OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: APRIL 2023

[KingSpeed]

It is pointless. All i said was


That simply doesn't seem like a good argument any longer.

The team could have made better moves and they did not have to tank.
1st they could have kept Hart. Yes we all know he wanted to go to New York. We also all know he was a free agent. The point is if the team kept him and did well he might have reconsidered? We just don't know i guess. I know If Dame does what Dame seems to do in big games with a guy like Hart next to him it can be very special.
2nd they could have added depth at the center position especially after getting rid of Payton.
3rd. We all know the buyout market had players available for more depth. There was no need to keep players that we all know are never going to amount to anything. Keon comes to mind. We had other roster spots available.
There was no reason to Hard Cap the team the way they did and everyone here knows it.

That is and will always be my stance on this. Even more so after watching multiple teams get lucky due to injuries to other teams best players.
Giannis
PG13
Leonard
Fox
Middleton was just coming back from injury
Zion was still out for the play in
Jordan Poole with his ankle
Dejounte Murray
Julius Randle
Enbiid is nursing a bad knee.

There are more but i just can't think of them and don't want to go and look it all up.

We had injuries too. We weren’t tanking with a healthy team. And when was Murray hurt?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

We played the Warriors when Steph either couldn't go or was way under 100%. Played them without Durant. Both times, we got smoked. We need talent and a lot of it.

Talent was available.
Again another poster that should read the entire post.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Keegan Murray started all year as a rookie and helped Kings not only make the playoffs but get the 3 seed.

I am aware of that. I had him as my favorite to pick up last year.
The Blazers got the 7th pick. Just like they most likely will again this year. Not bashing Sharpe at all. He hopefully will become a great pick.
You and I both know Dame is not waiting 3-4 years to get quality vets around him.

 

[Strenuus]

When we chose to tank, it was no longer mathematically possible to crack the Top 4 in the lottery. We tanked at a very high level and got the very best odds we could get. Even if we tried to win, we very likely would’ve failed to make the play-in but ended up with 8th best odds instead of 5th. How is that desirable to you?

This is the truth.

 

[Natebishop3]

Talent was available.
Again another poster that should read the entire post.

What talent?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

What talent?

I still can’t figure out why this is a big deal to all of you?
I simply have confirmed exactly why I hate the idea of tanking.
It’s being shown to all of you right now as we speak.
Funny thing is all of you keep talking about getting players from teams like The Hawks who are playing head to head with the Celtics.

 

[Predator]

We played the Warriors when Steph either couldn't go or was way under 100%. Played them without Durant. Both times, we got smoked. We need talent and a lot of it.

But, TBpup, you don’t understand.

All the stars could get injured at the same time!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Guerschon Yabusele, Dante Exum at center of EuroLeague brawl

MADRID -- A EuroLeague basketball game between Real Madrid and Partizan Belgrade was suspended with less than two minutes left after a brawl between players from both teams.

Madrid was losing 95-80 at home -- and about to go down 2-0 in its playoff series -- when a hard foul by Madrid guard Sergio Llull on American forward Kevin Punter upset Partizan players and led to the benches being cleared.

Punches were thrown, and two former NBA players -- Madrid's Guerschon Yabusele and Partizan's Dante Exum -- were at the center of the action. The 6-foot-8 Yabusele slammed Exum to the ground in the Spanish capital. Exum was later seen leaving the court with a heavy limp and the assistance of team personnel.

"The tendon in his second toe has ruptured," Partizan's doctor, Moma Jakovljevic, told reporters. "It's a serious injury. He will have to use crutches to travel back to Belgrade, and we will have more tests there. His upper lip was also injured."

Officials spent several minutes watching replays before deciding to call the game off with 1 minute, 40 seconds left. EuroLeague's website said the victory was awarded to Partizan Belgrade.

"Euroleague Basketball strongly condemns the events that happened at the end of the game," the league said. "Such events do not represent the values of respect that the league and its clubs promote and that the sport of basketball embodies."

The league said its independent disciplinary judge "will issue a decision about the on-court incidents in accordance with the established proceedings within the following 24 hours."

"This is in the hands of the officials and in the hands of the EuroLeague," said Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic, who previously coached Madrid. "I believe that what happened is not good for the image of basketball, not good for the image of Real Madrid nor for Partizan. This should never happen."

The third game of the best-of-five series is scheduled to take place Tuesday in Belgrade. Partizan won the first game in Madrid 89-87.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36306971/guerschon-yabusele-dante-exum-center-euroleague-brawl

 

[Predator]

I still can’t figure out why this is a big deal to all of you?
I simply have confirmed exactly why I hate the idea of tanking.
It’s being shown

Who wants anyone from the Hawks?

And they lost 4-2. First round and out.

 

[Natebishop3]

I still can’t figure out why this is a big deal to all of you?
I simply have confirmed exactly why I hate the idea of tanking.
It’s being shown to all of you right now as we speak.
Funny thing is all of you keep talking about getting players from teams like The Hawks who are playing head to head with the Celtics.

You keep talking about trades that were available and talent that could have been had. I want know who.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

This is the truth.

Of course you say an option is truth. At least you are consistent.

 

[TBpup]

Talent was available.
Again another poster that should read the entire post.

Sigh.....wrong again. Read it all. No where were injuries listed of players on teams Portland played....so I just added on.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

You keep talking about trades that were available and talent that could have been had. I want know who.

Oh no. You can’t put words in peoples mouths.
I said moves not trades. I said talent was available yes.
I said I could name three moves that could have made a difference and I know you could also.

 

[Natebishop3]

Oh no. You can’t put words in peoples mouths.
I said moves not trades. I said talent was available yes.
I said I could name three moves that could have made a difference and I know you could also.

So name them.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Sigh.....wrong again. Read it all. No where were injuries listed of players on teams Portland played....so I just added on.

Yeah your comment had nothing to do with what I have been saying so I guess I agree with your adding on? Not sure what your point is? Nobody said anything about the Warriors 4 years ago?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

So name them.

Many many options have been discussed and I’m not even going into the exact same conversations that are being covered in like 20 different trade threads that are going right now. Not to mention the threads that were going all last summer.
My position on this is simple. I have confirmed exactly why I don’t like tanking and I know I would rather have my favorite team make the playoffs than be sitting on the sidelines for postseason.
My opinion here. Like on any other topic you are very welcome to disagree.
Takes nothing away from us all hoping for the very best luck possible going into the lottery.
I’m certainly Hoping they come out with the top pick.

 

[Natebishop3]

Many many options have been discussed and I’m not even going into the exact same conversations that are being covered in like 20 different trade threads that are going right now. Not to mention the threads that were going all last summer.
My position on this is simple. I have confirmed exactly why I don’t like tanking and I know I would rather have my favorite team make the playoffs than be sitting on the sidelines for postseason.
My opinion here. Like on any other topic you are very welcome to disagree.
Takes nothing away from us all hoping for the very best luck possible going into the lottery.
I’m certainly Hoping they come out with the top pick.

I’m just confused. You said repeatedly that there were three moves that you could name. Why can’t you name them now?

 

[wizenheimer]

I'm really happy & relieved when there is a pointless argument here and I'm not part of it

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm really happy & relieved when there is a pointless argument here and I'm not part of it

Come on! You aren’t a little bit curious what the three moves are????

 

[wizenheimer]

Come on! You aren’t a little bit curious what the three moves are????

 

[Strenuus]

Of course you say an option is truth. At least you are consistent.

Actually, he said we were mathematically out of it by the time we tanked. That was a fact. That was the truth lol

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Actually, he said we were mathematically out of it by the time we tanked. That was a fact. That was the truth lol

I have to agree with you on this. He did say by the time 11 games were left they were essentially mathematically out of the race. That indeed was fact. They would have had to finish 9-2 and that was not going to happen.
My problem starts with 30 games left when they were 26-26 and had just won at the Wizards. Then they beat the Warriors here on Feb 8th. Trade deadline was the 9th.
The one thing @KingSpeed or @KSF-ERIC had correct all along was December and January did matter. There was another guy on here that was continuously saying "It was only January" so the games didn't really account for much?
I think he also said this about December if I'm correct?
Can't quite remember who that might have been but I know i read it.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

So name them.

I'm really happy & relieved when there is a pointless argument here and I'm not part of it

I'm not turning the "Around the NBA" thread into a "Trade" thread. There are and were multiple threads covering this both at the trade deadline and currently as well as last summer.
Have at it.

My position stands. Tanking Sucks!

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I’m just confused. You said repeatedly that there were three moves that you could name. Why can’t you name them now?

Sign a veteran minimum backup center instead of having 10 guards on the roster, a super injury prone Nurk, and a 3rd string player in Eubanks
Sign Bruce Brown to the MLE instead of Gary Payton
Acquire Hartenstein instead of Cam Reddish
Resign Joe Ingels
Instead of trading Hart away... just keep him
Trade Eric Bledsoe contract and Winslow with a pick for John Collins or Julius Randle

There were plenty of ways to improve the Blazers so they didnt tank last year and legit tried to win. Now the shit hole position the team was in at the deadline was really from a terrible offseason, and goes back to the terrible Clippers trade. I don't have a problem with the team finally tanking at the deadline when they made so many terrible moves to get to that place. However its really the moves before the deadline that were the turning point. The team very easily could have followed a path to make the playoffs all of last season with some very simple roster moves.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Sign a backup center instead of having 10 guards on the roster, a super injury prone Nurk, and a 3rd string player in Eubanks
Sign Bruce Brown to the MLE instead of Gary Payton
Acquire Hartenstein instead of Cam Reddish
Resign Joe Ingels
Instead of trading Hart away... just keep him
Trade Eric Bledsoe contract and Winslow with a pick for John Collins or Julius Randle

There were plenty of ways to improve the Blazers so they didnt tank last year and legit tried to win. Now the shit hole position the team was in at the deadline was really from a terrible offseason, and goes back to the terrible Clippers trade. I don't have a problem with the team finally tanking at the deadline when they made so many terrible moves to get to that place, its really the moves before that were the turning point. The team very easily could have followed a path to make the playoffs all of last season with some very simple roster moves.

All of those were offseason decisions, though (as you noted). This discussion (as I understood it) was specifically regarding trade-deadline moves the Blazers might have made to "make the team not a just little but a bunch better" and to make pursuing a playoff push a reasonable endeavor.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

All of those were offseason decisions, though (as you noted). This discussion (as I understood it) was specifically regarding trade-deadline moves the Blazers might have made to "make the team not a just little but a bunch better" and to make pursuing a playoff push a reasonable endeavor.

No, I listed an even mix of both. Yes my point was at the deadline tanking was actually the correct choice, since the Blazers put themselves in that position. Almost makes you wonder if the plan the entire season was to eventually tank. Thats almost more re-assuring, than the thought they legit believed this roster had a chance to win and were so wrong months later they had to drastically pivot.

However 3 of my suggested moves were for during the season;

Sign a veteran minimum backup center instead of having 10 guards on the roster, a super injury prone Nurk, and a 3rd string player in Eubanks
Acquire Hartenstein instead of Cam Reddish
Instead of trading Hart away... just keep him

 

[Samuel]

So name them.

fix your nba franchise with these three weird tricks.

 

[Predator]

No, I listed an even mix of both. Yes my point was at the deadline tanking was actually the correct choice, since the Blazers put themselves in that position. Almost makes you wonder if the plan the entire season was to eventually tank. Thats almost more re-assuring, than the thought they legit believed this roster had a chance to win and were so wrong months later they had to drastically pivot.

However 3 of my suggested moves were for during the season;

Sign a veteran minimum backup center instead of having 10 guards on the roster, a super injury prone Nurk, and a 3rd string player in Eubanks
Acquire Hartenstein instead of Cam Reddish
Instead of trading Hart away... just keep him

Keep Hart… but acquire Hartenstein instead of Reddish? We traded Hart for Reddish, so that doesn’t particularly make sense.

And the guy said 3 moves that make this team “much” better.

Adding a vet min center, and keeping Hart (who was already playing for us while we sucked), doesn’t seem to fit “3 moves that make us a LOT better”.

 

[tykendo]

No, I listed an even mix of both. Yes my point was at the deadline tanking was actually the correct choice, since the Blazers put themselves in that position. Almost makes you wonder if the plan the entire season was to eventually tank. Thats almost more re-assuring, than the thought they legit believed this roster had a chance to win and were so wrong months later they had to drastically pivot.

However 3 of my suggested moves were for during the season;

Sign a veteran minimum backup center instead of having 10 guards on the roster, a super injury prone Nurk, and a 3rd string player in Eubanks
Acquire Hartenstein instead of Cam Reddish
Instead of trading Hart away... just keep him

Hart showing why he's worth everything he can get this offseason. He showed it here as well. Absolutely hated him getting trading. The Blazers have got to somehow, figure a way to not over pay to keep talent. I know the Blazers want to do right by players, but i think they would have been better served by letting Nurk & Ant find their value to other teams, and then the Blazers could have matched. Or moved on. To me there is too much money being paid to guys who don't lift their share of the weight. I'd rather have been able to keep Hart at 18 - 20, then pay Ant or Nurk that. I guess it will work out if they can deal those contracts in big deals for game changers.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Keep Hart… but acquire Hartenstein instead of Reddish? We traded Hart for Reddish, so that doesn’t particularly make sense.

And the guy said 3 moves that make this team “much” better.

Adding a vet min center, and keeping Hart (who was already playing for us while we sucked), doesn’t seem to fit “3 moves that make us a LOT better”.

Thought we acquired Reddish for picks into a trade exception and traded Hart for different picks. Perhaps you are right though, however I wrote it as 3 possible different moves, not necessarily 3 moves that all had to happen together.

Keeping Hart and having a legit center would've made us much better than the tanking this team did, which is the post I responded too.

My point was there were simple easy moves that could have had a real difference to get more wins throughout this season. That the Blazers didn't pursue those in the offseason or at the deadline shows to me they weren't truly trying to win at either time, or they're incompetent.