“Lillard has grown frustrated with the team’s play and tension appears to be on the rise between the players & Billups”

[Dzon Dilindzer]

[DusterBuster]

Read on Twitter

[DusterBuster]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

[magee]

The sooner they try and build that team a la AI Sixers with defense all around him, the better they'll be positioning Lillard for the playoffs since he can take over games. Him not being healthy hasn't helped much, either. That all being said, it's looking like a full-blown reset is coming.

[JShuttlesworth]

Whether or not Dame wants out, at some point Portland needs to rebuild and start over.

Dame has been loyal, he has played his heart out, but this team is going to continue to struggle to get out of the first round.

With the way Lillard's contract is ballooning, it just doesn't seem like they're going to be able to field a competitive roster moving forward. They've got a roster full of 2022 FA's and only a handful players under contract next year -- Lillard, CJ, Norm, Little, Brown for a combined $111 million. Is Nurk going to re-sign? I would imagine he tests the free agent market.

If I'm the Blazers, I would be looking to move Dame to start the rebuild. Maybe not this year, but definitely next season.

[Tottery]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

I haven't even seen an article saying he wants out? All I see is him wanting an extension and better players there. Feel like he's been saying that for years lol. People are just so desperate to have Lillard on their team.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

Yeah there has been a ton of journalistic malfeasance around Dame since the summer that he keeps having to deny

[Myth]

Whether or not Dame wants out, at some point Portland needs to rebuild and start over.

Dame has been loyal, he has played his heart out, but this team is going to continue to struggle to get out of the first round.

With the way Lillard's contract is ballooning, it just doesn't seem like they're going to be able to field a competitive roster moving forward. They've got a roster full of 2022 FA's and only a handful players under contract next year -- Lillard, CJ, Norm, Little, Brown for a combined $111 million. Is Nurk going to re-sign? I would imagine he tests the free agent market.

If I'm the Blazers, I would be looking to move Dame to start the rebuild. Maybe not this year, but definitely next season.

“Dame has been loyal… If I’m the Blazers, I would be looking to move Dame” SMH

Loyalty is a 2-way street. When Blazers fans have said they want to remain loyal in return, we meant it. It isn’t loyal until their value starts to decline. We have always known that with loyalty comes an eventual decline. We aren’t looking to cash out.

[Texas Chuck]

Whether or not Dame wants out, at some point Portland needs to rebuild and start over.

Dame has been loyal, he has played his heart out, but this team is going to continue to struggle to get out of the first round.

With the way Lillard's contract is ballooning, it just doesn't seem like they're going to be able to field a competitive roster moving forward. They've got a roster full of 2022 FA's and only a handful players under contract next year -- Lillard, CJ, Norm, Little, Brown for a combined $111 million. Is Nurk going to re-sign? I would imagine he tests the free agent market.

If I'm the Blazers, I would be looking to move Dame to start the rebuild. Maybe not this year, but definitely next season.

“Dame has been loyal… If I’m the Blazers, I would be looking to move Dame” SMH

Loyalty is a 2-way street. When Blazers fans have said they want to remain loyal in return, we meant it. It isn’t loyal until their value starts to decline. We have always known that with loyalty comes an eventual decline. We aren’t looking to cash out.

Hey with Dirk we never wanted to cash out. And the last couple years got pretty sketchy(a great CJ/Dirk gif from that) defensively. I wouldn't ever hold it against Blazer fans for saying hey we may never win a title but we want to go down fighting with our guy rather than trying to trade him while we can still get a haul.

If Dirk had ever left, the Maverick fanbase and city of Dallas would have been just gutted and that definitely includes me.

[bebopdeluxe]

Portland would be best served by doing a hard, full reset.

Billups looks lifeless as a coach and their core has already ran their course.

The opportunity is right in front of them (Lillard for Simmons) and they still can't grasp it.

I hardly think they would get a better player than Simmons in a Lillard trade.

Not just Simmons for Lillard, but given that Simmons' value is (appropriately) down and Philly is kind of struggling on its own and desperate to make "the big move" - it would be Simmons PLUS significant assets for Lillard.

Something like Simmons + 2 top-4 protected firsts + (Milton or Thybulle) + (Bassey or Reed).

CJ-Powell-Simmons*-RoCo-Nurkic backed up by other Simmons, Little, Nance, Zeller, and the guys they get from PHI would still be very competitive if Simmons is even at 80-90%.

This is about a Maxey off. Ben isnt only 2 near guarateed late 20's picks worse than Dame.

And if we move Dame, I dont want a pretty competitive treadmill team. I want the whole thing torn down.

Dame for Simmons, Maxey, Thybulle, 2 FRP
Nurkic for Wiseman
CJ for Love, 1 FRP

That sort of full on implosion.

So the Sixers give up Simmons AND Maxey AND Thybulle AND TWO FIRST ROUND PICKS to have the opportunity to pay Dame FIFTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS in his age-36 season?

Dude - don't bogart that joint, my friend. Pass it over to me.

[PhilBlackson]

Don't give a damn what Dame is saying, POR needs to wake up and cash in.

[DroseReturnChi]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

its called damage control. why do you think his stats plummeted? hes already dreaming abt playing philly after tasting olympics.
just do 1for 1 simmons and let dame win rings with maxey.

[PennSports]

If it's Billups fault Lillard is shooting 40% and 30% from 3, they should fire him immediately

If I was Lillard, I'd be mad too if my team's best player was playing the worst ball of his career.

Exactly, as a 76ers fan watching Dame this year im hesitant to trade for him. He looks old and may be damaged goods.

He has sucked this year and instead of taking accountability he wants to blame Billups? Then these star players complain because there arent enough black coaches in the league?

We've already been down this road when we traded for Chris Webber and Andrew Bynum.

there is no alternative, this is what we've been waiting for. This is the same logic that let Jimmy get away. The team is in a no win situation and have been waiting for something like this to miraculously fall into their laps, no way you can balk at it now.

[ProcessDoctor]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

Yeah there has been a ton of journalistic malfeasance around Dame since the summer that he keeps having to deny

Not trying to be facetious with this question.

Do you think Woj and Shams are lying about Dame wanting CJ traded, the extension, and potential GMs wanting to trade/not pay him?

[PennSports]

theres way too much smoke here

dame wants to keep his loyalty label while also wanting out, literally everyone is reporting on this. Who are they getting this story from? Dame talking to anyone who agrees to being called out on twitter afterwards lol

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Dame going full blast on all the articles saying he doesn't want to be in Portland.

Yeah there has been a ton of journalistic malfeasance around Dame since the summer that he keeps having to deny

Not trying to be facetious with this question.

Do you think Woj and Shams are lying about Dame wanting CJ traded, the extension, and potential GMs wanting to trade/not pay him?

Uh, specifically I am talking about two events:

1. Dame is close to asking for a trade, reported this summer by Hayes. I think this was straight bull
2. Dame wants to play with Ben Simmons reported by Shams. I think this was exaggerated, meaning Lillard wants some help and has Simmons on a list of defensive forwards he thinks would improve the team.

As for the 3 that you list, I think the extension and potential GMs not wanting to extend him early are both likely true. I have no idea where the Dame wanting CJ traded is coming from, I have not seen that yet. Is it more of an inference that to get some of the players Dame would like they pretty much have to trade CJ?

[SeniorWalker]

If Dame doesn't want out and isn't making the trade demands he could be a little more upfront about it. It appears like he's trying to play both sides to save face. Maybe the rumors are wrong but they keep popping up. My money says they're not based on nothing.

Also, Dame is not good enough or accomplished enough to be making this much noise about a trade. He's a very one dimensional player and with the new officiating standard is below superstar level. Never thought he was a true superstar to begin with but at least before he was playing in a very soft, pro-guard era. You'd need a hell of a defense and another player at basically the same level of offensive impact as him to even sniff a title.

Dame, to me, is that guy who is always running his mouth about not being a whiner or complainer...while constantly whining, complaining, and making subtle jabs and remarks. He's not a bad guy but he could just be a little more direct and just do what he really wants to do and fking live with the choices he makes.

[ProcessDoctor]

Yeah there has been a ton of journalistic malfeasance around Dame since the summer that he keeps having to deny

Not trying to be facetious with this question.

Do you think Woj and Shams are lying about Dame wanting CJ traded, the extension, and potential GMs wanting to trade/not pay him?

Uh, specifically I am talking about two events:

1. Dame is close to asking for a trade, reported this summer by Hayes. I think this was straight bull
2. Dame wants to play with Ben Simmons reported by Shams. I think this was exaggerated, meaning Lillard wants some help and has Simmons on a list of defensive forwards he thinks would improve the team.

As for the 3 that you list, I think the extension and potential GMs not wanting to extend him early are both likely true. I have no idea where the Dame wanting CJ traded is coming from, I have not seen that yet. Is it more of an inference that to get some of the players Dame would like they pretty much have to trade CJ?

I think it's been more an inference...he reportedly wants to trade the "vets" on the team for better pieces. I can't imagine that doesn't include CJ?

Being as neutral as possible, I think there has been a lot of smoke to him wanting out. I found it odd that Abbott defended his point so vehemently after Dame denied his report. I also find it odd that the extension news is coming out now. I find it odd that all this very specific information is getting out to reputable reporters, yet Dame takes to Twitter to shut things down immediately after like it's all fabricated. Who else would be talking besides Dame? It's like he's angling to make it seem like the media and management are pushing him out of Portland so he doesn't look like the bad guy. All speculation on my part, but it's just very suspicious all around.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Not trying to be facetious with this question.

Do you think Woj and Shams are lying about Dame wanting CJ traded, the extension, and potential GMs wanting to trade/not pay him?

Uh, specifically I am talking about two events:

1. Dame is close to asking for a trade, reported this summer by Hayes. I think this was straight bull
2. Dame wants to play with Ben Simmons reported by Shams. I think this was exaggerated, meaning Lillard wants some help and has Simmons on a list of defensive forwards he thinks would improve the team.

As for the 3 that you list, I think the extension and potential GMs not wanting to extend him early are both likely true. I have no idea where the Dame wanting CJ traded is coming from, I have not seen that yet. Is it more of an inference that to get some of the players Dame would like they pretty much have to trade CJ?

I think it's been more an inference...he reportedly wants to trade the "vets" on the team for better pieces. I can't imagine that doesn't include CJ?

Being as neutral as possible, I think there has been a lot of smoke to him wanting out. I found it odd that Abbott defended his point so vehemently after Dame denied his report. I also find it odd that the extension news is coming out now. I find it odd that all this very specific information is getting out to reputable reporters, yet Dame takes to Twitter to shut things down immediately after like it's all fabricated. Who else would be talking besides Dame? It's like he's angling to make it seem like the media and management are pushing him out of Portland so he doesn't look like the bad guy. All speculation on my part, but it's just very suspicious all around.

Well ask yourself, what is the biggest thing that changed this past week? Neil Olshey no longer has reason to keep the dirty laundry hidden and is pretty obviously talking to Woj..

[MagicBagley18]

Even if the articles are biased I’m not sure how I’d feel as a blazer fan knowing that dame, a guy who just recently said it should be all about winning and wants to see winning moves made is suddenly ok with rebuilding as long as it comes with a big fat extension