The Portland Trail Blazers have the most important trade piece of the 2023 NBA offseason – the 3rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and are about to use it to change everything.
Portland Receives – Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright, 13th overall pick Toronto Receives – Shaedon Sharpe, Keon Johnson, Deni Avdija, Daniel Gafford, 3rd and 8th overall picks Washington Recieves – Anfernee Simons, 2026 2nd round pick (via Toronto)
Portland gets one of the most versatile players in the league. He's an elite defender, inside scorer, he can shoot, and he's one of the best playmaking bigs. They also stay in the lottery! Additionally, they get another solid role player. Toronto gets some solid young players and amazing draft picks in this years draft. They give up by far the best player in this trade, but the return is very respectable. Washington gets the point guard that they've been openly seeking. He's a 20ppg scorer, young, has years left on his contract, and fills the only glaring hole in their roster. They could definitely sneak into the playoffs.
If you can't build a winning roster around a 1st team All-NBA guy, your problem isn't the superstar. It's the coach and/or the front office. I can't believe I'm having to say this.
Honestly keeping the pick doesn't fit the timeline for Dame and Portland to have a realistic shot at contending so it makes sense why they'd consider trading it away to capitalize on his prime. For people saying they should instead trade dame, keep the pick and kick start the rebuild I would agree with them on paper but they're not looking at the fact that Portland isn't LA, NYC, Miami, Houston or even Orlando, the problem isn't trading for solid players and developing through the draft, it's keeping them long enough to make a contender. If you're a small market you either need to pay all NBA money for a fringe all star Charlotte and Batum, be a legitimate contender every year like Milwaukee and Giannis or hope and pray that you stumble on someone like Dame who doesn't care about big markets or a need to have an all NBA player as his running mate which is extremely rare in this NBA landscape. Seriously just look at the history of small market teams with a quality player, the rest of the league treats them as their feeder system picking up any talent who's showing promise. I do not envy the position Portland is in at all, trade a potential franchise player in the future to try to win now, trade your loyal star player to rebuild and hope the young core isn't lured away by a big market or stay the course of being a middle of the pack team. Usually these situations are cut and dry but for Portland not so much
Unless they can land Embiid, just trade Dame. Whats even the point? Yall just doing bad for both sides, cant fully develop young talent and create a new culture and cant contend.
L video. Dame wants to be in Portland and would rather retire a Blazer than win a ring somewhere else. Portland would rather try and win with Dame than set themselves up for 10 years from now. You don’t really see loyalty like this that goes both ways anymore anywhere else in the NBA (or in other professional sports for that matter). It’s a shame people don’t respect it more.
Heat just made the finals with a roster with arguably less talent then the blazers have rn. With the right trade any team could make the finals. The blazers are very unlikely to ever have a player on the roster as good as Dame who also wants to win a chip in portland. Other teams don't have the draft capital to even make a Dame trade work. In summery, trading Dame would be about as bad a move as you could possibly make
he doesn't want to be that guy. he doesn't want to score 35 ppg. you haven't acknowledged the fact that portland is incapable of building a team around him or attracting any free agents by giving money to garbage players. he wanted to win in the city that drafted him and not like other 'superstars' that sell out for championships (your lebron, kd etc.)
The trail blazers players to me are in a bad place. If you replaced dame with any other superstar in the leauge, the blazers arent good enough of a roster to get out the 2st round. Their roster consists of a bunch of mid, blazers need more players with upside or need a brrakout player bedides dame
At this point, they should draft scoot and trade dame. Scoot and simons can be their backcourt of the future and they can get a stupid amount of assets and draft compensation for dame. That’s definitely the best path moving forward.
Dame has already vocalized he doesnt want to be part of a rebuild. So if they keep the pick they are basically saying they will be trading him because he will ask for an out.
Dame is literally better than anyone they can draft. So is Sharpe. The blazers have a better chance of winning with Lillard than they do with Scoot or Miller.
This looks a lot like the mid 90s blazer where they had drexler who was aging but traded him and became a contender in less than 5 years. Portland can do that here.
If you want to rebuild around a single 3rd pick it will take a while. Spurs might trade Kelvin Johnson and ossibly 2 first round picks over the next two years for the Blazers third ick this year. 4 picks and a rising 3 is a fair deal.
The best time to replace Dame is right now. He can leave to go wherever and the Blazers can get a fresh start with Scoot if he falls to 3. If Dame is serious about winning and he wants to leave, this is his and the Blazers best opportunity to let it happen
48 Comments
They can do whatever they want they’re not getting through the nuggets or suns so what’s the point. Trade dame and build
Three Way Deal with Toronto and Washington
Portland Receives – Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright, 13th overall pick
Toronto Receives – Shaedon Sharpe, Keon Johnson, Deni Avdija, Daniel Gafford, 3rd and 8th overall picks
Washington Recieves – Anfernee Simons, 2026 2nd round pick (via Toronto)
Portland gets one of the most versatile players in the league. He's an elite defender, inside scorer, he can shoot, and he's one of the best playmaking bigs. They also stay in the lottery! Additionally, they get another solid role player.
Toronto gets some solid young players and amazing draft picks in this years draft. They give up by far the best player in this trade, but the return is very respectable.
Washington gets the point guard that they've been openly seeking. He's a 20ppg scorer, young, has years left on his contract, and fills the only glaring hole in their roster. They could definitely sneak into the playoffs.
JUST REBUILD it’s not a hard decision
Can I interest the Blazers in a slightly used PG or Kawhi?
I think they’ll draft amen at 3 if scoot isn’t available
how about bradley beal?
If you can't build a winning roster around a 1st team All-NBA guy, your problem isn't the superstar. It's the coach and/or the front office. I can't believe I'm having to say this.
Honestly? If I’m Portland, I’m making the pick and building a young team while holding on to Dame
Mikael Bridges is 26. He us young still
I think they will keep the pick and Portland will be Portland another season.
Dame most loyal
Steph be like ah ok 😂
lol you a Brooklyn dan and it shows
The Blazers could have the brightest future if they traded Dame. No such thing as loyalty
Honestly keeping the pick doesn't fit the timeline for Dame and Portland to have a realistic shot at contending so it makes sense why they'd consider trading it away to capitalize on his prime. For people saying they should instead trade dame, keep the pick and kick start the rebuild I would agree with them on paper but they're not looking at the fact that Portland isn't LA, NYC, Miami, Houston or even Orlando, the problem isn't trading for solid players and developing through the draft, it's keeping them long enough to make a contender. If you're a small market you either need to pay all NBA money for a fringe all star Charlotte and Batum, be a legitimate contender every year like Milwaukee and Giannis or hope and pray that you stumble on someone like Dame who doesn't care about big markets or a need to have an all NBA player as his running mate which is extremely rare in this NBA landscape. Seriously just look at the history of small market teams with a quality player, the rest of the league treats them as their feeder system picking up any talent who's showing promise. I do not envy the position Portland is in at all, trade a potential franchise player in the future to try to win now, trade your loyal star player to rebuild and hope the young core isn't lured away by a big market or stay the course of being a middle of the pack team. Usually these situations are cut and dry but for Portland not so much
You say Dame could go to another team and possibly be the THIRD best player on another team and don't edit that out 👀
If he went to Lakers rn he would be the best player on that team. Old lebron inconsistent AD. He would easily be the best player on most teams
Unless they can land Embiid, just trade Dame. Whats even the point? Yall just doing bad for both sides, cant fully develop young talent and create a new culture and cant contend.
L video. Dame wants to be in Portland and would rather retire a Blazer than win a ring somewhere else. Portland would rather try and win with Dame than set themselves up for 10 years from now. You don’t really see loyalty like this that goes both ways anymore anywhere else in the NBA (or in other professional sports for that matter). It’s a shame people don’t respect it more.
I hope scoot drops to 3. He is a bigger trade chip than Miller in most teams eyes.
Scoot off the bench with Sharpe would be fun to watch!
Heat just made the finals with a roster with arguably less talent then the blazers have rn. With the right trade any team could make the finals. The blazers are very unlikely to ever have a player on the roster as good as Dame who also wants to win a chip in portland. Other teams don't have the draft capital to even make a Dame trade work. In summery, trading Dame would be about as bad a move as you could possibly make
Don't give me a title that is totally a lie. The trail Blazers didn't do anything.
Idc what they do. Bt they need to sell high on Simons. He ain’t that guy
he doesn't want to be that guy. he doesn't want to score 35 ppg. you haven't acknowledged the fact that portland is incapable of building a team around him or attracting any free agents by giving money to garbage players. he wanted to win in the city that drafted him and not like other 'superstars' that sell out for championships (your lebron, kd etc.)
So how did the Blazers just shake up the offseason?
For the love of god, please stop talking about trading Dame.
It has been the same conversation since 2018
just stop
Mikal Bridges and Ben Simmons for the 3rd, Simons and Shaedon Sharpe
How you saying, at the same time, he's arguably a top 5 player and likely gonna be 2nd best player on the team if he moves?
The trail blazers players to me are in a bad place. If you replaced dame with any other superstar in the leauge, the blazers arent good enough of a roster to get out the 2st round. Their roster consists of a bunch of mid, blazers need more players with upside or need a brrakout player bedides dame
If they can find a way to get Siakam and brown to pair with dame that’d be a scary team in the west
Jaylen Brown (sign & trade) and Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser
For Anfernee Simons & the 3rd Pick, future 1st.
Celtics draft Brandon Miller.
Or,
Jaylen Brown for Damian Lillard straight up.
Blazers hope for Scoot, but Miller would still be great.
Blazers:
1. Henderson
2. Simons
3. Brown
4. Grant (?)
5. Nurkic
Or
1. Simons
2. Sharpe
3. Brown
4. Miller
5. Nurkic
At this point, they should draft scoot and trade dame. Scoot and simons can be their backcourt of the future and they can get a stupid amount of assets and draft compensation for dame. That’s definitely the best path moving forward.
mikal only 26
Dame has already vocalized he doesnt want to be part of a rebuild. So if they keep the pick they are basically saying they will be trading him because he will ask for an out.
No matter what, they need to get rid of nurkic… That guy is aaaaalways injured
They can get MPJ for draft and anfernee Simons or a 3 way trade. as Denver is trying to resign Bruce Brown too.
The raptors should by all means offer Scottie Barnes and the 13th pick for Bridges.
Imagine
Van Vleet
Bridges
Anunoby
Siakam
Poeltl
Trent
Boucher
Achiuwa
Porter Jr
Dame is literally better than anyone they can draft. So is Sharpe. The blazers have a better chance of winning with Lillard than they do with Scoot or Miller.
Draft Scoot and trade Dame for Jaylen Brown. It’s time.
Trade the 3rd for Ayton
This looks a lot like the mid 90s blazer where they had drexler who was aging but traded him and became a contender in less than 5 years. Portland can do that here.
The real question is, how will this affect LeBron’s legacy?
Dame would be good with the Bucks.
Based off the title I thought the Blazers actually made a trade…
Him not mentioning Miami but mentioning Denver, Boston and Milwaukee as contenders is crazy. They’re in the Finals
If you want to rebuild around a single 3rd pick it will take a while. Spurs might trade Kelvin Johnson and ossibly 2 first round picks over the next two years for the Blazers third ick this year. 4 picks and a rising 3 is a fair deal.
This guy's YouTube metrics are screaming for Dame to be traded.
The best time to replace Dame is right now. He can leave to go wherever and the Blazers can get a fresh start with Scoot if he falls to 3. If Dame is serious about winning and he wants to leave, this is his and the Blazers best opportunity to let it happen