single biggest need for the Blazers.

[Further]

I was talking with friends and everyone had a different idea about what the most important upgrade for the Blazers was. The Blazers need an upgrade at PG, C and shooting the long ball. Which is most important for the Blazers.

Another way to look at it is that the Blazers have limitecd assets to use in any trade. If they are to use the bulk of those assets to improve one thing, what should it be.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Young player at any position with the chance to be a star in this league

 

[julius]

Young player at any position with the chance to be a star in this league

what!? you didn't say "coach"?

 

[barfo]

They need barfo at the GM position.

barfo

 

[Nikolokolus]

Talent?

 

[barfo]

Talent?

Yes, I have talent.

barfo

 

[Mediocre Man]

what!? you didn't say "coach"?

Doesn't that go without saying?

 

[mgb]

I was talking with friends and everyone had a different idea about what the most important upgrade for the Blazers was. The Blazers need an upgrade at PG, C and shooting the long ball. Which is most important for the Blazers.

Another way to look at it is that the Blazers have limitecd assets to use in any trade. If they are to use the bulk of those assets to improve one thing, what should it be.

I would add a backup PF to your list.

 

[Blazer Freak]

I think there are 2 ways you can look at this.

1)Short-term, I'm talking next season, we need a dead-eye shooter. This was definitely what hurt us the most this season, as having one makes it that much easier for LMA downlow.

2) Long-term, our biggest need is definitely to get a PG that will be a starter in 2-3 years. This is definitely the draft to get one IMO. There are quite a few guys I feel have potential to be starting quality PG's. Selby, Reggie Jackson, Shumpert all have potential to be starters, especially playing behind 'Dre for a year or two.

 

[illmatic99]

In order of importance:

1. Closer
2. Size
3. Better defensive principles
4. Consistency from the bench

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

It all depends.

If Oden can play a decent amount of minutes then I'd say back up PF to rest LA or a serious PG upgrade.

 

[MickZagger]

Best player available. Never draft to feel positional needs. At least IMO.

 

[Natebishop3]

It really depends on who is playing where.

Is Aldridge a center?

Is Wallace the power forward?

Which lineup are we going with?

Is it

Miller
Matthews
Batum
Wallace
Aldridge?

Is it

Miller
Matthews
Wallace
Aldridge
Camby

Are we up tempo or halfcourt? In an uptempo I could see Wallace and Aldridge starting together in the frontcourt... but if we're halfcourt I don't see it happening. I like Miller's game a lot, and I think he could play at least another year at a high level, so I'd say center is the biggest question right now. I don't think Camby is a starter anymore. Oden is still questionable as well, so who plays center for us? Aldridge? If LMA is the center, who is power forward?

Someone was talking about a trade idea that would net Bargs, Calderon and the 5th from Toronto. That would be interesting. Let's say we make that trade and draft a pointguard like Knight or Walker. We could slide Bargs to the power forward and start Aldridge at center.

Knight/Calderon
Matthews/Roy/Williams
Wallace/Babbitt
Bargnani
Aldridge

I don't know if I like that lineup in the short term, but it gives us some insurance in case Oden doesn't come back and we get a PGOTF in the process. I just don't know if it fits into PA's "win now" philosophy. I think we need a dynamic guard in the backcourt, whether at PG or SG. Right now we don't have a dynamic guard at either position. The current NBA is heavily centered around teams with dynamic guards... Rose, Wade, Paul, Williams, etc. Can Knight or Walker be that guy?

 

[barfo]

It really depends on who is playing where.

Is Aldridge a center?

Is Wallace the power forward?

Which lineup are we going with?

Is it

Miller
Matthews
Batum
Wallace
Aldridge?

Is it

Miller
Matthews
Wallace
Aldridge
Camby

It is
Miller
Matthews
Wallace
Aldridge
Oden

barfo

 

[BrianFromWA]

It is:

Rookie PG (unless we trade Andre at the draft, he gets cut, and we resign him as a UFA. Then Rookie PG can be backup until he's better than Andre)
Matthews/Roy
Wallace
LMA
Oden

Big needs: Greg's 32mpg for 70 games.
Roy to channel his inner Korver/Miller/James Jones/Redick and become a 43% 3pt shooter.
LMA to maintain LaMonster

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

If you can grab Knight I'd then turn and package him along with other assets/picks to Boston for Rondo and see if they bite.

 

[maxiep]

Our biggest need? Health.

If this team were healthy, we'd be up 2-1 against MIA right now.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

Consistency. With 3 point shots, poise, commitment, everything. This means more veteran role players and less draft picks.

 

[BrianFromWA]

it's tough to magically make veterans appear on your team, especially when you're limited to the MLE and the burning desire of a player to come to Portland...where there aren't any Turkish restaurants.

One way is to trade for them, but that's tough to do when you don't have cheap young players to give up in trade along with expiring contracts and the like. So, since young, cheap talent is the only currency we get to play with to bring veterans to the team, using the draft effectively is pretty dang important.

 

[Natebishop3]

it's tough to magically make veterans appear on your team, especially when you're limited to the MLE and the burning desire of a player to come to Portland...where there aren't any Turkish restaurants.

One way is to trade for them, but that's tough to do when you don't have cheap young players to give up in trade along with expiring contracts and the like. So, since young, cheap talent is the only currency we get to play with to bring veterans to the team, using the draft effectively is pretty dang important.

That's why it's tough to let guys like Miller, Camby, and even Juwan Howard last season leave the team. We just don't have enough of that veteran experience.

 

[STOMP]

single biggest need for the Blazers?

A. For GO (and the main players on the team) to have put the injuries behind him

If they're all relatively healthy, the current roster would be an elite squad next season. Going forward I've little doubt that they could find a quality player to be Miller's successor as their frontcourt and the opportunity to be with an elite squad would attract established talent via FA... I'd think their MLE would be enough.

STOMP

 

[MARIS61]

A new owner is the biggest need.

PA shoots himself in the foot every time this team starts to make progress.

He refuses to hire people with basketball knowledge, and thinks a title team can be built with money in a year or two. He has attempted 4-5 blow-up and rebuilds, but always loses patience before the teams age and mature. He's the classic example of too much money/not enough common sense.

This team has been junior league ever since the day Sabas left.

 

[magnifier661]

Oden

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Oden

Exactly. There is not a single change that we could make this offseason that could be as impactful as a healthy Oden.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

big greg beasting would be the top need imo

 

[blazerboy30]

They need barfo at the GM position.

barfo

Why? Barfo would just try to spread out and redistribute our assets to the rest of the teams in the league in the name of "fairness".

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Why? Barfo would just try to spread out and redistribute our assets to the rest of the teams in the league in the name of "fairness".

 

[PapaG]

The team's biggest need is a single vision in the front office, and not a bunch of Yes Men paralyzed into inaction in fear of the whims of the petulant manchild who is their boss. People say how lucky we all are to have Paul Allen as the owner, yet the team hasn't been to an NBA Finals in 20 years, in large part due to Allen's erractic and uneven management group.

 

[Draco]

I believe it's outside shooting. If we had just been an average team from 3 in the playoffs, just able to shoot 34% I believe we would've won against Dallas and given LA all they could handle.

It severely hurts our team not having a guard who can keep the defense from packing it inside. People talk about what a beast LaMarcus was for a few months earlier this year; a large part of that was Wesley and Batum being hot from 3 and Dante hitting the midrange jumper alongside LaMarcus. Having Miller, Camby, Wallace, and a cold shooting Wes/Batum doesn't give LA the opportunity to go one on one inside.

 

[craigehlo]

In the post-Roy era this team need a player that's a legit threat from outside that can also get to the FT line with regularity.