Now that Lillard has requested a trade, Portland needs to go draft pick hunting. While four 1st rd picks would be ideal, I think Portland's best hope is to get 3 and a couple of veteran help and/or an expiring contract or two. In the end, it doesn't matter much, as nobody wants to live in Portland. Just burn the franchise down already, and move them to Vegas.
They can probably suck for one more year, get one more draft of high picks combined with what they'll get from Lillard, and then go forward with a young core. Get rid of Grant and Nurk as well although Nurk isn't going to get anything back. They're going to match for Thybulle which I also like. Eubanks as a backup center isn't the worst thing.
Simons, who has already made CJ expendable, Sharpe, Henderson and their next top picks have to completely bust out. No GM would give up on that for at least a few seasons.
End of the day, Dame + CJ didn't work and Collins was a bust due to injury. No real shame in that. They got Nurk for nothing and he didn't completely suck until after he snapped his leg. Aldridge leaving was a significant blow and he's stated publicly he regretted that. Spurs were an elite organization at the time.
Losing to Denver in 2021 and firing Stotts was the beginning. Need to get rid of Billups now.
I agree Billups sucks.
Stotts' teams didn't play defense, but I think that can be blamed more on the GM than Stotts, as Stotts didn't have the personnel to play defense. Nurkic was great being so cheap, but in the end, I think Portland fell into mediocre purgatory. They were never in contention, but just good enough to make the playoffs or be at the back end of the lottery. The only way to get better was to tank or draw free agents. But no matter how beloved Lillard is around the league (which he is), no free agents wanted to play or live in Portland. I don't fucking blame them.
Lillard being as loyal as he was given the shit he's had around him since Aldridge left, is nothing short of incredible. You don't see that in sports today. Lillard will always be beloved by me for that reason, and why I'm rooting for them to find a contender for him, willing to give the Blazers some value. But Portland owes it to Lillard to find the best offer from an actual contender. Sending his ass anywhere but a contender would be shitty as fuck. Normally, I'd say who gives a shit about loyalty, and get the best deal. Not this time, Portland did this motherfucker dirty for years, they fucking owe him.
Stotts made it to the Western Conference finals, a conference that had a dynasty + pre-championship Nuggets, and did it with fucking Enes Kanter starting and Rodney Hood as a key piece.
Al Faruque Amino and some other guys like Leonard is on the GM.
Getting upset by New Orleans really hurt him with the front office.
Now that Lillard has requested a trade, Portland needs to go draft pick hunting. While four 1st rd picks would be ideal, I think Portland's best hope is to get 3 and a couple of veteran help and/or an expiring contract or two. In the end, it doesn't matter much, as nobody wants to live in Portland. Just burn the franchise down already, and move them to Vegas.
They can probably suck for one more year, get one more draft of high picks combined with what they'll get from Lillard, and then go forward with a young core. Get rid of Grant and Nurk as well although Nurk isn't going to get anything back. They're going to match for Thybulle which I also like. Eubanks as a backup center isn't the worst thing.
Simons, who has already made CJ expendable, Sharpe, Henderson and their next top picks have to completely bust out. No GM would give up on that for at least a few seasons.
End of the day, Dame + CJ didn't work and Collins was a bust due to injury. No real shame in that. They got Nurk for nothing and he didn't completely suck until after he snapped his leg. Aldridge leaving was a significant blow and he's stated publicly he regretted that. Spurs were an elite organization at the time.
Losing to Denver in 2021 and firing Stotts was the beginning. Need to get rid of Billups now.
I agree Billups sucks.
Stotts' teams didn't play defense, but I think that can be blamed more on the GM than Stotts, as Stotts didn't have the personnel to play defense. Nurkic was great being so cheap, but in the end, I think Portland fell into mediocre purgatory. They were never in contention, but just good enough to make the playoffs or be at the back end of the lottery. The only way to get better was to tank or draw free agents. But no matter how beloved Lillard is around the league (which he is), no free agents wanted to play or live in Portland. I don't fucking blame them.
Lillard being as loyal as he was given the shit he's had around him since Aldridge left, is nothing short of incredible. You don't see that in sports today. Lillard will always be beloved by me for that reason, and why I'm rooting for them to find a contender for him, willing to give the Blazers some value. But Portland owes it to Lillard to find the best offer from an actual contender. Sending his ass anywhere but a contender would be shitty as fuck. Normally, I'd say who gives a shit about loyalty, and get the best deal. Not this time, Portland did this motherfucker dirty for years, they fucking owe him.
Stotts made it to the Western Conference finals, a conference that had a dynasty + pre-championship Nuggets, and did it with fucking Enes Kanter starting and Rodney Hood as a key piece.
Al Faruque Amino and some other guys like Leonard is on the GM.
Getting upset by New Orleans really hurt him with the front office.
Losing wasn't great, but getting swept in that series didn't help.
I suspect the return for Lillard is not quite as high as what people might think. He's 33 in a few days, has only played 80-something games the past two years due to injury, and is not a big guard. Also, if he goes to a good team the picks traded in return are probably 3-4 years off so not really a near-term help for Portland.
Look at what the Wizards got for Bradley Beal as a starting point. Lillard is a better player, but kinda the same situation and he's older.
I suspect the return for Lillard is not quite as high as what people might think. He's 33 in a few days, has only played 80-something games the past two years due to injury, and is not a big guard. Also, if he goes to a good team the picks traded in return are probably 3-4 years off so not really a near-term help for Portland.
Look at what the Wizards got for Bradley Beal as a starting point. Lillard is a better player, but kinda the same situation and he's older.
He's coming off career highs and won't have to shoulder the load. You have a solid 2-3 year window with him, maybe 4 depending on the destination, but I get your point. Riley isn't going to part with much after Tyler Herro. Trading with the Celtics is probably Portland's best bet.
I suspect the return for Lillard is not quite as high as what people might think. He's 33 in a few days, has only played 80-something games the past two years due to injury, and is not a big guard. Also, if he goes to a good team the picks traded in return are probably 3-4 years off so not really a near-term help for Portland.
Look at what the Wizards got for Bradley Beal as a starting point. Lillard is a better player, but kinda the same situation and he's older.
He is not sitting significant amounts of time if the team is not tanking. The problem is herro is worthless to the blazers. If jaylen brown doesn't resign with Boston I think that's the trade partner. May go into the season.
Boston, Philly and Miami are the teams that make the most sense timeline wise and Miami and Philly don't have much of interest unless a third team really wants maxey or herro. I don't know why anyone would overpay for those guys though.
I suspect the return for Lillard is not quite as high as what people might think. He's 33 in a few days, has only played 80-something games the past two years due to injury, and is not a big guard. Also, if he goes to a good team the picks traded in return are probably 3-4 years off so not really a near-term help for Portland.
Look at what the Wizards got for Bradley Beal as a starting point. Lillard is a better player, but kinda the same situation and he's older.
He is not sitting significant amounts of time if the team is not tanking. The problem is herro is worthless to the blazers. If jaylen brown doesn't resign with Boston I think that's the trade partner. May go into the season.
Boston, Philly and Miami are the teams that make the most sense timeline wise and Miami and Philly don't have much of interest unless a third team really wants maxey or herro. I don't know why anyone would overpay for those guys though.
It sounds like they're willing to go up to the trade deadline now.
Fuck it. Deal him to Utah and get a bunch of real assets back.
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Al Faruque Amino and some other guys like Leonard is on the GM.
Getting upset by New Orleans really hurt him with the front office.
Look at what the Wizards got for Bradley Beal as a starting point. Lillard is a better player, but kinda the same situation and he's older.
Boston, Philly and Miami are the teams that make the most sense timeline wise and Miami and Philly don't have much of interest unless a third team really wants maxey or herro. I don't know why anyone would overpay for those guys though.
Fuck it. Deal him to Utah and get a bunch of real assets back.
As an aside, it's funny seeing Tyger Campbell out there for Orlando.