How did the Blazers Arrive At Mediocrity and Where Do They Go From Here?

[LayneStaley]

You DO realize the Sonics tried to swap picks so they could get Greg right? You also realize 27 of the 29 other teams would have taken Greg first as well right? Horrible luck, but not anything you can blame the organization for really.

They were also offered Duncan for the pick. The only team in the entire league who I would of thought might think about it was PDX, with the Bowie over Jordan thing. Shoulda listened to Aldridge instead of Roy.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Here’s a really good summary of the injuries for the “frail” Blazers of that era. There were some risks taken, but MM’s recollections don’t seem to match the record real closely:

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/01/trail_blazers_injury_woes_how.html

I'm not really recalling anything. I literally was privy to the pics. Doctors warned anout the damaged cartilage, hips and leg length. They gambled and lost

 

[LayneStaley]

How sweet would it of been to trade picks with Seattle and take their second or third best player as compinsation.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

You forgot green font for the "All Good" part.

Nope, I've nitpicked others, I'm moving on. Plenty of other stuff to talk about.

 

[Mediocre Man]

You DO realize the Sonics tried to swap picks so they could get Greg right? You also realize 27 of the 29 other teams would have taken Greg first as well right? Horrible luck, but not anything you can blame the organization for really.

Dead wrong here

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

How sweet would it of been to trade picks with Seattle and take their second or third best player as compinsation.

Except if we had traded picks, they probably would have taken Durant. If they wanted to trade it's because they assumed we wanted Durant.

 

[THE HCP]

Dead wrong here

On what point?

 

[barfo]

and now everyone wants an old Dale Davis again

Boy the way Andre Miller played
Passes that made the Bucket Brigade.
Guys like us we had it made,
Those were the days.

And you knew who you were then,
Lakers were fakers and men were men,
Mister we could use a man
Like Dale Davis again.

Didn't need no Leonard hate,
Everybody pulled his weight.
Gee our old Rasheed ran great
Those were the days.

barfo

 

[SIeepwalker]

It was recently announced Lillard will be an All-Star for the second time in his career

smfh

 

[Mediocre Man]

On what point?

27 of 29 teams.

 

[Mediocre Man]

smfh

In fairness to that announcement, it's the second time without needing an injury to another player....I think, anyway

 

[Hobbesarable]

Nope, I've nitpicked others, I'm moving on. Plenty of other stuff to talk about.

That's good to hear. I didn't mean any malice and I think you are an excellent poster.

I'll buy you a beer or hard cider the next time you're in town.

 

[Schilly]

The how’s and why’s of the mediocrity are completely overlooked. It starts with Lamarcus Aldridge. In 2015 he lead everyone on saying he wanted to be the greatest Blazer of all time etc. the team was on a roll moving upward we made the trade to bring in Afflalo to bolster the bench. Then Wes ruptures his Achilles. Fast forward to that summer Neil knew Lamarcus was leaving so opted for a full tank job rebuild, let the starters walk traded one for a rookie who was really young and a bit of a project... the summer of 2015 roster movements were designed to net the Blazers a top 5 pick in the 2016 draft, in fact a lot of analysts picked them to be dead last. But they weren’t, CJ and Crabbe showed up, Plumlee proved to be an effective distributor of the ball and the Blazers made the playoffs, then they got lucky. Injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin allowed Portland to move to the 2nd round. An injury to Curry allowed Portland to take the Warriors to 7 games we all know this was misleading, but it was enough that the decision makers decided the team was in win now mode when the original plan was rank and rebuild. To win now you keep the guys who got you there and spend money to bolster the squad, so they did... and the team realistically was still that lotto team they had built but by bolstering and retaining they locked into mediocrity... it’s the ultimate demon of being greedy and moving to go over the top prematurely.

 

[Minstrel]

An injury to Curry allowed Portland to take the Warriors to 7 games we all know this was misleading, but it was enough that the decision makers decided the team was in win now mode when the original plan was rank and rebuild.

A bit of a nitpick--the Blazers only took the Warriors to 5 games in 2016. Your point may still not be wrong, though, as taking even a game off the 73-win Warriors in the playoffs may have given the Blazers' brass overmuch confidence.

 

[Schilly]

A bit of a nitpick--the Blazers only took the Warriors to 5 games in 2016. Your point may still not be wrong, though, as taking even a game off the 73-win Warriors in the playoffs may have given the Blazers' brass overmuch confidence.

Oops my bad on the detail, my point remains the same and to add to it the overconfidence is has many factors. 1st is obviously team priorities overall is winning, but the 2nd part is PR driven. The fan and media backlash of continuing with the initial plan of a year down rebuild would have been huge and would have required letting all the FA’s walk And filling out the roster with 2nd round picks and cast off FA’s. Now let’s fast forward to today. If you look at the other moves Neil has made they are much more in line with the rebuild. Cutting bait on Crabbe, acquiring a 22yo Nurkic and trading up to get Collins, all rebuild moves. But where does the team go from here? The answer is simple in theory harder in execution and would definitely not be popular with casual fans....

Cut bait and swing big.

Get rid of players that are keeping the team at the level they are but don’t factor into the next 5 years (Aminu, Davis, Turner not likely moveable yet).

Then make a big bold move by breaking up the back court, BTW I personally think it’s much easier to find a 6’5” SG or a 6’8” SF than it is to replace a top 8 nba PG.

Basically strip this team down to Dame, Collins and Nurkic + whatever stragglers are left (Pat C hopefully) and start moving forward.

 

[dviss1]

I swear I've thought of this. I went to a petting zoo in Skamania County and those lil' goats were the cutest fucking thing ever. IDGAF what y'all say about me. I'd tie a leash on that MF and walk it!! Pickin' up goat pellets.

The little ones are cute but these MFs right here??? They haunt my dreams!!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I swear I've thought of this. I went to a petting zoo in Skamania County and those lil' goats were the cutest fucking thing ever. IDGAF what y'all say about me. I'd tie a leash on that MF and walk it!! Pickin' up goat pellets.

The little ones are cute but these MFs right here??? They haunt my dreams!!

You ever look at a close up pic of a goat's eye?

Don't. Don't do it. Trust me.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Leaked text from Olshey to PA.

 

[THE HCP]

27 of 29 teams.

I had heard that everybody BUT Orlando (Dwight Howard) and Houston (Yao) were taking Greg.

 

[dviss1]

You ever look at a close up pic of a goat's eye?

Don't. Don't do it. Trust me.

Never look any goat of any size, in the eye directly...

 

[Mediocre Man]

I had heard that everybody BUT Orlando (Dwight Howard) and Houston (Yao) were taking Greg.

Until they saw pics

 

[e_blazer]

You ever look at a close up pic of a goat's eye?

Don't. Don't do it. Trust me.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

You are an evil, evil person.

 

[e_blazer]

You are an evil, evil person.

I'm sorry. That was cruel. To make it up to you, I offer you this G.O.A.T. eye instead:

 

[Boob-No-More]

Leaked text from Olshey to PA.

Props for the bad ass Photoshop skillz. You missed your true calling.

BNM

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Props for the bad ass Photoshop skillz. You missed your true calling.

BNM

Thank you, always trying to learn new things.

 

[dviss1]

THE HORROR!!!

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wJWJSlRYaQBR4pWDaVdiyD2A7oGfqTWigd1OXweG/ZbSypOWdV0WoB3dE+ID3SKB0qKDSyhD+KFXZDj2KCJD6rcQcGPsfumDv9ktabjOyYkchqMJBN+qXx9lca1FQ+apIpFWPQA5aSaChITdLfUTwoRuHV5lgkmlZRKPTSduELIb6LMI7p0nTyAi5We3eglsLDll2Y0mvRFbpEu9tPp9v+0rHTfQBuQTtS6HS8Qhgeb5VZi6O879J54orpW6dkuiDWRmkVFtGUqfY1FnXQ9FYwx04H1VHpmBK137xtLtseJvSCAoTi0ztxzTQF9Vshgqxc3ZIuCmZsKhuUQVJpQAR6lJkyk5qVkbusahv4qlHIFVtkIO44QpdRI/8AFGwUWU0vJVTmZNXZ2Ss2pk2BfuqjU9Rplu+ydKzS0im1/UAba3vyufiFkKc0vUSfUrTDTl0xjRwSkdXiQM+GLO9Kukj8xISRmPNqcMx9VmhuSZjjufmUQOPqoyc2l/iEI0TsZcfdWGnzquZk1yVI5AKNE5KxzI1Uixt3HCqcvILjysyuUuStxMlQSOdw7pqLUSEgoPW4jqTRdx6gDyp/tbVzxK0VlBDeRnXtlTmPIVXwsJNC1c4mnu2SeJsPJCWpwdbfp81x07C11Fekz4dtpvIVC3w8+WTcUAeeFRY5E+aZSaPpks7ulo++y7TF8ANq5HG67UmcGGKLy2CK33A3+6sHagaDWSH2Hb7rojiS7FcyuxvCsTB0gWT3XEavpbm5BYP7L0+KYtIBN2OVz2q41Sg1sXc+ynkgkrGjKw3hKD4LHEgbir2V1iNb3F/zQmQjsKTEEXe9lxwuc0jrkuMLLSXpAADQmosgV2Cq4uTymWssd17Kx1FHm822byo2njlLYkvS7pI2PdHqj6oeRETuBuufLjVFseRpjrglZVrHybPQdipOFcryZqmenGVoScoCwmCgyBKMYyU91IyhL0ouQCEa8XuhyPaL2CG8pHKyOkblEwPMlbR4C43xHNe3b+qt8ucuXN61fUArY+6OfK3RXIkQpRpFZHYXQcQRjrRhVJKI0aRJXFZjJjLZuN0s96iApdJ9FhWzbnWtLSwoimLRWutaL1gkrUH0otW3FYxBad81u1ooox6hiPx72I/krAxt5BFfNYsUVJnUoRYWx2UZsB7hTeoDv+ixYu2GRyWzlniUXo5jP0WSB3mvpPBRoJKaKCxYlcnHZqsvMLL6wAW7hGyovidIrj2WLEuXasONDOR5W8FR01pLCKPKxYpflivJZXK/4ouMPEIHCJP0xgue4NHuVtYu6eSTOWMUc5qHjPGisNPW4en6qgm8eSvsRx1f1WLFCcm4lYxR0mj4sz4xLIfPyB6fNWLHlxI3scrFi4ZxtndDSJGM+ijIBXf7FYsUuKKcqB/BvYD+ShNjGuFixFRRnISyI6G6p5sUvdQtYsRUUG9B2eH+lpc7YAXuvO9VP713pey0sVEtkZ7QmQn8KIdNlYsVltHJKNGzin8VIEm5W1iLFRrpK2VixLYQG61ZWLEUKQWitLETGLCsWJqFs1X+f52Wx8v5LSxE1n//2Q==

 

[PtldPlatypus]

THE HORROR!!!

Sorry man--that rectangular pupil freaks me the hell out!!

 

[dviss1]

Sorry man--that rectangular pupil freaks me the hell out!!

Me too bro. Me too...