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Forum nameOkay Sports
Topic subjectRight, the order of preference is pretty clear.
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2746059&mesg_id=2746844
2746844, Right, the order of preference is pretty clear.
Posted by Frank Longo, Mon Sep-20-21 05:46 PM
Dame and Embiid >> CJ, pieces, and Embiid >>>>>>>>>>> CJ and Embiid

As for the Blazers, they don't have many choices. If they don't start the year looking like a playoff team (and I suspect they won't), then they have two choices: 1) make a big splashy move to make the team better and keep Dame happy, or 2) trade Dame for the best asset package you can muster.

And, to be clear, if they can get Simmons for CJ, even for CJ and a piece, I do think it immediately makes the Blazers better. Especially since I don't think that'd be the last move they make. They just need defensive versatility and ball movement so desperately, and Simmons, whatever you think of him, is elite at both.

One can ask the question "but what if Ben isn't motivated and pouts and refuses to play well" or whatever. And I think that's a fair enough question... but I assume that playing with an elite guard like Dame would appeal to him. The biggest problem Ben has is that the only elite player on his current team takes up the space inside that Ben needs in order to be any kind of offensive threat today. Dame spaces the floor. Ben and Dame could be a really lethal pairing in theory. (But again, anyone who says "but we don't know if Ben will try!"-- I wouldn't counter that point. It's a totally fair point. But I think, for a Portland team that really needs to shake things up, it's worth the gamble imo.)