pick a strategy - What do you think we should do? What will we do?

[Village Idiot]

Dame has really painted Cronin into a corner by demanding a win-now team. Lillard also publicly wants to retain Billups which seems to countermand that demand.

So the question is simple.

What strategy would you like to see us do this summer?
and then
What strategy do you expect us to follow this summer?

[DusterBuster]

I suspect barring lottery luck, this ends with Dame a being traded. 10% lottery luck, 30% big trade, 60% strike out and parting ways with Dame is how I have it balanced.

In that 60%, I suspect the Blazers will be frozen out of a majorly impactful moves, with asking prices being astronomical for even relatively lower level all star type players. So in the end they just use the pick and go young. I suspect then Dame asks out and likely ends up in Brooklyn (to the dismay of many Knick fans) to team up with a player he’s been very publicly interested in playing with, Bridges. Likely the Blazers getting all the draft capital the Nets just got from the Suns. Also in this scenario, depending on timing, I can see then Chauncey leaving for the opportunity in Detroit.

[red_power]

1.Try to get Dame some backup if they manage to get it for a reasonable price.
2. Make a U-turn and unload Dame for the best package available if FO fails to accomplish the first task.

I think option #2 becomes an increasingly likely outcome if Blazers get lucky in a lottery and manage to get an all-star caliber prospect in the draft. And it becomes especially likely if we land Scoot and not Wemby.

Personally, I will be quite surprised to see Dame playing on this team beyond the 2024 trade deadline. Assembling a team for a one-and-done run is a very risky scenario that requires a lot of ambition, ego and guts to do that from the ownership in the first place. And there is no guarantee you won't end up sitting on a pile of rubble in a year or two ("Hello, Brooklyn!" Jay-Z feat. Lil Wayne)
I don't think any of those traits can be applied to Jody Allen. The management and ownership might be very tempted to play it safe, decide to unload long-term commitments instead of taking ones on the books and eventually make the team ready for a sale.

[The Sebastian Express]

I picked I expect us to try to win now.

Unless that picks land number one (or number two and Scoot just blows everyone away), I fully anticipate the pick plus Simons being traded. I could see Sharpe being traded if we get a big haul.

But I think, and especially with two major east teams already on the questionable side of 'keep it or blow it up?' having trouble right now, I think we'll try to make an all in-move.

[Norm2953]

This all depends on when you wish to begin the rebuild for lets say they do the all in move. I'm
still skeptical the all in move team makes it past the first round of the playoffs for Giannis is
not walking through the door in any all in move.

If Portland somehow wins the lottery, Victor like most 19 year olds is going to need some time
and there is nobody to play the Maurice Lucas role in protecting Victor from being brutalized by
the various PF's who want to test the new phenom.

I think in the end the all in move is impossible for Chicago who owns the keys to future picks is
going to demand a huge reward for releasing their lock to the picks.

I'm in agreement in the end, Portland will send Dame to one of the teams he has wishes to go to.
It will be an underwhelming package of future picks from one of the Nets/Knicks. Hopefully the
player they get to make the trade legal will be a player that will help Portland

[JRoy]

Blow it up

[PDXKnight]

Are we gonna win a title no matter how hard we want to get 1 or 2 superstars around Dame? No and I'm not gonna lose an asset like sharpe who may be a once in a decade sort of prospect for og or the like. It's embeiid maybe jaylen or butler but definitely not anything short of an all star to give up Sharpe and picks and whatever else. Teams know our direction before our fo does unfortunately. Teams like the Blazers currently seldom turn around without the major shake up, I love Dame and he should be retired here one day but I think the best move for everyone is to move on. Maybe one final year we can sign him when he's close to retirement I sure hope he can retire here and hit 20,000 pts but currently with his huge contract and where our team sits the best move is to hopefully get young talent and build around cheap contracts so we can be in tbe best position to contend in a few years

I hope Dame demands out before we resign jerami to stupid money thus saving us a long term bullet

[dunlop212]

I don't know how you answer this question without knowing how the lottery is going to come out. I voted no opinion.

[GEE]

Cronin hit a homerun with Sharpe and there's no way he gets traded... Simons either. They ARE the future and I think it's time to, considering Dame's latest stunt and how marketable Sharpe and Simons can be as potential All-Stars as early as next season... Move on.

Totally agree with DB's take, and I too think BKN is the best spot for both teams and Dame. Simmons, Claxton, Dinwiddie and Draftpicks works for me if they take Nurkic too. I would be so glad to just move on... or off "The treadmill".

Why for BKN: Dame gets traded to the only team I can think of, where he will remain an Alpha, plus will still be competitive post-trade, and he gets to play with his buddy. Dangerous for his rap game though. The franchise gains... Dame, and all his glory and positive marketability for the Nets; A cash-cow that will definitely make their team better as well.

Why for us: Time to pull the plug, and the addition of Simmons, Clax and Dinwiddie would greatly balance out our current mess of a roster with some really solid talent and picks, while also retaining our current load of picks. Better this than what Dame's asking for IMO, but the time is now to decide a direction.

Funny thing is, as we teader on the fence, I think Cronin has briliantly set us up to become really good whether Dame stays or goes, but it's really up to Dame to decide if he can wait for this current cake to bake or not. And surely he must have known, prior to signing his extention, the direction that Cronin and Chauncey planned to take this team, so Dame essentially signed up for this process of re-tooling, or whatever you want to call it.

I expect heavy action on the part of Cronin this summer, but I'd be shocked if we trade youth or picks to appease Dame. I would much rather add to Sharpe and Simons, than I would add to Dame. Chicago, I think will end up with the NYK pick plus a future second, and I doubt it will become an issue or hinderance.

In the end I think it's Dame's free will, to decide whether or not he wants to be a part of what's being built, or go chase one on another team. It's his choice, but I honestly think Dame is bluffing about 90% because if it isn't BKN, he'll go to a team where he's not the Alpha-Dog... he'll be second fiddle, plus just picking up stakes and moving to an entirely diferent scene is difficult and a bit scary with the amount of change and adjustment involved for his family. Not easy.

[DusterBuster]

Cronin hit a homerun with Sharpe and there's no way he gets traded... Simons either. They ARE the future and I think it's time to, considering Dame's latest stunt and how marketable Sharpe and Simons can be as potential All-Stars as early as next season... Move on.

Totally agree with DB's take, and I too think BKN is the best spot for both teams and Dame. Simmons, Claxton, Dinwiddie and Draftpicks works for me if they take Nurkic too. I would be so glad to just move on... or off "The treadmill".

Why for BKN: Dame gets traded to the only team I can think of, where he will remain an Alpha, plus will still be competitive post-trade, and he gets to play with his buddy. Dangerous for his rap game though. The franchise gains... Dame, and all his glory and positive marketability for the Nets; A cash-cow that will definitely make their team better as well.

Why for us: Time to pull the plug, and the addition of Simmons, Clax and Dinwiddie would greatly balance out our current mess of a roster with some really solid talent and picks, while also retaining our current load of picks. Better this than what Dame's asking for IMO, but the time is now to decide a direction.

Funny thing is, as we teader on the fence, I think Cronin has briliantly set us up to become really good whether Dame stays or goes, but it's really up to Dame to decide if he can wait for this current cake to bake or not. And surely he must have known, prior to signing his extention, the direction that Cronin and Chauncey planned to take this team, so Dame essentially signed up for this process of re-tooling, or whatever you want to call it.

I expect heavy action on the part of Cronin this summer, but I'd be shocked if we trade youth or picks to appease Dame. I would much rather add to Sharpe and Simons, than I would add to Dame. Chicago, I think will end up with the NYK pick plus a future second, and I doubt it will become an issue or hinderance.

In the end I think it's Dame's free will, to decide whether or not he wants to be a part of what's being built, or go chase one on another team. It's his choice, but I honestly think Dame is bluffing about 90% because if it isn't BKN, he'll go to a team where he's not the Alpha-Dog... he'll be second fiddle, plus just picking up stakes and moving to an entirely diferent scene is difficult and a bit scary with the amount of change and adjustment involved for his family. Not easy.

You lost me at the Blazers taking Simmons. If they can find a 3rd to reroute him too, then sure. But I don’t want that dude anywhere near the PNW.

Also, when you say Cronin hit a home run with Sharpe, I think you mean his assistant GM Schmitz hit a home run with Sharpe. Genuinely don’t think Cronin had much to do with the pick, his draft guru Assistant GM has Sharpe pegged as a sneaker pick in the draft before the Blazers even hired him.

I’m not convinced Cronin is a good GM yet. Something that I heard in the exit interviews which makes me think Dame is going to ask out is that he’s been clear he’s not here for the learning / rebuilding phases where guys need a few years to understand and learn the game. Guess what all the players and GM said about the coach… he’s young and learning still. Guess what the GM said … ABOUT HIMSELF! … “I’m new to this job and still learning”.

If your coach and GM, two of the most important roles in building a team are openly still learning, how are they supposed to construct that also doesn’t need a few years to “learn the game”?

[valleyman33]

Every team with a great star there eventually comes a time to break it up. I don't think there will be a better time to trade Dame to a contender. Although I would hate to see the greatest Blazer of all time go, I believe we should go the way of a couple of teams like OKC, they have a bunch of young talent and a load of draft picks. If Portland can do something like that we owe it to the future, and we owe it to Dame for him to not languish through another bad season. We need to build around youth, strategic trades and try to get lucky with draft picks. Way to many times I have seen other teams try for win-now scenarios that are just mortgaging the future. Will we suck for a couple of years, probably, but we already kinda suck so why not go for the future.

[Dzon Dilindzer]

trade dame lillard to philly for tyrese maxey + a lot of picks (we would need to take on harris contract that expires in 2024)

maxey is a really, really good player and hes only 22 yeard old, theres room for improvement, so we could build around sharpe & maxey and we have this years pick, hopefully we get lucky in the lottery and hopefully we pick the right player

let simons ball out next season and build his value, then trade him (maxey is two years younger and better anyway), but there is possibility that we go forward with maxey-simons backcourt and sharpe on the wing + whoever we pick this year

tank for a season or two, not more and you can quickly rebuild your team and set it up for the future and as much as i love dame lillard, its time to part ways, were not gonna win chip for sure and we need to think about the future

[BlazersBroncos]

I like alot about Maxey, but I worry that he isnt enough of a PG.

If we snag a Thompson twin or even Anthony Black with our FRP (Point-forward types) - I think Maxey could work. But it still would be pretty unconventional and there is no guarantee any of those guys pan out.

I would much rather find a way to get Barnes. I would also try to ship Harris to MIA for Robinson and their FRP or Jovic.

[Dzon Dilindzer]

im not much worried about that, simons, sharpe, maxey, none of them are true point guard, but all can become combo guards

to me, getting maxey makes too much sense and when lottery ends, were gonna know what pick we have, so you can figure out what to do with simons, trade him on the draft night or keep him for a season to build his value and then trade him or keep him and build the team around him, sharpe, maxey + our pick if hes a good one

[JRoy]

Hopefully we can rebuild without shrimpy one way guys.

[BlazersBroncos]

Hopefully we can rebuild without shrimpy one way guys.

Agreed. Give me a true PG regardless of size (Garland type, but thats a dream) or size (Barnes, also likely a dream).

[Joshumitsu]

Siakam is the 'ideal' realistic choice, considering the Raptors are signalling a change, as well.

Ant+pick+Little seems to be what will get the job done.

That said, nothing has changed all that much even if the Blazers acquire Siakam. It still all hinges on Nurkic being healthy. Without Nurk's interior defense, garbage points, and rebounding, Portland has struggled. Last several championship teams have had a quality center, as well, so it's not like small ball is the way to go.

Imo, retool. Dame may be upset but retool and add depth and talent to this current roster. With Dame, Grant, Nurk providing depth in the future, Simons+Sharpe+2023 pick will begin to take over. We can draft a center, as well.

If Dame doesn't like that, a rebuild is much safer than hinging it all on Nurkic.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Siakam is the 'ideal' realistic choice, considering the Raptors are signalling a change, as well.

Ant+pick+Little seems to be what will get the job done.

That said, nothing has changed all that much even if the Blazers acquire Siakam. It still all hinges on Nurkic being healthy. Without Nurk's interior defense, garbage points, and rebounding, Portland has struggled. Last several championship teams have had a quality center, as well, so it's not like small ball is the way to go.

Imo, retool. Dame may be upset but retool and add depth and talent to this current roster. With Dame, Grant, Nurk providing depth in the future, Simons+Sharpe+2023 pick will begin to take over. We can draft a center, as well.

If Dame doesn't like that, a rebuild is much safer than hinging it all on Nurkic.

Nurkic has to go regardless of which path the Blazers take.

[Joshumitsu]

I can't see Nurkic being worth anything to anybody...except a downgrade so that Portland can tank. He's pretty much stuck in Portland.

[Norm2953]

I think this all ends with Dame going to Brooklyn for draft picks Brooklyn got for KD +
players to match salaries. Hopefully Portland can avoid taking on Ben Simmons in the
deal.

Brooklyn has tons of SF's to offer up in trade, so Brooklyn offers up Portland's choice of
one of them (no Bridges) + Spencer Dinwiddie + picks and it gets done.