Legit game changers to put Portland into contention

[damianlillard]

Trade for Anthony Davis

Sign Kevin Durant.

Win Title.

Wake Up.

nuff' said. maybe add kawhi leonard so we have someone that can stop lebron

 

[ThugginPaulyGAllen]

He got to a finals.

Getting to the finals with Harden, Ibaka and Westbrook is way different than with Damian Lillard and Gerald Henderson.

 

[ThugginPaulyGAllen]

You said LBJ is the only player that can take a team with just scrubs to contention. For the exercise, I said a player, with dame, to contention. I must have misunderstood what you were trying to say since it conflicts my OP

My apologies. I see what you mean. I simply should've said with the majority of the team being scrubs. No Dame isn't a scrub. But if we traded literally every asset other than Dame, our roster would Dame + whoever (single player) we trade for and 8 other scrubs in our permanent rotation. Simply, a majority of our starting lineup would be scrubs or subpar..Lebron is the only player on the planet that could get a team.like that to the finals.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Getting to the finals with Harden, Ibaka and Westbrook is way different than with Damian Lillard and Gerald Henderson.

You are being difficult, that's cool. Your way is best

 

[BonesJones]

We don't need any of them to be as good as Boogie. You know why?! Because you can still field a solid team with the players we currently have.

Gutting the team for Boogie has red flags all over the place. We have already seen evidence that boogie will be a negative impact if the team isn't good. If we can't field another winning team, Boogie will whine, bitch and moan and most likely leave. You truly want us fans to go through another Aldridge fiasco if we aren't immediate contenders?

The deal is, Boogie with a team with upside or players that can field immediate contention. If you can get him without trading our entire farm, we are good. If you need to give them the farm, then it's disaster waiting to happen.

We'd field a fringe playoff team but I guess if you're happy with that

 

[BonesJones]

Getting to the finals with Harden, Ibaka and Westbrook is way different than with Damian Lillard and Gerald Henderson.

if we signed Durant we'd get other good free agents too..

 

[BonesJones]

I'd give Meyers better odds than that. But the thing is, I'd give that GROUP of players about a 100% chance of being better than DMC alone.

average to above average starters aren't hard to find. Stars are.

 

[magnifier661]

We'd field a fringe playoff team but I guess if you're happy with that

100% happy if we do that with a team age average of 24 years

 

[BonesJones]

100% happy if we do that with a team age average of 24 years

I meant down the road. This year we'll win 32 games or so.

 

[magnifier661]

I meant down the road. This year we'll win 32 games or so.

That's success because that will mean our team will over perform than what most think we'll be. It will also mean we will see considerable jumps from the young bucks, which is even more exciting

 

[BonesJones]

That's success because that will mean our team will over perform than what most think we'll be. It will also mean we will see considerable jumps from the young bucks, which is even more exciting

Wait, being a fringe playoff team 3, 4 and 5 years from now is success?

 

[magnifier661]

Wait, being a fringe playoff team 3, 4 and 5 years from now is success?

35 or so wins this year, like you said. If they are fringe playoff this year, we are in damn good shape.

Thing is, you don't know... This team could win only 20 games and I wouldn't be surprise. I wouldn't be just as surprised if we almost made the playoffs

 

[riverman]

43...10-11 seed, book it!

 

[magnifier661]

43...10-11 seed, book it!

Wouldn't be surprised

 

[BonesJones]

35 or so wins this year, like you said. If they are fringe playoff this year, we are in damn good shape.

Thing is, you don't know... This team could win only 20 games and I wouldn't be surprise. I wouldn't be just as surprised if we almost made the playoffs

I agree with that, I just think that with these pieces the ceiling is fringe contender, and that's it we get lucky and everything breaks right. I don't think a big time free agent won't wanna join this group, and trading cap space won't get us a good enough player. So the only way to be contenders in 5 years is either insane lottery luck or to trade some of these pieces for a bona fide all star.

 

[blue9]

So the only way to be contenders in 5 years is either insane lottery luck or to trade some of these pieces for a bona fide all star.

Yes, SOME. Not ALL.
Also, I think you're undervaluing the ability to use our cap space in a trade.
Also, I think you're overestimating the ability of Dame/DMC to draw another star free agent - it's not gonna happen. Because you just depleted the team of all its talent, leaving it with Dame/DMC as the only players worth anything. The ONLY time any star players have WANTED to come to Portland was when we were making deep playoff runs every year. And a the team you created by trading EVERYONE for DMC is not going to make the POs.

 

[BonesJones]

Yes, SOME. Not ALL.
Also, I think you're undervaluing the ability to use our cap space in a trade.
Also, I think you're overestimating the ability of Dame/DMC to draw another star free agent - it's not gonna happen. Because you just depleted the team of all its talent, leaving it with Dame/DMC as the only players worth anything. The ONLY time any star players have WANTED to come to Portland was when we were making deep playoff runs every year. And a the team you created by trading EVERYONE for DMC is not going to make the POs.

if we don't get a star we have enough to add 3 of Parsons, Courtney Lee, Joe Johnson, Al Horford. There are other players on that level that we could get which would make us contenders.

Portlands never had 2 young up and coming superstars with more than max cap space, so the "Portland doesn't get free agents" argument doesn't apply.

 

[magnifier661]

I agree with that, I just think that with these pieces the ceiling is fringe contender, and that's it we get lucky and everything breaks right. I don't think a big time free agent won't wanna join this group, and trading cap space won't get us a good enough player. So the only way to be contenders in 5 years is either insane lottery luck or to trade some of these pieces for a bona fide all star.

I agree 100%. And btw, I'm definitely on the "Get boogie" campaign. What I hope we don't do is to sell the farm to get him. If he's ever available, then he's burnt such a bridge that it won't require doing that.

 

[Trackjack]

I rather have balance team then trying to buy a championship. We try that before and we came up short every time. The year we won the championship we had balance through out the roster.

 

[ripcityboy]

There is something to be said for a team that overachieves. As long as you don't keep your standards too high you won't be dissapointed. That's a good way to look at the Blazers this year.

 

[BonesJones]

I rather have balance team then trying to buy a championship. We try that before and we came up short every time. The year we won the championship we had balance through out the roster.

when'd we last try that? Our 4 big time (or supposed to be big time) players from the past decade were acquired via draft.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

There is something to be said for a team that overachieves. As long as you don't keep your standards too high you won't be dissapointed. That's a good way to look at the Blazers this year.

Thats how I approach relationships too

 

[PtldPlatypus]

if we don't get a star we have enough to add 3 of Parsons, Courtney Lee, Joe Johnson, Al Horford. There are other players on that level that we could get which would make us contenders.

Wow, you're really shooting for the moon with those names. No wonder you want to deal our prospects away. I mean there's no chance of anyone on our roster developing to the level of Courtney friggin' Lee...

 

[Trackjack]

when'd we last try that? Our 4 big time (or supposed to be big time) players from the past decade were acquired via draft.

Except buck Williams he came with a trade and he was suppose to be the missing piece back then. There also was Scottie we also got in a trade.

 

[magnifier661]

when'd we last try that? Our 4 big time (or supposed to be big time) players from the past decade were acquired via draft.

In 1998, we had some decent talent. Enough to just make the playoffs and get bounced in the first round. The following year, we acquired minimal players through trades like Greg Anthony, Walt Williams, Jim Jackson and Stacy Augman. These three players were added to a core of Sheed, Sabas, Damon, Rider and Grant. We went to the WCF in 1999 with the second lowest payroll in the league.

 

[riverman]

when'd we last try that? Our 4 big time (or supposed to be big time) players from the past decade were acquired via draft.

neither Lamarcus nor Wes were drafted by Portland. We got Mathews from Utah and traded Tyrus Thomas for Lamarcus..

 

[magnifier661]

neither Lamarcus nor Wes were drafted by Portland. We got Mathews from Utah and traded Tyrus Thomas for Lamarcus..

ahhhhh very good point

 

[Draco]

neither Lamarcus nor Wes were drafted by Portland. We got Mathews from Utah and traded Tyrus Thomas for Lamarcus..

LaMarcus was effectively drafted by Portland. Its misleading to say we drafted Tyrus Thomas or Randy Foye.

Wes was a free agent though.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Is he close enough to give CJ, Leonard, Vonleh, Plumlee and our first rounder for?

I know if George Karl was in charge, he would snap that up in a second.

 

[BigGameDamian]

I rather have balance team then trying to buy a championship. We try that before and we came up short every time. The year we won the championship we had balance through out the roster.

Well we've also had balanced teams and more often than not we have also came up short and even shorter.