Portland signs Blake

[Minstrel]

Olshey hasn't produced a "needle moving" move, but what kind of needle-moving moves were you expecting from a capped-out team? The Blazers' main trade assets are Lillard, Aldridge, Batum, Matthews and Lopez...their starters. Most people seem to not want a single starter to be traded. "Creativity" only goes so far--trading garbage for gold isn't a valid off-season plan.

The team had the MLE and BAE and got solid value for both, in my opinion, on short-term commitments. They upgraded the bench significantly. The only other player that was semi-realistic was Hawes but A. he chose to go to another team for equivalent money and B. he's not a needle-mover either and arguably isn't even a better player over the next year or two than Kaman.

The hardest step is to move a team from "very good" to "championship-caliber." Most teams that reach "very good" never make that step because they're capped out reaching that level and any major upgrades are basically stars who are almost never available. Hopefully, Olshey will be able to make that hardest step, but it's going to come from moves at the margins. The Spurs, after assembling their core of Duncan/Parker/Ginobili, didn't create the best roster in the league by getting guys who everyone knew were "needle-movers." They targeted under-the-radar guys that they evaluated properly and integrated into their system perfectly. That's what Olshey will have to do and it may take more than one off-season.

 

[cmeese47]

I already shared my predictions on what would happen if Blake was signed. Now all I have left to do is sit back and watch the carnage.

Victim #1 will be Lillard, pulled quad or maybe separated shoulder.
Victim #2 the teams record
Victim #3 Lillard re-aggravating injury
Victim #4 First round pick as Olshey scrambles to keep us competitive
Victim #5 The Playoffs as we miss the playoffs finishind 39-43.
Victim #6 The fans as LA leaves as a free agent
Victim #7 A second first round pick as Olshey desperately tries to get this team back into the playoff picture without LA.
Victim #8 The Playoffs again
Victim #9 The fans as Lillard begins to show frustration with the franchise
Victim #10 Neil Olshey after he gets fired

Thank you Neil you fucked us and yourself in the process.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I would love to trade Mo to DAL for Marion if that is still possible (not sure it is due to them blowing their wad on Parsons).

 

[magnifier661]

I already shared my predictions on what would happen if Blake was signed. Now all I have left to do is sit back and watch the carnage.

Victim #1 will be Lillard, pulled quad or maybe separated shoulder.
Victim #2 the teams record
Victim #3 Lillard re-aggravating injury
Victim #4 First round pick as Olshey scrambles to keep us competitive
Victim #5 The Playoffs as we miss the playoffs finishind 39-43.
Victim #6 The fans as LA leaves as a free agent
Victim #7 A second first round pick as Olshey desperately tries to get this team back into the playoff picture without LA.
Victim #8 The Playoffs again
Victim #9 The fans as Lillard begins to show frustration with the franchise
Victim #10 Neil Olshey after he gets fired

Thank you Neil you fucked us and yourself in the process.

It's fortunate that you've been wrong most the time.

 

[cmeese47]

It's fortunate that you've been wrong most the time.

Really I can't think of any as it relates to the Blazers

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Way more negative opinions on this than there should be. Blake and Kaman are both solid, experienced veterans who will definitely help come playoff time. And that's what it's all about.

 

[magnifier661]

Really I can't think of any as it relates to the Blazers

1.) saying Aldridge will bolt

2.) saying Conley is better than Lillard

3.) saying Aldridge can't get 10 rebounds a game

4.) saying blazers can't get to the second round

5.) saying the blazers will miss the playoffs

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I would love to trade Mo to DAL for Marion if that is still possible (not sure it is due to them blowing their wad on Parsons).

It depends on if they had to renounce Marion or carter.

I'd be happy to send them mo and claver or Freeland for either.

Or just cut claver and do mo for either

 

[magnifier661]

Way more negative opinions on this than there should be. Blake and Kaman are both solid, experienced veterans who will definitely help come playoff time. And that's what it's all about.

100% agree with you. It's time to bring in experience to anchor our youth. Our benched suffered because they are young. No mo was too wild to stabilize the youth.

Adding Kaman and Blake will anchor the 2 unit

 

[cmeese47]

Way more negative opinions on this than there should be. Blake and Kaman are both solid, experienced veterans who will definitely help come playoff time. And that's what it's all about.

Yay Kaman's one trip to the playoffs and Blakes amazing 5 PPG and 2 ast he has average for his career will be a huge help.

 

[Schilly]

Haha Suck it Lakers!! We Just stole your starting PG and C from last season!!!

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Way more negative opinions on this than there should be. Blake and Kaman are both solid, experienced veterans who will definitely help come playoff time. And that's what it's all about.

Yup! Now my question is, are we gonna have a full 10 man rotation in the playoffs with Blake, Barton, Wright, Robinson and Kaman being our "Bench Mob"?

 

[cmeese47]

1.) saying Aldridge will bolt

2.) saying Conley is better than Lillard

3.) saying Aldridge can't get 10 rebounds a game

4.) saying blazers can't get to the second round

5.) saying the blazers will miss the playoffs

1. LA has yet to resign
2. I said Conley is a better defender than Lillard and that is a damn fact
3. Never claimed LA could not get 10 rebounds a game merely suggested based on his previous level of effort 8 was a more likely number, certainly did not expect him to lead the league by a mile in uncontested rebounds.
4. Claimed that team could not win a title merely suggested another first round exit was most likely scenario
5. Official predictions had Portland as an 8 seed but will concede that I did not expect them to be a 50+ win team.

 

[cmeese47]

Haha Suck it Lakers!! We Just stole your starting PG and C from last season!!!

Yay we took two players from one of the worst Laker teams of all time.

 

[Minstrel]

Yup! Now my question is, are we gonna have a full 10 man rotation in the playoffs with Blake, Barton, Wright, Robinson and Kaman being our "Bench Mob"?

If you mean an A and B team, two separate units, I hope not. I've never considered that the most effective use of a bench. There should always be some starters on the court at all times.

Going 10 deep is a possibility, though, if guys like Barton and Wright play really well during the regular season. If not, trim the rotation to the best 8 or 9.

 

[Schilly]

Did i forget to use the green font?

 

[BBert]

Yay Kaman's one trip to the playoffs and Blakes amazing 5 PPG and 2 ast he has average for his career will be a huge help.

I may have missed it, but did you have a better, feasible idea for Portland's MLE and BAE?

 

[magnifier661]

1. LA has yet to resign
2. I said Conley is a better defender than Lillard and that is a damn fact
3. Never claimed LA could not get 10 rebounds a game merely suggested based on his previous level of effort 8 was a more likely number, certainly did not expect him to lead the league by a mile in uncontested rebounds.
4. Claimed that team could not win a title merely suggested another first round exit was most likely scenario
5. Official predictions had Portland as an 8 seed but will concede that I did not expect them to be a 50+ win team.

No you guaranteed Aldridge will bolt, so far, Aldridge told you "wrong"

No u said Conley is a better player

You admitted you said 8, which was wrong

You just admitted that it was a first round exit.

No you said we will not make the playoffs.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If you mean an A and B team, two separate units, I hope not. I've never considered that the most effective use of a bench. There should always be some starters on the court at all times.

Going 10 deep is a possibility, though, if guys like Barton and Wright play really well during the regular season. If not, trim the rotation to the best 8 or 9.

Yeah, not A and B team for the playoffs (Maybe for stretches in regular season games though). I think going 10 deep is a good thing, I don't understand shortened lineups for the playoffs. If you look at every championship team lately they went pretty deep (Spurs, Heat and Lakers).

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I may have missed it, but did you have a better, feasible idea for Portland's MLE and BAE?

10 bucks he will say Deng and something unreasonable.

 

[Minstrel]

Yeah, not A and B team for the playoffs (Maybe for stretches in regular season games though). I think going 10 deep is a good thing, I don't understand shortened lineups for the playoffs. If you look at every championship team lately they went pretty deep (Spurs, Heat and Lakers).

If you have 10 good players, that's great. But if you don't, shortening the playoff roster means removing minutes going to sub-par players. You can't do that during the regular season due to the grind, but in the playoffs, you can lengthen your best players' minutes and simply cut out your worst players.

 

[magnifier661]

10 bucks he will say Deng and something unreasonable.

No he will say "trade Lillard for Conley"

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Welcome Back Kristen, er, I mean Steve!

 

[cmeese47]

I may have missed it, but did you have a better, feasible idea for Portland's MLE and BAE?

PJ Tucker would have been a better option for the MLE he fits the system can shoot the three and he plays real defense and Kirk Hinrich would be better than Blake, if Lillard is serious about being a good defensive PG he could learn a lot from watching and playing with Hinrich despite his age.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If you have 10 good players, that's great. But if you don't, shortening the playoff roster means removing minutes going to sub-par players. You can't do that during the regular season due to the grind, but in the playoffs, you can lengthen your best players' minutes and simply cut out your worst players.

I think we have 10 good players, that's just my opinion though. Plus we really don't need Lillard/Batum/Aldridge playing 40 mpg in the playoffs.

 

[Boise Blazer]

[TWEET]487302559325880320[/TWEET]

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

[TWEET]487302559325880320[/TWEET]

I love this, at least we have players that are happy to be here.

 

[Minstrel]

I think we have 10 good players, that's just my opinion though.

It's possible. Until we see guys like Barton play well in the NBA, though, I don't think the Blazers do. I do think Barton has some promise.

 

[HailBlazers]

one thing I do like is Lillard can play together with Blake with Blake handling the ball. Blake is also a better defender than Mo

That and Blake will actually pass it to him.

 

[Nikolokolus]

So when is Troutlaw coming back?