Are we still tanking?

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What should be the Blazers goal for next season?

  • Suck so bad we Hawk Tuah!

    Votes: 42 75.0%

  • Play-in or Bust!

    Votes: 11 19.6%

  • Championship baby!

    Votes: 3 5.4%
  • Total voters
    56
I am afraid of a semi-tank. Start out hard then when it's clear they won't win enough to make the playin, shut all the good players down, Grant, Ant, DA, Deni.
 
Cugel said:
I think the only change to the starting 5 will be Deni. I give them 32 wins if they are healthy. Very iso-heavy offense and lots and lots of dribbling by Ant and Jerami.
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Brings up the question: Could we tank better with Grant and Anf on the team or off?
 
UKRAINEFAN said:
Brings up the question: Could we tank better with Grant and Anf on the team or off?
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Off for sure. Let the young core play all out to grow. They won’t be good but they will grow and then determine value for trades vs keepers etc
 
Paine Tablet said:
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.
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in the 2022-23 season, when rookie Sharpe shared court time with Anfernee, their was almost zero chemistry. It was Shaedon watching Simons playing dribble dribble dribble chuck.

Last year both players alternated injuries, so no, we couldn't see them develop chemistry. But that 2023 zero chemistry anomaly still lingers.
 
UKRAINEFAN said:
Brings up the question: Could we tank better with Grant and Anf on the team or off?
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Off.
The most effective tank has your young players getting better while you're still losing games. We're going to do that much better without both Ant and Grant, IMO.

At that point, it won't even be a tank anymore. It'll just be a young team developing. Which is much better than a tank.
 
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UKRAINEFAN said:
Brings up the question: Could we tank better with Grant and Anf on the team or off?
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We've seen what happens after Grant & Simons take their Cronin leave of tanking. Lop 45 points off the board, the playbook gets tiny, and the Blazers offense becomes vulnerable.

Losing is losing in a rebuild. Are Blazer fans ready for full time JV squad ?? Or is more competitive games, then grenade the team, still the better approach?

When the radio pods brag about the nearly packed Blazers stadium, they don't tell their 34 listeners that the fans in Moda are wearing opponent jerseys. Hosting more popular teams is a benefit for all NBA arenas and television broadcasts. As an OG Blazers fan, it bugs me seeing the Moda Center full of Lakers, Warriors, Celtics fans. The Raptors game gets a pass, because Canada only has 1 team to root for.

The ping pong balls scattered this summer. Hawks got the #1 pick in a weak draft, but it doesn't change the fact a play-in team won the lottery.

Me personally, I'd rather see Portland play competitive and win a few, more then a 24/7 tanking experience. I don't mind being a rebellious Blazer fan. This team has gotten punked 3 years straight. It would be highly entertaining to see opponents getting stomped by a Blazers team that wasn't supposed to win.

I say no to trading Ant, Grant, Ayton this season. Play it out. The opportunity to see a sneaky good team would be a welcome surprise for Blazers fans.
 
Whyachi said:
We've seen what happens after Grant & Simons take their Cronin leave of tanking. Lop 45 points off the board, the playbook gets tiny, and the Blazers offense becomes vulnerable.

Losing is losing in a rebuild. Are Blazer fans ready for full time JV squad ?? Or is more competitive games, then grenade the team, still the better approach?

When the radio pods brag about the nearly packed Blazers stadium, they don't tell their 34 listeners that the fans in Moda are wearing opponent jerseys. Hosting more popular teams is a benefit for all NBA arenas and television broadcasts. As an OG Blazers fan, it bugs me seeing the Moda Center full of Lakers, Warriors, Celtics fans. The Raptors game gets a pass, because Canada only has 1 team to root for.

The ping pong balls scattered this summer. Hawks got the #1 pick in a weak draft, but it doesn't change the fact a play-in team won the lottery.

Me personally, I'd rather see Portland play competitive and win a few, more then a 24/7 tanking experience. I don't mind being a rebellious Blazer fan. This team has gotten punked 3 years straight. It would be highly entertaining to see opponents getting stomped by a Blazers team that wasn't supposed to win.

I say no to trading Ant, Grant, Ayton this season. Play it out. The opportunity to see a sneaky good team would be a welcome surprise for Blazers fans.
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That would be so Portland. Go all in on a tank in a weak draft, then go all in for a playin during an incredible top loaded draft. Pick a lane Joe.
 
Whyachi said:
We've seen what happens after Grant & Simons take their Cronin leave of tanking. Lop 45 points off the board, the playbook gets tiny, and the Blazers offense becomes vulnerable.

Losing is losing in a rebuild. Are Blazer fans ready for full time JV squad ?? Or is more competitive games, then grenade the team, still the better approach?

When the radio pods brag about the nearly packed Blazers stadium, they don't tell their 34 listeners that the fans in Moda are wearing opponent jerseys. Hosting more popular teams is a benefit for all NBA arenas and television broadcasts. As an OG Blazers fan, it bugs me seeing the Moda Center full of Lakers, Warriors, Celtics fans. The Raptors game gets a pass, because Canada only has 1 team to root for.

The ping pong balls scattered this summer. Hawks got the #1 pick in a weak draft, but it doesn't change the fact a play-in team won the lottery.

Me personally, I'd rather see Portland play competitive and win a few, more then a 24/7 tanking experience. I don't mind being a rebellious Blazer fan. This team has gotten punked 3 years straight. It would be highly entertaining to see opponents getting stomped by a Blazers team that wasn't supposed to win.

I say no to trading Ant, Grant, Ayton this season. Play it out. The opportunity to see a sneaky good team would be a welcome surprise for Blazers fans.
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I was at the Miami game this past season. Hearing the Miami fans chanting "Let's Go Heat!" on repeat pissed me off so bad it was ridiculous! I wanted to punch somebody in the mouth and then I remembered I'm 66.
 
Isnt their a cap min as well? If we trade our large contracts for tradable contracts to then trade for picks, will we have enough salary?
Ant needs to go so Shae can take over. But i see value in keeping ayton and grant for the moment and Ayton could still be part of the long term plan. he is young enough.
 
SharpeScooterShooter said:
Isnt their a cap min as well? If we trade our large contracts for tradable contracts to then trade for picks, will we have enough salary?
Ant needs to go so Shae can take over. But i see value in keeping ayton and grant for the moment and Ayton could still be part of the long term plan. he is young enough.
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Yes, there is a min, but Portland wouldn't drop below it. If they trade Grant they will get probably two contracts back to total his. Hopefully an expiring. Same with Ant. Pretty sure if we traded Thybulle we would get another player back. Doubt they trade Ayton with Clingan being a rookie. After this season Ayton is an expiring and might have value if he doesn't ball out this season. But Portland will stay above the min this season as most cap space is gone in the league.
 
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Whyachi said:
did you know, Portland drafted Jokic 2.0 with the #7 pick ?? Yes, that's right, Clingan is already an upgraded MVP Center. Now... use comps on all the other Blazers until they resemble the world champion Nuggets team.

If needed, don't watch the 2025 Blazers season. Then come back next summer to install even more MVP and championship comparisons.

Rebuilding is fun !! If only every team could rebuild. Unfortunately basic math won't let 28 teams lose for lottery picks, with 2 teams going 82-0 and making it to the BORING finals.

There will always be a handful of teams that Blazer fans can pick on, because opposing GM's are too stupid to tank their mediocre season for improved lottery percentages. And even if they do tank, they're not drafting MVP's like Portland.
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2 teams can’t go 82-0
 
I don’t believe in tanking before January. I think every season you have to play hard until New Years. If your team has no talent, it’ll show by then, and you can tank with impunity.
 
SharpeScooterShooter said:
Isnt their a cap min as well? If we trade our large contracts for tradable contracts to then trade for picks, will we have enough salary?
Ant needs to go so Shae can take over. But i see value in keeping ayton and grant for the moment and Ayton could still be part of the long term plan. he is young enough.
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I think the worries about the salary floor are overblown

If the Blazers are trading their big salaries (Ayton-Grant-Simons) they won't be trading them for TPE's...they'll be taking salary back. I'd think the same is true for Thybulle & Timelord. Last time I checked the Blazers were about 38-40M over the salary floor

teams have to be at the salary floor or above by opening night of the regular season. The floor is about 14M below the 141M salary cap. If a team is below the floor, they lose any cap-space they had below the floor. Meaning the most cap-space any team can carry into the season is 14M. That's the only management 'penalty'

now there is an ownership penalty in that any team that starts the season below the floor becomes ineligible to collect luxury tax payments distributed by the league. You can be certain that everybody in the Vulcan flagship is aware of that
 
KingSpeed said:
2 teams can’t go 82-0
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manipulating technicalities are an important aspect of Blazers Edge contributors.

One of their latest "huh?" offerings suggested "Portland has the best Center rotation in the NBA". Included in this fantasy was Duop Reath replacing Al Horford to help the Celtics win more championships.

Today's burnt biscuit award goes to a Locked on Blazers viewer who believes the Blazers are better then the Pelicans, Clippers & Warriors.
 
Whyachi said:
manipulating technicalities are an important aspect of Blazers Edge contributors.

One of their latest "huh?" offerings suggested "Portland has the best Center rotation in the NBA". Included in this fantasy was Duop Reath replacing Al Horford to help the Celtics win more championships.

Today's burnt biscuit award goes to a Locked on Blazers viewer who believes the Blazers are better than the Pelicans, Clippers & Warriors.
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Ayton, Clingan, Reath, RWill3 is def in the conversation.

Whether we maximize that advantage and win, that’s a whole diff story
 
Foxx said:
Ayton, Clingan, Reath, RWill3 is def in the conversation.

Whether we maximize that advantage and win, that’s a whole diff story
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RW3 should not be a net positive in anyone’s accounting of lineup value. Just because a die can come up 6 sometimes doesn’t mean that’s the value you can count on. He’s basically Reaf LaFrenz.
 
Foxx said:
Ayton, Clingan, Reath, RWill3 is def in the conversation.

Whether we maximize that advantage and win, that’s a whole diff story
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It's a lopsided comp. 4 against ~2. Portland can't roll out all the Centers in one lineup.

Jokic + Gordon is better
Embiid + whoever is better
Davis + 6'2" Bronny is better
Gobert + KAT + Reid were spectacular
Porzingus + Horford won the chip
Lively + Gafford made the Finals
Chet + Hartenstein got put on ignore ?
Turner + Toppin made the ECF
Adebayo beat Portland by 60
Nic Richards went nightmare mode
Zubac swept Portland
Sengun abolished the Blazers
Green + Looney + Trayce is a headache
Sabonis triple double machine
Wemby toyed with the Blazers

catching my drift ? If Portland had the best Centers in the NBA, I don't think Blazer fans would be looking over the horizon at next summer's lottery pick.
 
Ayton + Time Lord + Clingan + Reath is a good collection of BIGS. Not elite, but deep.

2 years of Ayton will hopefully be enough time for Clingan to become a starter — and a quality starter in his prime. Having an elite starter is great, but having a quality starter who is a BIG on D is necessary. I like Reath (just turned 28 and with low mileage) as Clingan’s eventual back-up or 5th big at PF/C.

After this dead period thru August — it’s huge with trades until February.
 
Whyachi said:
manipulating technicalities are an important aspect of Blazers Edge contributors.

One of their latest "huh?" offerings suggested "Portland has the best Center rotation in the NBA". Included in this fantasy was Duop Reath replacing Al Horford to help the Celtics win more championships.

Today's burnt biscuit award goes to a Locked on Blazers viewer who believes the Blazers are better then the Pelicans, Clippers & Warriors.
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Just gonna tip my cap to the great Ed Whelan reference.
 
I mosied over to NBA.com, and checked out the latest power rankings.

the overlords of basketball offered couple fun facts from last year.

numbers to know:
  • The Blazers had just four wins (they were 4-41) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes. That was the lowest total for any team in the last nine seasons.
  • Their opponents shot 61.3% in the paint, the highest opponent mark in the 28 seasons for which we have shot-location data
is basic terminology...
- forget about comeback victories
- the bunny door was wide open
 
Whyachi said:
  • The Blazers had just four wins (they were 4-41) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes. That was the lowest total for any team in the last nine seasons.
  • Their opponents shot 61.3% in the paint, the highest opponent mark in the 28 seasons for which we have shot-location data
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* last season, with Ayton, Portland ranked 28th in the NBA in opponent FG% at the rim (0-3'); and 28th in opponent FG% in the 3-10' zone

* in 2022-23, with Nurkic, Portland ranked 7th in the NBA in opponent FG% at the rim (0-3'); and 15th in opponent FG% in the 3-10' zone
 
wizenheimer said:
* last season, with Ayton, Portland ranked 28th in the NBA in opponent FG% at the rim (0-3'); and 28th in opponent FG% in the 3-10' zone

* in 2022-23, with Nurkic, Portland ranked 7th in the NBA in opponent FG% at the rim (0-3'); and 15th in opponent FG% in the 3-10' zone
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ahh the good ol' days. When Winslow & Josh Hart pushed guys out of comfort zones, and Jerami Grant actually played real defense.
 
don't forget about Drew Eubanks. He split time with Nurk, and played some disruptive defense. 1.3 blocks lead the team.
 
these guys are mean!! The Norwegian guy starts the pod trolling Billups. Then @13:14 Mike Richman called Scoot one of the worst players in the NBA.

 
Whyachi said:
these guys are mean!! The Norwegian guy starts the pod trolling Billups. Then @13:14 Mike Richman called Scoot one of the worst players in the NBA.

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Misleading. Mike said Scoot was one of the worst players in the league LAST SEASON. That is a true statement, not a mean one
 
Whyachi said:
ahh the good ol' days. When Winslow & Josh Hart pushed guys out of comfort zones, and Jerami Grant actually played real defense.
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I'd say Camara and Thybulle were at least as good defensively as Hart and Winslow; likely much more defensive impact considering they played 137 games vs Hart/Winslow at 80 games.

Whyachi said:
don't forget about Drew Eubanks. He split time with Nurk, and played some disruptive defense. 1.3 blocks lead the team.
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Eubanks was definitely underrated around here. A better backup C than Reath

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still, the reality is that Portland was a better team defensively last season than in 2022-23; at least they were in terms of defensive rating. In 2022-23 Blazers were 29th in opponent 3ptFG%; last season they were 3rd. So, trying to scapegoat perimeter defense for Ayton's failings doesn't compute

where the Blazers cratered last season was defending the rim and defending the paint. Nurkic+Eubanks were good at that; Ayton+Reath were historically bad
 
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