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

[red_power]

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.

They technically do have wingmen but only one of them who might look attractive is Cam Johnson. Add him and Sharpe (BKN's C) to a package and I think it might start to look a bit reasonable.
And yeah, I wouldn't mind bringing Ben too. Of course, he's a negative asset at this point but with just 2 years left on his deal he could be viewed just as a salary filler anyway.

[GEE]

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.

For several reasons, I think you may be correct, but I want to send Nurkic even more than Dame. This works too: Dame / Nurkic <<-->> Simmons / Claxton / Dinwiddie / PICKS

- First: the trade itself retools both teams in a good way I think. BKN gets a boxoffice star in Dame with an instant culture build, and will have a team already built to compete somewhat. Portland takes a small risk with Simmons' just 2yrs remaining, but the reward could be huge IMO mainly due to team/coach/city fit. Also by taking on Simmons, we can require BKN to sweeten the deal with additional pick comp. Dinwiddie is a solid fit to backup Simons at PG, while Claxton is a young big that's trying to break out. AN instant infusion of much needed youthful size in the paint.

- More importantly though: The fit for Dame would be as good as he could ask for. He will get to play with his buddy on a fairly competitive, playoff-possible team. He also would be going to the only team I can see where he'd still be the Alpha-Dog, whereas going anywhere else... he'd be second-fiddle.

- Plus the package of picks BKN has to offer and it seems make for a, best for all parties type of scenario.

[GEE]

My previous post/repsponse seems off-topic, but it plays into what we can do, because BKN owns the #21 & #22 picks in this years draft. I might be nice and allow them to keep one of them this year, but would definitely demand the other at the very least if giving up Dame... and likely much more in future pick comp. That would give us #5, #22 & #23 this year with a roster that's already fairly well built.

The above is my thinking, when I champion so hard for a Mark Williams-like addition. He would be the second big splash after the trading of Dame, and I would use our draft capital, NOT SIMONS, to get him:

Would the Hornets take #5 & #23 with Keon for Williams? I think they'd at least think hard about it. If they weren't able to pull the trigger I'd then offer up a couple additional 2nd rouders. Hopefully that gets them to bite. Point being... Cronin needs to overpay to get whichever target he desires.

Simons / Dinwiddie / Mays
Sharpe / Thybulle / #22
Grant / Little / Knox (or Reddish)
Simmons / Watford / Winslow (or Reddish)
Williams / Claxton / Eubanks

Perhaps we send #22 plus a future 2nd to the Bulls. It these three moves got done, I think we are in great shape for the next 4-5 years, VS. what we could hope for with Dame in that same 4-5 years. I'd much rather watch the above team, and I think it's quite doable.

[red_power]

The irony is a fact that Dame was originally a Nets' pick which Blazers got for decomposing remnants of Gerald Wallace.

[DusterBuster]

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.

For several reasons, I think you may be correct, but I want to send Nurkic even more than Dame. This works too: Dame / Nurkic <<-->> Simmons / Claxton / Dinwiddie / PICKS

- First: the trade itself retools both teams in a good way I think. BKN gets a boxoffice star in Dame with an instant culture build, and will have a team already built to compete somewhat. Portland takes a small risk with Simmons' just 2yrs remaining, but the reward could be huge IMO mainly due to team/coach/city fit. Also by taking on Simmons, we can require BKN to sweeten the deal with additional pick comp. Dinwiddie is a solid fit to backup Simons at PG, while Claxton is a young big that's trying to break out. AN instant infusion of much needed youthful size in the paint.

- More importantly though: The fit for Dame would be as good as he could ask for. He will get to play with his buddy on a fairly competitive, playoff-possible team. He also would be going to the only team I can see where he'd still be the Alpha-Dog, whereas going anywhere else... he'd be second-fiddle.

- Plus the package of picks BKN has to offer and it seems make for a, best for all parties type of scenario.

As much as I hate Simmons, I'm also coming around to a deal along these lines. It's why I don't think Bridges to Portland is realistic since the Nets are a team that will want Dame for themselves.

I'm just having to accept that any deal with the Nets with Lillard leaving will have to require Simmons being part of the package to make salaries work. He'll only have two more years on his contract.

[Norm2953]

Dinwiddie + DFS and picks does work in the trade checker for Dame but I'd agree with the notion
of adding Nurk and Claxton in the deal

I'd hate taking on Simmons without Dame on the scene, for he'd just be sitting behind the Blazers
bench for the remainder of his contract.

[Norm2953]

My previous post/repsponse seems off-topic, but it plays into what we can do, because BKN owns the #21 & #22 picks in this years draft. I might be nice and allow them to keep one of them this year, but would definitely demand the other at the very least if giving up Dame... and likely much more in future pick comp. That would give us #5, #22 & #23 this year with a roster that's already fairly well built.

The above is my thinking, when I champion so hard for a Mark Williams-like addition. He would be the second big splash after the trading of Dame, and I would use our draft capital, NOT SIMONS, to get him:

Would the Hornets take #5 & #23 with Keon for Williams? I think they'd at least think hard about it. If they weren't able to pull the trigger I'd then offer up a couple additional 2nd rouders. Hopefully that gets them to bite. Point being... Cronin needs to overpay to get whichever target he desires.

Simons / Dinwiddie / Mays
Sharpe / Thybulle / #22
Grant / Little / Knox (or Reddish)
Simmons / Watford / Winslow (or Reddish)
Williams / Claxton / Eubanks

Perhaps we send #22 plus a future 2nd to the Bulls. It these three moves got done, I think we are in great shape for the next 4-5 years, VS. what we could hope for with Dame in that same 4-5 years. I'd much rather watch the above team, and I think it's quite doable.

I think the only way Charlotte trades Williams is if they win the lottery for Victor

[monopoman]

The irony is a fact that Dame was originally a Nets' pick which Blazers got for decomposing remnants of Gerald Wallace.

Even if they kept that pick we aren't sure they would have taken Dame at #6. Sure there is a chance they would have taken him there but it sure as **** wasn't set in stone especially when the manager of the team acted like the only gem in that draft was AD.

[JasonStern]

The irony is a fact that Dame was originally a Nets' pick which Blazers got for decomposing remnants of Gerald Wallace.

Even if they kept that pick we aren't sure they would have taken Dame at #6. Sure there is a chance they would have taken him there but it sure as **** wasn't set in stone especially when the manager of the team acted like the only gem in that draft was AD.

I was on Team Drummond. His pre-draft workout had nearly identical metrics to Dwight Howard. Nobody knew at the time that the game was going to evolve into so much jump shooting. And the Blazers have a stellar record of drafting bigs with high draft picks.

That's such a revisionist draft. There were six "can't miss" prospects, including former Blazer Thomas Robinson. Anthony Davis was the clear consensus #1, and deservedly so. But Dame was in that third tier - seven to fifteen. I was hoping we might take him with the Meyers Leonard pick. Instead, we took Meyers Leonard.

[monopoman]

The irony is a fact that Dame was originally a Nets' pick which Blazers got for decomposing remnants of Gerald Wallace.

Even if they kept that pick we aren't sure they would have taken Dame at #6. Sure there is a chance they would have taken him there but it sure as **** wasn't set in stone especially when the manager of the team acted like the only gem in that draft was AD.

I was on Team Drummond. His pre-draft workout had nearly identical metrics to Dwight Howard. Nobody knew at the time that the game was going to evolve into so much jump shooting. And the Blazers have a stellar record of drafting bigs with high draft picks.

That's such a revisionist draft. There were six "can't miss" prospects, including former Blazer Thomas Robinson. Anthony Davis was the clear consensus #1, and deservedly so. But Dame was in that third tier - seven to fifteen. I was hoping we might take him with the Meyers Leonard pick. Instead, we took Meyers Leonard.

From what I recall Lillard's draft status was rising at a rapid pace as the draft approached. I assume they were worried about him being taken say 8th or 9th so they just drafted him. If they were damn sure he would be there at 11 they would have not taken him at 6 but that was not the case.