkic / Williams / Watford / Eubanks. The PF position would be addressed (If it were up to me) by using our biggest remaining asset... Dame. Now that the picking order is set, trade talks should really start heating up with the draft just a month away. I don't know if HOU would want to trade #3, but I would if I was our GM, because Banchero + Williams would be a dream come true.

Dame for Wall/Woods/#3
...cut cj

Simons / Williams / Dunn
Hart / MAC / Keon
Winslow / Little
Banchero / Woods / GB3
Nurkic / Williams / Watford / Eubanks

[wjun15]

I still can't understand the fixation on Grant... like he's the solution. For the record, I'd much rather just draft Williams from Duke and call it a day, versus using that pick on an expensive veteran role player. I like the idea of trading down if we can still get the big fella later in the draft order, but with the level of talent throughout the top 20, I think other teams may be more hesitant than in previous years. I also worry that Williams may go top 10 with recent hype.

I know drafting Williams does nothing to address our current gaping hole at PF, but I love the idea of having: Nurkic / Williams / Watford / Eubanks. The PF position would be addressed (If it were up to me) by using our biggest remaining asset... Dame. Now that the picking order is set, trade talks should really start heating up with the draft just a month away. I don't know if HOU would want to trade #3, but I would if I was our GM, because Banchero + Williams would be a dream come true.

Dame for Wall/Woods/#3
...cut cj

Simons / Williams / Dunn
Hart / MAC / Keon
Winslow / Little
Banchero / Woods / GB3
Nurkic / Williams / Watford / Eubanks

PDX would never send Dame to Houston. Dame would want to go somewhere he can win.
Houston doesnt want a 32 year old Dame. They can get a 35 vet on a min contract if they want some "mentorship"
Winslow starting at the 3? man..everytime i see winslow being overrated by blazer fans...We cant have only 2 players that can shoot the 3 in the starting lineup.