RealGM

The Portland Trail Blazers moved up to the third pick in the draft. Portland GM Joe Cronin indicated the team's goal is to still build a winner around Damian Lillard. That could have the Blazers in the market to trade that pick.

In addition, Portland may reach out to renegotiate the protections on a pick that they owe to the Chicago Bulls. That pick is lottery-protected through 2028. That hampers the Trail Blazers ability to trade future picks, because they could still have that original pick to convey to Chicago.

In recent years, the Miami Heat renegotiated protections on a pick they owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Miami loosened protections and delivered an early pick to Oklahoma City, in order to free up a later pick. Portland could do the same, or could send Chicago additional draft compensation or a player, in order to change the protections on the future pick they owe them.

Via Zach Lowe/ESPN

"...goal is to still build a winner around Damian Lillard. That could have the Blazers in the market to trade that pick." Tell me you want to get fired without telling me you want to get fired.

MitchB3 wrote:"...goal is to still build a winner around Damian Lillard. That could have the Blazers in the market to trade that pick." Tell me you want to get fired without telling me you want to get fired.

This seems like kinda the opposite--the ownership is telling the GM to win now with Dame, and he has to make bad/short-sighted moves to keep his job.

HotelVitale wrote:

MitchB3 wrote:"...goal is to still build a winner around Damian Lillard. That could have the Blazers in the market to trade that pick." Tell me you want to get fired without telling me you want to get fired.

This seems like kinda the opposite--the ownership is telling the GM to win now with Dame, and he has to make bad/short-sighted moves to keep his job.

Dame time in Portland has gone, it's time to embrace rebuilding.

MitchB3 wrote:

HotelVitale wrote:

MitchB3 wrote:"...goal is to still build a winner around Damian Lillard. That could have the Blazers in the market to trade that pick." Tell me you want to get fired without telling me you want to get fired.

This seems like kinda the opposite--the ownership is telling the GM to win now with Dame, and he has to make bad/short-sighted moves to keep his job.

Dame time in Portland has gone, it's time to embrace rebuilding.

Yes, but insisting on that might be a much quicker way to getting fired.

HotelVitale wrote:

MitchB3 wrote:

HotelVitale wrote:
This seems like kinda the opposite--the ownership is telling the GM to win now with Dame, and he has to make bad/short-sighted moves to keep his job.

Dame time in Portland has gone, it's time to embrace rebuilding.

Yes, but insisting on that might be a much quicker way to getting fired.

Nobody is willing to go to Portland, unless a player is getting overpaid. This desire of trying to package Simons and the 3rd pick makes no sense for what they want in return. They are not getting an "elite" SF or whatever