[source here](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-25-the-nba-playoffs-are-almost-here/id1668189953?i=1000608922999):
>I didn’t think he said much. It wasn’t a surprise to me. I didn’t think he said much of anything that was different from his previous stance over the last couple of years. I think people were making this out to be like this is the first time that he’s issuing an ultimatum.
>The first time he really put the organization to task was two summers ago. This was when they lost in the first round to Denver missing Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. That was the year Dame was really contemplating if he was going to stay or think about going elsewhere.
>It was more of a serious point then than it is now. This can elevate to being a serious situation depending on how the Blazers handle this offseason with the draft coming up and free agency.
>I talked to Dame a little bit before we started this pod. I told him we’re gonna talk about the comments you made with Stephen A. Give me your take on what’s going on and what you meant to say. He said ‘I want to win right now. The Blazers tell me that they want to win right now. So for right now, I’m going in trusting that we’re all on the same page and that they’re going to do things to improve this roster and to put this roster in position to be a championship contending team. If they don’t, if things fall short, then he and the team have a decision to make.’
>He’s already talked to Joe Cronin and informed him he doesn’t want to go down a road to being a middle tier team in no man’s land and he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team. If they aren’t able to come through with their promises of putting together a competent roster, they pretty much know the next step.
>That next step is a step that we haven’t seen in Dame’s time of being a professional basketball player and I think right now everything is cool because there’s promises being made but there’s a small window to come through on those promises in these next couple months. If that doesn’t happen, then that’s when I think this situation could be elevated and it will be a more worse than it was two years ago when Dame finally came out and expressed a desire to have a better team around him.
by ChurroMemes
29 Comments
Trade him because there is NO way we can do what he wants in one year.
If Haynes is reporting this, I guess the Henry Abbot rumors were true lol?
….at least, on a technical level.
Even Dame, now, states he doesn’t have time and wants to compete but suggests he’ll live with whatever the organization does (even keeping him on a rebuild).
Sounds like everyone is honestly on the same page and being mature and communicative about this.
The Blazers will try to find the trades and signings for an all in push, and will have to go deep into the cap to make it happen.
If they can’t find those moves out there, Trade Dame amicably to a contender and rebuild.
No hard feelings either way but it’s absolutely time to shit or get off the pot.
My worst fear is becoming more and more likely. We might not be able to give dame what he wants, which means he could potentially leave us.
I mean anybody who has paid attention knew this was the thing. Either finally make moves and make this a true competitive team or just trade dame and rebuild. The question is if they can pull it off because I really don’t wanna lose dame. I would assume they don’t package sharpe in a deal unless it’s for a legit superstar. Huge off-season.
Ok but what if we try, go all in and still don’t get it done. At the end of the day, no matter what move we make, the team on the floor still has to get it done. There is no promise with anything. So if the team shows that it’s dedicated and makes a bunch of good moves this summer and they still fall short will Dame still want a trade?
I think right now everyone is on the same page, but there isn’t a magic trade that makes a championship run 100%. So what does Dame consider “enough” to call this off-season a success?
What I worry about with all of this happening in public is that other teams now ignore our trade offers because they’d rather wait a few more months for Dame to be on the table than consider Ant/Nurk/Nas/Whoever else we’re shopping now. There were rumors about that dynamic being one of the reasons moving CJ was hard.
Honestly, im good with this. We’ve been kicking the can down the road since 2016 and it’s time to start fucking delivering.
If not, no hard feelings towards Dame but he should be able to choose what he desires. Organization owes it to him for all the bullshit moves made in the past.
Go all in. He deserves a real shot with us.
Not really surprising. After never missing the playoffs as a starter, to be shut down and ending 5th worst in the league. Player loyalty only goes so far, can we Dirk it or will this go the way of KG.
This is where we find out of Cronin is deserving of being the GM, year one was trying to undo NO’s fuckery and now we get to see if he can build around Dame. The ’25 TV deal can’t come quick enough and we get Jody out.
Before the doomsayers come out, this is the same line he’s been towing for awhile. Essentially, it does put more pressure on Cronin to make something happen this offseason. If we don’t get Wembanyama, we basically need to trade our pick. Even if we get Wembanyama we still need upgrades. We don’t need to make stupid moves just for movement’s sake, and Cronin needs to be wise about what he does as well.
One major available target that Dame has talked about in the past is OG who is on an expiring contract. People might want bigger names, but fit is essential to maximize our gains and OG is a rare player that immediately upgrades our defense while being a real offensive threat as well. I’m predicting that we get OG or someone like him before the draft (if we don’t get the 1st pick), just like we got Grant last year.
He is asking for a complete overhaul sans a couple of players like Grant, Thybulle and possibly Nurk since they are so close. Dude, how are we going to get a whole team around you in one off season?
We would need to trade Ant, Sharpe and our pick to get in pieces that help Dame get to the WCF. We would need to gut our bench and give him the vets he is asking for. We would need to do so much. It’s such an ask it bothers me
There are no realistic trades that will get this team past the middle tier. It’s just not happening. Dame and the FO need to realize that and part ways. Start over with a young nucleus of Sharpe, Simons, potential top 5 pick plus whatever future picks you get for Lillard.
This is good for the Blazers it creates more uncertainty which gives them options and will help them not get fleeced.
If Dame’s expectation is to suddenly become a contender this season, it’s probably hopeless. If we trade our pick and he demands out anyway, I’m going to be very sad for a lot of years.
>*”I want to win right now. The Blazers tell me that they want to win right now. So for right now, I’m going in trusting that we’re all on the same page and that they’re going to do things to improve this roster and to put this roster in position to be a championship contending team.”*
This is what I hear between the lines of what Dame said above: ***they *want* to win right now, but being in a small market and how we’re currently set up, it’s not likely to happen in the next couple of seasons.***
Being the floor general and team leader now for eleven years, he absolutely knows more about this situation than anyone else on the planet. He’s also quite savvy when it comes to knowing all about the financial side of this franchise in terms of understanding the nuances of caps, trading limitations and ceilings, free agency, etc.
In interviews and on social media, everything he says has been given a lot of thought and deliberation, and is always sincere. He speaks from his heart, but also from his experience and deep wisdom. With apologies and a feather cap to Paul Pierce, our Dame literally is *The Truth*.
I know we say this every year seemingly, but this upcoming season will be the most pivotal and make-or-break season especially in the Dame era. Dame’s definitely put the franchise on notice in the past four days without mincing words. He’s not stuttering.
Expect to see one or more big trades/transactions coming up in the next few months. Of this there is no doubt, despite what happens with our dice roll in one of the deepest NBA drafts in recent memory on June 22.
I’m a natural optimist, even if it is sometimes to my detriment. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I firmly believe we have a lot of good things in store for us before the ’23-’24 season gets underway. We may have to mortgage our future to get stacked now, and it’s gonna be a helluva ride.
Who’s gonna tell him? Just ask out bro, true fans will still love you
Nice.
Some of the Cronin trades wasn’t even to win now. We keep getting younger without a bench.
I just want to line Broadway and watch Dame hold the Larry O’Brien trophy in the next 5 years.
I hope the right moves are made but if simple things don’t change like us starting the season with 1 back up for Nurk, then I’m afraid my dream will just be a dream
Of course this means that everyone around the league is gonna try to fuck the blazers because they think that Dame might shake free
I’m happy he’s finally putting pressure on the front office I just don’t get why it took him so long to do it. Would have been nice if he’d done it in like 2019
I’m also not sure how his desire to be a be a top team lined up with his unwavering faith in Billups
Dame sucks. He’s a pretender and who cares about his “loyalty”. If he were loyal to the franchise and city, he’d take a pay cut so the team could accommodate larger salaries. He didn’t. He wanted the supermax. He got it. And now he’s gonna bitch and moan his way out of town. Good riddance.
“Guys dames not leaving, he’s never said he wants to leave.”
He’s been saying this for years. He said it and then we gave him tony snell and Cody fuckin zeller.
At a certain point, this franchise owes dame, but it’s bigger than that. This team owes its FANS. It’s one thing to give it your all with your star (mavericks, thunder) and it just not workout so you trade them and begin the rebuild.
It’s another thing entirely to seemingly intentionally punt your franchise goat’s entire career and prime, and then trade him to commit to sucking for another half decade.
The lease is nearly up on the moda center. The Jody Allen era is nearly over. This team owes its fans in this precarious time to put a competitive product on the floor. If it doesn’t work, you transition everything, ownership and star player alike, as a respectable and serious franchise people want to play for.
It’s wild that he looks at this organization, heard them say “we want to win now”, looks at the roster and the coach, and believes them. Lmao.
Blazer fans think this team could’ve been something without injuries and the best player in franchise history doesn’t even think that. Get a grip people
It’s inevitable. Start trade talks
Good. Dame is playing the best basketball of his career. It’s time to capitalize on it one way or another.
Either build a team that can compete or trade Dame now to give him a chance to compete and give us assets for a full rebuild.
Bro just leave. You deserve a ring. You won’t get it here. Go win one with a team that has a FO worth a shit