Rip City Project
Fansided

Blazers’ summer filled with drama, frustration, intrigue, rapping and nonsense

By Matt George Moore

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Wade Baldwin IV #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 16, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Wade Baldwin IV #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 16, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

As the calendar turns from July to August, the Portland Trail Blazers basketball world is ablaze with stories ranging from “Hmm, that’s interesting” to “Well, that’s downright silly!” Let’s review.

First things first. The Portland Trail Blazers Summer League team whooped everybody on their way to a 7-0 record and the tournament championship. There wasn’t much drama there — at least not on the court, and especially since the rookies played pretty well.

However …

Blazers Drama

There was at least a little drama surrounding the contract of Wade Baldwin IV. Portland’s front office was silent in the days leading up to the deadline for waiving Baldwin or letting his contract become auto-guaranteed for next season.

More from Rip City Project

Well, the drama dissipated quickly. The deadline came and went, and WBIV’s contract was guaranteed for 2018-2019.

We’re happy about that here at the RCP, because we think Baldwin’s a bad dude who can help the Blazers win.

What else?

Blazers Frustration

Frustration has been mounting in Rip City for what seems like forever. Blazers President of Basketball Operations gets a ton of flack for standing pat while other teams are making moves to improve their roster.

The latest frustration came Wednesday when the traded player exception they got for shipping Allen Crabbe to Brooklyn expired without so much as a whimper.

We’ll assume the Blazers were wheeling and dealing behind the scenes, but they have neither wheels nor deals to show for it. (Well, they still have at least one Wheels.)

Blazers Intrigue

Next on the list of Portland summer thingamabobs: intrigue!

This one stems from all those source-less rumors about Damian Lillard going to the Los Angeles Lakers — possibly, maybe, prove-it-WON’T-happen, read-between-the-lines, man!

As I wrote not too long ago:

"I understand cynicism, especially in sports. Especially in Portland. … But dismissing what Dame’s said on the record about his desire to play his entire career with Portland seems foolish. Why do that?"

I’m just gonna leave it at that. But it’s definitely a convo that’s burned through the Rip City blogosphere. And it continues to be a hot topic in certain conspiratorial circles. (Google is your friend.)

Blazers Rapping

Lillard needs your help, Portland. He’s looking for a recording studio so that he can get to work on (we’re guessing here) his next rap album.

Dame’s a good rapper, so he needs the goods. And he already pooped on the idea of recording at somebody’s house, in fact, so don’t bother.

As Dame says, if you got a tip, holla.

Anyway … last but not least, it’s:

Blazers Nonsense

This one comes courtesy of a Twitter beef that the participants insist isn’t a beef at all.

It started with a convo between CJ McCollum and Kevin Durant on CJ’s podcast. The topics: Will Portland win a title? (KD says nah.) And: Is KD a punk or possibly soft for joining the best team in basketball right after that same team beat his former team in the playoffs? (CJ says yeah.)

Long story short: It became a thing.

You can read about it here.

Summertime

Please continue to have a great summer, Rip City. And if you’re not having a great summer, then I hope things turn around for you soon.

Next. Can Collins fill Davis’ role as backup center defensively?. dark

I’m a busy bee, so you may not hear from me for a while.

Maybe I’ll be playing some guitar on Dame’s new album.

Hey Dame Dolla! Holla!