OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: SEPTEMBER 2024

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
MickZagger said:
I wanted to move him even more when I realized our management was inept.

I loved Lillard. Thought he was the shit. But I’ve been following basketball so long that I knew he couldn’t do it alone. Their attempts at arming him with help was comical.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree. I just wanted to ride it as long as we could and hope for the best. I didn't see any fast way of rebuilding after he was traded. We were going to have to tear it all down. And I didn't have a lot of faith that we were going to do it well. And, quite frankly, I'm starting to worry that I was right about that and this is going to be a very long stretch of losing/mediocrity that we only avoided the prior decade because we had Dame.

Entering the season with Grant and Ant both on this team and hearing rumors of management talk about wanting to try for the playoffs with this group is frightening. We don't have near enough talent. We would have to have Scoot and Sharpe and Klingan all meet their maximum potential and we'd have to surround them with great moves. And Ayton would have to get really really motivated.

And we'd have to have great coaching.

It's insane to count on all of that happening. That almost never happens.
 
MickZagger said:
I’m a Blazer fan to the core. I’d feel way better as a fan if they tried a million times over again to try and make the roster better. Instead we’ve sat on our hands and claimed guy like Aaron Afflalo were the trick
Click to expand...

He was part of the trick until wes went down. Afflalo was a bench guy thrust into the starting role.

Please be accurate instead of just being wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RR7
I look at this as Minny turning the reigns to the franchise over to Ant. Couldn't do it with KAT there. They have two other capable bigs and throw Randle into the mix along with DDV. I haven't checked but I would suspect they save some money and are positioned for Ant's big contract. Could be wrong though.
 
Strenuus said:
He was part of the trick until wes went down. Afflalo was a bench guy thrust into the starting role.

Please be accurate instead of just being wrong.
Click to expand...

Afflalo was our splashy trade deadline deal to get us over top
 
Strenuus said:
He was part of the trick until wes went down. Afflalo was a bench guy thrust into the starting role.

Please be accurate instead of just being wrong.
Click to expand...

….and I’m sure Advija is going push us into contention.

lolz
 
Phatguysrule said:
I don't disagree. I just wanted to ride it as long as we could and hope for the best. I didn't see any fast way of rebuilding after he was traded. We were going to have to tear it all down. And I didn't have a lot of faith that we were going to do it well. And, quite frankly, I'm starting to worry that I was right about that and this is going to be a very long stretch of losing/mediocrity that we only avoided the prior decade because we had Dame.

Entering the season with Grant and Ant both on this team and hearing rumors of management talk about wanting to try for the playoffs with this group is frightening. We don't have near enough talent. We would have to have Scoot and Sharpe and Klingan all meet their maximum potential and we'd have to surround them with great moves. And Ayton would have to get really really motivated.

And we'd have to have great coaching.

It's insane to count on all of that happening. That almost never happens.
Click to expand...

The talent just isn’t there. A few decent pieces. Not much that can create their own. The only way anything changes is if Sharpe becomes elite.

I liked Scoot as a prospect, but after watching him for a year I see no miraculous turn around. He’s more Mudiay than Derrick Rose (prime).

I hated the Clingan pick. Hopefully he proves me wrong. Grant and Simons make no sense at all. I can live with Ayton. Camara is fun but would be much more of an asset with a put together team.

Are these things I want to say about my favorite pro sports team? No. But I’m practical and have an understanding for the game.

I was super optimistic with Cronin at the beginning. Now I feel like he just plays it safe to prolong his inevitable demise.
 
MickZagger said:
The talent just isn’t there. A few decent pieces. Not much that can create their own. The only way anything changes is if Sharpe becomes elite.

I liked Scoot as a prospect, but after watching him for a year I see no miraculous turn around. He’s more Mudiay than Derrick Rose (prime).

I hated the Clingan pick. Hopefully he proves me wrong. Grant and Simons make no sense at all. I can live with Ayton. Camara is fun but would be much more of an asset with a put together team.

Are these things I want to say about my favorite pro sports team? No. But I’m practical and have an understanding for the game.

I was super optimistic with Cronin at the beginning. Now I feel like he just plays it safe to prolong his inevitable demise.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I can't argue with any of that. I think you're right and I have the same concerns.
 
MickZagger said:
The talent just isn’t there. A few decent pieces. Not much that can create their own. The only way anything changes is if Sharpe becomes elite.
Click to expand...
Agreed. (And I just don't think he's got the personality. He's like (a lesser) Vince Carter - insane talent but just not driven to dominate. Too much of a well-balanced individual.)

MickZagger said:
I liked Scoot as a prospect, but after watching him for a year I see no miraculous turn around. He’s more Mudiay than Derrick Rose (prime).
Click to expand...
Agreed. What really upsets me is that he's not better at defense. I mean, he has no chance at being Russell Westbrook but he had a chance at being Jalen Suggs, but he just seems clueless on D.

MickZagger said:
I hated the Clingan pick.
Click to expand...
Well that's just insane. Just pretend he went to Gonzaga.
 
For those discussing the merits of trading the vets for future draft picks, you seem to forget Portland currently owns all of their own picks. In such a scenario they would surely have top fivish picks. Trading the vets puts Scoot/Sharpe in featured rolls with Avdija and Ayton with whomever they start in the final spot. Everyone would soon know if Scoot or Sharpe are keepers. The next draft has what appears five great draft prospects, all of whom would have gone first in this last draft. It could be as deep as eight depending how they work. I've said it before, it would be criminal to tank for a top pick in the worst draft in a decade or more and then go all in for a play in in one of the deepest drafts of all time.
 
BIG Q said:
For those discussing the merits of trading the vets for future draft picks, you seem to forget Portland currently owns all of their own picks. In such a scenario they would surely have top fivish picks. Trading the vets puts Scoot/Sharpe in featured rolls with Avdija and Ayton with whomever they start in the final spot. Everyone would soon know if Scoot or Sharpe are keepers. The next draft has what appears five great draft prospects, all of whom would have gone first in this last draft. It could be as deep as eight depending how they work. I've said it before, it would be criminal to tank for a top pick in the worst draft in a decade or more and then go all in for a play in in one of the deepest drafts of all time.
Click to expand...
I can agree with this for sure. If ya gonna tank then tank at the right time. Blazers don't even seem to be able to do that? Why win 33 games when Wemby was available and 21 to get Clingan? What are they going to do this year? Huh?
 
kjironman1 said:
But we CAN count on success by tanking? Here we go...
Click to expand...
That means we should do everything in our power to give us every possible advantage to gather more and better talent.

The absolute best way to do that in the NBA is by drafting consistently higher in the draft when you have the opportunity.

Keeping middle-aged marginal players around to prevent you from drafting higher is self sabotage.
 
KAT makes New York pretty scary on paper, and boy is the East getting top heavy, but we'll see how his lack of defense fits in there.

wizenheimer said:
but a big reason why the Blazers can't swing for the fences like this is that Knicks/Wolves trade was exchanging two players who combined for 7 all-star games and 4 all-NBA selections. The Blazers don't have anybody close to value like that; not after trading Dame
Click to expand...

Technically, that's incorrect. Jrue came after trading Dame, and he fit that bill. We gave Jrue away for way too little, and that's what left us with no one like that for big trades.
 
Strenuus said:
He was part of the trick until wes went down. Afflalo was a bench guy thrust into the starting role.

Please be accurate instead of just being wrong.
Click to expand...
That's kind of the point though. You're going to get injuries. You're just going to lose guys.

You need enough talent to overcome that if you want to actually be competitive.
 
The difference between getting a top 3 pick by having the worst record and that of one 6th or 7th is not that big. To get a top pick, you have to get lucky. Wished we could just tank and it be determined solely by record. It is not and we should not act like losing will guarantee a high pick.
 
My opinion on the KAT trade is that Minnesota did well. KAT has more accolades but also more absolutely horrible decisions on the court. The team can clearly become Edward's and think Randle/DD fit great with that roster.

For NY, hopefully Thibs can get KAT to play smarter. Brunson should help with that.
 
Charcoal Filtered said:
The difference between getting a top 3 pick by having the worst record and that of one 6th or 7th is not that big.
Click to expand...
Yes, getting a top 3 pick significantly increases your odds of drafting an all star.

Charcoal Filtered said:
To get a top pick, you have to get lucky. Wished we could just tank and it be determined solely by record. It is not and we should not act like losing will guarantee a high pick
Click to expand...

But nobody has suggested that there is a guarantee. Only that losing more gives you better odds of getting a higher pick. Which gives you better odds of gathering better talent.

Leaning into that when you have to rebuild is how you build a deep team with guys who can contribute at every position and have assets to trade for missing pieces.
 
People on here are going to be getting mad every time they beat a bad team. Blazers been here for three years already.
"If we just would have lost to Pistons"
Nobody seems to want to bring up the fact that the Atlanta Hawks got the first overall pick while winning 36 games and making the play-in.
The Rockets got the third pick winning 41 games!
Hmmm? Makes you wonder?
 
kjironman1 said:
People on here are going to be getting mad every time they beat a bad team. Blazers been here for three years already.
"If we just would have lost to Pistons"
Nobody seems to want to bring up the fact that the Atlanta Hawks got the first overall pick while winning 36 games and making the play-in.
The Rockets got the third pick winning 41 games!
Hmmm? Makes you wonder?
Click to expand...

The script makes sense to give Portland the #1 pick this year.
 
BigGameDamian said:
Click to expand...

I agree with Minny management completely. Moving KAT gave the keys to Ant. Adding Randle to the mix along with Naz and Gobert is a smart move. Not sure if Dillingham is gonna be much of a factor running the show, but then Ant will be dominating the ball so having a speedy guard to help him could be a brilliant add.
 
kjironman1 said:
I can agree with this for sure. If ya gonna tank then tank at the right time. Blazers don't even seem to be able to do that? Why win 33 games when Wemby was available and 21 to get Clingan? What are they going to do this year? Huh?
Click to expand...
I'm sure that is a rhetorical question. Nobody knows, even management I am guessing. Thinking they are hoping a trade for Ant or Grant falls into their laps. But maybe not.
 
BIG Q said:
I agree with Minny management completely. Moving KAT gave the keys to Ant. Adding Randle to the mix along with Naz and Gobert is a smart move. Not sure if Dillingham is gonna be much of a factor running the show, but then Ant will be dominating the ball so having a speedy guard to help him could be a brilliant add.
Click to expand...


I’m assuming Conley is still starting so Dillingham will have some time to adjust.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Featured content

Back
Top