Report: Blazers will have the worst starting 5 in the Western Conference

[riverman]

My view is, some fans do not realize how much damage has been done by LMA’s betrayal. While Olshey has done what he believed was in the best interest of the team at the time.

LMA’s betrayal was like the captain of a Navy Destroyer intentionally setting off a depth charge inside of his own ship, followed by his desertion to an enemy ship.

The explosion caused by LMA resulted in the Blazers crew landing in water over their heads, so Olshey made trades for a few more life jackets. Meanwhile, more top members of the crew deserted to enemy ships. This further weakened the crew, the result of which is it will take longer to refloat the Destroyer.

Olshey is a salesman and likes to put a spin on changes. The mistake he is making is covering up the damage that has been done and how long it will take to fix. Instead, he is calling his sinking Destroyer an opportunity for the remaining old crew and the new crew members to take free swimming lessons.

This roster is a long way from getting back to where their Destroyer was before LMA’s desertion. Let alone being trained enough, and rearmed enough to beat the best battleships the enemy has.

Best name for a basketball team ever...the Destroyers!

 

[damianlillard]

i am going to dream here. what if meyers add a post games including the hook shot. and what if he adds a handle very similar to curry. man Meyer Legend is #realMVP

 

[PtldPlatypus]

i am going to dream here. what if meyers add a post games including the hook shot. and what if he adds a handle very similar to curry. man Meyer Legend is #realMVP

Post game with hook shot? Reasonable.

Handle similar to Curry. Ridiculous.

 

[ripcityboy]

i am going to dream here. what if meyers add a post games including the hook shot. and what if he adds a handle very similar to curry. man Meyer Legend is #realMVP

I think we're pretty lucky Beibs turned into the played he did. When he first came into the league he was friggin clueless.

 

[Draco]

i am going to dream here. what if meyers add a post games including the hook shot. and what if he adds a handle very similar to curry. man Meyer Legend is #realMVP

I don't think it would matter that much. With Meyers shooting, dunks and rebounding he will be more than fine offensively. He might not be a #1 or 2 option on offense but he can be the floor spacing role player that allows teammates to create one of the best offenses in the league. A big man shooting three as he does is very valuable. He can get put backs and roll to the hoop. Force feeding him possessions in the post or with hook shots, even if he converts well, won't help much. There are other players who can be the primary options.

Defense is the area that will determine if Meyers is just a role player or something more. If he can become a good defender then that's a game changer. Having a player benefit a team on both ends of the court is extremely rare. Damian and LaMarcus don't do that. Dirk didnt do that. Tony Allen and Tyson Chandler never did that. It could make his impact potentially even more valuable than Damian.

It could be similar to Wes two way play at his peak helping this franchise so much but as a big man instead of a wing. There were encouraging signs; his low FG% defense at the rim, his post play against Marc Gasol. Meyers has a long way to go to achieve such but offensively he was already there.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Post game with hook shot? Reasonable.

Handle similar to Curry. Ridiculous.

I assumed he was talking about Eddy Curry..

 

[BonesJones]

Honestly I think it's more reasonable for him to develop a face up game that extends out to the 3pt arc. Guys have to get all way out on him, and if he can drive and get guys on his hip then he'll be able to get off that automatic floater, or kick out (he's a good passer for a big man)

 

[BonesJones]

i am going to dream here. what if meyers add a post games including the hook shot. and what if he adds a handle very similar to curry. man Meyer Legend is #realMVP

Everything you post is a dream do no need for a disclaimer. Under your name you just put the message "Dreamer".

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Honestly I think it's more reasonable for him to develop a face up game that extends out to the 3pt arc. Guys have to get all way out on him, and if he can drive and get guys on his hip then he'll be able to get off that automatic floater, or kick out (he's a good passer for a big man)

Hehe...in pick up ball, that's basically my game. Unlike Meyers, I have no outside shot to speak of, but when I do get the ball at the top of the key, I am relatively adept at driving hard past my defender and getting to the rim of finding an open teammate when doubled.

If I can do it, surely he can too.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Hey--remember how we had the worst starting 5 in the conference, only surpassed league-wide by the horrendous Sixers? Well, now the rocket scientists at Bleacher Report (lol ) have elevated us all the way up to 14th.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-starting-5-post-2016-trade-deadline/page/18

The Portland Trail Blazers—led by head coach Terry Stotts, general manager Neil Olshey, should-have-been-an-All-Star Damian Lillard and Most Improved Player contender C.J. McCollum—deserve tremendous credit for keeping this team afloat in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Last year, the team's longtime starting five of Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews was among the NBA's best, outpacing its opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

Of that quintet, only Lillard remains in Rip City. Yet, the Blazers' newer, younger starters have more than held their own so far.

 

[illmatic99]

Really digging the rebuilding roster Neil has put together.

25 and under, we have Dame (25), Leonard (23), CJ (23) as our big 3 prospects, with Plums (25) and Aminu (24) projecting as likely starters. Vonleh (19) and Harkless (22) as the high potential guys, and Crabbe (23) as an emerging role player. Then we have three extremely long shot prospects in Frazier (24), Patty (22), and Montero (22), who may or may not find second contracts.

Henderson is our oldest player at 27. Ed Davis follows him at 26. Both can probably start on half the teams in the league now and have likely plateaued in terms of their development.

I don't think we will be nearly as bad has been made out nationally. Even if a couple of our prospects reach their potential, we will be set up really well over the next few years. Key here is getting ample PT for the deserving youngins, lots of focus on player development behind the scenes, and nailing this next lotto pick. I think we win about 35-40 next season, get one more lotto pick, and a younger FA, and we're back in the mix in 2017 in the playoffs/

 

[theprunetang]

I disagree.

I think we cut loose a large degree of lackadaisicalness, especially on the defensive end. Matthews will never be the defender he was, Aldridge, Lopez and Batum were never known for diving on the floor for loose balls or taking the charge. They all but slept through the playoffs.

Our current roster has energy, athleticism and no small degree of game knowledge. I'm fairly certain we'll make the playoffs this year.

Maris for the win.

 

[e_blazer]

Reading back through some of this thread is interesting. One thing stood out: I miss Mags' posts, but I don't miss that fricking eyeball in his sig.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

On paper that's probably fair

MM, or Son Of MM, I hope you're seeing what we're doing... Fight!

 

[Tunchi]

whatever happened to Mags?

 

[PCmor7]

The Blazers are a case of a well-constructed team whose whole is better than the sum of its parts.

 

[Pinwheel1]

whatever happened to Mags?

No kidding. It is not the same without him. Is leaving this site part of some 12 step program I am not familiar with? It makes sense if it is....

 

[PtldPlatypus]

No kidding. It is not the same without him. Is leaving this site part of some 12 step program I am not familiar with? It makes sense if it is....

Nope--he traded his Blazer addiction for his Trump addiction. He's on a 24/7 stump-for-Trump tour. Hopefully he'll be back here where he belongs by the end of March.

 

[BlazerBeav]

whatever happened to Mags?

He was our sacrifice to the basketball gods - and as time has proven, a very good choice on our part!

 

[Stevenson]

Ha! Man, this is one time when it is great to be wrong.

 

[BBert]

Reading back through some of this thread is interesting. One thing stood out: I miss Mags' posts, but I don't miss that fricking eyeball in his sig.

I miss pictures of his wife.

 

[BigGameDamian]

whatever happened to Mags?