Are we still tanking?

[blazerkor]

Anfernee missed a lot of time to start the season and actually barely played with Shaedon in the grand scheme of a season. People are all ready to write off their co-existence when it's barely been tried.

Ant and Scoot did not seem complementary at all and neither did Ant and Shaedon the season before. Maybe it's just a change in coaching philosophy that does it where Scoot and Shaedon are told that they're the primary option when on the floor with Ant but how does that go over with Ant and what does that do to his trade value if we do eventually want to trade him?

Maybe Ant is just really cool with coming off the bench going forward in his career with us... that doesn't make a lot of sense to me but it's the only way I see the team building around Scoot and Shae while keeping Ant.

 

[Idog1976]

First, I think that the West is going to be very competitive this year. I don’t see anyone only winning 20 games. I’d be surprised if the East wasn’t more competitive as well. The Pistons will still suck, but 62 losses worth?

Second, playing to lose has a negative effect on team morale and development of young players.

Third, do we never learn from the Blazers’ history of ping pong balls dropping the wrong way or seemingly sure draft picks going bust due to injury or a player just not being as good at the pro level as expected? The draft, even in a loaded year, is still a crapshoot.

Play to win, at least until the losses pile up to a level where winning is no longer possible, then let the chips fall where they may with respect to the draft.

High lottery picks are how a rebuilding team becomes a contender. If you think we are cursed strategy doesn’t matter we are doomed. Since thats unhelpful develop young talent and tank.

 

[blazerkor]

High lottery picks are how a rebuilding team becomes a contender. If you think we are cursed strategy doesn’t matter we are doomed. Since thats unhelpful develop young talent and tank.

I think he's right in that playing to lose or more so not using every tool you have to try to win is not a great way to build a winning culture. With that said, I think you can build a winning culture losing a ton of games, even the most game in the league if it's with young guys who are winning more and moving towards being really competitive throughout the season. As opposed to what we've been doing which is starting the season as a team that isn't good enough to make the play offs but then sitting everyone that could win games for us.

Winning right now doesn't make sense but neither does sitting quality role players almost half the season to avoid wins. In other words, trade Ant, Jerami and Tisse now and if he's looking like he'll be playing this season which is what the reports are trade Rob now too. Only bring back prospects, picks and vets who are ready to sit the bench.

 

[BIG Q]

I think he's right in that playing to lose or more so not using every tool you have to try to win is not a great way to build a winning culture. With that said, I think you can build a winning culture losing a ton of games, even the most game in the league if it's with young guys who are winning more and moving towards being really competitive throughout the season. As opposed to what we've been doing which is starting the season as a team that isn't good enough to make the play offs but then sitting everyone that could win games for us.

Winning right now doesn't make sense but neither does sitting quality role players almost half the season to avoid wins. In other words, trade Ant, Jerami and Tisse now and if he's looking like he'll be playing this season which is what the reports are trade Rob now too. Only bring back prospects, picks and vets who are ready to sit the bench.

Exactly, this is a rebuild. Members need to quit saying tank. There is no need to tank when you move off of the vets that can help playoff teams advance. It’s just empty stats here for them. But if Scoot, Sharpe and Avdija are putting up numbers in competitive games while playing good defense , that’s accomplishment. That is progress.

 

[blazerkor]

Exactly, this is a rebuild. Members need to quit saying tank. There is no need to tank when you move off of the vets that can help playoff teams advance. It’s just empty stats here for them. But if Scoot, Sharpe and Avdija are putting up numbers in competitive games while playing good defense , that’s accomplishment. That is progress.

If those guys along with hopefully some other guys that are coming along or we acquire in a trade for Ant, Jerami, etc. win so many games that we're in the hunt for the play ins next season, I'll be cool with that. I doubt that's the point we'll be at but wherever we end up as long as we're getting better and the guys are competing hard I can live with that. Watching Ant and Jerami taking so many shots away from guys I see a long term future with last season sucked and it also sucked just having them sit. Trade them somewhere they will get to give their all, the entire season and let's stop halfassing this rebuild.

 

[BIG Q]

If those guys along with hopefully some other guys that are coming along or we acquire in a trade for Ant, Jerami, etc. win so many games that we're in the hunt for the play ins next season, I'll be cool with that. I doubt that's the point we'll be at but wherever we end up as long as we're getting better and the guys are competing hard I can live with that. Watching Ant and Jerami taking so many shots away from guys I see a long term future with last season sucked and it also sucked just having them sit. Trade them somewhere they will get to give their all, the entire season and let's stop halfassing this rebuild.

Agreed, but I’d add I hope Portland does not do something stupid, like take on Russell from the Lakers and start him over Scoot/Sharpe. He’s a salary filler unlike Avdija. Let him come off the bench until he is traded. Sucks for him, but it’s a business.

 

[blazerkor]

Agreed, but I’d add I hope Portland does not do something stupid, like take on Russell from the Lakers and start him over Scoot/Sharpe. He’s a salary filler unlike Avdija. Let him come off the bench until he is traded. Sucks for him, but it’s a business.

I'd say if that's the trade for Jerami then flip DLo as soon as you pick him up. There are going to be teams in the league who need a guy like DLo either coming off the bench or starting.

 

[STOMP]

What is likely for next season, during an epically strong draft we don't sit anyone out with injuries and try hard to win for the first time since Olshey was here? Or we see the same strategy as Cronin has done 100% of the time?

What I'm guessing happens is that they start the season all in and doing their best to win games. If they succeed doing that, they'll keep on trying their best to win. If they quickly fall hopelessly out of the playoff mix, management and the coaches will take their foot off the gas and plan for the future... which is what smart management for teams lacking enough talent/experience does. The last few seasons thats been the strategy and how things have unfolded not some silly fake injuries conspiracy when the neither the playoffs let alone contending was remotely within their grasp. Good grief, they've sucked on paper, then the court which forced management's hand.

This season whats different is that their young talent isn't quite as green plus they added a legit player (Avdija) at their most glaring position of need. My outlook on whether they end up doing some tanking again is pinned on whether Scoot and Shaedon have developed enough to not be a subpar starting backcourt

STOMP

 

[Whyachi]

And with some Blazers fans there are these things called "excuses".

Every. Year.

Cronin hired injury prone players. Normally a team in rebuild will deal for an already injured high salary player with FRP's as compensation.

Joe is a weirdo, and offered Blazer fans expectations that oft-injured new Blazers can make it through the entire season.

Unfortunately Blazer fans have witnessed some of these injuries during games. We feel horrible watching a player hobbling in pain, as Coach Billups refuses to call a timeout to render aid.

When you mix legit injuries with players that fake injuries, it can leave a sour outlook for the Franchise. We had Rob Williams in crutches. Then 3 months later Jerami Grant quits his season, and shows up to a Miami game perfectly healthy wearing a Pirate cosplay outfit. Oh by the way, Portland lost that game by 60.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

How about 3 way with Lakers and Jazz
View attachment 65058

plus 3-4 1st (2 from Lakers and 1- 2 from Blazers)

For me, this would be the type of move (swapping Grant+picks for Markkanen) that would need to happen for me to be comfortable parking the tank.

 

[Natebishop3]

For me, this would be the type of move (swapping Grant+picks for Markkanen) that would need to happen for me to be comfortable parking the tank.

Not worth it. The players in the 2025 draft project to be much better players than Markkanen. He’s a good player but he isn’t a superstar.

 

[wizenheimer]

I think he's right in that playing to lose or more so not using every tool you have to try to win is not a great way to build a winning culture. With that said, I think you can build a winning culture losing a ton of games, even the most game in the league if it's with young guys who are winning more and moving towards being really competitive throughout the season. As opposed to what we've been doing which is starting the season as a team that isn't good enough to make the play offs but then sitting everyone that could win games for us.

Winning right now doesn't make sense but neither does sitting quality role players almost half the season to avoid wins. In other words, trade Ant, Jerami and Tisse now and if he's looking like he'll be playing this season which is what the reports are trade Rob now too. Only bring back prospects, picks and vets who are ready to sit the bench.

I think the winning-culture/losing-culture narrative is mostly bullshit. Wins and losses are a function of talent and players are smart enough to be able to gauge the talent on their team vs the talent on another team. Portland doesn't have any player who is top-10 at his position in the NBA. Ayton might be closest, but he's a flawed, overpaid C. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams in the NBA with that low level of talent, and Portland is one of them. Besides that, it's arguable there are only 3 positions in the modern NBA, not 5: PG's-Wings-Bigs.

wins/losses don't control culture...talent does. Wins/losses are just a bi-product. I'd suggest that Portland giving lots of minutes to Ant-Grant-Ayton and winning 34-36 games would be more damaging to the culture than deliberately tanking.

I agree Portland needs to tank next season; and they need to tank organically by finally, after a decade, stopping straddling fences and foolishly going two directions at once. They need to trade away high paid role players with 3rd-4th tier talent and actually lean fully into a logical rebuild. But that sure doesn't appear to be what they will do

 

[blazerkor]

I think the winning-culture/losing-culture narrative is mostly bullshit. Wins and losses are a function of talent and players are smart enough to be able to gauge the talent on their team vs the talent on another team. Portland doesn't have any player who is top-10 at his position in the NBA. Ayton might be closest, but he's a flawed, overpaid C. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams in the NBA with that low level of talent, and Portland is one of them. Besides that, it's arguable there are only 3 positions in the modern NBA, not 5: PG's-Wings-Bigs.

wins/losses don't control culture...talent does. Wins/losses are just a bi-product. I'd suggest that Portland giving lots of minutes to Ant-Grant-Ayton and winning 34-36 games would be more damaging to the culture than deliberately tanking.

I agree Portland needs to tank next season; and they need to tank organically by finally, after a decade, stopping straddling fences and foolishly going two directions at once. They need to trade away high paid role players with 3rd-4th tier talent and actually lean fully into a logical rebuild. But that sure doesn't appear to be what they will do

What you said in that last sentence really really needs to be the thinking of this franchise. I just fear that it is not. We can hope though because as a sports fan hoping in one hand is more effective then shitting in the other.

 

[illmatic99]

Who are the tanking teams this yr besides Portland?

Charlotte and Washington are the only two obvious ones. The hope is there are no jumps in the lottery.

 

[THE HCP]

Utah will do everything in their power to capture the Flagg!!!

 

[Natebishop3]

Who are the tanking teams this yr besides Portland?

Charlotte and Washington are the only two obvious ones. The hope is there are no jumps in the lottery.

Here was the bottom of last season

Detroit
Washington
Portland
Charlotte
San Antonio
Toronto
Memphis
Utah
Brooklyn
Atlanta
Chicago
Houston
Golden State

I think these teams will pull out of the lottery:
Golden State
Memphis
Houston
Atlanta?

Here are the teams that have gotten markedly worse and/or I think will be actively tanking:
Detroit
Washington
Portland
Brooklyn
Chicago

I'm not sure about:
Charlotte
SAS
Utah
Raptors

 

[andalusian]

Who are the tanking teams this yr besides Portland?

Charlotte and Washington are the only two obvious ones. The hope is there are no jumps in the lottery.

Nets.

 

[blazerkor]

Utah will do everything in their power to capture the Flagg!!!

Have they had some young lady who is like six or seven years older than him recruiting him into the Mormon church??? because that seems like doing "everything".

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Here are the teams that have gotten markedly worse and I think will be actively tanking:
Detroit

Why exactly is it you think Detroit got worse? Aren't they returning their 8 highest-minute players, all of whom were 23 or younger, and adding Harris? I seriously doubt that they're tanking.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Here was the bottom of last season

Detroit
Washington
Portland
Charlotte
San Antonio
Toronto
Memphis
Utah
Brooklyn
Atlanta
Chicago
Houston
Golden State

I think these teams will pull out of the lottery:
Golden State
Memphis
Houston
Atlanta?

Here are the teams that have gotten markedly worse and I think will be actively tanking:
Detroit
Washington
Portland
Brooklyn
Chicago

I'm not sure about:
Charlotte
SAS
Utah
Raptors

I’m OBVIOUSLY no homer, but how the hell has Portland gotten worse?

We added a very good defensive big
We added a very good 2 way player
Scoot, Sharpe, others are a year better

 

[Natebishop3]

I’m OBVIOUSLY no homer, but how the hell has Portland gotten worse?

We added a very good defensive big
We added a very good 2 way player
Scoot, Sharpe, others are a year better

Because it's based on the assumption that we're moving Grant/Simons. Sorry I didn't give that stipulation.

 

[Natebishop3]

Why exactly is it you think Detroit got worse? Aren't they returning their 8 highest-minute players, all of whom were 23 or younger, and adding Harris? I seriously doubt that they're tanking.

Sorry, meant got worse/actively tanking.

Maybe Detroit isn't tanking? If I was them, I would be.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Sorry, meant got worse/actively tanking.

Maybe Detroit isn't tanking? If I was them, I would be.

I was under the impression that they had reached the limit of their appetite for losing.

 

[MickZagger]

Sorry, meant got worse/actively tanking.

Maybe Detroit isn't tanking? If I was them, I would be.

They’ve been trying to but it keeps biting them in the ass and they get a lower pick than they were supposed to

 

[Natebishop3]

I was under the impression that they had reached the limit of their appetite for losing.

The problem is that they have yet to find that second star to pair with Cade.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The problem is that they have yet to find that second star to pair with Cade.

They're just going to lean into Ivey, Sasser, Thompson, Holland, and Duren and hope one of them break out.

 

[Whyachi]

I think the winning-culture/losing-culture narrative is mostly bullshit. Wins and losses are a function of talent and players are smart enough to be able to gauge the talent on their team vs the talent on another team. Portland doesn't have any player who is top-10 at his position in the NBA. Ayton might be closest, but he's a flawed, overpaid C. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams in the NBA with that low level of talent, and Portland is one of them. Besides that, it's arguable there are only 3 positions in the modern NBA, not 5: PG's-Wings-Bigs.

wins/losses don't control culture...talent does. Wins/losses are just a bi-product. I'd suggest that Portland giving lots of minutes to Ant-Grant-Ayton and winning 34-36 games would be more damaging to the culture than deliberately tanking.

I agree Portland needs to tank next season; and they need to tank organically by finally, after a decade, stopping straddling fences and foolishly going two directions at once. They need to trade away high paid role players with 3rd-4th tier talent and actually lean fully into a logical rebuild. But that sure doesn't appear to be what they will do

according to our friendly neighborhood Blazers Edge, Avdija is a top 10 forward in the NBA. They posted a few stats to prove their case.

Brown, Tatum, LeBron, George, etc etc etc, yuuup sure enough, there's Deni right up there with the big dawgs.

the Wizards coughed up an All-Star without knowing what they had cooking. Be ready for all the Kiki Vandeweghe Blazer records to be shattered.

Come back tomorrow for more spectacular Blazers Edge articles. Where the run for the 2K championship becomes a reality. Be sure to find treasure tokens and give your players upgrades.

 

[bemac]

Why would any team with a young core start the season with the intention to tank? Blazers are in a position to truly test what they have, and work from there. This is a good unit, and with all the players with the potential to make a leap, you have to keep it competative to truly test for needs. The unknown potential of Scoot/Sharpe/Clingan as a trio is enough to keep the team in tact for half a season. Add in Avdija, and things are getting interesting. Holding on to Grant until the trade deadline is a no-brainer. Ayton, Simons, Reath, Walker, Williams and Thybulle…This is an interesting team. I think the biggest challenge/potential is handing the keys to Sharpe, seeing if he accepts the role and what he can do with it. If he turns out to be what many of us believe he’s capable of, this is a very good team moving forward.

 

[Ripcity4life77]

The better question is ....

Has Cronin gone back to bed cause he did his one trade and the draft so now time to go back into his slumber -- truth -- LOL

 

[THE HCP]

Have they had some young lady who is like six or seven years older than him recruiting him into the Mormon church??? because that seems like doing "everything".

8 years