OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: APRIL 2023

[Fairly-Hard]

It would be silly not to tank at this point. We have no trade prospects, no free agent prospects, and a super-duper-megastar who wants to win. We *have* to get better through the draft. Portland has *always* had to get better through the draft.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. They need to lose these next two games without question. I just have a very hard time hiding my frustration that they are in this position at all.

 

[Everything Beagle]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. They need to lose these next two games without question. I just have a very hard time hiding my frustration that they are in this position at all.

I get it; I've been a fan since 1989, so I understand this is hard. We've got pride, we've always played hard, and we've fucked up both of our #1 picks so badly we're going to be a punchline in NBA draft shows forever. But we have to do this. It's for Dame.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

LeBron James #1 pick no? KD #2 pick no? Every fucking player in the league was available with the number one pick no? Options are good yes?

No Question there are some good ones. But it sure smacks that you actually picked one we could have had but instead got cooked on.

 

[TBpup]

I can't see any traction with the argument you keep making, and have been making

it sure seems to be this (and also seems to be the fundamental argument of the trade Dame narrative):

'Dame isn't the kind of #1 option that can lead a team to a championship (even though it's been done before); he's a #1b not a #1a. Portland needs to find a #1a. So the Blazers should trade the #1b they already have, leaving themselves with a #3, maybe/maybe-not, and a bunch of #4's and #5's. Then go out and try to find both a #1a and #1b when it took over 20 years to find their current #1b after their last #1b; and 45 years since they had a definite #1a'

if the goal is to find a #1a to pair with a #1b, the Blazers should exhaust every opportunity to add that #1a to the #1b they actually have before discarding that #1b because some fans are impatient

I actually asked, in this forum, a big proponent of trading Dame how long he expected it would take after trading Dame before Portland was a contender. He estimated 7 years....which is 3 years after Dame's contract expires. geeeeeezuzzz

I haven't been of the trade Dame narrative other than to consider all options to try and make the team better....which they haven't been very good.

As for "even though it's been done before", it is the absolutely rare exception (as I've pointed out many times) that almost proves the rule. And as good as Dame is, he is not the shooter Curry has been in his career. I understand the love for Dame, he is offensively amazing. But it hasn't translated to anything anywhere near contender status. 3 of the last 4 years, we were sub .500 and all three of those years, were near the #5/6 Lottery spot fairly late in the season. So I get the push-back on trading Dame, but outside of his personal stats, loyalty, etc, the idea is to get better.....which for majority of the last 4 years, most teams in the have been better to quite a bit better.

We haven't been a contender since ~2000, so I don't understand why we wouldn't at least explore other avenues. Not advocating it, but it has to at least be considered.

 

[blazerkor]

No Question there are some good ones. But it sure smacks that you actually picked one we could have had but instead got cooked on.

This whole thing is hard, no question. We're all frustrated but having the most options possible is good for our team. Wemby is scary but he's also the only player I would take with our pick, after that I would use it in a package to grab a proven difference maker who could always get injured because there are no certainties in life. Every opportunity has the possibility of success and failure, you just try to stack the odds of success as much as you can in your favor.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I'm looking at the history of number one picks. One thing that stands out is they used to play 4 years in college and they quite often had Olympic experience before the one and done thing started taking hold. First round picks back in the earlier years seemed to be more of a sure bet.

 

[Everything Beagle]

I'm looking at the history of number one picks. One thing that stands out is they used to play 4 years in college and they quite often had Olympic experience before the one and done thing started taking hold. First round picks back in the earlier years seemed to be more of a sure bet.

The profit motive of capitalism ensures that products will become worse and more expensive over time

 

[wizenheimer]

All I can say is brace yourself on draft day, because you’re probably going to be disappointed. The odds are not on your side.

apparently you think you are the smartest poster in this forum because you understand what a 10% chance means when everybody else doesn't

 

[Fairly-Hard]

This whole thing is hard, no question. We're all frustrated but having the most options possible is good for our team. Wemby is scary but he's also the only player I would take with our pick, after that I would use it in a package to grab a proven difference maker who could always get injured because there are no certainties in life. Every opportunity has the possibility of success and failure, you just try to stack the odds of success as much as you can in your favor.

See I'm a bit different here? We have traded away too many opportunities. IMO you take Henderson and keep him. Move Simons. Keep Sharpe and move Nurk if at all possible. Keep Thybule. Keep Grant. Get a mobile rim protecting big somehow with the Knicks pick plus whatever they want in second round picks and Little/Johnson/Knox.
Then If Badji is actually all he is being talked about they have a winner with Watford and then you keep Eubanks as a third option. Not sure what happens with Justice Winslow?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

The profit motive of capitalism ensures that products will become worse and more expensive over time

One thing that stands out is this new money deal with college players. Some of them might stay in college longer because they are making enough to get another year or two?

 

[Chris Craig]

Can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.

 

[Chris Craig]

Alright sure. How many times you bought a lottery ticket and won?
The fact remains this team has been run so poorly that now they are forced to tank for a 10% chance to get better. (Which being in the position they are in i agree with)
Run the team well and don't hard cap yourself as well as trade all your assets for garbage.
They should never have been in this position to begin with. They should have traded Aldridge. They should never have traded away multiple first round picks for middling players. They should never have run soo long with CJ.
The list is long. This organization has done this to themselves.
I'm not the only one who absolutely hates the idea of losing on purpose.

If there was a 10% chance to win the lottery, I would be buying a ticket.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Crazy how blazers couldn’t get at least one of these guys for Cj

 

[Chris Craig]

Crazy how blazers couldn’t get at least one of these guys for Cj

Yep, just the Pelicans garbage and Hart...none of which the Blazers have anymore. They basically traded CJ for Mattisse Thybulle and the 20 something pick in this year's draft...and I guess Grant, but he may be gone too.

I was hoping for Herb Jones in that trade.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

If there was a 10% chance to win the lottery, I would be buying a ticket.

Guess you only read like the first few words of a comment. That was not the statement and it was not the comment responded to as well.

 

[THE HCP]

Early 90’s Mustang GTO was one of my favorite cars. A buddy had one. All souped up. I thought I was so cool riding shotgun. Even though I drove a late 80’s Ford Ranger

Would you take the car on the left or right bro!?!? These were at our hotel this morning.
The Bugatti or the Bronco?

 

[wizenheimer]

One thing that stands out is this new money deal with college players. Some of them might stay in college longer because they are making enough to get another year or two?

for the marginal players (maybe 2nd round), probably

but for even the star college players I've seen NIL estimates of less than a million for a season

the #1 pick, Banchero, is making 11M this season and has essentially guaranteed himself 50M over his 4 year rookie scale contract. Now, if you just want to count what he's 100% guaranteed for is first 2 seasons it's 22.7M

the #1 pick, Banchero = 11M--->22.7M (guaranteed)--->50M

the #7 pick, Sharpe = 6M--->12.4M--->27M

the #14 pick = 4M--->8M--->19M+

the #20 pick = 3M--->6M--->14M+

the #25 pick = 2.4M--->4.9M--->12.3M

the #30 pick = 2.2M--->4.5M--->10.7M

last year's 40th pick is making over 1M this year and has a guaranteed 4.8M over 3 seasons

Jabari Walker was the 57th pick and is making 1M this year with a 3 year guaranteed deal of 4.8M

and you'd need to add 8-10% to all those numbers for the increase in the salary cap next season...etc.

I think NIL will have to evolve quite a bit to compete with that. Now, if a player figured another year in college might move him dramatically up the draft ladder, then maybe he'd be persuaded to stay if the NIL was high enough

 

[Chris Craig]

Guess you only read like the first few words of a comment. That was not the statement and it was not the comment responded to as well.

Hey, I'm frustrated too about tanking. I don't care for it. I want to see the Blazers play to win. But, hey a 10% chance at the top pick is better than the alternative. The Blazers weren't going to go anywhere in the playoffs.

I agree the Blazers have been run poorly and are now in this situation because of that. It sucks. They are essentially buying a lottery ticket now and keeping their fingers crossed. Hopefully, it works out. Like Beagle said, you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket. A 10% chance is better than the chances of winning the actual lottery. Just saying if the chances to win the actually lottery were 10%, I would buy a ticket. A bit of shorthand.

 

[Propagandist]

Would you take the car on the left or right bro!?!? These were at our hotel this morning.
The Bugatti or the Bronco?
View attachment 55479

Obviously you flip the Bugatti for as many Broncos as your little heart desires...

 

[Chris Craig]

Would you take the car on the left or right bro!?!? These were at our hotel this morning.
The Bugatti or the Bronco?
View attachment 55479

My first thought is the Bugatti....but that Bronco is what's up.

 

[wizenheimer]

Crazy how blazers couldn’t get at least one of these guys for Cj

it's not crazy at all for chrissakes...what's crazy is think the Pelicans would be stupid enough to send one of those guys

if the Blazers had either of those players would you include them in a trade for CJ? or Ant?

 

[MickZagger]

Would you take the car on the left or right bro!?!? These were at our hotel this morning.
The Bugatti or the Bronco?
View attachment 55479

The Bronco. Sports cars never really been my thang. Don’t wanna bottom out when I pull into the 7-11 to buy a slurpee

 

[wizenheimer]

something else about the Pelicans: they have Murphy and Jones; they have Ingram and CJ; they have Valunciunas and Nance; and Josh Richardson; and Naji Marshall. And yet, they may only end up 8th seed and could be eliminated from the playoffs before the playoffs even begin

 

[illmatic99]

My God. Seriously? We’re throwing away the last part of the season for the second year in a row for a 10% chance of getting Wemby?? This is desperation taken to a whole new level.

The 4 teams with best odds have 14% each. Of course it's worthwhile

 

[Predator]

Lol

 

[illmatic99]

Let's just hope Kidd's unnecessary candor yesterday doesn't end up with our team also getting punished.

 

[Everything Beagle]

Let's just hope Kidd's unnecessary candor yesterday doesn't end up with our team also getting punished.

Oh they know we're tanking; they just think Dallas would actually do something with their ill-gotten pick. We're harmless.

 

[illmatic99]

Oh they know we're tanking; they just think Dallas would actually do something with their ill-gotten pick. We're harmless.

The less national attention we bring to our openly shameless tank... The better.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yep, just the Pelicans garbage and Hart...none of which the Blazers have anymore. They basically traded CJ for Mattisse Thybulle and the 20 something pick in this year's draft...and I guess Grant, but he may be gone too.

I was hoping for Herb Jones in that trade.

I remember that. And he did look good at the end of last year. But whenever I watched him this year he did not look that
good. Yes he had a big game recently, but to me has looked as inconsistent as the SFs we already have.

 

[TBpup]

Would you take the car on the left or right bro!?!? These were at our hotel this morning.
The Bugatti or the Bronco?
View attachment 55479

The Bugatti....hands down. Then I trade it for:

Ferrari 488 Spyder ~$325,000
Dodge Ram TRX - $85,000
Ford Bronco - $35,000
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider - $60,000
Nice place in Cabo - $500,000
$1,000,000 into a multi-layered Buffered ETF (not in Oregon)
Remaining ~$1,000,000 in a Trust for underprivileged children's education

Oh happy day......