THEE OFFICIAL 2019-2020 NBA OFFSEASON THREAD: VICTORY LAP

[tay1]

Yep. I've always liked those two together but they aren't ever gonna win it all with them. I'd be surprised if they made 1 NBA final. Really they have to move CJ to at least try something different and then they can try and make whatever moves they need to surround Dame before he exits his prime.

The longer they wait, the harder it is it’s going to be to get good enough value for CJ. And it’s going to end up with Portland in a rebuilding position

 

[Nipsey3000]

Portland has a squad that can contend in the west of they're all healthy with reps. No reason for anyone to leave now.

And they don't need a superstar signing to get better. A piece or two, maybe.

Imo

 

[geno90221]

Candace is Beautiful

 

[B Sox]

If Trent can really hit 4+ 3s a game on a somewhat normal basis, that’s a bit of a game changer for them. He’s going to get a ton of looks playing off the backcourt and Nurk.

 

[BennyIll22]

The longer they wait, the harder it is it’s going to be to get good enough value for CJ. And it’s going to end up with Portland in a rebuilding position

100% agree. They are stuck in between average and good. They aren't really either lol. They love Simons still and Gary Trent is emerging so the sooner the better. I'm not sure they can get good value for CJ at this point though they may have to sell under value or just keep him and stay in this limbo. Any thoughts on a CJ deal?

 

[storm2006]

and sorry but steph aint da best pg in da league. mans never was the best player on a final team ***** w/dat bs

What does him "being the best player on a Finals team" (false: see 2015, 2016, arguably 2019) have to do with him being the best PG in the league?

Like I said...It's easy, and kind of fair, to say he's not the best PG in the league during a season where he only played in four games due to injury.

 

[VARNELL HILL]

@ "good enough value" for CJ

How good do some of ya'll think CJ is? If he's not good enough for him and Dame to win it all...what on earth makes anyone think he's going to bring something back in a trade that will?

If CJ McCollum is going to bring back one of the following:

Giannis
Kawhi
Lebron
AD
Harden
Luka
Embiid

By all means...go ahead and make the trade. Otherwise...it's more likely to find pieces around them shrewdly and not spend $200M on players like Evan Turner and Meyers Leonard when Free Agency strikes.

 

[IATT]

What would even be a fair/good package for CJ?

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

What does him "being the best player on a Finals team" (false: see 2015, 2016, arguably 2019) have to do with him being the best PG in the league?

Like I said...It's easy, and kind of fair, to say he's not the best PG in the league during a season where he only played in four games due to injury.

if he was the best player he would win the finals mvp no?

i think if u put steph on the blazers team and dame on that warriors team, warriors would'nt lose a chip and the blazers would not make it to the conf finals like they did with dame

 

[P C H]

This was a pretty good read on Dame and CJ. I don't think they'll voluntarily break up (CJ is locked in thru 2024 and Dame 2025). Based on the article, I'm not sure the FO will trade them either but someone with more intimate knowledge of Blazers management could provide better insight.

Used to think they should trade CJ but nah. For what? CJ / Dame / Nurk and ancillary stuff if healthy gives them a punchers chance to do something out west if things break right for them (ala last year) but that's really all you could hope for and for Portland that's okay.

They play in a conference with Harden and Russ, Kawhi and PG, Bron and AD, Steph Klay and Dray. A CJ trade is not bringing in someone that would put them over the top of any of the aforementioned.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

@ "good enough value" for CJ

How good do some of ya'll think CJ is? If he's not good enough for him and Dame to win it all...what on earth makes anyone think he's going to bring something back in a trade that will?

If CJ McCollum is going to bring back one of the following:

Giannis
Kawhi
Lebron
AD
Harden
Luka
Embiid

By all means...go ahead and make the trade. Otherwise...it's more likely to find pieces around them shrewdly and not spend $200M on players like Evan Turner and Meyers Leonard when Free Agency strikes.

It's legit the same convo for the past 3 years

I'd also argue that a team isn't just going to give up 2 or 3 solid role players either.. not just even talking star players

 

[darthska]

I would listen to Guy Fieri over Reggie Miller moaning

If I had to choose between them...

... I'd drink bleach.

 

[B Sox]

CJ trade gets you like Aaron Gordon. You’d basically just be doing it to add somebody taller and pray that he can put up some better numbers than in Orlando.

 

[BennyIll22]

@ "good enough value" for CJ

How good do some of ya'll think CJ is? If he's not good enough for him and Dame to win it all...what on earth makes anyone think he's going to bring something back in a trade that will?

If CJ McCollum is going to bring back one of the following:

Giannis
Kawhi
Lebron
AD
Harden
Luka
Embiid

By all means...go ahead and make the trade. Otherwise...it's more likely to trade to find pieces around them and not spend $200M on players like Evan Turner and Meyers Leonard when Free Agency strikes.

They've tried the same thing for years. At some point they gotta try something different. I mean they don't have to but...that's what teams do lol. They could run those two out there for 4 or 5 more years and win a couple playoff series. The fans do seem content with the team. Sometimes shifting pieces around works even if you give up the best player on paper. If they are cool being kinda good I get keeping both.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

CJ trade gets you like Aaron Gordon. You’d basically just be doing it to add somebody taller and pray that he can put up some better numbers than in Orlando.

Orlando and Philly are the teams that could really use CJ

I just don't see how Gordon is guaranteed to elevate them. If anything Portland needs a legitimate 3

 

[B Sox]

Orlando and Philly were the teams that could use CJ

I just don't see how Gordon is guaranteed to elevate them. If anything Portland needs a legitimate 3

He’s not. At all.

Neither is Tobias Harris.

 

[storm2006]

if he was the best player he would win the finals mvp no?

i think if u put steph on the blazers team and dame on that warriors team, warriors would'nt lose a chip and the blazers would not make it to the conf finals like they did with dame

I'm not going to get into him being Finals MVP because that really has no bearing on him being the best PG in the league

The second part of that is tough to go back on forth on because it opens the door up to a ton of other hypotheticals.

My statement wasn't meant to be a knock on Dame. He's great. Top 10 player in the league. Steph is just THAT good. There's a reason why he's considered Top 11-20 all-time and the second best PG of all-time. I'm not going to let one missed season make me forget that.

 

[Quincy McCall]

Who dat is? I havent even been up on the nba like that the last couple of years. I still got those Kds from his restaurant I dont even know what to do with. I live near downtown and I pass by the arena, I can't even name half thise dudes on there, a far cry from Westbrook, Durant, Harden, Ibaka, etc on the side of the stadium

He needs to bring the band back together after this Brooklyn experiment goes wash

 

[dman14]

portland not even in a bad position. it just happens that the last five yrs the west was dominated by the warriors

i actually like their squad when they are healthy. probably a top 4 team in the west if they had nurk, hood and collins for most of the yr

 

[Kinfolk]

Portland has a squad that can contend in the west of they're all healthy with reps. No reason for anyone to leave now.

And they don't need a superstar signing to get better. A piece or two, maybe.

Imo

CJ has to go for Portland to get to the next tier.

Look at his contract compared to a guy that does similar things on the court... let’s say that guy is Lou Williams who is CRIMINALLY underpaid and has been his entire career.

Freeing up all of that money and getting an athletic 3 and D guy or someone making Lou Williams money (with comparable scoring talent) would make that team a serious problem.

As long as CJ is there with that ridiculous contract that team is always going to come up short.

 

[dman14]

like many teams, portland hasn't been able to sign a big time free agent, even when they had money. they had cj and dame calling up stars to join and couldn't even get an interview

doubt they get anything close to value if they were to trade cj

 

[B Sox]

Teams aren’t just willing to give up good wings, unless they get a kings ransom like the Thunder got from LAC. Or you’re brain dead like the Suns front office.

 

[Nipsey3000]

CJ has to go for Portland to get to the next tier.

Look at his contract compared to a guy that does similar things on the court... let’s say that guy is Lou Williams who is CRIMINALLY underpaid and has been his entire career.

Freeing up all of that money and getting an athletic 3 and D guy or someone making Lou Williams money (with comparable scoring talent) would make that team a serious problem.

As long as CJ is there with that ridiculous contract that team is always going to come up short.

I get it. But how many athletic 3D guys you know that are available?

Portland has been stuck behind gsw for years like everyone else, then kicked in the azzzz hard by the injury bug, and just now getting healthy again. You have to give them another year at full strength to see what's what.

 

[BennyIll22]

I think they are expecting huge things from Anfernee Simons. He seems like he's kind of following McCollum's trajectory a bit too. Kind of grooming him slowly and then McCollum broke out when he got his chance. They do need to get something of value for CJ though which seems like it could be tough.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Rockets got out rebounded by almost 30.