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Scalma said:
that team was playing it’s best ball when wes went down. Afflalo was just getting comfortable with his role. The team was on a win streak. Their overall record was 41-19.
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Wes's injury definitely took the wind out of their sails.
 
Scalma said:
that team was playing it’s best ball when wes went down. Afflalo was just getting comfortable with his role. The team was on a win streak. Their overall record was 41-19.
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A 5 game win streak. Very small sample. And we had been 30-8. So including the streak, we were 11-11 before he went down. It was a flawed team. One playoff win?
 
TBpup said:
Moron.

But if for some George Costanza opposite world reason that happened, imagine getting Harden, CJ and Melo on the court at the same time with only 1 ball.
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Under that scenario I'm imagining me not watching the Blazers for a while.
 
KingSpeed said:
A 5 game win streak. Very small sample. And we had been 30-8. So including the streak, we were 11-11 before he went down. It was a flawed team. One playoff win?
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They were 5-1 after the Afflalo trade, until Wes went down. That was the most balanced starting five Portland has had this decade. And who cares what happened in the playoffs, it’s basketball, one injury makes a big difference, especially when it’s a starter. Aldridge was mentally checked out.
 
AmirIcon said:
Mostly. But, if you've followed the NBA in the past few decades you would know that small market teams usually don't win. When they do, the coaching and front office is found to be integral.

The Blazers are a small market team.
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Pretty sure there's only been 2 small market franchises to win it all the last couple decades.

Spurs had 3 HOF players.
Detroit had 5 players who were currently or recently all-stars or all-nba defensive players.

Both their coaches have struggled in situations where they didn't have that type of talent.
 
Scalma said:
They were 5-1 after the Afflalo trade, until Wes went down. That was the most balanced starting five Portland has had this decade. And who cares what happened in the playoffs, it’s basketball, one injury makes a big difference, especially when it’s a starter. Aldridge was mentally checked out.
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Dame had a messed up hand and couldn't buy a basket and Aldridge had that shoulder surgery that he was putting off. I realize that most teams are banged up but we were extremely depleted and due to Wes being out, you're right LMA didn't think we had a chance and he'd already decided that he was gone.
 
riverman said:
Wes before that injury was the only guy that season that could stifle James Harden....he was having a career year...really think that team would've made some serious playoff noise
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I don’t know. I don’t think we get past Grizzlies.
 
Scalma said:
They were 5-1 after the Afflalo trade, until Wes went down. That was the most balanced starting five Portland has had this decade. And who cares what happened in the playoffs, it’s basketball, one injury makes a big difference, especially when it’s a starter. Aldridge was mentally checked out.
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Exactly. If the star checks out mentally, it’s not a very good team. Batum was awful. So glad we blew up that team.
 
KingSpeed said:
I don’t know. I don’t think we get past Grizzlies.
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You may be right but the air went out of the tires for Rolo, LA and Batum after Wes then Afflalo went down....it was the Meyers and CJ show
 
Tince said:
Pretty sure there's only been 2 small market franchises to win it all the last couple decades.

Spurs had 3 HOF players.
Detroit had 5 players who were currently or recently all-stars or all-nba defensive players.

Both their coaches have struggled in situations where they didn't have that type of talent.
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You had two HOF coaches in both those situations.

Surely, you're not suggesting Stotts is on their level?

I don't know what you do in real life, but you should do PR.
 
AmirIcon said:
You had two HOF coaches in both those situations.

Surely, you're not suggesting Stotts is on their level?

I don't know what you do in real life, but you should do PR.
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Not at all, never had, never would.

I'm pointing out a HOF coach like Pop has really struggled (to even make the playoffs) with only 1 HOF/all-star player on his roster, proving that even a HOF coach can't carry a team. On the flip side, some average coaches can win it all with a 2-3 all-stars. Some love to go on and on about who should be the #10 and #11 guys on our roster and who should carry a clipboard, but gloss over the lack of top end talent on this roster like it's no big deal. Top end talent is 95% of the problem, so why is the obsession on the other 5%?

I will be sure to copy you down as a reference the next time I'm looking for a PR job. Would it be safe for me to assume that when you go to look for a house, you focus on interior paint color and ignore the foundation and layout?

Edit: My banter is intended to be all in good fun, Merry Christmas!
 
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Scalma said:
the Paul/harden pairing was a game away from knocking out a prime warriors team. Pauls usage rate that season was comparable to Dames usage rate in 2014-15, arguably our best team in the last decade.
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And CP hated it, and the team imploded. That contradicts nothing I said.
 
when's the last time anyone of harden's skill level said they'd like to come here? not counting melo as he's past prime.

if we can move CJ/Collins/picks i think we have to roll the dice. the CJ/dame experiment has only worked cause Dame went ballistic when it mattered.
 
Does anyone know if we would be able to offer him an extension this summer?

I’d probably do a Harden deal if it didn’t include Nurkic. We’d probably be getting Tucker back in the deal to play backup SF. Zach and Nassir, is all things clicked as constructed, wouldn’t be in the rotation anyway. Picks won’t be good with a Dame/Harden backcourt.

If we got Harden and didn’t make it far, I suspect that Harden will have input in picking the coach with Dame and Neil, and hopefully his involvement in that will help us keep him here. And if everything went south, I think we would recoup most or all of what we give up to get him.
 
BigGameDamian said:
https://www.nbaanalysis.net/2020/12...kets-trade-james-harden-damian-lillard-duo/2/

This Blazers-Rockets trade forms a James Harden, Damian Lillard duo

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: James Harden, PJ Tucker, Ben McLemore

Houston Rockets Receive: CJ McCollum, Zach Collins, Anfernee Simons, Gary Trent Jr., Enes Kanter, 2023 1st Round Pick, 2025 1st Round Pick, 2027 1st Round Pick
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I would make that trade if I were Houston. And I would 100% make it if I'm Olshey. Get it done.

Dame/Harden
Harden/Hood/McLemore
Tucker/DJJ/Hood
Covington/Melo
Nurk/Tucker/Giles

We'd have to sign a backup PG too.

Anthony Davis would still be a problem but Dame/Harden would be a huge problem for them. No doubling or trapping allowed.
 
When could it happen? Are there any "trade windows" this season?
 
TBpup said:
Wait, how is it possible the Nets are good early? They didn't have many practices, had a short pre-season, have a new coach, a completely new system and a major new player to get used to. .
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They added Kevin Durant. We added Derek Jones Jr. That's how. That's why we need to add Harden. HOF talent in his prime.
 
I really dislike James Harden's game, but that same game would appear to fit in seamlessly in Stotts system. Green light at all times, encouraged to shoot threes, with defense far down on the priority list, and will be heavily catered to. No wonder he wouldn't mind playing here. Right now, we're basically a two man team and a bunch of guys. Swapping CJ for Harden makes use a better two man team and a bunch of guys, so this would a no-brainer for me. The last two off seasons, Olshey has basically turned over a third of the roster with limited options, so he's well practiced.
 
I would guess Neil has made the offer and it's up to Houston now. Kinda like Neil's offer for PG13.
 
beast crnjo said:
What does harden gain by adding a team he doesn't want to go to? He wouldn't want his future team to have to give up more.
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Simple. economics. The more buyers the bigger the price goes.

I never said he doesnt want to come here but i think its leverage to open up three way trade possibilities etc.

Its his way of not looking like such a snob to the next team.
Dont get me wrong. I hate him but for the right price, id take him on the team.
I just think him opening up more to teams like us is more about politics than it is about wanting to go there.
 
This is just angling by Harden to encourage a certain team (or teams) to improve their offers to Houston.

He doesn't want to come here. Portland is small Potatoes.
 
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