This Trail Blazers Season Preview is brought to you by the new 2K series on my gaming channel: • A New Era - 2k24 Spurs... #basketball #nba #commentary 0:00 intro 1:51 Blazers Season Preview
@@euroteknique12 with Dame on the heat no west team is unbeatable, they got the best team in the finals which was the Nuggets, the only other team that could really give them problems is a healthy clippers but I really wouldn’t count on that, maybe the lakers if I’m going to name a dark horse
@@somregularguyLakers?? The kings are a better team to name for a dark horse contender than the lakers who literally got lucky with the weakest defending champions of all time (Golden state warriors) going in free fall and the grizzlies being young and unexperienced with dillion brooks talking shit for no reason. But respectfully Dame to the heat is beating the nuggets who are w/o bruce brown
Makes sense for the blazers if they are able to potentially stunt scoots growth they gotta do it especially if it means Dame continues to miss the playoffs which will tarnish his legacy which should be their goal due to his loyalty to them
This the same situation as with the Sixers. We'll probably see movement closer to the trade deadline. It's too close to training camp that maybe the reason Portland pulled out of trade talks.
@@somregularguy Portland would be okay with not trading Dame, but this situation really is just a matter of waiting till the target trade destination becomes more desperate
Harden last year got traded for a guy that wasn't playing basketball, a role player, a big man that is well past his prime and 2 picks, 1 of which has protections on it.
All I have to say is that if a return is not to your liking, then you're under no obligation to trade your franchise player (or any player) anywhere. I get doing Dame a solid, but is there a point in trading a player as good as he is for a return you're not happy with?
@jac23mj He's well within his rights to do that, but dude should really blame himself for signing an extension with a franchise that's deeply, perpetually unserious. Who sees the Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe contracts and chooses to keep coming back?
@@crashlight54 Dame okayed and wanted Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe coming back. Dame kept taking so much money that it made it harder for the blazers to have more money to sign more better players. Dame could have been a little less selfish to help bring better players to play with him. It's not easy for the blazers to get all-stars either, so they were probably trying most or all of that time to get better players around Dame.
How loyal are you really if you sign a 5 year max contract and ask to be traded within the first season? You do know that players have the option of free agency. Taking max money and quiting on your team/putting them in a bad spot (only 1 trade destination) isn't loyalty..
Honestly have no problem with this from Portland’s perspective. If the team doesn’t feel like they are getting fair compensation then why should you trade your franchise player? There is way more pressure on Miami to acquire Dame than on the Blazers to trade him and they will realize that once they see that their roster is not the same as last years and are desperate for someone besides Jimmy to lead the offense.
The thing is Dame has been extremely loyal to the Blazers even after years of them not building a good team around him. Now he wants to leave to a specific team and you would think that considering how loyal he’s been this is the least they could do for Dame but nope. If this is how the Blazers and specifically nba teams are going to treat superstars what’s the point of them being loyal at all. The only reason Blazers have had any relevance at all is because of Dame and this is how they repay him lmao.
Exactly, I get doing your franchise player a solid by at least trying to trade him where he wants to go, but if the package isn't to your liking, you have no obligation to accept it
@@xHyperActive0 did his “loyalty” force him to sign that extension? The blazers only owe him money through these contracts, and maybe a little say in where he is traded to. If Dame wanted to leave Portland, he shouldn’t have signed that extension. It’s a lot more difficult to trade a contract with multiple years on it.
@@marker7443They probably told him they’d finally put a good team around him and then just didn’t. I mean honestly what significant moves have they made other than getting rid of CJ and getting Jerami Grant? The Blazers have no championship level role players what so ever.
@@ryantristani5091 so your counter argument is based off a hypothetical? No real facts? Well I think Dame stuck with Portland because they could offer him the most money, and his family was comfortable. Btw they traded CJ before Dame signed the extension, so even if Portland “promised” him that, he would be stupid to not realize that they were doing a soft reset of the roster.
Personally, I love the concept of Dame mentoring Scoot for either half or all of this season, then trading him. There’s real value in learning from someone of Dame’s caliber for a limited amount of time and then handing him the keys full stop.
Personally, I love the concept of Dame mentoring Scoot for either half or all of this season, then trading him. There’s real value in learning from someone of Dame’s caliber for a limited amount of time and then h fing him the keys full stop.
I struggle to identify the leverage Dame is supposed have in the situation? He has no more leverage than KD last summer as he’s on contract and if he does play cool, if he doesn’t you already are going into the future with Scoot.
I understand that it would be nice that due to his loyalty that they just give him what he wants no matter what he net loss is but that’s not the same a legitimate leverage. If I’m Portland I want Bam straight up any other offer is getting hung up on.
The leverage is that there’s only 2 years left. If the blazers dont trade him this deadline, he will be expiring. Then the heat gain so much leverage next year
@@altoncarr4513 dame knows he will be traded to the heat this season, regardless if its now or this deadline. And the heat will be fine if they have to wait til February. As long as they make the playoffs with dame on their team, they’re a contender regardless of seeding. Dame on the heat this season is inevitable
Honestly I don't see the heat going very far without dame. The last three seasons have been pretty bad in the regular season despite making the finals and people seem to forget how they lost to the bucks when Giannis was healthy two years ago and probably would've lost this year with Giannis healthy. they might even miss the playoffs this year seeing as last season they only made it in the play in and alot of the younger teams in the east look ready to make the jump this year. Especially with the pacers having a healthy Halliburton this year, Franz potentially making a big leap for the magic and the nets with an insane defensive core the east is getting alot more competitive and being a play in team might not cut it anymore
Bro really said the heat will be worse than the pacers and the magic. Lmao. Heat top 3 seed with our without dame I don’t care for your opinion because I’m right. We have everyone healthy again. Jimmy, bam, and Tyler missed a lot of games last season. Your an actually idiot.
I agree with all this. This team barely made the play in despite having as much continuity and depth as they did. Jimmy is going to miss time at some point this season and Kyle Lowry, Herro, and Bam is simply not enough offensively for the regular season. Unless Jaquez, Jovic, and Martin make significant contributions it’s hard for me to see this Miami roster making a significant run again with their lack of talent. At best they’ll be battling for a sixth seed or play in spot unless crazy injuries happen ti other teams.
@@nicholaskatsikas4904 Miami gonna prove you wrong. The reason we were so low is cus of injuries during the season. Strus shot 34% from three and Gabe was very mid. They both gone and we got Josh, Bryant, and Jacques to replace them, plus Highsmith is in the rotation. Top 3 seed. 4th at the lowest.
It's hilarious how fans and media want and expect Portland to screw themselves over with this Dame trade. These teams are getting fed up with this player empowerment era.
Dame imo fucked up. He should’ve left. He’s older(he’s incredibly talented don’t get it twisted) but he’s 33 you don’t want him for a long term contract when In 2 years he might not be giving you 26 a game. He’s not a great defender so you have to make up for that. Dame should left 4 years ago
4 years ago they made it to the Western Conference finals. They just needed to build from that and probably not much more to be a real, actual contender. They went to the Western Conference Finals without Nurk too.
Going back to this after the Dame trade to Milwaukee, do you still believe they'll be the worst team in the NBA? As a Blazers fan, I know they'll be really bad for a few years or so but like better than what some people think. Like I wouldn't be surprised if this group of players(assuming Holiday gets traded as well) could get at least 30 wins on the season, worst team I usually see getting 21 or below wins on the season. On the other hand, I can also see them getting less if circumstances/injuries play a role + majority of the roster just being young and unproven. Still excited for what the future and this new era for the Blazers though.
Why is Dame not traded yet? Ans: 1. He doesn't fit the timelines of teams that have desirable stuff for Portland. Younger teams aren't blowing up their rebuilds..he narrows their windows too much. 2. He won't stay with the team...his reputation and track record shows he will make his way to Miami now or later (he's 10 toes down!) and GM's know that (too high a price for a unhappy rental). Heat (and the league) know this so they are not pushing in all their chips. 3. Portland will never get what they want due to the market... They need to 'read the room.' No one else has or is coming. If they wanted a better trade they should have done it way sooner...it's been like 11 yrs, if they wanted to build around him then they could have done that too😐 4. Heat (EC Champs 🏆) have already upgraded their roster for next year they are at least as good, maybe better already with no Dame...they are far from desperate. 5. BUT that Portland locker room and team chemistry will be trash with Dame, AND they will probably win too many games and lose their pick to Chicago. I mean, good luck to Portland getting him to quietly sit again so they can tank for another 19 yr old. He's clearly done with that. Update: Adam Silver ain't having Dame sit again..yesterdays rules are not todays rules. This presents another massive problem for Portland😔
It's simple. The Blazers are trying to see how big of a draw Scoot can be because Dame keeps the lights on. And if they can't replace said draw he's going nowhere. Kinda like New Orleans situation with AD and Zion
I doubt they care that much about a "draw" Portland has some of the best fans in the league and will show up regardless, the problem is that at this point they're gonna be giving dame for practically free if they send him to Miami rn
@@metalmythology6282 so? Portland will be getting 4 1st round picks as well. Bridges just blossomed making it a great deal. He wasn’t all that when they traded for kd. Again, dame’s not on kd’s level. Portland should get an inferior player to bridges which they will.
@@Thebestoutthere Jovic Herro and 3 first was reported and I kinda doubt that was actually offered. So a far inferior player and 3 first, KD isn't that much more valuable considering Age, injury, disloyalty, and clear defensive regression
new NBA rule; Blazers can't bench All-Star Lillard to lose on purpose anymore. Portland would get huge fines. The Blazers need 0 All-Stars on their roster so they can tank for picks.
All I know is this going to make EVEN LESS players want to play in Portland, I’m not saying you should just move players where they want but this is Portland’s all time franchise player who stood by them for the better part of a decade defending them and trying to make it work, they didn’t get him help to compete and now it’s clear it’s time to rebuild and get younger, but now playing hardball with your all time player, what’s that going to be like for other players? unlike OKC who did right by Westbrook after it was clear it was time to rebuild, OKC is seen as a great player friendly team that young players are more likely going to be willing to commit to. Look at what happened to Boston, AD’s camp said he didn’t want to be traded there because of how the IT situation played out and whole it’s not a huge issue no more it’s only because they’ve been in a good situation in the first place, not many are talking about this but I really think it’s going to be more and more important down the line.
Bro they literally gave jerami grant a massive contract BECAUSE of dame and then he immediately backed out and asked for a trade a couple weeks later. How is that the team not doing anything and everything he wants, they've been supporting him, is it their fault the dude choked hard in the wcf?
@@Sqeaky6969 LMAO the fact that you really brought up Jeremi Grant to negate my “massive help” argument is laughable and just proves my point even more
@@somregularguy that wasn't pertaining to the "massive help" part just the fact that dame literally told them, as in the FO, that if they gave jerami grant his contract dame would stay in Portland then immediately went back on his word. The team has done everything it can to help dame, dame isn't without blame either his playoff stats for the most part are underwhelming especially for someone who is as clutch as him
@@Sqeaky6969 so drafting Scoot instead of trading for someone who could actually help you right now is not a good reason? Giving some good role player a contract isn’t enough, do you see the teams that are in the West? You think Dame, Jeremy Grant and Scoot are going to beat the nuggets, Lakers, Clippers? I’m all for player loyalty but it’s time for dame to leave and Portland to rebuild, they have Scoot now who they’re grooming to be their next franchise player, come on man you’re smarter than this
@@somregularguy again ur completely missing my point. Portland has done everything they can to help dame and even gave other people big contracts to make him happy. It's not on them that they can't get a superstar in Portland. Every trade they could do involving Scoot does nothing for the blazers, the best offer was siakam is dame and siakam even enough to make the playoffs in the west? No they're not not a certainty at least and even if they do sneak in who are they beating? All that would've led to is wasting the last great years of dame's career until his contract was up and he finally left when he's already washed
It’s frustrating seeing players uphold their end of the bargain by playing to their paychecks demand, but the franchise not hold up their end of the agreement by actually putting talent around stars. I wish the nba had a relegation system so bad teams wouldn’t get free passes to stay bad or tank
I hate stupid tanks, especially for a whole season. Every team should try to win as many as they can for the whole year. I hate this wanting to lose thing. It's stupid and annoying.
I mean to be fair, in a franchises defense, Dame has had multiple chances to leave, but has continually resigned with a franchise that constantly failed to build a winning team around him. Sure Dame gets more money by resigning for a team rather than leaving, but I can’t feel bad for a player that literally signed another max contract extension last year, and then doesn’t get traded especially when the request is for one team. It destroys Dames trade value and I understand why the Blazers are struggling to find a partner.
If the Celtics don't get Dame, I could see them making the play-in. They lost Marcus Smart and Grant Williams (2 heart and souls of their team) for an injured Porzingis (plantar fasciitis). They have been bad at home recently and have been bad against a lot of bad teams. Because of the criticism I can see JB taking a step back. Al Horford is getting older and Malcolm Brogdon has major injury concerns. With teams like Miami, Cleveland, NY, and Milwaukee up there. Plus Atlanta and Indiana could make a push for the 6th seed. I could realistically see Boston missing the playoffs and being in the play-in.
Stop it, Boston ain’t missing the playoffs and only the play in. They still have Tatum and brown. They’re both too good for Boston to just make the play in.
Idk. I like Smart and Williams but I don’t think they’re the difference between conference finals and play-in plus they added tingus pingus so I think they’ll be fine
