"We're not going to sit here and cry"
Let's take a break from Olshey World and think bigger
The material conditions of the Trail Blazers are no different than they were yesterday. I’m not here to shed any new light on what we’ve already covered. But the NBA is an ecosystem that always moves. Nothing that happens within it goes unnoticed among The Community.
Masai Ujiri’s statement this week about “we’re not going to sit here and cry” about free agents not staying with Toronto is my favorite NBA Executive Subtweet I’ve seen yet towards Neil Olshey’s constant defense against selling Portland as an NBA city. For as much as the local media around here tries to sell Oregon’s taxes as an issue, you’ve got Canada unwilling to make excuses about theirs. *Very Fox News voice* “You’re letting the socialists beat you at sports, what a disappointment to America.” Tough scenes.
It’s also the second time an executive has seemingly subtweeted Olshey as Daryl Morey was seen as a clear opposition to Olshey with Morey going out of the way to declare his responsibility for the Sixers’ failure to beat the Hawks. Olshey’s tenure has been littered with an ability to make bargain moves and a lot of bitching about Portland. Ujiri’s bargain reputation with a strong point of view about his franchise seemed like a shot across the bow. If not to Olshey, at least to Lillard, whom the league is circling like a shark.
The reason I am once again here to talk about this today (very Bernie Sanders voice) isn’t that I think Olshey will change his ways of refusing to bet big, but the ecosystem might doing work in his favor. I just so happened to listen to Draymond Green and Kevin Durant layout clearly that Warriors GM Bob Myers and head coach Steve Kerr were to blame for KD’s departure from the Bay. Now Lillard has said that the Blazers need to be better and be more serious about being a championship team. But he has never said that Neil has “fucked up” the way Draymond talked about Myers and Kerr.
The signs that Draymond’s days in Golden State are numbered have been there for a while. A draft in which they continue to draft younger players only adds to that potential exit. During his interview with Durant, in which he flamed the people still in charge of the team for losing a dynasty, it feels like someone who wouldn’t be upset with leaving. Did I mention Ben Simmons only wants to play in California? How about the Blazers help Klutch by helping the Blazers? Ben McLemore and Jusuf Nurkic are repped by who?….*mics cut*
To that point, Draymond may also be the only gettable player for the Blazers in a situation where they don’t have to give up Lillard, McCollum, or Nurkic (Klutch and would take a bullet for Dame’s). It’s an undisputed take at this point that offenses are daring Green to beat them with his shot more than ever, with the results getting lampooned even more. His value has never been lower. But the Blazers need him. Not just for the defense. Not just for the passing and the point forward prowess. But to bring more life into this team that has been solid for so long people have forgotten. Draymond wouldn’t let anyone forget. Nor will he let Nurkic sink into himself without hearing about it or let Nassir Little pass up an open shot.
How it gets done is a question I won’t unfold here, but it is one that has several solves, especially if the Ben Simmons trade goes down. Ben Simmons going to Golden State is basically the only prerequisite. The FanSpo Trade Machine is free and there are several machinations involving a Ben Simmons trade that gets Draymond to Portland without sacrificing any of the current core group.
Judging by everything we’ve heard about Klutch Sports being in “lockstep” with Philadelphia to find a deal, it seems like a good bet that Simmons moves and perhaps in that deal, very much Olshey’s style to attach himself to a vehicle already in motion, Portland can add a player that helps make Dame feel like a serious step was made. That player has always been Draymond. Even if it’s for one year. Portland owes it to this era to go for it. Don’t listen to people selling that Portland should wait so they flame out and try to do the process. Philadelphia tried it and still hasn’t made the Conference Finals in the East and is begging people to take one of the “pillars” of their great tanking extravaganza. Fuck that shit.
I know that everyone, including myself, has shared their fair share of trades involving McCollum and Nurkic, but I think Lillard is going to stick this thing out. All indications seem like he will according to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes, at least to start this season, under Chauncey Billups and the rest of the new veterans brought in by Neil Olshey. He’s rolling with family. The game isn’t like that anymore. It might not be like that here for much longer. Savor it and add a little Chateau de Draymond.
Dame is a boxer. I can’t imagine him coming back for this season will involve throwing in the towel. But the bell has rung, it’s time to give him a fighter who knows what it’s like to wear the belt.
The only thing stopping this vision is that Olshey doesn’t seem bothered enough about letting an All-Time Great like Dame get the best chance he can at a championship.
Thank god for blogs that allow us to think a little bit bigger.