One Thing Seems Crystal Clear

[e_blazer]

Neil Olshey has no intention of trading LMA this summer. He's stocked the bench with solid players to fulfill his promise to Aldridge that the team would be competitive next season. I know a lot of you feel he'll bolt when his contract is up. That could happen, but it's pretty obvious that NO is doing his best to make sure LMA will re-up with the Blazers.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Neil Olshey has no intention of trading LMA this summer. He's stocked the bench with solid players to fulfill his promise to Aldridge that the team would be competitive next season. I know a lot of you feel he'll bolt when his contract is up. That could happen, but it's pretty obvious that NO is doing his best to make sure LMA will re-up with the Blazers.

Asset acquisition. More moves to come. Maybe not now, but in the coming several months.

 

[BBert]

It seems that way.

Now, if LaMarcus still wants to leave at the end of this coming season, that's not bad timing considering all the quality free agents that are going to be available.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

But I thought the goal this season was to tank for a top draft pick!

 

[3RA1N1AC]

gonna have some interesting expirings next year, thats for sure

 

[e_blazer]

Asset acquisition. More moves to come. Maybe not now, but in the coming several months.

Well, sure, but any future moves will still relate to the game plan of keeping Aldridge here in Portland. Granted, it may not work, but I'm glad to see NO all in on this plan.

 

[e_blazer]

But I thought the goal this season was to tank for a top draft pick!

I think you misunderstood, Sly. The plan is to keep you out of the drunk tank this year.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Well, sure, but any future moves will still relate to the game plan of keeping Aldridge here in Portland. Granted, it may not work, but I'm glad to see NO all in on this plan.

Whatever we do, at least we have some decent players to make moves. Before, all we had to offer was cap space. Not that our newly-acquired players are super-enticing, but they have the potential to improve, and be bigger assets. That's more than we can say about most of our non-starters last year.

 

[magnifier661]

Whatever we do, at least we have some decent players to make moves. Before, all we had to offer was cap space. Not that our newly-acquired players are super-enticing, but they have the potential to improve, and be bigger assets. That's more than we can say about most of our non-starters last year.

That's the thing. We have cheap contracts to trade if a disgruntled player wars out.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I think you misunderstood, Sly. The plan is to keep you out of the drunk tank this year.

Oh..... Now I get it.

 

[BBert]

But I thought the goal this season was to tank for a top draft pick!

That is a strategy that had it proponents here on S2, but even if they were to trade Aldridge this summer, there is no way we would be bad enough to tank hard enough to get good enough.

Damn you Olshey!

 

[Shooter]

But I thought the goal this season was to tank for a top draft pick!

That's loser talk! We're all about winning in Portland.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Neil Olshey has no intention of trading LMA this summer. He's stocked the bench with solid players to fulfill his promise to Aldridge that the team would be competitive next season. I know a lot of you feel he'll bolt when his contract is up. That could happen, but it's pretty obvious that NO is doing his best to make sure LMA will re-up with the Blazers.

I have never thought we'd trade LA.

 

[PapaG]

Neil Olshey has no intention of trading LMA this summer. He's stocked the bench with solid players to fulfill his promise to Aldridge that the team would be competitive next season. I know a lot of you feel he'll bolt when his contract is up. That could happen, but it's pretty obvious that NO is doing his best to make sure LMA will re-up with the Blazers.

That was obvious from the beginning, barring a deal that made the Blazers better this season. There was no way Olshey was going to move LMA for some draft picks and/or lesser players. That's how GMs lose their jobs.

I know you know that, though, and I think I know why you started this thread. There is a very vocal crowd here that likes to assume the worst about this team, and seems to take pleasure in being upset at all times about the team they follow.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

That was obvious from the beginning, barring a deal that made the Blazers better this season. There was no way Olshey was going to move LMA for some draft picks and/or lesser players. That's how GMs lose their jobs.

I know you know that, though, and I think I know why you started this thread. There is a very vocal crowd here that likes to assume the worst about this team, and seems to take pleasure in being upset at all times about the team they follow.

[video=youtube;esEdC0c3YI4]

 

[OneLifeToLive]

I'm not sure they are good enough to make the playoffs. I'm also not sure if they are bad enough to save their pick. Perhaps they should to come to a conclusion on Aldridge. He's good for about 15-20 wins himself.

 

[ABM]

I'm not sure they are good enough to make the playoffs.

Other than, perhaps, Houston, which WC team(s) have improved themselves more than the Blazer thus far this off-seaon

 

[THE HCP]

Not many, but we had so much to improve!

 

[ABM]

Not many, but we had so much to improve!

OK, my question was in the context of the Blazers potentially making next season's playoffs.

 

[THE HCP]

OK, my question was in the context of the Blazers potentially making next season's playoffs.

I don't know about making the playoffs...... but just looking at the roster on paper, we sure got a hell of alot better.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Other than, perhaps, Houston, which WC team(s) have improved themselves more than the Blazer thus far this off-seaon

I think New Orleans got a fair bit better. It still remains to be seen if their parts meld together into a cohesive whole, but I think they'll play well for Monty.

Maybe a better question is which WC playoff team(s) got substantially worse. The Lakers are the most obvious, but as for the rest I'm not sure if they took a huge step forwards or backwards.

 

[B-Roy]

I think New Orleans got a fair bit better. It still remains to be seen if their parts meld together into a cohesive whole, but I think they'll play well for Monty.

Maybe a better question is which WC playoff team(s) got substantially worse. The Lakers are the most obvious, but as for the rest I'm not sure if they took a huge step forwards or backwards.

Grizzlies and Spurs both age one year. Good choices for drop offs. (Spurs gotta decline sometime right?.....right????)

 

[ehizzy3]

Gotta wonder how hollins leaving grizz changes the team. Probably not much, but it could have a negative impact.

 

[handiman]

Denver gets worse. Golden State might get worse (not a fan of Iggy in place of Jack/Landry, plus Lee's questionable health). Utah gets worse. Dallas gets much worse. Lakers get worse. I could see us, Sacto, and New Orleans moving up several spots. Possibly Minnesota too if they're healthy.

 

[maxiep]

I still think we haven't committed to getting good enough to keep LA. We added a good deal of talent, but it was almost all bench focused. What we did was get younger. We could easily trade LA and do a complete rebuild around Lillard.

All that being said, if Aldridge wants to stay, we would be foolish to trade him. He has the kind of game that will translate well into his 30s. His attitude at the beginning of the season/camp will define the direction of this team.

Frankly, I would offer him a max extension just to get a signal on his intentions. If he declines, then we move him for the first package that meets our requirements; it doesn't matter where it is.

 

[magnifier661]

I still think we haven't committed to getting good enough to keep LA. We added a good deal of talent, but it was almost all bench focused. What we did was get younger. We could easily trade LA and do a complete rebuild around Lillard.

All that being said, if Aldridge wants to stay, we would be foolish to trade him. He has the kind of game that will translate well into his 30s. His attitude at the beginning of the season/camp will define the direction of this team.

Frankly, I would offer him a max extension just to get a signal on his intentions. If he declines, then we move him for the first package that meets our requirements; it doesn't matter where it is.

That's what I'm hoping for too. Offer him an extension and see what he says.

 

[BBert]

If LaMarcus has indicated his desire to be moved to greener pastures, no way he accepts an extension before he finds out, on the court, if in his mind the Blazers are going to be the kind of competitive team he wants to spend his next contract with. It would be premature to sign an extension now.

Of course, it he did sign it, that would be extremely telling. So, go ahead and put on in front of him!