I guess our window is 3 years from now through about 6 years from now, when CJ/Dame/Crabbe are 28-30... by then the Spurs/Warriors/Clippers could all be weaker.
Yeah I agree. This year and next year are rebuilding years. The year after that in 2017-18 season will be a more critical point. We don't necessarily have to be a contender that year but we need to have the foundation of a team that could be contending soon. Lillard will be 27 and close to his apex as a player. Months ago I had thought that will really be the point when the franchise decides if we are contending with Dame or even entertain the unthinkable of trading him for picks and doing a longer term rebuild.
The Blazers playing .500 ball right now makes it seem very likely we will be trying to compete then. But much will change in those two years; look at the Suns a few seasons ago. They were winning 50 games with a roster expected to be in the lottery, had a stockpile of draft assets and an innovative coach of the year. It all fell apart to now being one of the worst teams with few young assets.
When this season started Dame and Meyers were the only Blazers with more than two years on the team. So we'll have to see what other draft, free agent and trade acquisitions Neil puts together. How does the Lillard & CJ duo work long term? I'm excited to see if it can be more effective than all doubters think. It allows the roster to have unique players at the frontcourt spots with limited offensive skills. Very few thought a team such as the Warriors can win shooting so many threes or with Draymond at Center two years ago. Creativity and innovation can build a contender. Teams need to build through their own unique strengths not try to follow an exact Spurs, Warriors, Heat blueprint. Those teams won titles doing what they do well not following what another team did well.
The NBA landscape changes so much faster than we expect. Look at what many though of Houston, Miami, Memphis, and our Blazers a year and a half ago. There will be a number of current contenders that are unexpectely completely dismantled such as one of OKC, Clippers, or Bulls. Some young teams will shock us and compete for home court such as one of the Jazz, Pistons, or Magic.