Game Thread 2024-25 GAME #17 - BLAZERS @ ROCKETS - NOV 23, 2024 - SAT - 5:00 PM - CHARGE, BLAZERVISION

POR has a few promising players in TC Deni and Sharpe. None however are blowing minds. This team needs players that blow minds to really be competative

 

We don't have near enough talent to compete for titles long term.

We have enough talent to be a middling play-in to first round and out team. Missing the play-in some years and maybe winning a first round series once or twice (if EVERYTHING breaks our way, all of our draft picks meet their potential, and we lose nobody to injury).

 

I'm not a Pop fan, but I love one of his old quotes.
"The Spurs didn't make any trades this summer. How will that affect the team?"

"We traded rookie Tim Duncan for second year Tim Duncan. I think we'll be a lot better."

 

Duncan came into his rookie season as the #1 pick, and as the unanimous NCAA player of the year; he won the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, and the USBWA College player of the year. In his rookie season he was named the NBA ROY when he averaged 21-12-3 with 2.5 blocks a game. As a rookie, he was named to the 1st team all-NBA and 2nd team all-NBA defense....as a rookie he was already a top-5 player

that's not any kind of template that fits the Blazers

 

Sure isn’t. Now if they pick up Flagg? Then maybe they can start talking like that?

 

I simply disagree. It is not the only way. We could package Ant/Ayton and picks... alot of them and get that type of player. Not saying right now, but at some point, yes, we can. Milwaukie might blow it up, like a scorer in Ant, consider Ayton an expiring and have alot of picks we give them. Add Giannis to the young guys, and who knows. Zion the same.

Yes, I understand the draft is the best way, but this assertion it is the only way is blatantly false. Again, My premise is many(maybe not you and some others, but many) have said again and again, we don't have near enough talent. Again, I disagree. I think we have more talent than those people realize and don't think we are several players away. One or two at most.

 

Correct. We have enough talent now to be a play in or near that. I disagree with you thinking the talent level we currently have will not continue to get better as your some years, type of analogy portrays. If we are a near play in now, we3 will naturally be better next year with another year of experience and growth for the young guys. Do you think Clingan and Scoot wont get any better than they are now? Toumani? Murray? They will get better. So we could be a second round team in another year or two without any further additions.

Its like some of you are of the opinion the youth wont get any better than they are now. That is highly unlikely.

 

Exactly! Like our youth wont be better next year and the year after than they currently are?

 

lol....right. Pretty clearly Ant and Ayton have a ton of value.

CJ + Nance--->Grant + Thybulle
Powell + RoCo--->Winslow + Keon
Brogdon + 2 first's--->Avdija

Blazers have tried what you suggest and haven't come close to landing an elite player

 

If I was of the opinion that our youth wouldn't get any better then I would have said we would never have a chance to make the playoffs.

However, that is not what I said.

 

Lol come on man. I said we would have to throw in alot of picks… why that was ignored, I don't know….

 

No. It is what I have said that you are countering and simultaneously ignoring…. Again.

Its like you guys skip parts of posts or something…

One more time. Please follow along:

I am saying if all the youth is healthy aNd we play them all season like the last 7 games(4-3, ill even include the last game where kling kong didnt play) that we are a .500 team and near play in. I have said basically this several times.

I am also saying, if we are that now, then we will be naturally better next year and the year after without any additions.

Now lets see how much this gets twisted and contorted…

 

Yeah, I covered all of that. They'll improve to making the playoffs. Maybe even winning a first round series once or twice.

And that's IF they all stay healthy and develop to their potential.

It would not be wise to count on that and think we have enough talent. We don't. Some guys aren't going to hit. Some guys are going to get injured.

Then in 5 years Grant will be retired or a shadow of himself and Ant, Ayton, and Canara will be in decline.

We won't have anybody to replace them because we have been drafting too late. Maybe we get lucky on one guy that everyone else misses.

 

Brogdon and TWO first round picks for Avdija fits that criteria. That's why I mentioned it. Is Avdija an elite player? an all-NBA player?

* the Clippers got PG13 for a lot of picks but they traded SGA and Gallinari (Gallo had just averaged 20-6 while shooting 43% from three)
* the Suns got Durant for a lot of picks, but they gave up Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson
* the Cavs got Donovan Mitchell for a lot of picks but they gave up Markkanaen, Colin Sexton, & Agbaji

you suggested sending out Ayton and/or Simons plus a lot of picks. The differences between your suggestion and what usually happens in these cases is pretty extreme

usually, teams are sending out youngish players on smaller contracts. Ayton and Simons aren't youngish anymore and they combine for 60M this season and 63M next season; and they sure as hell aren't like SGA, Bridges, or Markkanen. But that's the thing: those two will have expiring contracts next season at the same time the Blazers will still solidly be a lottery team. Why would a lottery team send out any of it's lottery picks for a player like PG13 or Mitchell or Durant or Bridges? It would make no sense. That player isn't going to elevate his new team from the lottery to contending (see Dame/Blazers 2022-23). And his new team would be sacrificing opportunities to add a player like Wemby, or Banchero, or Edwards or Holmgren or Lamelo or Morant or Doncic.

Not only that they'd be potentially missing out on locking up a player like one of those for 4 years of a rookie deal and a minimum of 7-9 years with the rookie deal + extension. Meanwhile, that superstar they traded for might just walk in 1 or 2 or 3 years.

the draft...that's the only viable route for Portland right now and right now includes the next 3 or 4 years

 

Then I disagree… again.
Making the playin is one to two wins from making the playoffs. Huge improvements you aRe giving them there….

round and round we go….

 

So now two picks, or a couple of picks is the same as alot of picks????

Riiighhht….

Ant is still youngish. Anyone much younger will not have been proven enough to garner such a return.

Are you saying Ant/Ayton and four to five picks and possible pick swaps couldn't bet us an all star?

If so, I disagree.
You are referring to mostly the Olshey era and what he was/wasn't able to do. and he was by and large an idiot.

 

Because I definitely said that they would max out at barely making the playoffs...

 

Discussing things with you is pointless. I have been clear in my opinion. Agree or disagree and move on.

I love people who are just vague enough in future telling they can ride the fence and always be right.

They dont have near enough talent to compete

They are a 1st round/possibly second round team at times, at best.

They are a possible playin team now but will only improve to a first or second round exit team in the future.

Typically first and second round teams only need a move or two to become contenders.

But this team is no where near that, per some.

Stop hedging the prediction and be clear on where they are at and what they can become.

 

I agree. thats why im confused as to why he is even quoting me and disagreeing with what im saying.
Since his point is different than mine, why is he quoting me with contention?

He is not being clear in hos quoting and parcing words for some reason instead of clearly pointing out what specifically he disagrees with, he says things like, “I never said that.”
But in quoting me and disagreeing, it is implied he is saying something other than what I said.

It would if he would be precise in his post he quoted me on, what specifically he thinks im wrong about and why…