The wounds are pretty fresh, but ... I really do think there could be a silver lining to all of yesterday's happenings. Roy taking the medical retirement was the second best outcome that one could imagine (the first being his return to all-star form) and even the news about Oden probably adds some clarity to the path forward and his future with (or without?) the team. The Aldridge heart condition thing doesn't sound good, but it's highly treatable and despite the fact that this is the second time it's flared up, with monitoring I wouldn't worry too much about it.
One way or another the Blazers are going to be free and clear of a lot of cap ballast in another year and they will probably get a nice long look at their youngsters this year which makes it easier to see where they fit in over the long haul.
A step backward in the standings looks likely in the near term, but with a little bit of luck they should have the opportunity to add some talent in what most experts consider a talent rich draft this year. Furthermore, they'll have enough cap space to make unbalanced trades or even be candidates for teams looking to dump salary when the new luxury tax rules kick in a couple of years from now.
