Q: For the life of me, I cannot understand why Portland wouldn’t covet Tyler Herro, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner and perennial 20-point scorer with playoff experience, over Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons in a Damian Lillard trade. Last time I checked, both of them have done nothing of significance in their careers. But then again, you have to remember that this is the same franchise that drafted Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan and Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. Need I say more. – Greg.
A: That also was different management. But with all due respect to Jerami Grant or even to the potential of Scoot Henderson, if Tyler Herro was on the Blazers’ roster after a Lillard trade, he arguably might be the best player on Portland’s roster. Now, if the Blazers believe they can get an even better leading man in place of Herro, that’s another thing. It used to be that teams in the lottery wilderness would first amass talent, then sort the hierarchy when they approached winning time. Portland seemingly has an alternative reality.
Q: This summer has felt like three summers to most. If the Heat open training camp without a Damian Lillard trade, in your opinion does that set the roster in stone for a month or two, or would the Heat still pull the trigger a day before or the following days after the regular season begins? In business, one always sets a deadline and then has to abide by that decision or risk becoming a paper tiger amongst others. – Brian, Fort Lauderdale.
A: The Heat will set no deadline because it is not their deadline to set when it comes to if or when Damian Lillard might be traded. Yes, they announced they were out in 2018 when Jimmy Butler still was in Minnesota and Josh Richardson was the hook. But this is different. This is a player who named the Heat as a sole target, and if they are the apple of the eye of an All-Star, why would they stop wanting to be such? The Heat long have spoken of being strong of mind and of will. So you report to work, offer your best and appreciate that in real life few truly know what the next day, week, month might have in store employment wise. But what Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and others do know is there still will be checks issues with many zeroes tacked on the end.
Q: You know what’s funny is I was so involved and focused on the Colorado game, I didn’t give the Chauncey Billups/Kyle Lowry sighting any thought, and even Billups quickly leaving as the camera showed them until you mentioned it. Interesting now that I think about it. – Douglas.
A: Or could it simply be that Kyle Lowry has a family member working on the Blazers’ staff? Plus Kyle and Chauncey Billups have worked together on some off-the-court deals.