@Schilly This thread is a Good try, but ultimately many of the people want to
1) forget how injured we were last season.
2) forget that we have one of the best Big 3s in the league.
3) remember that GS swept us, but forget that they swept Utah, Houston, and only a historic offensive outing prevented a sweep in the finals.
4) forget that we got the best center and all-around big man in the draft - reducing our need to use Biebs at all.
5) forget that they want high variance, but don't want the downside of high variance.
6) forget that we're the youngest team in the playoffs 2 years running.
7) forget how hard it is to get FAs to come to PDX, even with cap space.
8) forget how good Olshey is at drafting. Big hits on Lillard, CJ, and IMHO Collins. Hits on Crabbe and Swanigan. Biebs was a high variance pick the boards loves, but hates when it doesn't work out.
9) forget how good Olshey is at picking absurdly low cost gems from other teams such as Lopez and Plums.
We should be celebrating, but instead we're bitchng. Top 20 players get traded or signed every year, but it's unlikely they'll end up at whatever team you're rooting for.
I'm not saying there aren't legit concerns, like:
1) Olshey gambled that the cap would go up - it hasn't.
2) Our young players were supposed to get better - mostly they didn't.
3) Olshey doesn't have a great track record for selecting FAs (it could be argued that he shouldn't be signing FAs at all, and I'd be sympathetic!)
4) Because of these things, some of our "assets" are more ass than sets, and it, along with being above the apron, make it difficult to move players.
5) Because of these things, Olshey is hampered by making an "Olshey move" and getting a high quality player on the cheap.
6) We have too many "good" players, we need a 4th and maybe a 5th "very good" player. Where's the consolidation trade Olshey opined when he first came here? Arguably, this is the crux of many of the valid criticisms:
Harkless: he's clooooooose, but he's not there. Improving in the offseason? We're praying for it.
Aminu: Had a great year and this team can beat ANYONE (including GS) when he's shooting is on.... but last year he reverted. Hopefully, he'll unrevert, but many are not optimistic.
Biebs: Not a candidate to be that 4th guy. After "50-40-90" passing the keyboard of several fans, he's reverted to being a non-NBA player. With the drafting of 2 bigs, he's been made obsolete.
ET: When he's on, he's an extremely valuable bench player, but is payed like a starter. Doesn't shoot well enough for the modern NBA. Even optimistic fans don't think he'll become that vital 4th cog we need (but it's theoretically possible).
Vonleh: Has put it all together on the defensive end - really good next to Nurk. Refuses to even look at the basket on the offensive end, if this doesn't change, he'll be replaced by Collins who has the makings of a good defender, but is an amazing shooter. Vonleh can shoot, so we'll see if he adapts and starts shooting and shooting well. If he does, he could become that 4th guy, but it may take more time...
Collins: The great white hope can do it all - defense, rebounding, footwork in the post, amazing shooter, "determined". But..... he's a noob - will take time to adjust to the NBA game. He's only 19, and hasn't filled in yet, and at 7' 235 lbs is on the light side. Practices when he guards Nurk would be very interesting to watch. Will put it all together and become that 4th guy, but probably not this season.
