It's a star's league. Big-name players win titles. That's what we're told. That's what fans are sold. But Portland's already tried, under Allen, to buy a championship while disregarding team chemistry. We saw how that worked out. And so the underlying theme on Thursday wasn't about an era changing, or even fans getting to know any of the four new players, but for this city to maybe understand what's just happened.
The Blazers didn't win a championship. But they just gave themselves a chance to make the playoffs next season. After seven of the last 10 years in draft-lottery hell, you'd think that would be celebrated.
Be clear: The Blazers got Lopez, Robinson, Wright and Watson when they could have had a single star player.
Maybe that didn't move your needle. But it sure moved the Blazers toward the playoffs again.