ESPN Ranks Portland's Young Core One of NBA's Best

[SlyPokerDog]

"The Blazers did a pretty nifty job of redirecting their priorities in the wake of LaMarcus Aldridge's departure, not to mention the exits of Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez. Lillard gives Portland a young star to lead a rapid rebuild, and the offseason acquisitions of Aminu, Vonleh and Harkless have helped bolster the young depth. Vonleh could turn out to be better than Aldridge someday, while McCollum, Leonard and Allen Crabbe should all benefit from expanded responsibilities."

http://www.nba.com/blazers/overtime/espn-ranks-rip-citys-young-core-one-nbas-best

 

[BrianFromWA]

wait, I'm confused. Bleacher Report said we're the worst...?

 

[riverman]

From ESPN of all places...go figure..Finally some kudos from the media! Notice they didn't mention Henderson

 

[BBert]

ESPN must not read RipCityTwo.

 

[oldmangrouch]

wait, I'm confused. Bleacher Report said we're the worst...?

Bleacher Report hates our present and ESPN likes our future. They could both be right.

 

[Blazers Roy]

It's funny, but i really can't wait to watch them play this season!

 

[PDXFonz]

This is very good information! I had no idea that I had gone from subscribing to insider, to not subscribing but reading tidbits like this, to not caring what so ever. Really speaks towards how downhill espn.com/nba has gone. It's basically not even worth reading anymore. If I didn't prefer their box score layout I don't think id even go to that website anymore.

 

[Mediocre Man]

wait, I'm confused. Bleacher Report said we're the worst...?

Bleacher report said we had the worst starting 5, which we may have, not the best young core for the future which we may also have

 

[Mediocre Man]

It's funny, but i really can't wait to watch them play this season!

Not funny at all. You probably thought like I did. The old team would win games, but werent serious contenders. With this we get the unknown. Last years team was a rom-com. Enjoyable, but you knew exactly what was going to happen. This years is more like the Usual Suspects, where you have no idea what the hell will happen

 

[BrianFromWA]

Are you saying we end up in a pool of blood, or that we get the wool pulled over our eyes until the very end? Neither one seems appealing, frankly.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Not funny at all. You probably thought like I did. The old team would win games, but werent serious contenders. With this we get the unknown. Last years team was a rom-com. Enjoyable, but you knew exactly what was going to happen. This years is more like the Usual Suspects, where you have no idea what the hell will happen

Yes, something like that! i really loved the old team and i wanted Wes to retire a Blazer ,but i didn't think they were legit contenders.

All these unknowns and young players is fascinating to me, i use to be one of the only guys watching those garbage minutes when Mayers,Crabbe and CJ were put together on the court so i'm excited to see them evolving.

 

[magnifier661]

I think many of us may have attached themselves too much to Aldridge, Batum and Matthews because they were there through dark times. That attachment clouded our judgement with the reality that the team just wasn't good enough. I am just as guilty.

With the new direction and acquisition of new players, we have built a strong foundation. We may not win a bunch of games this season (even though I believe we will be close to .500) I think the fan base will get excited and behind this new squad.

Sometimes you need to move on and start over because the stale relationship will only bite you in the ass if you try and keep it together.

 

[tlongII]

Bleacher report said we had the worst starting 5, which we may have, not the best young core for the future which we may also have

Sorry, but I have difficulty in reconciling the two statements.

 

[tlongII]

I think many of us may have attached themselves too much to Aldridge, Batum and Matthews because they were there through dark times. That attachment clouded our judgement with the reality that the team just wasn't good enough. I am just as guilty.

With the new direction and acquisition of new players, we have built a strong foundation. We may not win a bunch of games this season (even though I believe we will be close to .500) I think the fan base will get excited and behind this new squad.

Sometimes you need to move on and start over because the stale relationship will only bite you in the ass if you try and keep it together.

Wait a minute... That team wasn't good enough, but this one is? And if this season goes the way I think it will the fans will not be happy.

 

[julius]

Wait a minute... That team wasn't good enough, but this one is? And if this season goes the way I think it will the fans will not be happy.

Most of us didn't expect the team that won 54 games and beat Houston to be any good. So maybe we fans are not the best judge of talent.

Plus, I don't think anyone is saying this year.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I have a hard time with this. We are young, yes, but so are Utah, Minnesota, Orlando, Milwaukee - all of whom are easily better than us right now, and also have more potential.

Maybe people are super-excited about CJ and Leonard because of the Memphis series. But one series against a rather unusual (for the modern NBA) team is not a good indicator.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I'm more concerned about the coaching staff. I was not entirely impressed with our playbook and the way Stotts handled the skill that we had last season; especially during Memphis. I get it: we were worn out and Memphis just played a better game. But Stotts had the talent, and didn't utilize it to it's strengths.

So what is he going to do with a bunch of unknowns with less skill and experience?

I am weary of this.

 

[magnifier661]

Wait a minute... That team wasn't good enough, but this one is? And if this season goes the way I think it will the fans will not be happy.

It's not that this team is good enough now, but that our management realized the old team wasn't. Better to reload if you can't win it all.

 

[Natebishop3]

I have a hard time with this. We are young, yes, but so are Utah, Minnesota, Orlando, Milwaukee - all of whom are easily better than us right now, and also have more potential.

Maybe people are super-excited about CJ and Leonard because of the Memphis series. But one series against a rather unusual (for the modern NBA) team is not a good indicator.

Who on Utah is as good as lillard? Who on Orlando? Wiggins is a stud and the Bucks may end up having some special talent, but right now lillard is better than anyone on any of those teams.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[magnifier661]

I have a hard time with this. We are young, yes, but so are Utah, Minnesota, Orlando, Milwaukee - all of whom are easily better than us right now, and also have more potential.

Maybe people are super-excited about CJ and Leonard because of the Memphis series. But one series against a rather unusual (for the modern NBA) team is not a good indicator.

As we are built now, we aren't going to be front runners for anything. But we have the pieces and cap space to get there if a player is ready to move on. We just need to be good enough for those players to feel good about coming here. Play like we are better than advertise and FA or disgruntled stars may want to come.

 

[BBert]

I'm more concerned about the coaching staff. I was not entirely impressed with our playbook and the way Stotts handled the skill that we had last season; especially during Memphis. I get it: we were worn out and Memphis just played a better game. But Stotts had the talent, and didn't utilize it to it's strengths.

So what is he going to do with a bunch of unknowns with less skill and experience?

I am weary of this.

You DO look tired.

 

[Jade Falcon]

You DO look tired.

How so?

 

[magnifier661]

How so?

Dude you have a grey beard, bags under your eyes and need a fucking staff to keep yourself up!

 

[selloutking]

he's got you there dude

 

[BrianFromWA]

Dude you have a grey beard, bags under your eyes and need a fucking staff to keep yourself up!

But he has Narya, the Ring of Fire, to give him succour on his quest.

 

[e_blazer]

But he has Narya, the Ring of Fire, to give him succour on his quest.

Preparation H can help with that ring of fire problem.

 

[Jade Falcon]

You DO look tired.

Dude you have a grey beard, bags under your eyes and need a fucking staff to keep yourself up!

he's got you there dude

But he has Narya, the Ring of Fire, to give him succour on his quest.

Preparation H can help with that ring of fire problem.

LMAO, well played folks! Although that's an AK-47, not a staff.

 

[Nikolokolus]

wait, I'm confused. Bleacher Report said we're the worst...?

In the near term this team looks built to lose (teams sans veterans tend to do that). Conversely three years from now I think a couple of guys could turn into studs (Vonleh and maybe McCollum) and even though they're probably going to suck in the wins department they should at hopefully be exciting to watch.

 

[oldfisherman]

Yup, this roster is filled with young athletic players with a ton of potential. Sometime in the future, they should make the playoffs, and with a little more help, be a contender. They could be one of the best core of young players in the league.

Yup, this roster has about the least amount of experience starting games, and absolutely none with starting together. (Did Dame, or CJ, or Leonard ever start a game together?). Due to the lack of starting experience, they could be the worst starters in the West.

The real debate is, where will this team bottom out at (15-40 wins), and how long it will take for them to develop their talent and build enough chemistry to be a playoff team (1-5+ years).

 

[magnifier661]

Yup, this roster is filled with young athletic players with a ton of potential. Sometime in the future, they should make the playoffs, and with a little more help, be a contender. They could be one of the best core of young players in the league.

Yup, this roster has about the least amount of experience starting games, and absolutely none with starting together. (Did Dame, or CJ, or Leonard ever start a game together?). Due to the lack of starting experience, they could be the worst starters in the West.

The real debate is, where will this team bottom out at (15-40 wins), and how long it will take for them to develop their talent and build enough chemistry to be a playoff team (1-5+ years).

I think the only time I saw this was in the last 2 games of the series with Memphis.