Pritchards done is this article is even half true.... WOW... Get ready...

[BGrantFan]

I'd also add, Sergio, Claver, Koponen, Freeland (potential defensive player, but just a raw project currently), Rudy and then free agent signings of Miller and Blake, extending Webster ...

Who exactly is a defensive-minded player? I'd say having 2/5 of the starting line-up (when healthy) being defensive players is more than adequate in the NBA. Plus, he traded Outlaw/Blake for Camby, another defensive-minded player. I still don't agree with that specific criticism, but I do agree with your larger point.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Well, I wonder if Allen thinks Nate would have more success if he had more defensive minded players, when KP has done pretty much nothing but draft/sign offensive minded guys ... I'm not saying I think Nate will actually have success if he gets a bunch of defensive minded guys, I'm just saying there seems to be something of a philosophical disconnect between management and coaching staff.

I don't mind a philosophical difference between Nate and KP...my concern is that the philosophical differences are KP vs Vulcan... I don't want ANY basketball related decisions being influenced by those guys.

Is it Nate vs KP with Nate getting some powerful allies in ownership?

 

[Nikolokolus]

You may be right that there's a difference in philosophy, but I'm not sure it's the one you mean. To me, Pritchard just wants the best talents he can find, regardless of the offense/defense distribution of said talent. That is, he's not willing to accept less talent in order to get more defense (or more offense).

McMillan seems to have a definite style in mind...low-risk, grind it out, defensive-minded. He might want particular types of players.

So, to me, if there's a philosophical disconnect between the two, it's not "offense versus defense" but "maximizing talent versus players who play the right way [as McMillan defines it]." I can't be certain that either man would articulate his views that way, but that is the impression I've gotten from what they say (for public consumption) and do.

I'll counter that by saying you don't always need multi-talented players at every roster position, sometimes you just need some specialists to round out your roster and to fill in the gaps that your 'stars' don't. I've said it a few times in the last year, but this roster was primed for chemistry issues when they added so many 'needs shots' guys. Maybe I'm revealing my own biases here about how great teams ought to be built, but I tend to subscribe to the "two or three stars and a bunch of hustle guys with a few shooting specialists sprinkled in" method of roster building.

To KP's credit, I think he's done an admirable job of acquiring young talent (read assets), but I think he's done a less than admirable job of consolidating that talent -- I've wondered for a year now if he's not a little too 'in love' with his guys instead of having that cold and calculating ability to treat them as trading chips and not like people, which speaks well to KP's humanity, but maybe not so well to his ability to be an NBA GM.

 

[ehizzy3]

I don't mind a philosophical difference between Nate and KP...my concern is that the philosophical differences are KP vs Vulcan... I don't want ANY basketball related decisions being influenced by those guys.

Is it Nate vs KP with Nate getting some powerful allies in ownership?

exactly..vulcan is a bunch of tech nerds

 

[The_Lillard_King]

So Pritchard wanting a contract extension to keep HIS CURRENT JOB is an example of this exactly how?

What a piece of shit thread.

FunnyBGF, want talk about the agent more . . . are you still saying the agent is a good agent doing his job. I was right kind of right about the agent being unprofessional and all, huh?

For this post, please tell me where I said KP is one of those people . . .I said if he was one of those people I would understand why management would fire him. And if you believe the article (did you bother reading it) . . . they were saying it was a lot more than KP wanting a contract extention.

I understand why so many are angry with this topic . . .but it wasn't like mixum just typed a bunch of thoughts. He is afterall posting about a yahoo article . . . trash the writer, but at least acknowldge this is a national article about the Blazers and worth at least a thread on a Blazer chat board.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Who exactly is a defensive-minded player? I'd say having 2/5 of the starting line-up (when healthy) being defensive players is more than adequate in the NBA. Plus, he traded Outlaw/Blake for Camby, another defensive-minded player. I still don't agree with that specific criticism, but I do agree with your larger point.

Honestly you need about half of your active roster to be those kind of 'defense and hustle' guys -- ie. role-players.

Maybe the real problem is that Brandon and Lamarcus are not good enough (or commited enough) defenders to get away with only two defensive minded players in your starting lineup?

 

[The_Lillard_King]

BTW-Nice to see KP tow the complany line and praise his boss and the organization.

Clearly he wants to keep his job and I'm guessing if he is as good as this board thinks he is, he will get an extention. I hope he does.

 

[Minstrel]

I'll counter that by saying you don't always need multi-talented players at every roster position

I think you're reading my use of the word "talent" too broadly. I simply mean the best players possible, not necessarily the most "well-rounded." When you're building a team from the ashes of a disaster scene, I think it makes sense to be trying to maximize total talent, rather than trying to fill "roles" or other aesthetic considerations.

sometimes you just need some specialists to round out your roster and to fill in the gaps that your 'stars' don't. I've said it a few times in the last year, but this roster was primed for chemistry issues when they added so many 'needs shots' guys. Maybe I'm revealing my own biases here about how great teams ought to be built, but I tend to subscribe to the "two or three stars and a bunch of hustle guys with a few shooting specialists sprinkled in" method of roster building.

Stars are hard to find...role-players are not as hard to find. Does Portland already have its stars? Roy is one. You seem to feel Oden is no longer a factor for future consideration. You seem to have soured a bit on Aldridge. So where are the "two or three stars" that Portland needs, in your estimation?

I think you shoot for stars with your higher picks and try to get the fill-in-the-blanks players with later picks, minor trades and with free agent signings. I think Pritchard has largely been doing that.

To KP's credit, I think he's done an admirable job of acquiring young talent (read assets), but I think he's done a less than admirable job of consolidating that talent

Until this year, the team was in rebuilding mode. Now, I think the team is entering its contention window (if it were healthy...losing Oden/Przybilla all year and Batum/Roy for significant chunks of the season killed contention this season) and this is when Pritchard needs to change modes. Will he? I don't know...but it remains to be seen. I think it's a mistake, though. to judge him on end-game maneuvers when he and the team weren't at end-game.

 

[BGrantFan]

FunnyBGF, want talk about the agent more . . . are you still saying the agent is a good agent doing his job. I was right kind of right about the agent being unprofessional and all, huh?
For this post, please tell me where I said KP is one of those people . . .I said if he was one of those people I would understand why management would fire him. And if you believe the article (did you bother reading it) . . . they were saying it was a lot more than KP wanting a contract extention.

I understand why so many are angry with this topic . . .but it wasn't like mixum just typed a bunch of thoughts. He is afterall posting about a yahoo article . . . trash the writer, but at least acknowldge this is a national article about the Blazers and worth at least a thread on a Blazer chat board.

Pritchard has yet to distance himself from that agent. Perhaps Pritchard wants out of Portland, and his agent is playing bad cop. Vulcan will have a PR disaster on their hands if they fire Pritchard right now, so they need more time to smear his character in the basketball media, which is what they are doing. Funny how the local media isn't being fed any of these stories about Pritchard, isn't it?

For you to be right about the agent, then Pritchard should have already fired that agent. He hasn't, and now articles fed to a known Pritchard hater start appearing.

I wonder if the "anonymous" NBA executive is actually someone within the Blazer organization.

 

[BGrantFan]

Honestly you need about half of your active roster to be those kind of 'defense and hustle' guys -- ie. role-players.

Maybe the real problem is that Brandon and Lamarcus are not good enough (or commited enough) defenders to get away with only two defensive minded players in your starting lineup?

We'll just have to disagree (strongly) on this specific criticism of Pritchard.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think you're reading my use of the word "talent" too broadly. I simply mean the best players possible, not necessarily the most "well-rounded." When you're building a team from the ashes of a disaster scene, I think it makes sense to be trying to maximize total talent, rather than trying to fill "roles" or other aesthetic considerations.

I guess talent is usually applied to dynamic scorers, I suppose I misunderstood you.

Stars are hard to find...role-players are not as hard to find. Does Portland already have its stars? Roy is one. You seem to feel Oden is no longer a factor for future consideration. You seem to have soured a bit on Aldridge. So where are the "two or three stars" that Portland needs, in your estimation?

Good question ... I have adjusted my expectations on Oden and Aldridge somewhat, as for 'stars' I think Roy is there and perhaps Batum could get there in another two or three years ... tough to say.

I think you shoot for stars with your higher picks and try to get the fill-in-the-blanks players with later picks, minor trades and with free agent signings. I think Pritchard has largely been doing that.

I agree that Pritchard's draft philosophy has been pretty sound ...

Until this year, the team was in rebuilding mode. Now, I think the team is entering its contention window (if it were healthy...losing Oden/Przybilla all year and Batum/Roy for significant chunks of the season killed contention this season) and this is when Pritchard needs to change modes. Will he? I don't know...but it remains to be seen. I think it's a mistake, though. to judge him on end-game maneuvers when he and the team weren't at end-game.

This season is so hard to judge because it's been so out of the norm with injuries and roster disruption, maybe he was primed to open up that window with some more dynamic trades and roster consolidation (beyond trading expirings for a 35 year old Marcus Camby) -- I still think the jury is out, but seemingly these are the same kinds of concerns PA has had about Pritchard if any of the recent rumblings from A-Woj and Vescey are to be believed. I guess we just wait and see.

 

[ABM]

FWIW.....here's an old Woj article

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-milespritchard011709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[Nikolokolus]

FWIW.....here's an old Woj article

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-milespritchard011709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

an oddly prescient statement from that article:

Pritchard has a great eye for talent, but that’s just the start of constructing a contender, a champion. The greats of his profession understand the humbling nature of the job – genius today, bum tomorrow – and mostly stay in the shadows, deflecting praise on coaches and players. Once you try to make yourself the star in the good times, you’re asking for trouble when they go bad. So now, his hubris has been Pritch-slapped into silence, and maybe in the long run, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to the Blazers. Maybe they needed this sobering reminder of reality.

 

[e_blazer]

Woj is an ass, as reflected in that article. Hello, Woj, what team is Darius playing for now? The Blazers' letter was a gaffe, but they certainly were the party that got screwed due to an opposing team intentionally using a stupid loophole in the CBA to make certain a competitor didn't have as much cap space as they should have had available due to DM being physically unable to continue to play basketball at an NBA level. I'm not sure how they came out as being the bad guys in Woj's article. I'd think the team risking the health of a player to shaft an opponent was the real ethically challenged organization.

 

[MIXUM]

excellent find nic... LOVE THAT QUOTE

 

[RoyToy]

Adrian Wojnarowski has an agenda against KP, not buying anything that geek says. He needs to make it less obvious if he wants people to take him seriously.

 

[MIXUM]

love this quote too..

Yes, the Jail Blazers made a comeback this season.

Only this time, they wore suits.

 

[MIXUM]

Dwight adds more...and i agree 100%

What Paul Allen MUST do
March 22nd, 2010 by Dwight Jaynes | 17 Comments | Filed in NBA, Trail Blazers
One time, long-time former NBA coach Del Harris told me a little story that has stuck with me for many years. Harris was not under fire as the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, but he was responding to pressure on a fellow coach.

“All I’ve ever asked of my owner,” he said, “is that I’m his coach until the day he fires me.”

Huh?

“All I’m saying is that he should back me 100 percent, be in my corner, until the moment he fires me. If he does that, I’m OK with it.”

And that’s so true. And that’s so what Paul Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, needs to do right now. He needs to climb down from the ivory tower and tell the world, “Kevin Pritchard is my general manager now and we’re with him all the way, Yeah, he’s made a few mistakes, but we love what he’s done for us and we have no plans to let him go.”

You might call it the dreaded vote of confidence, but there’s a reason this is done. Pritchard needs to hear it and the whole community does. Other teams need to hear it. Because Pritchard is in that GM position and you better be behind him every second he’s there for it to work.

If you aren’t behind him, Paul, fire him right this second. But please — do the right thing and back him right up until that moment. It’s the right thing to do.

 

[e_blazer]

Dwight adds more...and i agree 100%

What Paul Allen MUST do
March 22nd, 2010 by Dwight Jaynes | 17 Comments | Filed in NBA, Trail Blazers
One time, long-time former NBA coach Del Harris told me a little story that has stuck with me for many years. Harris was not under fire as the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, but he was responding to pressure on a fellow coach.

“All I’ve ever asked of my owner,” he said, “is that I’m his coach until the day he fires me.”

Huh?

“All I’m saying is that he should back me 100 percent, be in my corner, until the moment he fires me. If he does that, I’m OK with it.”

And that’s so true. And that’s so what Paul Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, needs to do right now. He needs to climb down from the ivory tower and tell the world, “Kevin Pritchard is my general manager now and we’re with him all the way, Yeah, he’s made a few mistakes, but we love what he’s done for us and we have no plans to let him go.”

You might call it the dreaded vote of confidence, but there’s a reason this is done. Pritchard needs to hear it and the whole community does. Other teams need to hear it. Because Pritchard is in that GM position and you better be behind him every second he’s there for it to work.

If you aren’t behind him, Paul, fire him right this second. But please — do the right thing and back him right up until that moment. It’s the right thing to do.

For once, MIXUM, I'm in complete agreement with both Dwight and you. The planets must be in some unusual and momentary alignment.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Dwight adds more...and i agree 100%

What Paul Allen MUST do
March 22nd, 2010 by Dwight Jaynes | 17 Comments | Filed in NBA, Trail Blazers
One time, long-time former NBA coach Del Harris told me a little story that has stuck with me for many years. Harris was not under fire as the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, but he was responding to pressure on a fellow coach.

“All I’ve ever asked of my owner,” he said, “is that I’m his coach until the day he fires me.”

Huh?

“All I’m saying is that he should back me 100 percent, be in my corner, until the moment he fires me. If he does that, I’m OK with it.”

And that’s so true. And that’s so what Paul Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, needs to do right now. He needs to climb down from the ivory tower and tell the world, “Kevin Pritchard is my general manager now and we’re with him all the way, Yeah, he’s made a few mistakes, but we love what he’s done for us and we have no plans to let him go.”

You might call it the dreaded vote of confidence, but there’s a reason this is done. Pritchard needs to hear it and the whole community does. Other teams need to hear it. Because Pritchard is in that GM position and you better be behind him every second he’s there for it to work.

If you aren’t behind him, Paul, fire him right this second. But please — do the right thing and back him right up until that moment. It’s the right thing to do.

Dwight's pretty smart for a cynical old fart.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Dwight adds more...and i agree 100%

What Paul Allen MUST do
March 22nd, 2010 by Dwight Jaynes | 17 Comments | Filed in NBA, Trail Blazers
One time, long-time former NBA coach Del Harris told me a little story that has stuck with me for many years. Harris was not under fire as the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, but he was responding to pressure on a fellow coach.

“All I’ve ever asked of my owner,” he said, “is that I’m his coach until the day he fires me.”

Huh?

“All I’m saying is that he should back me 100 percent, be in my corner, until the moment he fires me. If he does that, I’m OK with it.”

And that’s so true. And that’s so what Paul Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, needs to do right now. He needs to climb down from the ivory tower and tell the world, “Kevin Pritchard is my general manager now and we’re with him all the way, Yeah, he’s made a few mistakes, but we love what he’s done for us and we have no plans to let him go.”

You might call it the dreaded vote of confidence, but there’s a reason this is done. Pritchard needs to hear it and the whole community does. Other teams need to hear it. Because Pritchard is in that GM position and you better be behind him every second he’s there for it to work.

If you aren’t behind him, Paul, fire him right this second. But please — do the right thing and back him right up until that moment. It’s the right thing to do.

Dwight's on a roll. He has now been right twice this year - and it is only March!

 

[ehizzy3]

love this quote too..

Yes, the Jail Blazers made a comeback this season.

Only this time, they wore suits.

how could you love that quote? no blazer fan should love that...

 

[ABM]

...that’s so what Paul Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, needs to do right now. He needs to climb down from the ivory tower and tell the world, “Kevin Pritchard is my general manager now and we’re with him all the way, Yeah, he’s made a few mistakes, but we love what he’s done for us and we have no plans to let him go.."

Problem is, Paul's still...

 

[DeanMoriarty]

Adrian Woj is the whore of power hungry GM's who keep his mouth fed full of lies.

He tries to argue that Pritchard is doing it for the sake of attention but it's Woj who craves the attention. His series of psychological self-projection and assumption further reinforce his second-rate journalism.

Afterall it was us who created the term "pritchslapping" not the Blazer front office. It was us who created the mythical image of Pritchard.

Our power as an online strike and hit community is something the other GM's and officials of the league weren't and still aren't ready to handle. Woj and the other GM's are merely reacting to something that doesn't exist.

KP's success was a bi-product of 21st century media convergence and of a fanbase that was hungry for wins and a team to be proud of again.

Unfortunately, the tragedy is that KP may have to take the fall for his success.

 

[Sean.ivity]

I used to be on a couple video game fourms years back (Still am but dont really check them out anymore since my life is like it is now). BUT all I wanted to say is that this whole saga reminds me of system wars and "fan boys"...both sides blinded by there weird devotion to a certain product...

lets just say

Ps3 = For Kevin
Xbox = Against Kevin

same can be said for McMillian, but its just weird how people are dedicated to one side that they are completely unwilling to have a reasonable conversation about the topic without resorting to straight "trash" talk, and pushing that what they believe is 100% right no matter what. "your such a homer" "your such a troll"... that basically describes 70% of the posts on this forum and its kind of funny... I for one have a 360 and a ps3 and utilize both of them, and enjoy the games for both and on these subjects such as this Kevin Pritchard vs the Blazers, I read whats out there and make my own mind up on certain topics and dont feel the need to shove what I believe in other peoples faces. All this is, is that, "blind faith" NO ONE on these forums truly knows one way or the other whats going on behind close doors. Until something concrete comes out people need to relax, let the politics work themselves out and root for your team on the floor...

It is entertaining reading the banter on these forums sometimes, but that's partially because its so ridiculous that it makes me laugh.