Exclusive Rip City Project Interview

[Wizard Mentor]

Compare Teague to other starting PGs in the league.. He's average at best. Below average in the west.

I don't think people realize just how bad Wiggins has been... he's been horrible, not decent. Inefficient, a horrible defender, doesn't pass or rebound, plays with no heart (which can negatively affect his teammates). Just look at his advanced stats.. He's a replacement player, and average at best. Jusuf Nurkic and Seth Curry would be their 2nd best player. Seth is as good as Jeff Teague. Shoot, Harkless and Aminu would possibly be their 2nd best player, and would be their 3rd best player. They're better than Wiggins right now and Jeff Teague? Eh...

You total NOOB, Wiggins is great - you can tell by his huge salary. Why would he make so much if he wasn't great?

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

You total NOOB, Wiggins is great - you can tell by his huge salary. Why would he make so much if he wasn't great?

Said Myers Leonard........

 

[hoopsjock]

Aminu deserves getting no respect on offense and he gets none. It isn't me.... It's every NBA team the Blazers play. Aminu/Harkless deserve the disrespect they get. But lets not get all "Hatred" going. Nobody anywhere has said anything about "Hating" Aminu or Harkless.

The good thing about Aminu is he will be gone this year. They will get rid of his expiring contract and fill that role with someone else. Hopefully someone that can do more on offense than stand at the arc and hope his shot falls while teams beg him to shoot it and drop off creating a 5 on 4 with no chance for any ball movement. The other thing was he seemed to actually reel himself in a bit last year on the fast break train wrecks. Maybe there is hope?

We've had this back and forth for years now KJ. You flat out hate Aminu and you won't convince me otherwise.

 

[kjironman1]

We've had this back and forth for years now KJ. You flat out hate Aminu and you won't convince me otherwise.

Wow? Now not only do you know how much cap the Blazers have you can read minds. Must be nice.

 

[Haakzilla]

https://ripcityproject.com/2018/09/28/portland-trail-blazers-questions-true-blazer-fan-interview/

Might write for these guys in the future.

...will they pay you enough for 2x the fantasy football buyin?!

 

[BonesJones]

There seems to be a lot of people questioning whether this team can even make the playoffs. I personally think that would be a total failure of a season if they actually miss them. Injuries or not.
I went low on my prediction at 42 games. Probably should have gone about 44 but i'm gonna stick with 42 and hope for better. Regression is not really acceptable with a team as young as the Blazers. They should improve?
This is the question i am asking. What are your thoughts on why this is the case? Is it just economics? Salary cap and inability to move on anything because Neil Olshey blew it? Or is it something deeper? Stotts/Lillard and CJ/ Aminu and Harkless. Combination of all of the above?
What do they do this year to change?
Are we gonna see a more diverse offense? Probably not because Aminu still can't hit a shot or dribble the ball. Harkless will disappear for 3-4 games at a time. Nurk will still try to finger roll every shot around the rim.
Or are they simply gonna try to stop teams consistently on defense and grind out wins against lesser teams then get smacked around again in the playoffs?

That is what i am asking.

It's people basing too much on the post-season and typical Portland disrespect.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

It's people basing too much on the post-season and typical Portland disrespect.

I was thinking about this a bit this morning. Portland fans we always feel like our team and its players dont get the respect they deserve. Then the question I have is well how much respect ‘do’ they deserve? Its not like theyve proven much the last few years other than Dame is capable of carrying them in the regular season.

Its an interesting line of I think we as fans tend to over value our guys and the national peope just dont give them any thought whatsoever.

 

[H.C.]

No team willing to touch Aminu for the past 3 years huh.
Well that's fake news.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

No team willing to touch Aminu for the past 3 years huh.
Well that's fake news.

I personally think Aminu is one of the more tradeable pieces they have. I say that as not a huge fan of his game, but he’s on a good contract and performs about as well as you’d expect one on that level contract.

 

[BonesJones]

I was thinking about this a bit this morning. Portland fans we always feel like our team and its players dont get the respect they deserve. Then the question I have is well how much respect ‘do’ they deserve? Its not like theyve proven much the last few years other than Dame is capable of carrying them in the regular season.

Its an interesting line of I think we as fans tend to over value our guys and the national peope just dont give them any thought whatsoever.

I can easily explain many reasons as to "why" its disrespect. I've been doing that all off-season.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I can easily explain many reasons as to "why" its disrespect. I've been doing that all off-season.

disrespect is what the Pelicans did to the Blazer role players, said you guys arent capable of beating us. The Blazers have made the playoffs 5 or 6(?) times in a row and I hesr most experts pick them as one of the teams who will be fighting for a playoff spot. Eventually though the Blazers will get respect if they do something to earn it. They did get Dame to an allstar team and 1st team all NBA, certainly no one disrespects him at this point. The rest of the team to some extent even CJ, Im not really sure theyve earned a ton of respect. Yeah they got the 3 seed last year and like I said they probably deserve a little more than they get but if those role players want to get respect their gonna have to go get it...

 

[BonesJones]

disrespect is what the Pelicans did to the Blazer role players, said you guys arent capable of beating us. The Blazers have made the playoffs 5 or 6(?) times in a row and I hesr most experts pick them as one of the teams who will be fighting for a playoff spot. Eventually though the Blazers will get respect if they do something to earn it. They did get Dame to an allstar team and 1st team all NBA, certainly no one disrespects him at this point. The rest of the team to some extent even CJ, Im not really sure theyve earned a ton of respect. Yeah they got the 3 seed last year and like I said they probably deserve a little more than they get but if those role players want to get respect their gonna have to go get it...

I'm talking about off-season respect. Playoffs are different than the regular season.

 

[kjironman1]

I'm talking about off-season respect. Playoffs are different than the regular season.

Well the Playoffs set the stage for the off season. If you don't earn respect in the playoffs you don't get it in the off season. Not sure any free agents were thinking they wanted to come to Portland after their dismal performance in the playoffs.

 

[BonesJones]

Well the Playoffs set the stage for the off season. If you don't earn respect in the playoffs you don't get it in the off season. Not sure any free agents were thinking they wanted to come to Portland after their dismal performance in the playoffs.

But the disrespect is in regard to people thinking we'll miss the playoffs. We're a fine regular season team and the coaching staff struggling in the playoffs doesnt affect that.

 

[ripcityboy]

But the disrespect is in regard to people thinking we'll miss the playoffs. We're a fine regular season team and the coaching staff struggling in the playoffs doesnt affect that.

You also don't get respect by having our star players take interviews at a steak house, saying shit like "Ain't Gunna Be Any More Layups." That's the kind of thing opposing fans are going to remember when they are laughing at us after the playoff loss.

Until we give the league a memorable WCF in the near future.... people don't owe us any respect.

 

[kjironman1]

But the disrespect is in regard to people thinking we'll miss the playoffs. We're a fine regular season team and the coaching staff struggling in the playoffs doesnt affect that.

I don't know. What i just watched didn't look good at all to me. No depth and they will struggle without Davis.

But lets hope you are right. This team need to improve and mature. That means they will struggle winning tight games and they will lose fourth quarter leads.

 

[BonesJones]

You also don't get respect by having our star players take interviews at a steak house, saying shit like "Ain't Gunna Be Any More Layups." That's the kind of thing opposing fans are going to remember when they are laughing at us after the playoff loss.

Until we give the league a memorable WCF in the near future.... people don't owe us any respect.

Sorry, but I'm speaking from a truly objectives educated, analytical viewpoint... not that of the average fan who formulated their opinions off that nights box score. The disrespect is coming from people who should know better, as well as some within our own fan base.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Sorry, but I'm speaking from a truly objectives educated, analytical viewpoint... not that of the average fan who formulated their opinions off that nights box score. The disrespect is coming from people who should know better, as well as some within our own fan base.

I get what your saying to an extent. I think the Blazers could finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th realistically, would you consider that disrespectful?
Like theres a lot of good / not great teams in the west that to me are fairly even talent wise. I’d be sort of surprised if Dame didnt get them in but the west is pretty loaded.

 

[ripcityboy]

Sorry, but I'm speaking from a truly objectives educated, analytical viewpoint... not that of the average fan who formulated their opinions off that nights box score. The disrespect is coming from people who should know better, as well as some within our own fan base.

Bones, it's NBA not cricket. Even the most analytical fan boy gets caught up in the offseason narratives. This league moves faster than almost any pro sport.

 

[BonesJones]

Bones, it's NBA not cricket. Even the most analytical fan boy gets caught up in the offseason narratives. This league moves faster than almost any pro sport.

Well, some people should be smart enough to be above group thought.

 

[BonesJones]

I get what your saying to an extent. I think the Blazers could finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th realistically, would you consider that disrespectful?
Like theres a lot of good / not great teams in the west that to me are fairly even talent wise. I’d be sort of surprised if Dame didnt get them in but the west is pretty loaded.

I agree. But pretty much everyone has us outside of the playoffs, which is ridiculous. If we were being thought of in a fair light, as many people would have us with HCA as would have us on the outside of the postseason picture.

 

[ripcityboy]

Well, some people should be smart enough to be above group thought.

When I meet this NBA equivalent to Peter Brant I will let you know.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I agree. But pretty much everyone has us outside of the playoffs, which is ridiculous. If we were being thought of in a fair light, as many people would have us with HCA as would have us on the outside of the postseason picture.

Well some things the national media post for “power rankings”, and all that just make no sense and it goes beyond the Blazers. I guess I get what you’re getting at. The Blazers always are an afterthought nationally.

 

[kjironman1]

I agree. But pretty much everyone has us outside of the playoffs, which is ridiculous. If we were being thought of in a fair light, as many people would have us with HCA as would have us on the outside of the postseason picture.

You seem so sure but you also seem to forget they were 2 games from being completely out of the playoffs last year. Not making the playoffs this year is not a stretch at all.
Or was it 3 games? you get the point right?

 

[BonesJones]

You seem so sure but you also seem to forget they were 2 games from being completely out of the playoffs last year. Not making the playoffs this year is not a stretch at all.
Or was it 3 games? you get the point right?

This response doesn't even fit what you're responding to...

You've thrown a fit about me being too negative before. This is ironic. I'm done having this conversation.

 

[kjironman1]

But pretty much everyone has us outside of the playoffs, which is ridiculous.

Sure it fits what i'm responding to.
The Blazers were fortunate to get the third seed last year. 3 games away from being completely out. They did not get better this year. It's not a stretch to have them out of the playoffs. Even more so if they have a few injuries.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Sure it fits what i'm responding to.
The Blazers were fortunate to get the third seed last year. 3 games away from being completely out. They did not get better this year. It's not a stretch to have them out of the playoffs. Even more so if they have a few injuries.

I dont get why we as fans say they were fortunate to get the 3 seed. They were like 4 games up before losing a ton of games at the end of the year. Yes the margin for error is pretty thin Im not disagreeing there, but say Dame doesnt have a baby and they get to 51 wins, are they still fortunate to be there? They pretty much backed into the playoffs.
After the day Dames child was born and his brother got shot the team and Dame never played the same and Im not trying to make an excuse for them, it just seems like weve written a narrative that it was just a fluke they got the 3 seed when to me they choked away games against teams trying to lose like Dallas and Memphis at the end of the year and they probably should have won 50+ games.

 

[BonesJones]

Sure it fits what i'm responding to.
The Blazers were fortunate to get the third seed last year. 3 games away from being completely out. They did not get better this year. It's not a stretch to have them out of the playoffs. Even more so if they have a few injuries.

Why were they fortunate? Because they have mor e durable players than other teams?

I'm not saying it's a stretch per se, but were in a group of 7 teams while the complete consensus is that were below that group.

 

[BonesJones]

I dont get why we as fans say they were fortunate to get the 3 seed. They were like 4 games up before losing a ton of games at the end of the year. Yes the margin for error is pretty thin Im not disagreeing there, but say Dame doesnt have a baby and they get to 51 wins, are they still fortunate to be there? They pretty much backed into the playoffs.
After the day Dames child was born and his brother got shot the team and Dame never played the same and Im not trying to make an excuse for them, it just seems like weve written a narrative that it was just a fluke they got the 3 seed when to me they choked away games against teams trying to lose like Dallas and Memphis at the end of the year and they probably should have won 50+ games.

We a lso couldve played mj ch better the 1st half of the year...

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

We a lso couldve played mj ch better the 1st half of the year...

Yeah but they seem to have made a habit of screwing around the 1st half of the year lol.