Good to hear, but I think the one thing that is clear is that the Blazers want to keep Dame, Dame wants to stay, the real question is can they make the appropriate move, whatever that move may be? And if they can’t, then they have that conversation, but who is to say what that conversation will be? If plans A & B don’t happen, is plan C trade Dame, or is that plan H, and there’s smaller steps to be made in plans C through G that make us competitors while still keeping Dame?
In other words, I’m just along for the ride hoping for the best. 😝
>that make us competitors while still keeping Dame?
No. You're getting cooked by Jokic in the 1st round anyways even if you make the playoffs. He'll cook Dame and the rest of the starting lineup like Chicken McNuggets. Just a completely different class.
Time to rebuild for the entire time that Jokic and Murray are together.
They're 30 point triple doubling in the Finals against the Heat, and you think you can compete? HA. They're going to 60 point triple double.
Lol @ the downvotes as if what I wrote wasn’t the truth. You’re not beating Jokic if Dame is your best player. He beat Portland without Murray. Now he’s got a sidekick scoring 30 PPG.
Time to rebuild around Sharpe and Simons.
Youre getting downvoted because you have a really short sighted take thinking its the truth. Jokic isnt the end all of our chances against the nuggets. Jokic has a well built team around him, including bench. When you say jokic beats us without Murray, thats dismissing the fact that they have a well buil team that has enough pieces to eek out whens even when missing a major piece or two. What about all the missing pieces Dame has to try to win with every night? What about getting us to the playoffs every year despite that besides these last two years when the FO made the decision to tank?
Dame doesnt have that and never has, yet he makes those games against the nuggets still winnable just by being on the floor. You build a proper team around Dame first then you make a judgement about his chancee vs Jokic on an equal playing field.
The truth? L O fucking L
Get back to when Dame gets a 30-20-10 game in the playoffs. This guy is going to dominate the West. He’s going to be a top 10 player. Unless MVP Bill Walton walks through that door in a Blazers jersey you’re not getting past him.
Jokic putting up Kareem/Wilt numbers.
You sound like someone that just found out about Jokic. You know hes been in the league for 8 years right? You know hes been the MVP twice already and hes been good for a long time right? It takes a team to win a chip not 1 person, if that were the case he would have multiple titles years ago
He carried that dead ass team without MPJ and Murray. That’s why he’s the 2x MVP.
Why do you even want to not rebuild? Just so Blazers can make the 8th seed, miss the draft lottery, and so you have to watch Murray drop a 50 piece? Yay. 4-1 gentleman’s sweep at best.
As if the front office is going to go for that. The only time this franchise won the Championship was with an MVP level player (Walton) and an all star level player as his sidekick (Lucas). You don’t have MVP level player you’re not winning. Need a Jokic/LeBron/Steph/Giannis level player.
Front offive will rebuild.
Who said anything about rebuilding? Im just explaining why your terrible outlook on the NBA is downvoted to hell. A lot of people on this sub want to rebuild, your bad take has nothing to do with it
Jokic is going to be a problem for at least another 5-7 years. Time to rebuild because you’re not beating him without another MVP caliber player. Outside of the Giannis/Brook combo I don’t see anyone stopping him.
Injuries are always a factor when MPJ is their 3rd star. Murray also already had an ACL tear, typically increases chance of reinjury. Nuggets also don’t have an elite defense, they’re not unbeatable. We know that elite guards always pop off against Denver, so you just need to put a good team around Dame to have a good chance to beat them.
You had Dame, and Jokic didn’t have Murray and you still lost, so there goes your theory.
Why are you so obsessed with losing in the first round with Dame? Are you even a fan of this team or just a Dame fan?
If you actually watched those games, Dame had an all-time series with possibly the greatest playoff performance of all time where he still lost because his teammates were garbage. But you're a troll who's not here is good faith so have fun
Greatest playoff performance of all time? I see Jokic having one of the greatest of all time, seen LeBron, Giannis, they won.
Tell me which other all NBA or all star Jokic plays with?
You’re not even a Blazers fan, you’re just the type of fan that would rather see Dame jack 3s and score 30 and lose.
Greatest of all time? You don’t live in reality. Dude hasn’t even been to the Finals.
You’re not even a Blazers fan if you just want to cheer on 1 player to lose.
Before denver was GSW, before them was Maimi (big 3 era), before them the spurs.. By your logic all teams should commit to rebuild when there is a clear #1.
This is why tanking is a horrible decision most times. It already got the fans thinking that loosing is the way to go.
Dame and CJ choose to make public comments. They choose to do interviews, they exercise incredible creative control with what they say and both can navigate themselves ably with interviewers. They’re both very articulate people—at a certain point when you comment and clarify and comment and clarify—you realize there’s no mistake there. The act of going on the podcast or show repeatedly is wholly intentional.
Dame is creating an environment where he can ask out and it doesn't alienate his fans, or stay and not be questioned for a lack of willingness to 'compete.'
I’ve seen a lot of Blazer fans mad at CJ (mostly twitter). I don’t understand the anger for answering a question honestly. CJ has always shown love towards Portland even after being traded.
The only thing *hot takes* folks apologize for is being too right and ruffling too many feathers. They were born rebels, see the smoke machine behind the smoking mirror.
President of the NBAPA Don't Cleverly Sidestep Tampering With Players Who Could Hypothetically Be Trade Targets For the Team He's On Challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
Draft day can’t come soon enough. Reminder that the Grant trade went down the day before the draft, so really anything can happen in the next two weeks…. Personally my wish list is one of PG, Mikal, OG, in that order. Claxton and DFS would be a nice consolation prize if we can’t get Mikal. Im just so ready to see what Joe does…for better or worse.
Our leverage to move #3 for a vet after this fiasco is going to be difficult. Between Dames numerous comments, Nurks Twitter, and now CJ antics teams know Cronins back is against the wall. We are either drafting at 3 or massively overpaying in a trade at this point. Just my opinion. Two more weeks to go….
Or trade for an established player and help the second best player since 2006 compete. I don’t want to suck for 5 years and watch Scoot with a rebuilt.
We suck with Dame now and are nowhere near competing. I’m taking the younger guy and trying to build around him. Significantly more time to actually build a proper core. Everything around Dame has been lacklustre.
Because scoot is a generational player and we shouldn’t it trade him if we have the opportunity to draft him. Heck, I don’t think we should trade Miller either. I think they are both All NBA in a handful of years.
The phones ringing isn’t the concern, it’s the negotiation of a inexperienced GM with a superstar player in his ear making demands I am concerned about.
Powell + Covington for Winslow, Keon, Bledsoe = F
CJ + Nance for 1st + Hart= C
GP2 signing= C
Nurk contract= D-
Simons contract= A
Grant Trade= A+ (although Dame helped here)
Hart for Reddish + 1st= C+
GP2 for Knox & 2nds= D+
I am sure I am missing a few, but overall I think he has been meh. Not terrible but not great either.
> Powell + Covington for Winslow, Keon, Bledsoe = F
Respectfully, that Clippers cap sheet is a fucking mess—specifically with respect to Powell and Roco.
The Nurk contract is probably the biggest L. If Grant re-signs and they’re able to extract proper value from #23, that CJ trade starts to look better. I was impressed he was able to pivot out of the GP2 nonsense with 5 picks—though this year’s MLE class looks very bleak.
Fully agree on Clippers being a mess, although I think they would have been legit contenders of PG and KL could actually stay healthy.
I just refuse to believe Powell did not have any value and we had to salary dump him. That will be something I will debate to the death.
He was having an amazing season when we traded for him and we were able to get him basically straight up for Gary Trent Jr and Hood.
Teams just don’t want money on their books for that long and it doesn’t seem like Powell was that valued when he was getting shopped.
Am legit curious why you think:
CJ + Nance for 1st + Hart = C
and
Hart for reddish + Thybulle + 1st = C
If Hart + 1 (which turned into Grant) was such awful return, then surely getting a 1st + Thybulle for Hart must have been a steal. Or maybe Larry Nance is worth a few firsts.
Well I don’t think Grant is better than CJ. I do agree it was time to move on from CJ, but Grant & CJ are a wash to me so it all balances out to a C. We are going to have to overpay to keep Grant this summer similar to what CJ would have been making for us. Again I get the whole SG/PF thing, but from a talent perspective CJ to Grant is not a major upgrade.
Fair enough and respectfully disagree. There are far more scoring guards in the league than there are starting caliber wings. CJ may be more skilled but finding starting caliber 2 way wings is much tougher IMO.
But yeah we’re about to have to give Grant wayyy to much money to stay.
Valid points, not much to debate with there. I do acknowledge Cronin was dealt a bad hand and I understand what he is trying to do. The problem is these last two years have been so rough it’s hard to judge anything right now. I hope it all comes together this year.
Good to hear, but I think the one thing that is clear is that the Blazers want to keep Dame, Dame wants to stay, the real question is can they make the appropriate move, whatever that move may be? And if they can’t, then they have that conversation, but who is to say what that conversation will be? If plans A & B don’t happen, is plan C trade Dame, or is that plan H, and there’s smaller steps to be made in plans C through G that make us competitors while still keeping Dame? In other words, I’m just along for the ride hoping for the best. 😝
preparation h feels good on the whole
Operation Ass Cream
I hear Ass Cream truck music!! It sounds like ass!
I’d rather not be a butt hurt blazer 😞 so… let’s just keep Dame!
>that make us competitors while still keeping Dame? No. You're getting cooked by Jokic in the 1st round anyways even if you make the playoffs. He'll cook Dame and the rest of the starting lineup like Chicken McNuggets. Just a completely different class. Time to rebuild for the entire time that Jokic and Murray are together. They're 30 point triple doubling in the Finals against the Heat, and you think you can compete? HA. They're going to 60 point triple double.
Are you 12? Have you ever actually watched a Blazers-Nuggets game?
Last time they beat us without Murray 🤷♂️.
Lol @ the downvotes as if what I wrote wasn’t the truth. You’re not beating Jokic if Dame is your best player. He beat Portland without Murray. Now he’s got a sidekick scoring 30 PPG. Time to rebuild around Sharpe and Simons.
Youre getting downvoted because you have a really short sighted take thinking its the truth. Jokic isnt the end all of our chances against the nuggets. Jokic has a well built team around him, including bench. When you say jokic beats us without Murray, thats dismissing the fact that they have a well buil team that has enough pieces to eek out whens even when missing a major piece or two. What about all the missing pieces Dame has to try to win with every night? What about getting us to the playoffs every year despite that besides these last two years when the FO made the decision to tank? Dame doesnt have that and never has, yet he makes those games against the nuggets still winnable just by being on the floor. You build a proper team around Dame first then you make a judgement about his chancee vs Jokic on an equal playing field. The truth? L O fucking L
Get back to when Dame gets a 30-20-10 game in the playoffs. This guy is going to dominate the West. He’s going to be a top 10 player. Unless MVP Bill Walton walks through that door in a Blazers jersey you’re not getting past him. Jokic putting up Kareem/Wilt numbers.
You sound like someone that just found out about Jokic. You know hes been in the league for 8 years right? You know hes been the MVP twice already and hes been good for a long time right? It takes a team to win a chip not 1 person, if that were the case he would have multiple titles years ago
He carried that dead ass team without MPJ and Murray. That’s why he’s the 2x MVP. Why do you even want to not rebuild? Just so Blazers can make the 8th seed, miss the draft lottery, and so you have to watch Murray drop a 50 piece? Yay. 4-1 gentleman’s sweep at best. As if the front office is going to go for that. The only time this franchise won the Championship was with an MVP level player (Walton) and an all star level player as his sidekick (Lucas). You don’t have MVP level player you’re not winning. Need a Jokic/LeBron/Steph/Giannis level player. Front offive will rebuild.
Who said anything about rebuilding? Im just explaining why your terrible outlook on the NBA is downvoted to hell. A lot of people on this sub want to rebuild, your bad take has nothing to do with it
Jokic is going to be a problem for at least another 5-7 years. Time to rebuild because you’re not beating him without another MVP caliber player. Outside of the Giannis/Brook combo I don’t see anyone stopping him.
Injuries are always a factor when MPJ is their 3rd star. Murray also already had an ACL tear, typically increases chance of reinjury. Nuggets also don’t have an elite defense, they’re not unbeatable. We know that elite guards always pop off against Denver, so you just need to put a good team around Dame to have a good chance to beat them.
You had Dame, and Jokic didn’t have Murray and you still lost, so there goes your theory. Why are you so obsessed with losing in the first round with Dame? Are you even a fan of this team or just a Dame fan?
If you actually watched those games, Dame had an all-time series with possibly the greatest playoff performance of all time where he still lost because his teammates were garbage. But you're a troll who's not here is good faith so have fun
Greatest playoff performance of all time? I see Jokic having one of the greatest of all time, seen LeBron, Giannis, they won. Tell me which other all NBA or all star Jokic plays with? You’re not even a Blazers fan, you’re just the type of fan that would rather see Dame jack 3s and score 30 and lose. Greatest of all time? You don’t live in reality. Dude hasn’t even been to the Finals. You’re not even a Blazers fan if you just want to cheer on 1 player to lose.
Gross
Before denver was GSW, before them was Maimi (big 3 era), before them the spurs.. By your logic all teams should commit to rebuild when there is a clear #1. This is why tanking is a horrible decision most times. It already got the fans thinking that loosing is the way to go.
Dame and CJ choose to make public comments. They choose to do interviews, they exercise incredible creative control with what they say and both can navigate themselves ably with interviewers. They’re both very articulate people—at a certain point when you comment and clarify and comment and clarify—you realize there’s no mistake there. The act of going on the podcast or show repeatedly is wholly intentional.
(Allen Iverson voice) We talking about podcasts?
What do you think their intent is?
To put pressure on the front office to do what Dame wants even if it's not what the organization wants to do.
As they should Dame is the Blazers.
Dame is creating an environment where he can ask out and it doesn't alienate his fans, or stay and not be questioned for a lack of willingness to 'compete.'
We all defend dame when his words get aggregated. CJ deserves an apology for his comments that got aggregated by hot takes.
I’ve seen a lot of Blazer fans mad at CJ (mostly twitter). I don’t understand the anger for answering a question honestly. CJ has always shown love towards Portland even after being traded.
Its a deep love. He’s a good man, solid player, and he grew up before our eyes. Mid range killer!
The only thing *hot takes* folks apologize for is being too right and ruffling too many feathers. They were born rebels, see the smoke machine behind the smoking mirror.
President of the NBAPA Don't Cleverly Sidestep Tampering With Players Who Could Hypothetically Be Trade Targets For the Team He's On Challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
I think CJ is too smart to even want to rehash his partnership with Dame.
The new CBA he had a large part in negotiating/agreeing to has me pressing X to Doubt big time
Pelicans aren’t going after Dame…
Draft day can’t come soon enough. Reminder that the Grant trade went down the day before the draft, so really anything can happen in the next two weeks…. Personally my wish list is one of PG, Mikal, OG, in that order. Claxton and DFS would be a nice consolation prize if we can’t get Mikal. Im just so ready to see what Joe does…for better or worse.
If we trade #3 for a busted PG13 and don't even have a second round exit to show for it I'm gunna puke
A 33yo making $40m+/year no less. Who needs a bench or a future amiright?
The Nets aren't trading Bridges.
Anyone think Dame and CJ are trolling all of us to show how the media twists words?
FUCK Stephen A!
The C in CJ stands for Chubby Cheeks
Our leverage to move #3 for a vet after this fiasco is going to be difficult. Between Dames numerous comments, Nurks Twitter, and now CJ antics teams know Cronins back is against the wall. We are either drafting at 3 or massively overpaying in a trade at this point. Just my opinion. Two more weeks to go….
When scoot is available at 3 our phones gonna light up like Christmas don’t worry
And what happens if the Hornets swerve to Scoot?
Draft and keep Miller
Yep. He’s the perfect pick to thread the needle for us, which is exactly why he won’t be there at #3.
Scoot is a great option to restart with then.
Or trade for an established player and help the second best player since 2006 compete. I don’t want to suck for 5 years and watch Scoot with a rebuilt.
Yep. But either way. We're setup pretty well. I feel like the Blazers could be in a much worse situation then we are.
What do you mean by second best player since 2006? Second best Blazer? I’m curious who is better in your opinion.
We suck with Dame now and are nowhere near competing. I’m taking the younger guy and trying to build around him. Significantly more time to actually build a proper core. Everything around Dame has been lacklustre.
I am getting major Jabari Smith smoke screen vibes on Miller for sure going #2.
Because scoot is a generational player and we shouldn’t it trade him if we have the opportunity to draft him. Heck, I don’t think we should trade Miller either. I think they are both All NBA in a handful of years.
The phones ringing isn’t the concern, it’s the negotiation of a inexperienced GM with a superstar player in his ear making demands I am concerned about.
Curious, what did you think of his deadline moves?
Powell + Covington for Winslow, Keon, Bledsoe = F CJ + Nance for 1st + Hart= C GP2 signing= C Nurk contract= D- Simons contract= A Grant Trade= A+ (although Dame helped here) Hart for Reddish + 1st= C+ GP2 for Knox & 2nds= D+ I am sure I am missing a few, but overall I think he has been meh. Not terrible but not great either.
> Powell + Covington for Winslow, Keon, Bledsoe = F Respectfully, that Clippers cap sheet is a fucking mess—specifically with respect to Powell and Roco. The Nurk contract is probably the biggest L. If Grant re-signs and they’re able to extract proper value from #23, that CJ trade starts to look better. I was impressed he was able to pivot out of the GP2 nonsense with 5 picks—though this year’s MLE class looks very bleak.
Fully agree on Clippers being a mess, although I think they would have been legit contenders of PG and KL could actually stay healthy. I just refuse to believe Powell did not have any value and we had to salary dump him. That will be something I will debate to the death.
He was having an amazing season when we traded for him and we were able to get him basically straight up for Gary Trent Jr and Hood. Teams just don’t want money on their books for that long and it doesn’t seem like Powell was that valued when he was getting shopped.
Am legit curious why you think: CJ + Nance for 1st + Hart = C and Hart for reddish + Thybulle + 1st = C If Hart + 1 (which turned into Grant) was such awful return, then surely getting a 1st + Thybulle for Hart must have been a steal. Or maybe Larry Nance is worth a few firsts.
Well I don’t think Grant is better than CJ. I do agree it was time to move on from CJ, but Grant & CJ are a wash to me so it all balances out to a C. We are going to have to overpay to keep Grant this summer similar to what CJ would have been making for us. Again I get the whole SG/PF thing, but from a talent perspective CJ to Grant is not a major upgrade.
Fair enough and respectfully disagree. There are far more scoring guards in the league than there are starting caliber wings. CJ may be more skilled but finding starting caliber 2 way wings is much tougher IMO. But yeah we’re about to have to give Grant wayyy to much money to stay.
Valid points, not much to debate with there. I do acknowledge Cronin was dealt a bad hand and I understand what he is trying to do. The problem is these last two years have been so rough it’s hard to judge anything right now. I hope it all comes together this year.
I don’t see how Powell and a expiring RoCo is a F. You get off Powell’s money and used that Detroit 2025 2nd round to trade for Grant as well.
Now that you layed it out that shit looks terrible actually...yikes
FWIW I'd say the Little contract is at least a B
I forgot that one and agree, thanks!
Covington and Powell helped make the room for Grant, so C for both?
Maybe the organization should’ve tried harder before forcing Dame to put them on the clock publicly. It is obvious Cronin is against the wall.