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Dame Time

They would make some noise. They wouldn't win anything but they'd make noise no doubt.
Why wouldnt they win?

That's two guys averaged 58 ppg between the two. Add in Kessler if he's able to take a nice leap and you have an elite defender to go along with them. Collins/Hendricks give you lenght and athleticism w/ the ability to go small in the playoffs. Clarkson would be a great 6th man. Keyonte would be groomed to take over after Dame's contract is up. Ochai would be a perfect 5th starter.

I think it's a strong *** team. Would like to get another 3&D wing type to strengthen the perimter defense, but that's a strong team.
 
Why wouldnt they win?

That's two guys averaged 58 ppg between the two. Add in Kessler if he's able to take a nice leap and you have an elite defender to go along with them. Collins/Hendricks give you lenght and athleticism w/ the ability to go small in the playoffs. Clarkson would be a great 6th man. Keyonte would be groomed to take over after Dame's contract is up. Ochai would be a perfect 5th starter.

I think it's a strong *** team. Would like to get another 3&D wing type to strengthen the perimter defense, but that's a strong team.
Stronger than the sixers with harden and the MVP? Fools gold.
 
Why wouldnt they win?

That's two guys averaged 58 ppg between the two. Add in Kessler if he's able to take a nice leap and you have an elite defender to go along with them. Collins/Hendricks give you lenght and athleticism w/ the ability to go small in the playoffs. Clarkson would be a great 6th man. Keyonte would be groomed to take over after Dame's contract is up. Ochai would be a perfect 5th starter.

I think it's a strong *** team. Would like to get another 3&D wing type to strengthen the perimter defense, but that's a strong team.

Cy spitting right now. Keep going man I love it.
 
Nah, you keep some in the tank to pivot if/when Dame slows down.

Dame/Lauri w/ Collins/Kessler/Clarkson and strong rookie contract prospects should be enough to win a ring. I dont think you need another big piece. IF something comes along that makes sense (like Aaron Gordon for a first type deal) then yeah, do that, but I wouldnt give up 2-3 picks for a borderline all-star/3rd star type deal.
HARD DISAGREE. This team is going nowhere near a ring. Unless like... George turns into better version of Mitchell or Hendricks turns into JJJ or something(that's ignoring that we probably will have to give both of them up in the Lillard trade)... I just don't see it at all. I guess that's why I'm really skeptical of that move and right now I think I'm closer to not wanting it to happen than wanting it...

And if Jazz FO thinks only adding Dame "should be enough to win a ring", then the Jazz should be getting Dame because no other team has close to what we can offer.
 
I know we fantasize about Giannis/Luka, but the odds of us being able to land them is so slim. IF we do get them, it's probably going to be with 1 or 2 years left on their deal and it will be a huge question mark if they would re-sign.

At least with Lillard you get him for 4 years. He's coming off a career year stats wise. He might not have 4 elite years left, but I think he has 4 good years left.
 
HARD DISAGREE. This team is going nowhere near a ring. Unless like... George turns into better version of Mitchell or Hendricks turns into JJJ or something(that's ignoring that we probably will have to give both of them up in the Lillard trade)... I just don't see it at all. I guess that's why I'm really skeptical of that move and right now I think I'm closer to not wanting it to happen than wanting it...

And if Jazz FO thinks only adding Dame "should be enough to win a ring", then the Jazz should be getting Dame because no other team has close to what we can offer.
I mean, health withstanding Dame was a top 10 player last year. Add that to Lauri who was a top 20 player last year and you have a chance at a ring. How the hell is anyone going to stop Lauri/Dame in the playoffs?
 
Stay with me here… what if the organization did a better job with the supporting cast around him instead of requesting a trade he’d probably be pretty happy right now.
Portland absolutely could have done a better job with the players they surrounded him with. They were particularly bad with their drafting during Dames tenure (fatal for small market teams that cannot attract big FA names). People have long suspected that Dame has pulled the strings on who the Blazers go after in FA selecting Dames buddies rather than the best fit - so it's not all the teams fault.
The drafting and scouting has dramatically improved recently since the hiring of Asst GM Schmitz (see past two drafts).

Personally, I think Lillards game is too flawed to build a contender around. You have to compensate for his absence of defense at other positions too much to find a nice synergy of the roster. Hes a literal turnstyle at the point of attack.
In Porland Dame and others have been paid 'The bag' - huge contracts that hamstring the team. Theres a long list of massive overpays (see J Grant recently). It's a mix of poor General managing and a samll market team trying to appease their star. Hopefully they have new ownership and management soon - as thay have two very promising players in their backcourt in Sharpe and Henderson.
 
I would be more focused on finding our "Bruce Brown" than trying to go hunting for a high priced trade target if we got Dame.
 
I mean, health withstanding Dame was a top 10 player last year. Add that to Lauri who was a top 20 player last year and you have a chance at a ring. How the hell is anyone going to stop Lauri/Dame in the playoffs?
How are we going to stop anybody in the playoffs?
 
I mean, health withstanding Dame was a top 10 player last year. Add that to Lauri who was a top 20 player last year and you have a chance at a ring. How the hell is anyone going to stop Lauri/Dame in the playoffs?
Themselves.

A lot the team's success in the playoffs would come down to Kessler's ability to stay on the floor and for Utah to nut up on the perimeter. If Skywalker can punish smaller lineups via post-ups, we will feast. If not, we may have issues. Same with being able to guard individually when teams go 5 Out.
 
Themselves.

A lot the team's success in the playoffs would come down to Kessler's ability to stay on the floor and for Utah to nut up on the perimeter. If Skywalker can punish smaller lineups via post-ups, we will feast. If not, we may have issues. Same with being able to guard individually when teams go 5 Out.
Kessler would be important for some series, less important for others. Jazz can go small with Collins/Lauri on the front line.
 
You treat Dame like Steph Curry and try to get more talent quickly. It could work if we keep tweaking and adding value
Which Ainge and Zanek have shown they can do. Push the chips in and go for it.
 
Dame has been one of the cleanest bills of health in the game and his game has not slowed down. This idea that small guards fall off a cliff just isn’t true. That may be true for super explosive guards who tax their knees and have major injuries like Wall, Westbrook, and Rose. Less true for guys who don’t play above the rim a lot and rely on their skill like Dame. Dame is arguably the second best shooter of all time and the guy ahead of of him is aging like fine wine. I don’t think people realize how good he was last year, it was arguably his best season as a pro. He has a lot of room for error if he does start to decline. We’re not acquiring Mike Conley who was never an all star. It’s Damian Lillard who was last seen playing at an MVP level.

I feel like people get lost in the sauce in collecting assets and don’t realize that the point of all of this is to acquire elite talent. If this window goes by and we get nothing from it it will be very disappointing. I get it, some people enjoy the NBA when winning does not matter.

It’s funny that the horror in this deal is being mediocre when Dame is 36. So to avoid that we’re perfectly fine being mediocre as long as it’s by design. It’s like paying Dame (what will probably be ~35% of the cap) is the only thing that matters and be complete doom for the franchise.

Dame+Lauri+Kessler+Cap space+Plenty of picks in reserve is a situation I want. If the Dame trade left us with nothing and in total financial ruin that would be one thing, but it’s not even close to that situation.
 
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