Dennis Smith Jr signed

[Hoopguru]

But the thing is, I’m not naive to think LA will stay healthy. Shit I don’t even plan on it. Where as people on here are actually hinging our success this season on it. “If Zeller stays healthy” cmon.

It always will depend on health for the Blazers as it will for Milwaukee, Nets & Lakers.
When it comes to big centers I wonder who's been the healthiest over the last 5 years?

 

[TBpup]

It was a no-brainer, Smith is part of the 6'4" and under army. There could be a few more available on the waiver wire.

GO GET 'EM Neil!!

 

[julius]

I’ve always known how important D is, but you still gotta out score the other team.

How'd that work out last year with the 2nd best offense....

 

[THE HCP]

How'd that work out last year with the 2nd best offense....

A lot better than this years 30th ranked wouldn’t you say?

 

[Mr. Robot]

if we play 10 man rotation, it will be either him or snell

personally, id have him in the rotation, but chauncey might go with simons & cj mccollum as backup pg

 

[julius]

A lot better than this years 30th ranked wouldn’t you say?

How was it after the pre-season?

 

[MickZagger]

I hear you, but I don’t do that. The bench is either better LAST season or THIS? No picking and choosing like who had better shoe game or who was cuter. Either this season is better, or last.

isnt it kind of yet to be determined?

 

[Buffalo Custard]

A lot better than this years 30th ranked wouldn’t you say?

I have a dream.
A dream of a team.
A team that is at least competent at both ends of the floor.

And while I'm at, I might as well wish for a pony.

 

[THE HCP]

isnt it kind of yet to be determined?

Going off of what I’ve seen in the preseason I already prefaced my opinion with that. It’s all we have to go on. Just keep being told how much better this years bench is going to be and how it’s “obviously better” than last years. I can only form my opinion on what I’ve watched this far. Not sure what the others on here are basing it on.

 

[BigGameDamian]

It was a no-brainer, Smith is part of the 6'4" and under army. There could be a few more available on the waiver wire.

GO GET 'EM Neil!!

Sounds like we should have got Mike D’Antoni.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Can get a great Dane or will that put them over the cap?

Lets see? 82 games and a I can get a deal on a box of 40 bags of Scooby Snacks. Figure 4 boxes for the season if we include practices and Playoffs.
They might have enough cap space. I'll gladly do the leg work for any extra cap space they might have.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Imagine if Zeller, Nance and Little all get injured around the same time though.

Hard to imagine for sure.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Imagine if all three were healthy at the same time! Wishful thinking perhaps but it could happen.

We do have to "IMAGINE" because we sure have not seen it yet. Or did we see it in the first 15 minutes of the first game?

 

[wizenheimer]

How'd that work out last year with the 2nd best offense....

it was perfectly balanced: 2nd best offense + 2nd worst defense = 2nd team out of the playoffs (just guessing)

here's something: Blazers had an historically bad defensive rating in regular season at 116.0. Against Denver in the playoffs, Portland's defensive rating was 123.4. That's 7.4 points worse than one of the worst defenses ever. What is worst multiplied by worser? And the Blazers posted that with Kanter hardly playing, which when combined with the fact that Portland made it to the WCF with Kanter as the starting C suggests that Kanter became the scapegoat for Portland's bad defense.

 

[calvin natt]

it was perfectly balanced: 2nd best offense + 2nd worst defense = 2nd team out of the playoffs (just guessing)

here's something: Blazers had an historically bad defensive rating in regular season at 116.0. Against Denver in the playoffs, Portland's defensive rating was 123.4. That's 7.4 points worse than one of the worst defenses ever. What is worst multiplied by worser? And the Blazers posted that with Kanter hardly playing, which when combined with the fact that Portland made it to the WCF with Kanter as the starting C suggests that Kanter became the scapegoat for Portland's bad defense.

I’m still annoyed that every single defensive issue somehow was Kanters fault. Never mind that sieve around the perimeter.

 

[wizenheimer]

A travesty that a young, somewhat serviceable, big like Chriss is cut but we keep Dame's emotional support pet/cuz.

Chriss isn't eligible for a 2 way like Blevins so I wouldn't point at Blevins as the reason for Chriss gone. I'd point at Smith, McLemore, & Snell. Trouble is it's hard to see Chriss as demonstrably better than any of those three.

bigger trouble is the Blazers have 6 guys under 6'4, bnd only 2 over 6'8, and both of those guys have combined for about 150 missed games over the last 2 seasons....yikes!

 

[julius]

it was perfectly balanced: 2nd best offense + 2nd worst defense = 2nd team out of the playoffs (just guessing)

here's something: Blazers had an historically bad defensive rating in regular season at 116.0. Against Denver in the playoffs, Portland's defensive rating was 123.4. That's 7.4 points worse than one of the worst defenses ever. What is worst multiplied by worser? And the Blazers posted that with Kanter hardly playing, which when combined with the fact that Portland made it to the WCF with Kanter as the starting C suggests that Kanter became the scapegoat for Portland's bad defense.

I don't know if he's the scapegoat, but to me the bigger issue was the teams defensive scheme. Dame and CJ *can* play better defense, and the team can chose a better system to defend shooters, etc.

They can also trade away one of those sieves on defense and not have 3 starters 6'3" and under.

This signing (im not opposed to it) doesn't make sense UNLESS the team knows they're trading for a big (or at least a taller player). I don't know how they can purposely go into the season with only 2 players in the rotation over 6'11".

And only 3 total over 6'8" period. And over a third of the team is under 6'4".

It's either designed to fail, or designed to anticipate a trade that makes the roster even out.

 

[Hoopguru]

it was perfectly balanced: 2nd best offense + 2nd worst defense = 2nd team out of the playoffs (just guessing)

here's something: Blazers had an historically bad defensive rating in regular season at 116.0. Against Denver in the playoffs, Portland's defensive rating was 123.4. That's 7.4 points worse than one of the worst defenses ever. What is worst multiplied by worser? And the Blazers posted that with Kanter hardly playing, which when combined with the fact that Portland made it to the WCF with Kanter as the starting C suggests that Kanter became the scapegoat for Portland's bad defense.

Where does Dame's D rank amongst other starting PG's?

 

[SlyPokerCat]

I’m still annoyed that every single defensive issue somehow was Kanters fault. Never mind that sieve around the perimeter.

Kanter definitely had his issues but people are gonna be wishing we had him back this season. They will turn on Zeller soon enough.

 

[wizenheimer]

This signing (im not opposed to it) doesn't make sense UNLESS the team knows they're trading for a big (or at least a taller player). I don't know how they can purposely go into the season with only 2 players in the rotation over 6'11".

And only 3 total over 6'8" period. And over a third of the team is under 6'4".

It's either designed to fail, or designed to anticipate a trade that makes the roster even out.

to be accurate, while Brown is listed as 6'9, he was measured as 6'7.25 just 3 months ago. So, saying he's 6'9 is a major stretch; besides that, he won't be in the rotation, even if one of the C's goes down....which seems pretty likely

as for what Olshey is doing in roster building, I have no idea what his intentions are but what he sees as a good roster and what I see have been a long ways apart for the last 9 years. He's the one making millions to fulfill his vision though

 

[James lamphear]

No, I wasn't saying Blevins is the reason for Chriss being cut. I just think it's absurd that an absolutely undeserving player like Blevins takes a roster spot that should've gone to a more deserving player.

He is 2 way player but there prospects out there then Blevins. When you select a 2 way player you hoping they might turn out good enough to earn a roster spot the next year.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Where does Dame's D rank amongst other starting PG's?

That's assuming Mrs Lillard has been with other NBA PGs.

 

[blazerkor]

No, I wasn't saying Blevins is the reason for Chriss being cut. I just think it's absurd that an absolutely undeserving player like Blevins takes a roster spot that should've gone to a more deserving player.

I think the point is that Blevins isn't taking one or our 15 roster spots... he's taking one of our two two-way spots. Oh and we didn't even use the 15th and final roster spot... we could have kept Smith and Chriss while continuing with the ridiculousness of having Blevins under any sort of NBA contract.

 

[HailBlazers]

I think the point is that Blevins isn't taking one or our 15 roster spots... he's taking one of our two two-way spots. Oh and we didn't even use the 15th and final roster spot... we could have kept Smith and Chriss while continuing with the ridiculousness of having Blevins under any sort of NBA contract.

Ridiculous is how good Damian Lillard can be. A player we want to keep at all costs. KB's a small one.

 

[Idog1976]

That's assuming Mrs Lillard has been with other NBA PGs.

This is a super disrespectful, super underrated comment. Lmfao!

 

[blazerkor]

Understood. Doesn't his salary count against the cap, though?

It actually doesn't. Two-way salaries aren't factored in.

https://cbabreakdown.com/contract-t...ummer Contract (discussed,a Two-Way Contract).

 

[Natebishop3]

After we acquired Nance some were saying we could be a top team in the west too. As in #1 or #2 seed.

We will miss Kanter and Melo. Fans just want to try to place blame on someone for our struggles and they were easy targets.

Dame gonna be getting antsy if we start out flat. A real shame we couldn't build him a winner.

As long as Neil is here, we won't build a winner.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

That's assuming Mrs Lillard has been with other NBA PGs.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

No, I wasn't saying Blevins is the reason for Chriss being cut. I just think it's absurd that an absolutely undeserving player like Blevins takes a roster spot that should've gone to a more deserving player.

Yeah I don't understand why Blevins is on the roster. If its a favor to Dame, then the team and Dame are putting personal perks above the team performance. I don't want to hear Dame bitch about a lack of championship talent when the team is signing his undeserving family members.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I think the point is that Blevins isn't taking one or our 15 roster spots... he's taking one of our two two-way spots. Oh and we didn't even use the 15th and final roster spot... we could have kept Smith and Chriss while continuing with the ridiculousness of having Blevins under any sort of NBA contract.

The 15th roster spot is basically being used on luxury tax concerns... likely until the trade deadline when perhaps depending on the teams other moves the spot will open up.

The 2nd two way spot Blevins is taking could go to a player with NBA potential. It would not impact the tax. Obviously that potential is small.... but there are dozens if not hundreds of players with more potential than Blevins. This lack of acquiring talent is very disappointing both from the Blazers and/or from Dame.