Can we make the NBA Finals?

[TowelBoy]

This is one of those embarrassing thread titles that you stumble into an opposing team's forum and snicker at.

 

[TripTango]

uh, in this scenario, who's the Prime Bill Walton?

Meyers Leonard. Obviously.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Meyers Leonard. Obviously.

I don't get all the shitting on Leonard. Given his size, age, and frame, he's developing pretty well. It's not like he's Saer Sene, Alexis Ajinca, or Patrick O'Bryant. All in all, Leonard had a great rookie season.

Legitimate question -

Who would you rather have: Thomas Robinson or Meyers Leonard?

I'm a fan of Robinson's, and I think both players have bright futures, but damn, Leonard had just as good of a rookie year, if not better, than Robinson did. If ya'll are excited for Robinson joining the team, then why not get just as excited about having a player like Meyers Leonard in the fold? He's taller, younger, and more athletic. Not to mention that he was arguably more productive...

My Grizz don't have many tradeable assets, with our "core four" being locked up in long-term deals and with no real future prospects, but I'd throw Ed Davis and picks your way any day for Leonard.

 

[TripTango]

I don't get all the shitting on Leonard. Given his size, age, and frame, he's developing pretty well. It's not like he's Saer Sene, Alexis Ajinca, or Patrick O'Bryant. All in all, Leonard had a great rookie season.

Legitimate question -

Who would you rather have: Thomas Robinson or Meyers Leonard?

I'm a fan of Robinson's, and I think both players have bright futures, but damn, Leonard had just as good of a rookie year, if not better, than Robinson did. If ya'll are excited for Robinson joining the team, then why not get just as excited about having a player like Meyers Leonard in the fold? He's taller, younger, and more athletic. Not to mention that he was arguably more productive...

My Grizz don't have many tradeable assets, with our "core four" being locked up in long-term deals and with no real future prospects, but I'd throw Ed Davis and picks your way any day for Leonard.

I think you're reading too much into my joke -- I like Meyers, and I'm glad we have him. I was just poking some fun at the recent "Meyers isn't as good as Player X, therefore he is garbage" thread(s).

Answer to your legitimate question: Robinson, though that's based more on college performance than on actual rookie production.

 

[Draco]

...he is 100% for real, no joke!

I'm 100% cereal. If we were in the East I'd give us basically no chance since the top 4 NBA teams are all there. I’m just not very impressed with the top half of the west this year its the weakest its been in at least a decade.

I admit we need some lucky breaks to go our way this year. We basically know what LaMarcus is, one of the best PF’s in the game but not a superstar player. Can Batum become a borderline all-star? Can Lillard take the next step from a top young PG to a top10 NBA player? Can the Blazers bring in a legit borderline all-star from a team looking to tank; similar to when we got Gerald Wallace three years ago? If any one of those three questions turn out to be a yes we are right there with other the other teams.

If before last season you said the Warriors would win almost 50 games everyone would have thought you were nuts. The NBA season always has some surprises, and I think we have a chance of being that team this year.

 

[Draco]

Who would you rather have: Thomas Robinson or Meyers Leonard?

Robinson all day. He has a great NBA skill right now, rebounding the basketball. He is much more athletic and proved more at the college level. Robinson was the conference player of the year, Meyers barely made 2nd team Big 10. Meyers best skill is his jump shot and predraft measurements. Those have little value for a big man in the NBA game.

I do think Meyers could carve out a good niche as a Matt Bonner type of big man off the bench but he won’t ever be the type of player you want in the starting lineup.

 

[HailBlazers]

I do think Meyers could carve out a good niche as a Matt Bonner type of big man off the bench but he won’t ever be the type of player you want in the starting lineup.

What? You see Meyers sitting on the 3 point line hoisting up three's? Meyers pick and roll game has huge potential, don't think I've ever seen Boner attack the hoop on a roll.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm 100% cereal. If we were in the East I'd give us basically no chance since the top 4 NBA teams are all there. I’m just not very impressed with the top half of the west this year its the weakest its been in at least a decade.

I admit we need some lucky breaks to go our way this year. We basically know what LaMarcus is, one of the best PF’s in the game but not a superstar player. Can Batum become a borderline all-star? Can Lillard take the next step from a top young PG to a top10 NBA player? Can the Blazers bring in a legit borderline all-star from a team looking to tank; similar to when we got Gerald Wallace three years ago? If any one of those three questions turn out to be a yes we are right there with other the other teams.

If before last season you said the Warriors would win almost 50 games everyone would have thought you were nuts. The NBA season always has some surprises, and I think we have a chance of being that team this year.

Look at the roster turnover. We raised our talent floor, but did almost nothing to raise our talent ceiling and we still don't know if Stotts knows how to coach defense.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'm 100% cereal. If we were in the East I'd give us basically no chance since the top 4 NBA teams are all there. I’m just not very impressed with the top half of the west this year its the weakest its been in at least a decade.

And we knew this was coming. Pritchard's five-year plan was nearly perfect (save for knees) in that all of his big draft picks would be in their prime right as San Antonio, Dallas, Lakers, and Denver lost their mojo. Our team might be too new to take advantage of the situation, but you honestly never know. It'll be an exciting season, methinks.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I had to have the doctors up my pain meds after seeing this thread

 

[julius]

The pick kinda netted us Thompson. We got a pick from a NY team, I want to say it was the Braves, for Malone and we used that pick and something else to move up to #1 and pick Mychal Thompson.

Johnny Davis. I forgot that part (although it's still a stretch..but interesting none the less)

 

[Draco]

Its been a ton of fun to watch the team so far this year. The ball movement is very pleasing on the eyes. While it’ll be very tough to make the finals, we will need some luck, but I still think along with 5 or 6 teams in the wide open west we have a real shot at it.

 

[HailBlazers]

Its been a ton of fun to watch the team so far this year. The ball movement is very pleasing on the eyes. While it’ll be very tough to make the finals, we will need some luck, but I still think along with 5 or 6 teams in the wide open west we have a real shot at it.

I'd consider us the Warriors of last year. That said, I think the Warriors have a good shot of making the finals this year. Blazers, not so much.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Its been a ton of fun to watch the team so far this year. The ball movement is very pleasing on the eyes. While it’ll be very tough to make the finals, we will need some luck, but I still think along with 5 or 6 teams in the wide open west we have a real shot at it.

They need way more than luck.

 

[riverman]

If I'm not mistaken, Stotts was asst coach of a team nobody thought was close to a ring in Dallas when they won one. I'm leaning toward the String Theory crowd, anything is possible! This is also a year many teams are going to race to the bottom for the lottery. I never get too pessimistic this early in the season. Last season the lakers were supposed to cream us on opening night but guess what...Lillard destroyed Nas

 

[riverman]

If I'm not mistaken, Stotts was asst coach of a team nobody thought was close to a ring in Dallas when they won one. I'm leaning toward the String Theory crowd, anything is possible! This is also a year many teams are going to race to the bottom for the lottery. I never get too pessimistic this early in the season. Last season the lakers were supposed to cream us on opening night but guess what...Lillard destroyed Nash

 

[Mediocre Man]

If I'm not mistaken, Stotts was asst coach of a team nobody thought was close to a ring in Dallas when they won one. I'm leaning toward the String Theory crowd, anything is possible! This is also a year many teams are going to race to the bottom for the lottery. I never get too pessimistic this early in the season. Last season the lakers were supposed to cream us on opening night but guess what...Lillard destroyed Nas

Never too pessimistic, simply too optimistic

 

[Eastoff]

Lillard destroyed Nas

Do you think he didn't like the album?

 

[riverman]

Never too pessimistic, simply too optimistic

Winners don't race to the middle...the swagger the Blazers have been looking for comes from believing...optimism is fuel for success. Don't tell any team member of this squad that it's too optomistic or they may as well just mail it in. I don't think they will.

 

[riverman]

Do you think he didn't like the album?

sorry for the double post...computer froze on Nas....but good pickup!

 

[KingSpeed]

If Aldridge plays at the top of his game, anything is possible. This is the prime of a #2 pick. He has the perfect supporting cast. It's absolutely possible. No one, no one at all picked Dallas to reach the Finals. Right befo the playoffs started, not one person here or any analyst I read picked them to even reach the Finals. Most picked us to beat them in the first round. Anything is possible.

 

[blue9]

Can the Blazers bring in a legit borderline all-star from a team looking to tank; similar to when we got Gerald Wallace three years ago?

Can you identify some players/teams? It's too early in the season for me to have a grasp on what teams are doing to position themselves for the draft/off-season. I'm having a hard time thinking of any teams that are tanking, that have good players that they'd want to get rid of.

Is next summer a good free-agent class where teams will be looking to cut payroll so they have space to sign someone? Which teams would be looking to cut payroll? The only player the Trade Machine shows as having 1 year left on their deal is Watson - so unless some of those 2-year guys are team options it doesn't look like we can offer a cap-clearing trade.

Honestly, this is the only way I see us taking the next step - so I'm hopeful that there are some scenarios out there that make sense.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Winners don't race to the middle...the swagger the Blazers have been looking for comes from believing...optimism is fuel for success. Don't tell any team member of this squad that it's too optomistic or they may as well just mail it in. I don't think they will.

Sure they need to play with confidence, but Finals appearances come from high talent levels combined with really good defense ... almost without exception (the exception: being from the Leastern Conference)

 

[Draco]

sorry for the double post...computer froze on Nas....but good pickup!

If you see this you can edit the post then select delete post.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I don't get all the shitting on Leonard. Given his size, age, and frame, he's developing pretty well. It's not like he's Saer Sene, Alexis Ajinca, or Patrick O'Bryant. All in all, Leonard had a great rookie season.

Legitimate question -

Who would you rather have: Thomas Robinson or Meyers Leonard?

I'm a fan of Robinson's, and I think both players have bright futures, but damn, Leonard had just as good of a rookie year, if not better, than Robinson did. If ya'll are excited for Robinson joining the team, then why not get just as excited about having a player like Meyers Leonard in the fold? He's taller, younger, and more athletic. Not to mention that he was arguably more productive...

My Grizz don't have many tradeable assets, with our "core four" being locked up in long-term deals and with no real future prospects, but I'd throw Ed Davis and picks your way any day for Leonard.

Meyers Leonard isn't very good at basketball, but he can still put up numbers as good or better than many so-called "serviceable" backup centers. If and when he learns how to play basketball, his production will only get better.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Meyers Leonard isn't very good at basketball, but he can still put up numbers as good or better than many so-called "serviceable" backup centers. If and when he learns how to play basketball, his production will only get better.

I say this about my malamute all the time.

 

[Eastoff]

sorry for the double post...computer froze on Nas....but good pickup!

Just razzing you. =] You can click "edit post" on any of your posts. Then also in the lower right you'll find "delete post" which drops down another button on the middle, left which will allow you to actually delete a post.

 

[Eastoff]

I say this about my malamute all the time.

I demand pictures of that dog right now!

 

[riverman]

Just razzing you. =] You can click "edit post" on any of your posts. Then also in the lower right you'll find "delete post" which drops down another button on the middle, left which will allow you to actually delete a post.

Thanks Eastoff! First time I tried, realized I was logged off...fixed it!

 

[Draco]

Can you identify some players/teams? It's too early in the season for me to have a grasp on what teams are doing to position themselves for the draft/off-season. I'm having a hard time thinking of any teams that are tanking, that have good players that they'd want to get rid of.

Is next summer a good free-agent class where teams will be looking to cut payroll so they have space to sign someone? Which teams would be looking to cut payroll? The only player the Trade Machine shows as having 1 year left on their deal is Watson - so unless some of those 2-year guys are team options it doesn't look like we can offer a cap-clearing trade.

Rajon Rondo should be available once he is healthy. Anderson Varejao on the Cavs. The Pelicans might decided to abandon the Gordon/Jrue/Tyreke trio. One of Monroe/Drummond/Josh Smith? Gortat on Washington. Larry Sanders although his value is probably at an all time low and Blazer fans hate bad PR.

What about Marc Gasol? Very unlikely at the moment but if the team is below .500 at the trade deadline they might decide to tank. Same with Al Horford, Gallinari or Lawson in Denver, Love or Pek in Minny. I had thought Kevin Love may be on the block before the year started but Minny looks good right now, so its very unlikely unless a crazy scenario happened such as both Rubio and Martin getting hurt. Its hard to know what team will struggle but odds are one or two unexpected teams will, they could be ready to tank and interested in young guys like CJ/Meyers/TRob/Lopez contract and picks. We don’t have any big expiring contracts but with multiple players we can come close enough to take back a big deal such as Marc’s $14.8 million.