Bill Simmons and Kevin O'Connor on the Blazers

[Case2012]

I don't know about anyone else, but I really really haven't enjoyed the games dames missed. I'm not in a hurry to spend the next 5-10 years waiting for another Dame level player to play for Portland again. It's insane that the narratives have gone from Dame wants out, to you should trade Dame. No. No, thank you fan of team x. I don't want to trade Dame to Miami, new York or la. I prefer him in Portland, and apparently he prefers Portland too. Worry about your own team and stop obsessing over Dame. It's embarrassing. Please. Isn't it funny that as soon as Dame comes out MULTIPLE TIMES and says he wants to stay here that the media starts hammering the idea that we should rebuild and he's got a bunch of demands... Like wanting a contract extension to STAY in Portland? Hmm.... Strange coincidence.

[DusterBuster]

The Quick article about Joe Cronin was pretty interesting. Sounds like a smart and good dude who'll be giving a shot at the job. I'm fine with that. But what really surprised me is that Quick got extensive interview answers from Joe's former boss, Kevin Pritchard. There's definitely been some bad blood between KP and Portland/Vulcans, but I was surprised to see how much he was willing to talk to Quick on the subject and was pretty glowing about Cronin. One has to wonder if some of KP's reluctance to deal with Portland was less about his dislike of the franchise as a whole but the hole who he had to deal with in Olshey. With someone who's clearly a good friend and someone he respects running the Blazers FO now, I have to wonder if the lines of communication may be a bit more open between the teams?

I would definitely start keeping an eye on Indiana as a potential trading partner for Portland much more so than I would have when things were the status quo around there.

[wco81]

Wasn't Pritchard there a long time ago?

So Cronin is a holdover from when Pritchard was in charge?

Cronin says enhance the roster, no rebuild or retool.

Suppose to meet with Jody Allen about luxury tax implications of possible moves.


When you look at how much better the Cavs look this year, maybe you don't attribute it all to Mobley but their outlook is so much better than last year.

Or similarly in Charlotte and to a lesser extent, the Wolves with Edwards.

Not that one top 3 draft pick is making these teams contenders but previously they were maybe not even playoff teams and it seems all 3 will be at least in the running for play in.

So the clear path to improvement seems to be a high draft pick -- though of course no guarantees. Otherwise form a Superteam with some top 5 or top 10 players signing as free agents.

[Goldbum]

Okay so just spit balling here.

What if we moved Dame to Philly for Simons++ then traded CJ+ for Ingram and Nurk/Covington+ for Turner.

Ant/DSJ
Powell/McLemore
Ingram/Nas
Ben/Nance
Turner/Zeller

So from a Blazer perspective it's Dame+CJ+Nurk+Roco for Simons/Ingram/Turner

I think I would really like that team.

[wjun15]

Dame has been awful. people can blame billups and injuries all they want but the bottom line is the man is in his 30s and forget athletes like him that are north south players that rely on explosion and first step lose a step in their 30s ( and more likely to get injured). guys like cp3 and cj are west east types that rely more on shiftiness and skill allowing them to age less on the court. lebron is a physical specimen and is strong af that helps him get to the rack...sure Dame will still make some 3s but once people start pressuring he's going to have to use his explosion to get by which will deteriorate as he ages...

he's been literally shooting us out of games for like 75 percent of games this year and he takes horrible fading threes.

when he is 34 35 in three four years, we're gonna be paying him massive money and he's going to be shooting like 38/39fg and taking bad shots...sad but very likely. I hope the org realizes this and tries to get the most out of him before it's too late... we already have great pieces in simons to take over in the future and nassir little. we tank this year to get a stud in the draft and get high picks and young talent for Dame.

[wjun15]

Okay so just spit balling here.

What if we moved Dame to Philly for Simons++ then traded CJ+ for Ingram and Nurk/Covington+ for Turner.

Ant/DSJ
Powell/McLemore
Ingram/Nas
Ben/Nance
Turner/Zeller

So from a Blazer perspective it's Dame+CJ+Nurk+Roco for Simons/Ingram/Turner

I think I would really like that team.

this would be amazing. and tank this year a stud and we'll likely get a first round pick or two from 76ers in the Dame trade. Ben and turner would be excellent defense and you have 3 scorers in ant ingram and Powell ( although no clear guy to take over) too bad we'll never get ingram for cj.

[GEE]

Okay so just spit balling here.

What if we moved Dame to Philly for Simons++ then traded CJ+ for Ingram and Nurk/Covington+ for Turner.

Ant/DSJ
Powell/McLemore
Ingram/Nas
Ben/Nance
Turner/Zeller

So from a Blazer perspective it's Dame+CJ+Nurk+Roco for Simons/Ingram/Turner

I think I would really like that team.

I'm obviously for the first part of this, but would INSIST we get Drummond back too. The second part I could get behind maybe, but I feel like, as someone else put it, we're just getting a taller version of CJ. The third part I do not like, as I think with the addition of Simmons, Nurkic will show his true potential dropping 30 &15 much more frequently. ROCO I still like alot, but not as a starting PF. IMO, he should be playing the SF.

If I were GM, My Blazers would look like this on December 15th.

CJ / ANT
Powell / MAC
ROCO / Little
Simmons / Nance
Nurkic / Drummond

[wco81]

Another trade idea raised in the pods.

Jeremi Grant for CJ.

I think several teams are circling the Pistons to try to snag Grant for cheap.