DusterBuster wrote:At this point, I just want the Dame stuff done.
This whole situation seems to be shaping up to be a lot like the Durant situation. Assuming Cronin doesn’t just sit on his hands this summer where he just resigns his guys and that’s it, I think Dame probably does start the season in Portland like he said he would. But if they’re in a position where they’re gonna tank for a third year in a row, that’s where I think both sides have the agreement of a trade.
I get why you're tired of the drama, I am too. As the drama drags on there is a never-ending tsunami of dumb tweets and stupid posts we have to wade thru to get to any interesting discussion.
but right from the beginning of the Dame saga, which started in 2021, right after the dismal failure against the Nuggets in the playoffs, I think Dame directed his ire at two targets: Olshey first, and Jody & The Vulcans 2nd
I think Dame detested Olshey, or at the very least, didn't trust him at all. That's why he twice went over Olshey's head to Paul Allen asking about the franchise direction. Portland got beat by Denver when it had never been more obvious how dysfunctional and ineffective the roster was around Dame. And Olshey's response to that failure was to trade a 7-year obligated 1st round pick for the often-injured Nance. No change in the starting lineup that had failed so dramatically. Just a single reshuffle of the bench. Dame's abdomen finally failed the next season and he had to have season ending surgery; otherwise we may have had the current drama a year ago
Cronin was already on the Blazers when Dame arrived. In fact, along with Chad Buchanen, it was they who had targeted Dame as the primary target when Dame was at Weber State. IIRC, when Buchanen talked about trading Gerald Wallace for a draft pick and mentioned Cornin's name it was the first time I heard it. I'm assuming Cronin and Dame have a long-standing relationship, and by all accounts it's solid. Meaning that I don't think Dame's actions are as directed at Cronin as they are at Seattle. At the cost-cutting-penny-pinching-tax-allergic moves that are so apparent in nature and so predictive of losing talent and leverage as a result
everybody seems to think it's a game of chicken between Cronin and Dame. I think it's between the Vulcans and Dame, and Cronin is kind of caught in the crossfire. And that's a really bad position for a first time GM who hasn't had the leverage of good assets and doesn't have the experience of playing hardball with other GM's
