Let the cake bake?

[Zach Collins Enthusiast]

Last draft day, we brought RoCo, at the trade deadline we brought Powell, I'm for trading CJ but only if it's an upgrade which probably isn't available right now.
We changed the coach, which many thought was our weakest link and signed Chauncey who can give us a real boost.
Something has to be said for contjnuity, for meeting familiar faces in training camp, I think this team could erupt out of the gates next season.
What say you?

 

[wizenheimer]

 

[Strenuus]

We stay pat we aren't winning period.

There is no other answer. No other argument.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Master Baker Olshey

 

[wizenheimer]

this thread has potential!

 

[tykendo]

Master Baker Olshey

That's some tasty lookin' shit

 

[tykendo]

Last draft day, we brought RoCo, at the trade deadline we brought Powell, I'm for trading CJ but only if it's an upgrade which probably isn't available right now.
We changed the coach, which many thought was our weakest link and signed Chauncey who can give us a real boost.
Something has to be said for contjnuity, for meeting familiar faces in training camp, I think this team could erupt out of the gates next season.
What say you?

I get what your sayin', and part of me thinks it could work. But I really feel that the PF position is the main downfall of the roster, and needs to be addressed with a high caliber talent. Green, Siakam, and the Underrated Tobias Harris would remedy this situation through trade of CJ. Hey, CJ looks great, and is doing a Dame type regimen. But we need a PF.

 

[B-Roy]

Every year the cake bakes Dame grows one year older.

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

That's some tasty lookin' shit

No matter how good you make it look or talk it up, underneath it is still shit.

Kinda how I feel about the changes Olshey makes every year - it may look different but all that has changed is the color or consistency, underneath we are still mediocre.

Kinda my expectations heading into this year again barring some further actions by Olshey.

 

[blazerkor]

Last draft day, we brought RoCo, at the trade deadline we brought Powell, I'm for trading CJ but only if it's an upgrade which probably isn't available right now.
We changed the coach, which many thought was our weakest link and signed Chauncey who can give us a real boost.
Something has to be said for contjnuity, for meeting familiar faces in training camp, I think this team could erupt out of the gates next season.
What say you?

6'2" and not a good defender, 6'3" and a really bad defender, 6'3" and while a good defender of guards got torched by average sized and big SF's last season; all starting together... then you look at the lack of size on our bench. This is not cake batter... it doesn't have the right ingredients. The last thing we should do is put it in to bake and expect a cake to come out. In other words, shit still needs to change. If it doesn't I hope I'm wrong and we do have success with the smallest perimeter defense in the league, our two best players having the same strengths and weaknesses in the worst way and spending all but 14M of our salary on guys 6'7" and under... mostly under.

That continuity line sounds like some Olshey nonsense. Continuity will be having Dame drafted here and retire here; that is going to take big moves and to quote Dame "urgency".

 

[Strenuus]

No matter how good you make it look or talk it up, underneath it is still shit.

Kinda how I feel about the changes Olshey makes every year - it may look different but all that has changed is the color or consistency, underneath we are still mediocre.

Kinda my expectations heading into this year again barring some further actions by Olshey.

Gramps spittin' truth!

 

[Pinwheel1]

We stay pat we aren't winning period.

There is no other answer. No other argument.

True, but how many trade scenarios right now, will make us legitimate contenders? Two or three?
And if neither of those is desired by the other team, then an argument for waiting can legitimately be made.
I realize we desperately need a PF, but as painful as it might be, waiting might have to be considered.

And for all of you who think that trading Dame's best friend on the team is what is going to make him happy,
my guess is that is only going to happen if the returning asset is really really good.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Sometimes, I think people have forgotten that the team ranked #29 in defense, just rid themselves of their 2 worstdefensive rotation players. That's huge, imho.

Add a new coach who I am already very impressed with, and I am very optimistic.

We get a full training camp for Powell, and a year experience for Nas and Ant.

I don't think of all of this as "letting the cake bake." - I'm hoping for a top 15 defense. If we trade CJ (ridding ourselves of our worst defensive starter) for a big, maybe top 10.

 

[tykendo]

No matter how good you make it look or talk it up, underneath it is still shit.

Kinda how I feel about the changes Olshey makes every year - it may look different but all that has changed is the color or consistency, underneath we are still mediocre.

Kinda my expectations heading into this year again barring some further actions by Olshey.

No cause that cake looks like it really might taste good. Now if it was actual dog shit, like what these media hacks are made of, then i would agree.

 

[SIeepwalker]

The cake is already burnt

 

[tykendo]

Sometimes, I think people have forgotten that the team ranked #29 in defense, just rid themselves of their 2 worst rotation players. That's huge, imho.

Add a new coach who I am already very impressed with, and I am very optimistic.

We get a full training camp for Powell, and a year experience for Nas and Ant.

I don't think of all of this as "letting the cake bake." - I'm hoping for a top 15 defense. If we trade CJ (ridding ourselves of our worst defensive starter) for a big, maybe top 10.

After trading for Powell, the defense was better in the second half of the year.

 

[tykendo]

The cake is already burnt

Naw, that cake is fresh. Well made from a serious baker.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

After trading for Powell, the defense was better in the second half of the year.

I have a very long series of posts that tracked our ortg and drtg last season. We were 29th when we got Powell, and we ended the season 29th. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it was not good enough to elevate us to 28th.

 

[Graduate32]

I get what your sayin', and part of me thinks it could work. But I really feel that the PF position is the main downfall of the roster, and needs to be addressed with a high caliber talent. Green, Siakam, and the Underrated Tobias Harris would remedy this situation through trade of CJ. Hey, CJ looks great, and is doing a Dame type regimen. But we need a PF.

I actually think it's likely (with one more minor move... a TPMLE signing, a DJJ deal, etc.) that we look better in the regular season next year. New voices on the coaching staff, the disappointment of last year's finish, and the continuity of playing together and getting a complete training camp all might contribute to us looking really good. It's why I believe that if Dame doesn't ask out before training camp, I'd bet we make it through the entire season without a Dame trade request being made. We could easily be a top-4ish team in the west assuming our starters stay relatively healthy.

However, Dame and this team have reached the point where meaningful success can really only be measured through playoff success. Is this roster as constructed (again, with perhaps one more minor upgrade) capable of significant playoff success? Could they reasonably contend for the WCF or NBA Finals? I remain a bit skeptical. That said, if this season taught us anything, it is that if a few breaks go your way and the right players play well at the right times, you have a shot.

It seems equally possible that we are in the same boat next summer with Dame one year older and with one less year on his contract. It's not ideal, but it's not the worst position to be in either (what's worse in my book is spending significant future assets now to make what accounts for lateral move). Count me in the sector of Blazers fans hoping for a significant upgrade to the roster, but recognizing that making a move just to make a move may not be in our best interest either.

 

[RR7]

 

[PDXFonz]

That's some tasty lookin' shit

Yeah, I’d eat that

 

[PDXFonz]

I’d eat that too, however it definitely doesn’t look as good as Master Baker Olshey’s cake.

Maybe if he spent less time working on his baking and more time calling other teams we could get what needs to be done, done.

 

[Blazinaway]

Cake is a total flop, has bad mix of "ingredients" and our GM tries to sugarcoat it which is the usual total bullchit spewing forth from him

 

[HailBlazers]

this thread has potential!

To trigger some folks.

 

[wizenheimer]

To trigger some folks.

LOL...every thread here has that potential

and since the Blazers hired Roy Rogers, Trigger has to be somewhere in Portland

 

[blazerkor]

After trading for Powell, the defense was better in the second half of the year.

That defense got torched for over 118ppg by a beat up Denver team that only put up 106ppg against Phoenix in their next series.

(ppg = per 48 minutes to factor for the OT game against us)

 

[Utnapishtim]

With the lack of size starting at 2 and 3 ... and the lack of depth and height with the bigs ... and crappy D ... it's no cake at all ... some would say.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

With the lack of size starting at 2 and 3 ... and the lack of depth and height with the bigs ... and crappy D ... it's no cake at all ... some would say.

View attachment 40144

1) Our lack of size at the 2 and 3 caused us to have a big negative +/- with the starters on the floor - oh wait, it didn't... at all.
2) Lack of depth? Absolutely, but roster is not finished. Knee jerk reactions are common here, you're not alone in this.
3) Crappy D, for sure - but we just dumped our 2 worst bench defenders (who both had big negative +/-). One of the replacements should be a plus defender (Nas).

The cake is just fine.... but I agree with you, and others, that it would be better with a CJ trade.

 

[Minstrel]

I believe Olshey should be given 9 more years (on the logic that nothing counted with Stotts, there's no way to know if the rosters were good or bad with Stotts coaching) and, then, when Billups is being blasted as the worst coach in the NBA and totally misusing Olshey's amazing personnel, we can reset the timer on Olshey.

 

[RonBrewer]

I can dig it OP.

Hopefully Billups holds these dudes accountable. Things we need to improve on

Defense- Obvious Lee
More offense- Less Dame and CJ gunning from all spots
Get Nurkic more involved offensively.

I love Dame, this has been his team. It's not just about the parts around him, He's gotta buy in on defense. He's the leader. Attitude reflects leadership. Get this whole team playing hard nosed defense.