Mixum's take on "rebuilding"

[Nikolokolus]

That's my point nik. You cant have la, batum, Roy, and Wes and really suck bad enough to pick in the top 5! Therefore unless u start from scratch or get real lucky... U are always fighting for 8th seed or a shitty lotto pick. That's why u retool. Get some tradable players and maybe land a stud. But to hitch your wagon to middle round Luke babbits and 2nd rounders,.... You're asking to become the twolves.

Oh I disagree! That team could be at least top ten bad minus an effective center or effective point guard. I'm not even saying you need a top five pick (though that would be nice) but if you can acquire something like 3 first rounders then you should have the opportunity to potentially package picks together and move up a few spots depending on the trade partner.

With Camby down for who knows how long I expect the Blazers will probably get lapped by the Grizzlies and should be due something like a 14th - 12th pick. New Orelans has cooled off considerably and might fall out of the playoffs, PA always seems able to buy a pick in the backend of the first round ... There will be options.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Translation .... Do what Dallas and spurs do.

Draft a hall of fame big and constantly re-tool around them? Sounds like a plan. Top ten pick here we come!!

 

[andalusian]

With Camby down for who knows how long I expect the Blazers will probably get lapped by the Grizzlies

Methinks you fail to count for the Griz's ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

That's my point nik. You cant have la, batum, Roy, and Wes and really suck bad enough to pick in the top 5!

Have you even looked at the standings? There is no way we can suck bad enough to be a bottom 5 team this year.

 

[andalusian]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sarcasm

Go on, prove me wrong. Destroy the fabric of the universe. See if I care.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Methinks you fail to count for the Griz's ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Hmmm, good point. Well that settles it then: Trade Miller for a future first round pick and cap relief, make Patty the starting point guard and guarantee them lapping us.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Go on, prove me wrong. Destroy the fabric of the universe. See if I care.

It was my fault, I forgot I was suppose to use the green font color.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Rickey's peeved that you didn't include the E. And it was 5 bases in one game!

 

[Minstrel]

When Rickey Henderson was trying to get back into baseball near the end of his career, he left this message on Kevin Towers' (GM of the Padres at the time) answering machine: "This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball."

When you combine batting, fielding, base-running and quotes, Rickey was Ruthian.

 

[LameR]

44Thrilla enjoyed reading Mixum's take.

This. Good points Mixum.

 

[PapaG]

"Good young talent" that hasn't performed well to date is readily available. Anthony Randolph is available for a first-round pick. Thabeet is probably available for nothing. Mayo's putting up a 12 PER this year, so I'd bet Miller would be enough to get him (because they NEED vets in Memphis). The key is targeting guys with talent that have fallen out of favor with their current squads (but hopefully aren't total headcases).

Evan Turner intrigues me. He may be worth taking back Elton Brand's terrible contract.

Mayo, IMO, is a SG in a PG's body, and he just isn't elite to me. Turner is Roy-like in his skill set. Perhaps Roy's biggest role could be showing Turner how to use his obvious skills in the NBA.

 

[anonymous gambler]

I think no one on the team is really untradeable- if we could get two young borderline allstars for Aldridge, you do it. If you can get an allstar for Batum and pieces, then you do it. If we could get a Bynum type (or Jefferson, Boozer, etc) for Matthews and pieces, go for it. It's all about scrapping to rebuild on the fly. We need some luck- a good deal- or a surprisingly good player that we draft.

Of course, a healthy Oden would make every day Sunny in Portland...

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think the goal at this point has to be just to improve the team. The step after that, is to be among the 4-5 teams with a legit shot at a ring.

Let's face it, the odds-on favorites to win the title the next three years, maybe longer, is the Miami Heat. Everyone else is fighting to be the next best team.

So how much better do the Blazers have to get?

The main thing is that the Blazers aren't on the cusp of a championship thanks to injuries to Oden and Roy, so they don't need three veterans like Miller, Camby and Przybilla, for that. But the team shouldn't get rid of all of them, because the team would lack leaders, otherwise, and a young team without leadership is the Sacramento Kings. No thanks.

This is pretty much were I'm at as well. Step by step. First, stabilize a bit by letting or trading our aging players and replacing them with known entities that fit the team needs. Next, try and draft smart, ie, players who haven't had 19 knee surgeries already. First we become a consistent playoff team, then tweak it to get better...

 

[MARIS61]

The rebuilders want to get rid of vets for nothing not realizing how bad we will be for years!

Been there, done that.