I’m not necessarily on the “Dame or bust” train, but I do find it funny people are downplaying just how good Dame still is and will be for the next 3-4 seasons or flat out spreading misinformation just because they don’t want the Jazz to make the trade.
If Dame’s contract is too rich for your blood, or you don’t want Utah spending the assets it will take to get him, I get it, but don’t come in here with some weak-*** “He’s injury prone” take. Dame was in the league for 8 seasons before he appeared in less than at least 72 games in a season. He did have the major abdominal injury a couple years back, but over the last few seasons, a lot of the games Dame has missed while dinged up have been an agreed upon strategy between the team and player in an attempt to tank while still having him on the roster in hopes that they’d get lucky in the lottery- especially this past season.
Dame is still a legit superstar. One of the best pure scorers/shooters in the game. He can go and get you 55 when you need him too and he’s averaged nearly 8 assists the last 4 seasons. He’s a great teammate, great person, and a dominant basketball player. If Will Hardy can get a team on the threshold of the play-in with the likes of THT, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think Hardy couldn’t take a team built around Dame/Lauri/Collins/Kessler deep into the playoffs.
Again, I’m not necessarily advocating for the trade without knowing exactly what the cost would be, but if Dame did end up landing in Utah, this team would be ready to go right now.