Need Real Thoughts from True Blazers Fans

[JKiddy]

The media likes to over-blow everything (the situation might be dire but not so dire). I want the opinion from true Portland Trailblazers fans.

I have been an NBA fan for decades. I pulled for POR in the 90's and 00's and enjoy watching Dame today.

What do you really want to see happen?

This is a tough position to be in. It reminds me of the KG Situation in Minnesota where you have a player who wants to be loyal and thinks they will end up winning a title but then realizes their story is almost over and they have no choice but to move on if Management won't build or be able to build around them to their liking.

[mighty_duck]

The question/options are loaded, so this poll isn't very fair.
While the outcomes you listed are possible, there are other possibilities. Such as trading for a couple of good pieces will make us contenders.
That said, I'm in the "trade Dame and rebuild" camp.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

You know its sometimes nice to leave the personal opinion and bias out of the poll options. It's pretty clear which of the options you think is the right one and by doing so you are basically putting your thumb on the scale instead of letting people come to their own conclusion.

[DusterBuster]

Trade Dame to fast forward a rebuild where POR can become a contender by 2026 with new blood from picks and some key FA signings

This option is ludicrous. Thinking a full teardown rebuild can create a contender in 3 years is asinine. Most teams that do full rebuilds are down in the gutters of the NBA for 5 years minimum. On top of that, the idea that Portland will get any "key FA signings" is laughable. Portland struggles to get FA's even in the best of circumstances, let alone the idea that any FAs of significance might sign with them in the middle of a rebuild.

[JKiddy]

Okay, my apologies. Make it more wide open. I will try to edit the poll to make it say by 2030.

[zzaj]

You should at least add a "None of the Above" option.

My real thought is that in light of the new CBA changing the financial landscape and structure of the NBA next year, the best option from a basketball, organizational, and financial perspective is simply to draft #3. If a whopper of an offer comes through, entertain it like you would any other trade.

On a personal level, I'd like to see Simons and Nurkic moved for a healthier and more dynamic option at C...but barring that, I think Nurkic gets dumped on a lot on these boards. The reality is that when healthy, he contributes.

[mighty_duck]

Okay, my apologies. Make it more wide open. I will try to edit the poll to make it say by 2030.

No, what you need to do is remove the outcomes altogether from all three option..

For example, maybe a rebuild will take until 2030, or maybe both #3 and Sharpe fizzle out, and it's a 15-20 year rebuild like what Sacramento has been through.

All that should be included for a fair poll are the actions we take, not what you guess the outcomes will be.
IE
1. Trade all Future pieces (Sharpe, #3, Simons) for win now pieces.
2. Trade all current pieces (Dame, Nurk, possibly Grant S&T) for young players or draft picks
3. Hybrid approach - trade some future pieces for some win-now pieces.

There are of course other options not listed (e.g = stay the course - keep the team as is (including #3), re-sign Grant, add a MLE)

[Norm2953]

I've been a fan since 1977 and have seen several rebuilds.

Every Portland team that has been good has added good pieces via the draft until they are
ready to consider the win now move to get them over the top. Portland by no means really
ready to do a win now move unless Giannis/Joel are traded to Portland.

With the new CBA and the new penalties, its nuts to ponder the win now moves that are bandied
about for how can any team absorb for example, absorb Pascal and OG's future extensions with
Dame and likely Grant? It'd be okay for Mikal Bridges but why would the Nets trade him unless
a team grossly overpays for him?

Trading Dame for young players takes a lot of will and I'm skeptical many teams will want any
part of that supermax extension and in any event the return will likely be meager. I could see
a Dame trade at the trade deadline if Portland is hovering around the play in tournament and
he decides enough is enough.

I could see Portland moving Simons + 23 for a better fitting piece for the roster. Let's say they
are targeting Derek Lively from Duke and try to trade up from 23 to get him.

[JRoy]

Blow it up

[ebott]

Question for the OP, what's your angle here? What team do you root for and which Blazers pieces are you hoping they aquire?

The most likely outcome is that the Blazers make no major trade. That's not unique to the Blazers. That's the most likely outcome for the vast majority of teams. Making trades is hard. Saying you tried to make a trade and then just drafting who you can with the picks you have is easy.

[JKiddy]

I will make a new poll with 5 options. My goal was just to get feedback from POR fans. That is all. Most enjoyed this poll. But, a few wanted more options. I will make this now. Give me a few minutes as I am reviewing the feedback!

[tester551]

I will make a new poll with 5 options. My goal was just to get feedback from POR fans. That is all. Most enjoyed this poll. But, a few wanted more options. I will make this now. Give me a few minutes as I am reviewing the feedback!

Doubt it.
I think most ignored your poll as it was very unrealistic to what most would be willing to do.

[ebott]

I'm an old man, I'm not sure I'm capable of enjoying anything anymore.

[GEE]

With 12 of 15 votes going to "Trade Dame"... I find this poll quite interesting. That's what is cool about a poll like this is, people can voice their less than popular opinion anonymously but loudly, without backlash.

[soobias]

13 now lol...
but really i think in todays NBA it will eventually be more balanced( at least i think that's what they're trying to do ) so imo it might not be as hard getting free agents to come if the $$$ is right. i want to start fresh with smallish contracts and youngish 2 way players or at least hustle guys. while i look at some of the teams like a miami and some other teams i feel they have less total talent, but better utilized. we cant do this beause the "C" is always hurt and he's slow. the star player only plays on 1 side of the ball. the pf only playing for a contract. and the rest just follow the leaders ways.
thats what gets coaches fired, im not making excuses for Billups but to me they looked a little more like a 2 way team 1 1/2 years ago when DAME got hurt and they won some games before they started to shut the rest down for the season.

[monopoman]

There is no way that OG or Siakim are worth Sharpe+3+Nurkic that is a massive overpay. I even am a bit annoyed at something like Simons+3 for Siakim though that I could live with.

Sharpe and the #3 pick have the highest potential of any player on the roster, so giving up both is a complete non-starter to me.

While OG or Siakim would be nice pieces on this team they are not complete game changers, now if we had a true superstar available I could see #3+Sharpe and salary filler working. I just don't think either OG or Siakim are that level of game changer for this team.

If Scoot is there at 3 that pick becomes a lot more valuable on draft day, right now it's iffy because the Hornets might take him but many teams would have a high interest in that pick if Scoot is there. He could easily be a Westbrook type player and that guy was pretty damn good for many years. Crap we don't even have to have the deal set in place if he is there at #3 we could draft him then make the trade work later.

Raptors have also shown that they massively overvalue their players so I have 0 interest in trading with them. They can enjoy winning 40 or so games every season with their precious core of OG+Siakim and have a great time overpaying those guys when contracts come due. We have a much brighter future than they do even if we lose Dame, unless they pick up some incredible prospect in the draft.

[DusterBuster]

I should make a poll, "How likely is JKiddy to continue posting here once the Dame situation is resolved one way or another?".

[JasonStern]

Sell the team to Uncle Phil.

Failing that, continue down the dual timeline path. Draft Scoot/Miller. Use Simons, #23, and #43 for incremental upgrades. Milk Dame for ticket/merch sales. Make the playoffs. Achieve nothing. Hope the new blood outperforms the old blood.

[m0ng0]

Sell the team to Uncle Phil.

Failing that, continue down the dual timeline path. Draft Scoot/Miller. Use Simons, #23, and #43 for incremental upgrades. Milk Dame for ticket/merch sales. Make the playoffs. Achieve nothing. Hope the new blood outperforms the old blood.

Why give up Simons and 23/43 for changes that won't matter, why not draft and hope you get lucky?

[BlazersBroncos]

Sell the team to Uncle Phil.

Failing that, continue down the dual timeline path. Draft Scoot/Miller. Use Simons, #23, and #43 for incremental upgrades. Milk Dame for ticket/merch sales. Make the playoffs. Achieve nothing. Hope the new blood outperforms the old blood.

Why give up Simons and 23/43 for changes that won't matter, why not draft and hope you get lucky?

B/C you need a vet addition to appease Dame IMO. Its why keeping #3 and using Simons/23 for DDR/PDX returned makes so much sense.