The Volume. This is three points with Chris Mannick's part of the Volume Sports podcast network. We are coming to you live on AMP. AMP of course, is where you get all the Volume podcasts. First makes you subscribe to the Volume feed on AMP. Subscribe to my feed as well at Chris Mannicks. So this show is going to be all about diving into three of the biggest topics in the NBA in that moment. I know we are still a couple of weeks away from the start of training camp, but there are still plenty of storylines going on in the NBA right now. On the storyline I want to dive into on this show is the future of Damian Lillard in Portland. It has been months now since Lillard asked for a trade from the Trailblazers. We thought around mid July that we might get a deal between the Blazers and the Miami Heat that didn't come to fruition. And now, wow, here we are just weeks away from training camp with Damian Lillard still on the roster. Will he be there? What will that look like? What kind of trades does Portland want? For all that more, we bring in Aaron Fentris does a great job covering the Blazers for the Oregonian Oregon Live. And Aaron, let's start right here with Lillard and why we're still here. Why is Damian Lillard still a member of the Portland Trebledgers. What is the number one reason?

The Volume. This is three points with Chris Mannick's part of the Volume Sports podcast network. We are coming to you live on AMP. AMP of course, is where you get all the Volume podcasts. First makes you subscribe to the Volume feed on AMP. Subscribe to my feed as well at Chris Mannicks. So this show is going to be all about diving into three of the biggest topics in the NBA in that moment. I know we are still a couple of weeks away from the start of training camp, but there are still plenty of storylines going on in the NBA right now. On the storyline I want to dive into on this show is the future of Damian Lillard in Portland. It has been months now since Lillard asked for a trade from the Trailblazers. We thought around mid July that we might get a deal between the Blazers and the Miami Heat that didn't come to fruition. And now, wow, here we are just weeks away from training camp with Damian Lillard still on the roster. Will he be there? What will that look like? What kind of trades does Portland want? For all that more, we bring in Aaron Fentris does a great job covering the Blazers for the Oregonian Oregon Live. And Aaron, let's start right here with Lillard and why we're still here. Why is Damian Lillard still a member of the Portland Trebledgers. What is the number one reason?

Because nothing has happened. There's been no negotiations, no talks, no nothing. The thing got shut down. People went on vacation after Summer League. People have sprinkled in back from vacation since then, and still nothing happened. And you know, it's been widely reported and I've reported it as well, that the Blazers did not engage in any types of discussions whatsoever with Miami to try and move this forward. And some people argue, well, who's responsible for that? Well, it takes two ten and the Blazers have not been willing to put on their dancing shoes, so that stalls things. And so I am for flexed. I sometimes one of my mistakes, one of my mistakes I make with the NBA is that I kind of believe common sense and logic are gonna, you know, supersede drama and ego and all that kind of stuff. And so for me, I thought I was gonna get done in Vegas. That was my home. But I was told before Vegas it could take weeks, and I put that out there. I've seen some of the video where you were saying they could take months, and then Grown and fund It said it could take months. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that we're here, but I am. With Camp three weeks away. I thought something would at least be rolling, like there would just be stuff going on, other teams involved, other offers, things trying to push push the agenda forward. But there's been next to nothing. And that's why we're here three weeks away from camp. And I'm not gonna lie to you, man haard of me, the journalist in me wants Dame to come to camp because it's gonna be amazing to cover. But the person in me is like, come on, can we just move on from this and turn the table and shift the focus to Scoot and Shade and ant moving forward.

Because nothing has happened. There's been no negotiations, no talks, no nothing. The thing got shut down. People went on vacation after Summer League. People have sprinkled in back from vacation since then, and still nothing happened. And you know, it's been widely reported and I've reported it as well, that the Blazers did not engage in any types of discussions whatsoever with Miami to try and move this forward. And some people argue, well, who's responsible for that? Well, it takes two ten and the Blazers have not been willing to put on their dancing shoes, so that stalls things. And so I am for flexed. I sometimes one of my mistakes, one of my mistakes I make with the NBA is that I kind of believe common sense and logic are gonna, you know, supersede drama and ego and all that kind of stuff. And so for me, I thought I was gonna get done in Vegas. That was my home. But I was told before Vegas it could take weeks, and I put that out there. I've seen some of the video where you were saying they could take months, and then Grown and fund It said it could take months. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that we're here, but I am. With Camp three weeks away. I thought something would at least be rolling, like there would just be stuff going on, other teams involved, other offers, things trying to push push the agenda forward. But there's been next to nothing. And that's why we're here three weeks away from camp. And I'm not gonna lie to you, man haard of me, the journalist in me wants Dame to come to camp because it's gonna be amazing to cover. But the person in me is like, come on, can we just move on from this and turn the table and shift the focus to Scoot and Shade and ant moving forward.

So you mentioned Vegas, and that's where Joe Cronin gave kind of the first public update after the trade request from Dame, and you know, at that time he said, look, we're going to be patient in this process. We're going to do what's right for this organization. Was complimentary of Dame, of course, but you know, effectively said they weren't going to be pushed into doing any kind of deal. You were sitting there in the bowels of the Thomas and Max Center with me when when Joe Cronin was speaking at that time, did you believe him? Did you believe that this was something the Blazers would be willing to draw out over the span of weeks and now obviously months.

So you mentioned Vegas, and that's where Joe Cronin gave kind of the first public update after the trade request from Dame, and you know, at that time he said, look, we're going to be patient in this process. We're going to do what's right for this organization. Was complimentary of Dame, of course, but you know, effectively said they weren't going to be pushed into doing any kind of deal. You were sitting there in the bowels of the Thomas and Max Center with me when when Joe Cronin was speaking at that time, did you believe him? Did you believe that this was something the Blazers would be willing to draw out over the span of weeks and now obviously months.

Yeah, I didn't know. Like to me, it just it really depends on what their overall plan and agenda are. My whole thing has been if he's slow playing this to try and find the perfect third team to enter this thing with what they want, and maybe he's waiting on it, maybe another team is out there, Like we could be interested in taking Hero for example, and giving you something else, but we've got something else going on, So let's see how that goes first and then we'll get back to you. Like, those things can slow things up as well, And so if that's going on, fine, I'm never gonna be the one to sit here and pretend like I've ever been at GM. So there's things going on that we're never gonna know about. So, yeah, he's gonna say that it's gonna take a while, we're gonna take our time. Great, as long as you're doing something. So have they really been doing anything? And according to all the talents that people I've talked to and everyone else, what they're reporting is that nothing's happened. So if it's taking a long time because you're doing nothing, that's one thing. If it's taking a long time because you're actually being proactive and just trying to find a great deal, that's another. But right now it's the former, and that, to me, I just don't quite understand.

Yeah, I didn't know. Like to me, it just it really depends on what their overall plan and agenda are. My whole thing has been if he's slow playing this to try and find the perfect third team to enter this thing with what they want, and maybe he's waiting on it, maybe another team is out there, Like we could be interested in taking Hero for example, and giving you something else, but we've got something else going on, So let's see how that goes first and then we'll get back to you. Like, those things can slow things up as well, And so if that's going on, fine, I'm never gonna be the one to sit here and pretend like I've ever been at GM. So there's things going on that we're never gonna know about. So, yeah, he's gonna say that it's gonna take a while, we're gonna take our time. Great, as long as you're doing something. So have they really been doing anything? And according to all the talents that people I've talked to and everyone else, what they're reporting is that nothing's happened. So if it's taking a long time because you're doing nothing, that's one thing. If it's taking a long time because you're actually being proactive and just trying to find a great deal, that's another. But right now it's the former, and that, to me, I just don't quite understand.

So it's pretty clear that whatever Miami's offer is, whatever the whatever it amounts to, is not enough for Portland. That's that's I think that goes without saying at this point.

So it's pretty clear that whatever Miami's offer is, whatever the whatever it amounts to, is not enough for Portland. That's that's I think that goes without saying at this point.

But I want to think that do we even know what the totality of that is?

But I want to think that do we even know what the totality of that is?

Because that's what I'm saying, Yeah.

Because that's what I'm saying, Yeah.

And say what like I've been told that one of the problems the Blazers won't even say exactly what they want. I mean, it's logical that they wouldn't want Tyler Hero because they already have right now, they have five guards, they kind of need to play with Dave. Right, if you try dam and bringing hero, where's he going to play? It's not a part of your feature. You're not gonna give him Shaden's minutes or ants Man's right. So we get that. But sometimes you take an asset and then maybe deal with it later. But if you don't want him, great, well who do you want and who can we bring in to give you what you want? If you won't have that conversation, the where can things go? So I don't think we know exactly what they could really squeeze out this state because they want negotiate anyway. Take it.

And say what like I've been told that one of the problems the Blazers won't even say exactly what they want. I mean, it's logical that they wouldn't want Tyler Hero because they already have right now, they have five guards, they kind of need to play with Dave. Right, if you try dam and bringing hero, where's he going to play? It's not a part of your feature. You're not gonna give him Shaden's minutes or ants Man's right. So we get that. But sometimes you take an asset and then maybe deal with it later. But if you don't want him, great, well who do you want and who can we bring in to give you what you want? If you won't have that conversation, the where can things go? So I don't think we know exactly what they could really squeeze out this state because they want negotiate anyway. Take it.

Sorry, no, I agree. Whatever that offer is, whatever the initial offer was, they're not impressed with and they believe there's something better out there down the line. Now everybody, I'm sure within Portland is hoping that there is a Brooklyn Phoenix Kevin Durant type situation or in Oklahoma City Clippers Paul George situation that might seem pie in the sky. But it does seem to me that the Blazers part of them believes that if nothing comes of, you know, if nothing improves with this Miami offer or there's nothing that comes out of this current situation that you know, bringing Dame de Camp, bring him into the season, you know, might you know, at some point generate better offers. You might get to mid season and have a team out there that's in contention. Maybe it's in the Western Conference, maybe it's in the East that is looking at Damian Lillers say all right, well, now that guy could be the missing link to our team. Do you get the sense that there is a belief that better things could be coming if they dragged this thing into the season.

Sorry, no, I agree. Whatever that offer is, whatever the initial offer was, they're not impressed with and they believe there's something better out there down the line. Now everybody, I'm sure within Portland is hoping that there is a Brooklyn Phoenix Kevin Durant type situation or in Oklahoma City Clippers Paul George situation that might seem pie in the sky. But it does seem to me that the Blazers part of them believes that if nothing comes of, you know, if nothing improves with this Miami offer or there's nothing that comes out of this current situation that you know, bringing Dame de Camp, bring him into the season, you know, might you know, at some point generate better offers. You might get to mid season and have a team out there that's in contention. Maybe it's in the Western Conference, maybe it's in the East that is looking at Damian Lillers say all right, well, now that guy could be the missing link to our team. Do you get the sense that there is a belief that better things could be coming if they dragged this thing into the season.

So let's go back to the beginning of this. So I was told by a Blazer stores Crolin put this out there himself right that they want to star level trade, And so I talked to a sorts about that, and they brought up Gobert, Durant and Donovan Mitchell. Right. Well, first of all, I think everyone believe Minnesota gave up too much for Gobert, right, Oh yeah, I mean right, So you're not gonna get that. That's one. No one believes that Dame is Kevin Durant, so you're probably not gonna get that. And I even think there there was an overpay. But whatever, it's Durant, Donovan Mitchell is an interesting one because I think it was three first, maybe a swap, and then you've got Lowry. But Lowry wasn't traded as a future All Star. Lowry was traded as this guy hasn't recent his potential, will throw him in there with Colin Sexton. Right. But I said to this person, I said all these things in this person, and I said, Donovan Mitchell was twenty six, and now you brunt up Paul George. Paul George was twenty seven. It is fascinating to me that it seems like a lot of people in Portland. I deal with this on Twitter all the time, and maybe even the Blazers want to ignore that Lillan is thirty three, a thirty three year old point guard who doesn't play defense, oh two hundred and sixteen million dollars over a four years, who just came off a calf injury, who before that had surgery. Now he just had his best season ever probably, but we all know that when the when the wall hits, it hits, and so I feel like everyone on this side of the world wants way too much for him. I think that that's part of the problem. So now if you go into the season thinking well, we're gonna wait, We're gonna wait out Miami and we're gonna see. You know, if someone comes up with something better. You're asking a team to beat whatever it is. People want to mix a match for what Miami's offer is to beat that, right, and to do so for a guy who I just said, four years, two hundred and sixty million dollars, who does not want to play for you and has made that clear. So do you who's gonna roll the dice on that? I don't know. Then you risk are you gonna play him? Okay? So if you play him, is he gonna tweak something hamstring, quad, ankle, you know, calf again? Does that hurt his value? Heaven forbid? He has a serious injury and you're stuck with him. And now he's thirty four next season coming off a serious injury. So then what do you get for him? So it seems like a massive role the dice for me. Now some people have brought it, well, Brooklyn didn't give up Durrant right away, right, But Brooklyn with Kyrie and Durant and Theory were contenders, and they should have contended. If Kyrie had to forced his way out players have no chance to win and whatsoever. There's no incentive there and say we're gonna bring Dame back and maybe will contend. No, you're going to be bad because you've done nothing really to improve the team. So I just don't understand the risk there, and I feel like overall they're chasing something that's not going to be there.

So let's go back to the beginning of this. So I was told by a Blazer stores Crolin put this out there himself right that they want to star level trade, And so I talked to a sorts about that, and they brought up Gobert, Durant and Donovan Mitchell. Right. Well, first of all, I think everyone believe Minnesota gave up too much for Gobert, right, Oh yeah, I mean right, So you're not gonna get that. That's one. No one believes that Dame is Kevin Durant, so you're probably not gonna get that. And I even think there there was an overpay. But whatever, it's Durant, Donovan Mitchell is an interesting one because I think it was three first, maybe a swap, and then you've got Lowry. But Lowry wasn't traded as a future All Star. Lowry was traded as this guy hasn't recent his potential, will throw him in there with Colin Sexton. Right. But I said to this person, I said all these things in this person, and I said, Donovan Mitchell was twenty six, and now you brunt up Paul George. Paul George was twenty seven. It is fascinating to me that it seems like a lot of people in Portland. I deal with this on Twitter all the time, and maybe even the Blazers want to ignore that Lillan is thirty three, a thirty three year old point guard who doesn't play defense, oh two hundred and sixteen million dollars over a four years, who just came off a calf injury, who before that had surgery. Now he just had his best season ever probably, but we all know that when the when the wall hits, it hits, and so I feel like everyone on this side of the world wants way too much for him. I think that that's part of the problem. So now if you go into the season thinking well, we're gonna wait, We're gonna wait out Miami and we're gonna see. You know, if someone comes up with something better. You're asking a team to beat whatever it is. People want to mix a match for what Miami's offer is to beat that, right, and to do so for a guy who I just said, four years, two hundred and sixty million dollars, who does not want to play for you and has made that clear. So do you who's gonna roll the dice on that? I don't know. Then you risk are you gonna play him? Okay? So if you play him, is he gonna tweak something hamstring, quad, ankle, you know, calf again? Does that hurt his value? Heaven forbid? He has a serious injury and you're stuck with him. And now he's thirty four next season coming off a serious injury. So then what do you get for him? So it seems like a massive role the dice for me. Now some people have brought it, well, Brooklyn didn't give up Durrant right away, right, But Brooklyn with Kyrie and Durant and Theory were contenders, and they should have contended. If Kyrie had to forced his way out players have no chance to win and whatsoever. There's no incentive there and say we're gonna bring Dame back and maybe will contend. No, you're going to be bad because you've done nothing really to improve the team. So I just don't understand the risk there, and I feel like overall they're chasing something that's not going to be there.

See that. That's where I diverge a little bit from you, because I don't know that something is going to be there. But I do believe that even with the risk that you laid out there of bringing Dame to camp, maybe he regresses as a player, maybe he suffers another injury. Those would be catastrophic to his trade value. But if he still plays and looks like the Damian Lillard we've seen over the last couple of years where he's been an All NBA caliber player, if he's still that guy. I believe that because I you know, I was just the other day making me out my Western Conference standings and I was talking to a GM of one of the teams that I was ranking, and I said, look, I've had you as high as third at one point, and now I've got you ten or eleven. That's how competitive I think the Western Conference playoffs yeah, is going to be next year. We're only going to have two, maybe three teams that aren't competing for a playoff for a play in spot in the West. I'm of the belief that when we get into the season and if Lillard is still Lillard, there's going to be somebody else out there that competes for them and for him rather and Aaron, I think that's all the Blazers really need. They need somebody else, not necessarily to go out there and be the team they trade him to, but somebody to be competition that Miami gets win of. Right now, Miami believes correctly, it is the only game in town. It's the only team out there that is pursuing Damian Lillard with any kind of seriousness. I think Portland just needs one other team to emerge into that group, somebody else all sniff around, whether it's Oklahoma City, a team I wrote about earlier in the week that might potentially have some interest in the next Cup of the Months Philadelphia. We have no idea what Daryl Morey's gonna do, but we know he'll do anything to keep Joel and beat happy. I think Portland just needs somebody to get into the mix, and I think they're doing the right thing at not just pulling the trigger without waiting to see who else will get into the mix.

See that. That's where I diverge a little bit from you, because I don't know that something is going to be there. But I do believe that even with the risk that you laid out there of bringing Dame to camp, maybe he regresses as a player, maybe he suffers another injury. Those would be catastrophic to his trade value. But if he still plays and looks like the Damian Lillard we've seen over the last couple of years where he's been an All NBA caliber player, if he's still that guy. I believe that because I you know, I was just the other day making me out my Western Conference standings and I was talking to a GM of one of the teams that I was ranking, and I said, look, I've had you as high as third at one point, and now I've got you ten or eleven. That's how competitive I think the Western Conference playoffs yeah, is going to be next year. We're only going to have two, maybe three teams that aren't competing for a playoff for a play in spot in the West. I'm of the belief that when we get into the season and if Lillard is still Lillard, there's going to be somebody else out there that competes for them and for him rather and Aaron, I think that's all the Blazers really need. They need somebody else, not necessarily to go out there and be the team they trade him to, but somebody to be competition that Miami gets win of. Right now, Miami believes correctly, it is the only game in town. It's the only team out there that is pursuing Damian Lillard with any kind of seriousness. I think Portland just needs one other team to emerge into that group, somebody else all sniff around, whether it's Oklahoma City, a team I wrote about earlier in the week that might potentially have some interest in the next Cup of the Months Philadelphia. We have no idea what Daryl Morey's gonna do, but we know he'll do anything to keep Joel and beat happy. I think Portland just needs somebody to get into the mix, and I think they're doing the right thing at not just pulling the trigger without waiting to see who else will get into the mix.

So I can buy the not pulling the trigger thing, but I don't. But my problem is you're not even really pulling the gun right There's no there's no talks going, so we don't really know exactly what this someone else has to be or what it is Miami's gonna have to raise it's anty to if another team steps in. So I don't I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying, But at the same time, if the Blazer had just engaged and been more proactive, maybe we could have a better sense of what it would even take to force Miami's hand or to beat what Miami's offering. Also, if we're talking about bringing in teams into this that have only a small chance of contending, they're gonna run the huge risk of alienating Damian to the point where he's not gonna want to be there because he doesn't want to go to a lateral situation or a mere situation. After giving the Blazer said loyalty and trusting that they were going to build around him. He wants to go to the foreshore, can't miss contending situation at the very least, and he believes that's Miami. So I don't know how many teams are gonna want to get involved if he's looking at him going dude, we're not gonna win. Why don't I want to come play for you? Because then you're running a risk. So, I mean, we'll see it. Could you know it worked out for the Nets, right, they kept Durant. Durant played well, the team played well, they got a boat load for him from Phoenix. I just think it's a risk with Damien, but we'll see. It's gonna make for a fascinating run to see how that blaze out.

So I can buy the not pulling the trigger thing, but I don't. But my problem is you're not even really pulling the gun right There's no there's no talks going, so we don't really know exactly what this someone else has to be or what it is Miami's gonna have to raise it's anty to if another team steps in. So I don't I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying, But at the same time, if the Blazer had just engaged and been more proactive, maybe we could have a better sense of what it would even take to force Miami's hand or to beat what Miami's offering. Also, if we're talking about bringing in teams into this that have only a small chance of contending, they're gonna run the huge risk of alienating Damian to the point where he's not gonna want to be there because he doesn't want to go to a lateral situation or a mere situation. After giving the Blazer said loyalty and trusting that they were going to build around him. He wants to go to the foreshore, can't miss contending situation at the very least, and he believes that's Miami. So I don't know how many teams are gonna want to get involved if he's looking at him going dude, we're not gonna win. Why don't I want to come play for you? Because then you're running a risk. So, I mean, we'll see it. Could you know it worked out for the Nets, right, they kept Durant. Durant played well, the team played well, they got a boat load for him from Phoenix. I just think it's a risk with Damien, but we'll see. It's gonna make for a fascinating run to see how that blaze out.

You know a couple of things you said there, because I've read your stuff on this over the last couple of months, and you've used that word loyalty that Lillard has shown to the organization. I don't know if i'd call it that honestly. I mean, you know, I was there in Vegas when they gave him that contract extension, and yes, it was on the surface, Damian Lillard committing to the Trailblazers, but it was also Damian Lillard in his late thirties, getting a guarantee of one hundred million dollars tacked onto his deal. And that's there are not altruistic reasons. I don't know if he would have gotten an extension somewhere else. Look, I think you think he could have gotten an extension elsewhere. Would think he would have gotten that money elsewhere if he if he would.

You know a couple of things you said there, because I've read your stuff on this over the last couple of months, and you've used that word loyalty that Lillard has shown to the organization. I don't know if i'd call it that honestly. I mean, you know, I was there in Vegas when they gave him that contract extension, and yes, it was on the surface, Damian Lillard committing to the Trailblazers, but it was also Damian Lillard in his late thirties, getting a guarantee of one hundred million dollars tacked onto his deal. And that's there are not altruistic reasons. I don't know if he would have gotten an extension somewhere else. Look, I think you think he could have gotten an extension elsewhere. Would think he would have gotten that money elsewhere if he if he would.

Have forced to trade somewhere else instead. Let's say let's say he wasn't gonna tru that's pron and forced to trade last summer and said I want to go to a team at want something, we have a chance to contend, and by the way, I want extension. Why wouldn't Peop step up with an extension if people are allegedly willing to take him on now with the extension. It doesn't make sense to me that a team will take him on knowing that it's got to pay him sixty two million dollars when he's sixty six or sixty six when he's thirty six. But those team teams wouldn't give him this extension had they traded for him last year, So he was obviously got money anyway.

Have forced to trade somewhere else instead. Let's say let's say he wasn't gonna tru that's pron and forced to trade last summer and said I want to go to a team at want something, we have a chance to contend, and by the way, I want extension. Why wouldn't Peop step up with an extension if people are allegedly willing to take him on now with the extension. It doesn't make sense to me that a team will take him on knowing that it's got to pay him sixty two million dollars when he's sixty six or sixty six when he's thirty six. But those team teams wouldn't give him this extension had they traded for him last year, So he was obviously got money anyway.

I mean there isn't a team. There isn't a team right now looking to give him. There isn't a team interested in that contract at the moment, which tells me there probably wouldn't have been a team interest in that contract. You know, but if you hit.

I mean there isn't a team. There isn't a team right now looking to give him. There isn't a team interested in that contract at the moment, which tells me there probably wouldn't have been a team interest in that contract. You know, but if you hit.

Freaks, Miami's interested, Miami's interested in it.

Freaks, Miami's interested, Miami's interested in it.

Miami's like, but they're one out of thirty right there, one out of twenty nine, I guess that would be interested. I mean, there's no other team out there that's interesting. I'm just thinking.

Miami's like, but they're one out of thirty right there, one out of twenty nine, I guess that would be interested. I mean, there's no other team out there that's interesting. I'm just thinking.

I think you just said if they play the season, teams are going to show up one to them.

I think you just said if they play the season, teams are going to show up one to them.

Well, I think teams, And I gotta use Oklahoma City as an example, because they have a boatload of draft picks, some young players, and they could. I mean, I kind of love the idea of Lillard shake Gildos, Alexander and Lou Dorton kind of a three man rotation in Oklahoma City. I kind of get giddy thinking about what that could look like. But a team, a small market team that has no chance of ever getting a player like Damian Lillard somebody like that, that could, you know, say, all right, his contract is bad, but for us, maybe it's not quite so bad because we couldn't get him at that type of deal. Anyway, we're willing to roll the dice in that particular situation.

Well, I think teams, And I gotta use Oklahoma City as an example, because they have a boatload of draft picks, some young players, and they could. I mean, I kind of love the idea of Lillard shake Gildos, Alexander and Lou Dorton kind of a three man rotation in Oklahoma City. I kind of get giddy thinking about what that could look like. But a team, a small market team that has no chance of ever getting a player like Damian Lillard somebody like that, that could, you know, say, all right, his contract is bad, but for us, maybe it's not quite so bad because we couldn't get him at that type of deal. Anyway, we're willing to roll the dice in that particular situation.

I just think that you've got four first players.

I just think that you've got four first players.

I mean, they've got nine thousand first I'm gonna use Oklahoma City as the example. Oklahoma City can't. They can't use all these picks, Aaron. They've got too many, and all these young players who are nice, cheap, inexpensive talent are about to become not so cheap talent with that that organization they're That's just an example I'm kind of throwing out there. I just think Lillard, yes, he did show a degree of loyalty to Portland, but he got something out of it too. He also got one hundred million dollars on the back end of that deal.

I mean, they've got nine thousand first I'm gonna use Oklahoma City as the example. Oklahoma City can't. They can't use all these picks, Aaron. They've got too many, and all these young players who are nice, cheap, inexpensive talent are about to become not so cheap talent with that that organization they're That's just an example I'm kind of throwing out there. I just think Lillard, yes, he did show a degree of loyalty to Portland, but he got something out of it too. He also got one hundred million dollars on the back end of that deal.

I gotta respond to that. Okay, okay, all right. I have a problem when people bring up the money. The money is just a part of the game, like they're all gonna get paid. It's not like it was he can leave somewhere and not get paid and stay in Portland and get paid. He was. He not gonna get any money for the last two years and thirty five thirty six I think he was was.

I gotta respond to that. Okay, okay, all right. I have a problem when people bring up the money. The money is just a part of the game, like they're all gonna get paid. It's not like it was he can leave somewhere and not get paid and stay in Portland and get paid. He was. He not gonna get any money for the last two years and thirty five thirty six I think he was was.

You think he would have gotten that much money? That's a lot.

You think he would have gotten that much money? That's a lot.

No, No, not necessarily that much. Plus I don't think another team could have given him that much because he would have left and that would have changed the dynamics of what he could get. So, yeah, he made extra money by signing, But then we're saying that he only stayed because of that extra Like, so he's gonna make five hundred million by staying, but had he left, the only one made four hundred and sixty, Like, I think he would take four to sixty and a chance to win the five hundred and not win. But he could have left several different times, forced to trade at several different junctures before that extension. And he didn't have to And he didn't have to give Cronin a guy who didn't have to really inter diefferent job, didn't have to go through a search and be picked who had no experience, He didn't have to trust him, He didn't have to trust Chauncey, who had never been a head coached before. He didn't have to do a lot of things he wanted so badly and wants so badly just to have a chance in Portland. That I don't buy for a second that Lloyd threw was in the factor of course money played. I mean you put two hun you put one hundred and twelve million dollars two year at the front of me. I'll go, you know, I'll go cover pet Smart down the road and update people on their biscuits this week for Rover. But at the end of the day, for his totalia his career, how many? How many years hasn't been since people started saying he should get out of there, like four or five years now?

No, No, not necessarily that much. Plus I don't think another team could have given him that much because he would have left and that would have changed the dynamics of what he could get. So, yeah, he made extra money by signing, But then we're saying that he only stayed because of that extra Like, so he's gonna make five hundred million by staying, but had he left, the only one made four hundred and sixty, Like, I think he would take four to sixty and a chance to win the five hundred and not win. But he could have left several different times, forced to trade at several different junctures before that extension. And he didn't have to And he didn't have to give Cronin a guy who didn't have to really inter diefferent job, didn't have to go through a search and be picked who had no experience, He didn't have to trust him, He didn't have to trust Chauncey, who had never been a head coached before. He didn't have to do a lot of things he wanted so badly and wants so badly just to have a chance in Portland. That I don't buy for a second that Lloyd threw was in the factor of course money played. I mean you put two hun you put one hundred and twelve million dollars two year at the front of me. I'll go, you know, I'll go cover pet Smart down the road and update people on their biscuits this week for Rover. But at the end of the day, for his totalia his career, how many? How many years hasn't been since people started saying he should get out of there, like four or five years now?

Oh many? Look he has he has shown in the past. I agree with you one hundred percent. When people were telling him to demand a trade, he was saying, no, I'm committed to Portland. I want to win a championship Portland one hundred percent. Showed loyalty back then when he was in his late twenties even early thirties. I just think when you get to that point where last summer he was thirty two years old and he's looking at the possibility of tacking on one hundred million dollars, Look, this is the landscape we're in right now, Aaron, where you know you go back to Carmelo, Anthony where he didn't want to be a Nick, but he wanted that fifth year, so he signed back with the Knicks. Probably bial had no interest in being a Wizard for life. He signed on that deal because he wanted to get the contract money when he's in when he's in his thirties. I think that a big part of that was Lillard making sure he got those last couple of years and those big dollars on that contract. But this is the situation that we're in right now. So let's just jump to topic number two, which is, how likely is it that we get to early October media day and Damian Lillard is at media day a member of the Portland Trailblazers. How comfortable do you think the Blazers are going to be bringing Lillard into camp.

Oh many? Look he has he has shown in the past. I agree with you one hundred percent. When people were telling him to demand a trade, he was saying, no, I'm committed to Portland. I want to win a championship Portland one hundred percent. Showed loyalty back then when he was in his late twenties even early thirties. I just think when you get to that point where last summer he was thirty two years old and he's looking at the possibility of tacking on one hundred million dollars, Look, this is the landscape we're in right now, Aaron, where you know you go back to Carmelo, Anthony where he didn't want to be a Nick, but he wanted that fifth year, so he signed back with the Knicks. Probably bial had no interest in being a Wizard for life. He signed on that deal because he wanted to get the contract money when he's in when he's in his thirties. I think that a big part of that was Lillard making sure he got those last couple of years and those big dollars on that contract. But this is the situation that we're in right now. So let's just jump to topic number two, which is, how likely is it that we get to early October media day and Damian Lillard is at media day a member of the Portland Trailblazers. How comfortable do you think the Blazers are going to be bringing Lillard into camp.

I after months of believing it wasn't going to happen, I'm going to believe that it's absolutely going to happen unless we start hearing that there's actual movement and talk, like, unless some news comes out that there's more engagement, there's more activity this time, this team might be getting in so and so is interested in hero et cetera, et cetera. Then, as of right now, I'm planning on Dame being there on media day and being a training camp. To me, it's just amazing that we're in mid September and we're still talking about this, and so why wouldn't it take a few more weeks given the fact that nothing has been moving for two months. So I'm completely flipped my stance on this and I'm preparing for them to be there.

I after months of believing it wasn't going to happen, I'm going to believe that it's absolutely going to happen unless we start hearing that there's actual movement and talk, like, unless some news comes out that there's more engagement, there's more activity this time, this team might be getting in so and so is interested in hero et cetera, et cetera. Then, as of right now, I'm planning on Dame being there on media day and being a training camp. To me, it's just amazing that we're in mid September and we're still talking about this, and so why wouldn't it take a few more weeks given the fact that nothing has been moving for two months. So I'm completely flipped my stance on this and I'm preparing for them to be there.

Yeah, I'm kind of with you because every time I talk to, you know, people with teams that I think might have interest in Damian Villain, I hear nothing about actual interest. I hear no interest whatsoever. And I don't like you. I don't hear any kind of movement with the Miami and the Portland situation. I think we get to early October and you know, Damian Lil is there and look, I think he's going to show up. I mean, I don't. And I'm with you. I think you've written the same thing. Like, you know, the idea that Lillard like he wants to go to Miami, clearly, but the idea if he got traded somewhere that he would know show I don't buy that. The idea if he's still with Portland he would know show. I don't buy that he's too professional, Like he's just been this guy and you know this, like he he does not want to exit Portland on bad terms. I mean, how important you think that is to him? Like his reputation amongst fans and people that follow the organization.

Yeah, I'm kind of with you because every time I talk to, you know, people with teams that I think might have interest in Damian Villain, I hear nothing about actual interest. I hear no interest whatsoever. And I don't like you. I don't hear any kind of movement with the Miami and the Portland situation. I think we get to early October and you know, Damian Lil is there and look, I think he's going to show up. I mean, I don't. And I'm with you. I think you've written the same thing. Like, you know, the idea that Lillard like he wants to go to Miami, clearly, but the idea if he got traded somewhere that he would know show I don't buy that. The idea if he's still with Portland he would know show. I don't buy that he's too professional, Like he's just been this guy and you know this, like he he does not want to exit Portland on bad terms. I mean, how important you think that is to him? Like his reputation amongst fans and people that follow the organization.

You know, it's beyond really words, how committed and dedicated he's been to this community and how desperate we want a chance to contend here. But he saw his biological clock taking on his prime and it just forced his hand because he made it clear that he just wants a chance to win important like and he just gave him a team where he was going to win like forty seven games and if they got into the playoffs that they played really well, they could surprise people, which wepec I seen a era now and there's no super team, right, there's no dominant Heat, the heatls or anything like that running around. We just saw the two playing team to get to the conference finals, one to the finals, right, So that's where the league is right now. That's all he wanted, but Portla's not even coming close to giving him that. So that's where it's just forceding wards, like, well, I'm not going to stay in Portland and help raise two teenagers like that, That's not all I want to do with the last few years of my prime. I just want a chance to rest, But now he wants more of a guaranteed chance, and I want to go back to something else. That that's really important in all this is that when Joe Cronin took over the job up until the draft night, he had nine press conferences where he commit where he said he was committed and dedicated to building a round Dame. That was the goal. And that's what Damien heard, which was part of the reason why you signed the contract. And you say maybe it was about the money too, but it was part of it was that And I asked Cronin about that, and Chris Haynes asked Dave about that, and they both talked about the commitment to winning. They have not made that commitment in Dame's timeline. They've changed that. And so if I sort of feel like that, if you're gonna pull the rug out from under him, which they did, and even if it's justified for whatever reason, do right by the guy and send them where he wants to go. And that's the trouble I have with that. That's why I think they should have sat down with Miami day one and said let's figure this out. But it was clear that they thought, well, if we draft Scoot and keep him, they might ask out if he asked out, wow, what can we get for him? And that's the mistake they made, because now you're treating Daming, this guy who's loyal to you like a commodity, like a piece of property that you're gonna flip. You wouldn't build around him, but you'll use him to build around Scoot his replacement. So why wouldn't Dame take that personally and dig his heels in and go out with his agent and say, we're not gonna play for you. We're not gonna play for you. I want to go to Miami. That's really his only everage leverage. But he doesn't want this to be that contentious. He wanted to just go to Miami. Portland gets some assets and there's still that love and respect and that down the line, after four years are up, he could come back to Portland for his last year or two. So like skyk Pitten did back with the Bulls right and in his career that way. But it's looking like if it's contentious, that might not be the case.

You know, it's beyond really words, how committed and dedicated he's been to this community and how desperate we want a chance to contend here. But he saw his biological clock taking on his prime and it just forced his hand because he made it clear that he just wants a chance to win important like and he just gave him a team where he was going to win like forty seven games and if they got into the playoffs that they played really well, they could surprise people, which wepec I seen a era now and there's no super team, right, there's no dominant Heat, the heatls or anything like that running around. We just saw the two playing team to get to the conference finals, one to the finals, right, So that's where the league is right now. That's all he wanted, but Portla's not even coming close to giving him that. So that's where it's just forceding wards, like, well, I'm not going to stay in Portland and help raise two teenagers like that, That's not all I want to do with the last few years of my prime. I just want a chance to rest, But now he wants more of a guaranteed chance, and I want to go back to something else. That that's really important in all this is that when Joe Cronin took over the job up until the draft night, he had nine press conferences where he commit where he said he was committed and dedicated to building a round Dame. That was the goal. And that's what Damien heard, which was part of the reason why you signed the contract. And you say maybe it was about the money too, but it was part of it was that And I asked Cronin about that, and Chris Haynes asked Dave about that, and they both talked about the commitment to winning. They have not made that commitment in Dame's timeline. They've changed that. And so if I sort of feel like that, if you're gonna pull the rug out from under him, which they did, and even if it's justified for whatever reason, do right by the guy and send them where he wants to go. And that's the trouble I have with that. That's why I think they should have sat down with Miami day one and said let's figure this out. But it was clear that they thought, well, if we draft Scoot and keep him, they might ask out if he asked out, wow, what can we get for him? And that's the mistake they made, because now you're treating Daming, this guy who's loyal to you like a commodity, like a piece of property that you're gonna flip. You wouldn't build around him, but you'll use him to build around Scoot his replacement. So why wouldn't Dame take that personally and dig his heels in and go out with his agent and say, we're not gonna play for you. We're not gonna play for you. I want to go to Miami. That's really his only everage leverage. But he doesn't want this to be that contentious. He wanted to just go to Miami. Portland gets some assets and there's still that love and respect and that down the line, after four years are up, he could come back to Portland for his last year or two. So like skyk Pitten did back with the Bulls right and in his career that way. But it's looking like if it's contentious, that might not be the case.

At least with this regime, you know, just to we're kind of pingponging a little bit here, But to go back to the extension that you talked about in the commitment to winning with Dame. I can just remember being there in Vegas when they announced that extension and hearing all the positive things were going to build around him. You know, Dame wants to be a Blazer for life, all those things that went into that presser. I remember sitting there Aaron and thinking like, there's no way this is going to work. And maybe that's the pessimist in me. I just didn't believe it. I believe the Blazers had a ceiling, and it was a much shorter ceiling than the Portland officials at that time were letting on. They were too young, they were too small, they didn't have the kind of talent that some of the other teams in the Western Conference would have. I remember sitting there thinking, you're right, right now, the Blazers, even with Jeremy Grant, have themselves a playoff team. Maybe they don't have anything that would get them out of the first round. And we've seen as great as Dame is. Even when he's been as best, it's only been good for one conference finals, and that has as much to do with the talent around him as anything else. But I always thought that the idea that they could build around Lillard to a championship level was always just so pie in the sky. It's why. And even like after Dame made that trade request, when Joe Cronin issued that statement where he said like it almost sounded shocked by it, like we're trying to do like, why would you be shocked at this point? Why would you be surprised that this didn't go as planned? This team never, to me had enough talent to compete with the big dogs in the Western Conference.

At least with this regime, you know, just to we're kind of pingponging a little bit here, But to go back to the extension that you talked about in the commitment to winning with Dame. I can just remember being there in Vegas when they announced that extension and hearing all the positive things were going to build around him. You know, Dame wants to be a Blazer for life, all those things that went into that presser. I remember sitting there Aaron and thinking like, there's no way this is going to work. And maybe that's the pessimist in me. I just didn't believe it. I believe the Blazers had a ceiling, and it was a much shorter ceiling than the Portland officials at that time were letting on. They were too young, they were too small, they didn't have the kind of talent that some of the other teams in the Western Conference would have. I remember sitting there thinking, you're right, right now, the Blazers, even with Jeremy Grant, have themselves a playoff team. Maybe they don't have anything that would get them out of the first round. And we've seen as great as Dame is. Even when he's been as best, it's only been good for one conference finals, and that has as much to do with the talent around him as anything else. But I always thought that the idea that they could build around Lillard to a championship level was always just so pie in the sky. It's why. And even like after Dame made that trade request, when Joe Cronin issued that statement where he said like it almost sounded shocked by it, like we're trying to do like, why would you be shocked at this point? Why would you be surprised that this didn't go as planned? This team never, to me had enough talent to compete with the big dogs in the Western Conference.

Okay, so you're right at that point they didn't. But when Crohn took over, he had a plan that ran through the summer of twenty twenty three, a year and a half planned, so at that point we're only six months into it. They did get Jeremy Grant, which was a good move because you turn CJ, who was really redundant with Dame and An into at least a six foot eight guy. It was similar to CJ, but gave you some lane gave you better defense, so that was a movement the right direction. You tank, so you got Shady, which was nice. Although the original goal was to trade that pick for a veteran guy, they targeted Og, but it didn't work out, and so coming to the next season, they felt like either a trade deadline move or something else near the draft or in the off season would be to find the next piece. It turned out that things fell apart, and so they got a high draft pick and that was the nugget. Flipped that pick into that dude that was supposed to be the plan. So yeah, on the surface and looked like, yeah, this is gonna be tough, but when you got that lottery pick that should have made it easier. The problem is the Lorry pick. It ended up being too good and the offers were not quite reaching the bar for Cronin, and so we shipped the Gears. But I do believe that had they been able to find trade partners for number seven to last year and number three this year, they could have acquired the veterans they needed to help with her at least again have a shot like it's just a matter of just get me in there and give me some that's give me some blank, I mean, my God, give me some some some another one other star I could lean on and then let me be the determining factor as to whether we wren to lose as opposed to I got to score fifty five at Denver and we still lose because I'm pretty much all of them.

Okay, so you're right at that point they didn't. But when Crohn took over, he had a plan that ran through the summer of twenty twenty three, a year and a half planned, so at that point we're only six months into it. They did get Jeremy Grant, which was a good move because you turn CJ, who was really redundant with Dame and An into at least a six foot eight guy. It was similar to CJ, but gave you some lane gave you better defense, so that was a movement the right direction. You tank, so you got Shady, which was nice. Although the original goal was to trade that pick for a veteran guy, they targeted Og, but it didn't work out, and so coming to the next season, they felt like either a trade deadline move or something else near the draft or in the off season would be to find the next piece. It turned out that things fell apart, and so they got a high draft pick and that was the nugget. Flipped that pick into that dude that was supposed to be the plan. So yeah, on the surface and looked like, yeah, this is gonna be tough, but when you got that lottery pick that should have made it easier. The problem is the Lorry pick. It ended up being too good and the offers were not quite reaching the bar for Cronin, and so we shipped the Gears. But I do believe that had they been able to find trade partners for number seven to last year and number three this year, they could have acquired the veterans they needed to help with her at least again have a shot like it's just a matter of just get me in there and give me some that's give me some blank, I mean, my God, give me some some some another one other star I could lean on and then let me be the determining factor as to whether we wren to lose as opposed to I got to score fifty five at Denver and we still lose because I'm pretty much all of them.

Yeah. Hey, look, if they've gotten og On and Obi, even then I don't think they were much of a contender. It would have been more of a better short term fixed than Shad and Sharp. They'll think Shandon Sharp's gona pretty good player. I just still didn't see them as as a contender. So the final topic I want to get into, though, is about Portland's future.

Yeah. Hey, look, if they've gotten og On and Obi, even then I don't think they were much of a contender. It would have been more of a better short term fixed than Shad and Sharp. They'll think Shandon Sharp's gona pretty good player. I just still didn't see them as as a contender. So the final topic I want to get into, though, is about Portland's future.

That it would have been og and a Sharp deal and then someone else with the next pick. So it wasn't just it would have been.

That it would have been og and a Sharp deal and then someone else with the next pick. So it wasn't just it would have been.

But that right if they if they got what would they what were they pencil it in for like fifth or sixth? What was their their draft slot if they didn't move up to fifth? Yees, so, and that would have been easier to trade. You you can't trade the number three pick if it's gonna be Scoot Headerson, you can't do it. I think, Yeah, right. I mean, look, but if Scoot, I think Scoot's gonna make that Randon Miller pick looks stupid. I think Scoot is really really good. I got a chance to watch him a lot last year playing for for the G League Ignite, and I think he's gonna be special. So that that is where I'm going with this final topic. I mean, what are realistic expectations for Scoot Headerson this year? Because Aaron, I think he's the rookie of the Year and a lot of people are pointed Chet Holmgren, some people might be pointing at Victor Webbin Yama, Brandon Miller up Shore has his fans. I think Scoots the guy. I think Scoot's gonna step into that starting spot assuming Lillard has moved at some point right away, and take over and look like the transcendent player that Portland believes it's getting. So I've set the bar pretty high for Scoot Headers. What do you think? What do you think the bar should be for Scoot?

But that right if they if they got what would they what were they pencil it in for like fifth or sixth? What was their their draft slot if they didn't move up to fifth? Yees, so, and that would have been easier to trade. You you can't trade the number three pick if it's gonna be Scoot Headerson, you can't do it. I think, Yeah, right. I mean, look, but if Scoot, I think Scoot's gonna make that Randon Miller pick looks stupid. I think Scoot is really really good. I got a chance to watch him a lot last year playing for for the G League Ignite, and I think he's gonna be special. So that that is where I'm going with this final topic. I mean, what are realistic expectations for Scoot Headerson this year? Because Aaron, I think he's the rookie of the Year and a lot of people are pointed Chet Holmgren, some people might be pointing at Victor Webbin Yama, Brandon Miller up Shore has his fans. I think Scoots the guy. I think Scoot's gonna step into that starting spot assuming Lillard has moved at some point right away, and take over and look like the transcendent player that Portland believes it's getting. So I've set the bar pretty high for Scoot Headers. What do you think? What do you think the bar should be for Scoot?

So, first of all, he's not gonna start a Dames here. Yeah, he's not gonna be rook of the Year of games here, right that?

So, first of all, he's not gonna start a Dames here. Yeah, he's not gonna be rook of the Year of games here, right that?

Yeah, Yeah, you're right. I mean I'm assuming at some point, so.

Yeah, Yeah, you're right. I mean I'm assuming at some point, so.

Dan has to be traded for Scoot to have a chance to do any of those things. But let's just pretend Dame's gone for the sake of argument here, I'm am told, and I've had this conversation a couple of times that he's not. He's got to beat out Anthony start Simon, and that's not a given. And if he doesn't beat out Ant and answer starting one, the only way Scoot can start is if they decide, well, we'll move and to the two I Scoots being out shaded, So he has to beat out both of those guys to start, unless the Blazers just say we're gonna start up and see the third pick. And there's all this controversy over him basically pushing Dame out the door. They make that decision, They make that decision, But as of right now, there's no legitimate argument on the planet that he's better than Anthony Simmons. Anthony Simon doesn't play in the JI League last year and average sixteen points on forty two and twenty seven shooting. He averages thirty five on fifty five and forty five shooting, right, So Ant's way ahead of scoot, and my problem was scooting the whole and all the transcendent like the whole. And I'm not dogging you, it's just like, I don't think it almost means godlike, you know, this whole generation. I'm not even sure what that means anymore. It seems like generational means once every three years and not as opposed to once every twenty. It's just bizarre to me. But you're dealing with a nineteen year old point guard who's six ' to two, who can't shoot yet. He had in nineteen G League games last year, he shot under forty percent nine times. He turned the ball over a lot. People talk about his defense. He had a one to eighteen defensive rating. I just can't fathom that this kid is gonna walk into the NBA and be this transcendent, dominant guy out of the gate when he wasn't even that in the D League. Like, if he's that good, why was he destroying the G League? Now? You can say that the teammates around him, the situation, coaching, whatever you want to say, but that's we're asking for him to make a huge jump in order to be better than Shadon is already bigger, a better shooter, and more experienced. We watched shadon average twenty four, six and six over the last ten games last year while shooting forty six and thirty eight from the field. I've watched Anthony Simons carry this team to wins by scoring forty plus. I've seen him at eleven assist twice. When Day was out two years ago. He had this team playing so well the Day had to shut down with a magic injury, shut down Nerk with a magic injury because they were in danger of making him play it. So I've seen Aunt do it at that level. So for me right now, Ant and Sharp, that's your starting backcourt unless you just decide to just give it the scoot for the sake of giving it the scoop. So Scoot to me has a long way to go to get to the point where I'm gonna buy that this guy is that dude and one of them. You have to shoot in this league. You you agree with that, right? You can't?

Dan has to be traded for Scoot to have a chance to do any of those things. But let's just pretend Dame's gone for the sake of argument here, I'm am told, and I've had this conversation a couple of times that he's not. He's got to beat out Anthony start Simon, and that's not a given. And if he doesn't beat out Ant and answer starting one, the only way Scoot can start is if they decide, well, we'll move and to the two I Scoots being out shaded, So he has to beat out both of those guys to start, unless the Blazers just say we're gonna start up and see the third pick. And there's all this controversy over him basically pushing Dame out the door. They make that decision, They make that decision, But as of right now, there's no legitimate argument on the planet that he's better than Anthony Simmons. Anthony Simon doesn't play in the JI League last year and average sixteen points on forty two and twenty seven shooting. He averages thirty five on fifty five and forty five shooting, right, So Ant's way ahead of scoot, and my problem was scooting the whole and all the transcendent like the whole. And I'm not dogging you, it's just like, I don't think it almost means godlike, you know, this whole generation. I'm not even sure what that means anymore. It seems like generational means once every three years and not as opposed to once every twenty. It's just bizarre to me. But you're dealing with a nineteen year old point guard who's six ' to two, who can't shoot yet. He had in nineteen G League games last year, he shot under forty percent nine times. He turned the ball over a lot. People talk about his defense. He had a one to eighteen defensive rating. I just can't fathom that this kid is gonna walk into the NBA and be this transcendent, dominant guy out of the gate when he wasn't even that in the D League. Like, if he's that good, why was he destroying the G League? Now? You can say that the teammates around him, the situation, coaching, whatever you want to say, but that's we're asking for him to make a huge jump in order to be better than Shadon is already bigger, a better shooter, and more experienced. We watched shadon average twenty four, six and six over the last ten games last year while shooting forty six and thirty eight from the field. I've watched Anthony Simons carry this team to wins by scoring forty plus. I've seen him at eleven assist twice. When Day was out two years ago. He had this team playing so well the Day had to shut down with a magic injury, shut down Nerk with a magic injury because they were in danger of making him play it. So I've seen Aunt do it at that level. So for me right now, Ant and Sharp, that's your starting backcourt unless you just decide to just give it the scoot for the sake of giving it the scoop. So Scoot to me has a long way to go to get to the point where I'm gonna buy that this guy is that dude and one of them. You have to shoot in this league. You you agree with that, right? You can't?

I do I do like I do.

I do I do like I do.

Five to fifteen every other game.

Five to fifteen every other game.

No, it's it's definitely a weakness in his game as he comes to the NBA. The three point shot is not there. For him. I do think the playmaking is going to be there. Obviously, the athleticism is there. I just think that feel when I watch him play, I think that feel for the game is there. It's an intangible but I think he's he's got that that that thing that that all great players tend to have, and I think he's going to show that, you know, at some point in the next couple of years. So I think he's going to be a really good player. The question would have years. I agree this year, but yeah, yeah, I mean, well, Rookie the Year. I mean, I don't know if he needs to average twenty five to win Rookie of the Year. I think Schet's gonna have a good year. I think weben Ya I was going to struggle. I don't know what Brandon Miller is going to do. Maybe somebody emerges from that back half of the top ten that plays well. Also, you mentioned Simons. I'm curious what what the Blazer's opinion of him is because he's a very good player, but he also has a very good contract. He's the kind of guy you could trade to get something else. Do they look at Simons as being part of that future? Do they drafted a sharp. Of course he's one of their guys. Do they see Simons along that same line. Yeah.

No, it's it's definitely a weakness in his game as he comes to the NBA. The three point shot is not there. For him. I do think the playmaking is going to be there. Obviously, the athleticism is there. I just think that feel when I watch him play, I think that feel for the game is there. It's an intangible but I think he's he's got that that that thing that that all great players tend to have, and I think he's going to show that, you know, at some point in the next couple of years. So I think he's going to be a really good player. The question would have years. I agree this year, but yeah, yeah, I mean, well, Rookie the Year. I mean, I don't know if he needs to average twenty five to win Rookie of the Year. I think Schet's gonna have a good year. I think weben Ya I was going to struggle. I don't know what Brandon Miller is going to do. Maybe somebody emerges from that back half of the top ten that plays well. Also, you mentioned Simons. I'm curious what what the Blazer's opinion of him is because he's a very good player, but he also has a very good contract. He's the kind of guy you could trade to get something else. Do they look at Simons as being part of that future? Do they drafted a sharp. Of course he's one of their guys. Do they see Simons along that same line. Yeah.

Simons is an interesting piece to all this because in addition to trading the lottery pick, the idea is that you were going to trade and some other picks to get even another guy. That's why I talk about the point of the vision of the idea was there just nothing got esecuted, right, because that could have been another player could have brought in to help this whole situation, but they weren't necessarily able to move him. And nothing incentivizes them to unlock future picks because they owe the Bulls a first round pick, right, which I believe wholeheartedly without a doubt that they know that's going to be a lottery pick. So you don't want to you don't want to do anything to where you them that pick outright, so you can unlock other picks and then you end up in the lottery because it's a lottery protected right. So But the problem now is that what was the problem with Dave and CJ. Like I preached this for years, you're never gonna contend when your best two players are small guard. Only one team's ever done it now was the bad boy Pistons and they were backed by the greatest front court defensively ever. Right, So unless you're gonaccumulate that, it's not gonna happen. So finally they move CJ and who they start and who's basically a more athletic version of CJ and not a very good defender. So now you go out and you get Scoot who's nineteen, and you still have Ant and even if you moved in, you're still redundant there and you got so it's to me, you need to move and at some point if Scoot and Shaden are your guys in the back court, otherwise you're gonna end up paying a lot of money into three guys and there's gonna be some redundancy there, and you're still way too small. There's not the only viable player on this team other than Nerks Vible. There's two players on this roster over six six for a viable You can't win like that. It's not a six four under league, right, So to me, they need to start Ant showcase and move at and needs to be running his own team. And if I'm aunt and you tell me a Scoop's better and play scoot ahead of me. Whether he's earned it or not. He's gonna ask for a trade. He doesn't want to spend his career backing up this kid when he probably is better than him. So the ad situation is fascinating. But he's a really good offensive player. I still think he's coming to his own one of the things last year that hurt him and people say, oh he regrets, he gonna regrets. It's difficult playing next to Dame. Well, you're not sure what you're supposed to be doing. And I the two guard and the point guard. Now Dame's going to be the two guard. I'm acquiescing to him, but then they want me to be aggressive, like it's a tough situation. But when he was the guy, dude was amazing that one year. So he needs to be running his own team.

Simons is an interesting piece to all this because in addition to trading the lottery pick, the idea is that you were going to trade and some other picks to get even another guy. That's why I talk about the point of the vision of the idea was there just nothing got esecuted, right, because that could have been another player could have brought in to help this whole situation, but they weren't necessarily able to move him. And nothing incentivizes them to unlock future picks because they owe the Bulls a first round pick, right, which I believe wholeheartedly without a doubt that they know that's going to be a lottery pick. So you don't want to you don't want to do anything to where you them that pick outright, so you can unlock other picks and then you end up in the lottery because it's a lottery protected right. So But the problem now is that what was the problem with Dave and CJ. Like I preached this for years, you're never gonna contend when your best two players are small guard. Only one team's ever done it now was the bad boy Pistons and they were backed by the greatest front court defensively ever. Right, So unless you're gonaccumulate that, it's not gonna happen. So finally they move CJ and who they start and who's basically a more athletic version of CJ and not a very good defender. So now you go out and you get Scoot who's nineteen, and you still have Ant and even if you moved in, you're still redundant there and you got so it's to me, you need to move and at some point if Scoot and Shaden are your guys in the back court, otherwise you're gonna end up paying a lot of money into three guys and there's gonna be some redundancy there, and you're still way too small. There's not the only viable player on this team other than Nerks Vible. There's two players on this roster over six six for a viable You can't win like that. It's not a six four under league, right, So to me, they need to start Ant showcase and move at and needs to be running his own team. And if I'm aunt and you tell me a Scoop's better and play scoot ahead of me. Whether he's earned it or not. He's gonna ask for a trade. He doesn't want to spend his career backing up this kid when he probably is better than him. So the ad situation is fascinating. But he's a really good offensive player. I still think he's coming to his own one of the things last year that hurt him and people say, oh he regrets, he gonna regrets. It's difficult playing next to Dame. Well, you're not sure what you're supposed to be doing. And I the two guard and the point guard. Now Dame's going to be the two guard. I'm acquiescing to him, but then they want me to be aggressive, like it's a tough situation. But when he was the guy, dude was amazing that one year. So he needs to be running his own team.

Yeah, I think it's fast.

Yeah, I think it's fast.

I love it. I love I love me. I get a little passionate about it.

I love it. I love I love me. I get a little passionate about it.

Oh no, Look, I think he's a great player. I think they've got a lot of really good young players down down there, and I think they're up there. I think they're going to have a bright future. It's when does that future start? Right, You've got Damian Lillard in a contract Jeremy Grant, which still don't quite understand that all I still put a life of me, Oh, let's do this, Let's do quickly, Let's do it quickly. Like, for the life of me, that's one of the most bizarre contracts I've ever seen, Like like there was no nope, as far as I know, there was nobody else out there looking to invest that kind of money in Jeremy Grant. I don't think they were in any kind of real danger of losing Jeremy Grant. And the fact that they do this deal, Yeah, what was it twenty four hours forty hours before Lillard makes his trade request was wild to me. It was just completely wild to me that now, as a rebuilding team, they have this contract on their books that I think Aaron is going to be I don't say impossible, but incredibly difficult to get off. What do you think the Blazers are looking at right now with this this Grant contract and how they handle his situation.

Oh no, Look, I think he's a great player. I think they've got a lot of really good young players down down there, and I think they're up there. I think they're going to have a bright future. It's when does that future start? Right, You've got Damian Lillard in a contract Jeremy Grant, which still don't quite understand that all I still put a life of me, Oh, let's do this, Let's do quickly, Let's do it quickly. Like, for the life of me, that's one of the most bizarre contracts I've ever seen, Like like there was no nope, as far as I know, there was nobody else out there looking to invest that kind of money in Jeremy Grant. I don't think they were in any kind of real danger of losing Jeremy Grant. And the fact that they do this deal, Yeah, what was it twenty four hours forty hours before Lillard makes his trade request was wild to me. It was just completely wild to me that now, as a rebuilding team, they have this contract on their books that I think Aaron is going to be I don't say impossible, but incredibly difficult to get off. What do you think the Blazers are looking at right now with this this Grant contract and how they handle his situation.

Yeah, So Grant came to Portland because of Dame, right, and it was it was a given that you know, Grant would stay and help win with Dame. But when things became shaky with Dame after draft night. It was like, okay, so what are you going to do with Grant? But they went ahead and made the offer because they knew that the first step to keep him Dame happy was signing Grand. But to me, you had to double clutch that bad boy and come back with a trade because us being that Grant, then you that status qual That's where you were. Dame was one two other dudes with Grant, right, and then you could pay him like you could always were in the driver's seat with Grant because you've give them the extra year and give them more money than anyone else. Now I think Grand the open market still gets four years one hundred. If Dylan Brooks can get four years twenty or whatever. Oh yeah, I think you know. But if I'm Grand, I can't get five on fifty one, sixty one, sixteen. I can't remember what it was. I'm taking one yes. So now, yeah, you're Portland. You started this timeline with two kids who can't buy alcohol. At least Grants around. I guess to buy drinks on the road. I don't know. Because he's twenty nine, you're gonna be paying thirty million a year, until he's thirty. It doesn't make any sense. I have zero doubt whatsoever that they're gonna begin trying to Like to me, I'm trying to feed him early this season and see if someone will come get him, because he doesn't fit what they're doing at all. He fits Dane, not Scoot and Shade, and it doesn't make any sense. The entire thing is completely dysfunctional. And so so you said you were in Vegas. Do you remember when I asked a question, are people think you might be tanking? But this looks like you're trying to win? What's the plan here? Which I got chriticized for asking that, but it was an August question to me, and Cronin insisted we have a high talent level. We think we're gonna win, And I'm thinking, really, do you really think they're gonna I.