Spoke too soon?

[PDXFonz]

Blazers 4-0 since fielding players from the trades we’ve made. Haven’t watched the games, but on the box score this is the most noticeable to me.

In the 4 games the Blazers have committed 51 turnovers for an average of 12.75 per game which is a big difference compared to the 10 per quarter we seemed to be averaging.

It’s amazing what a difference it makes.

Did we actually come out of these trades better? Is Ant replacing CJ like CJ getting playing time after we lost LMA and Wes?

Freeing up cap space is sounding better and better if it turns out that the chemistry with this group is significantly better; even if they fizzle out a bit.

Some of you may remember, I’m always anti-tank. I’d like to see us feel like we can do something even as an 8th seed.

Were people (such as myself) who didn’t feel good about the current situation getting ahead of themselves?

Might be interesting to see how we handle the rest of the season looking at how we’ve played better in this short stretch.

 

[calvin natt]

They’re doing great but I still think winning these games isn’t good long term.

 

[PDXFonz]

They’re doing great but I still think winning these games isn’t good long term.

How many years is your long term? Are you thinking of going young and rebuilding that way?

I hope we are able to get some quality FA’s or facilitate some trades to put some quality vets around Dame. Drummond is a FA isn’t he? I don’t even know exactly what the FA list this summer looks like.

 

[Natebishop3]

The Norm trade was still really bad.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

The Norm trade was still really bad.

This. You don’t have to always maximize your assets, but you don’t dump them, either.

 

[Natebishop3]

This. You don’t have to always maximize your assets, but you don’t dump them, either.

I do like Winslow though.

 

[Cugel]

You can't ask guys to miss shots. Each of those guys wants to get paid and if they happen to be killing it, fuck it. Down 2 starters including an all star, and starting CJ FUCKING ELLEBY. Still winning. Fuck it. If a team like Memphis can't beat these "scrubs" then they have work to do.

 

[OneSport3]

The Norm trade was still really bad.

I’ll take Winslow for Norm straight up today.

 

[calvin natt]

How many years is your long term? Are you thinking of going young and rebuilding that way?

I hope we are able to get some quality FA’s or facilitate some trades to put some quality vets around Dame. Drummond is a FA isn’t he? I don’t even know exactly what the FA list this summer looks like.

Yes. Build around Little and Simons. Not as your best players but keep the young dudes. Draft even better young dudes with high pick(s). Deal Lillard for stud young guy or two and let them all develop over the next three years or so. Add vets then.

 

[Natebishop3]

I’ll take Winslow for Norm straight up today.

Norm is a really solid #3 scorer on a playoff team.

Winslow is maybe a #4 or #5.

They're really not comparable. I don't think Norm is really an All-Star but he's a good player. We just played him out of position. It's not his fault. He still put up really good numbers.

 

[blazerkor]

They’re doing great but I still think winning these games isn’t good long term.

If we had lost all of the games after the trade deadline then I'd be in agreement with you but that is obviously not what has happened or will happen. So now winning the most games is the best thing long term because I would much rather convey our first rounder this year to the Bulls and free up all of our future firsts to improve the team with. I mean what's more valuable when trying to build a contender the 10th-14th pick in an average draft or three future firsts. Obviously the three future firsts have more value... along with the value of getting to see what Dame looks like with this squad before the off season comes and playoff experience for these guys.

The long term benefits are in wins now. Look at the schedule from March 20th to April 7th. The way these guys are playing and with the fact that Dame will be three weeks past his prescribed recovery period, do those eleven games seem like games we can tank? It actually seems really likely right now that we have an eleven game win streak during that time and with AD's injury tonight and being only 3.5 games back from a Clippers team ravaged by injuries, we have a great shot at getting into the 7/8 play in game and getting the seventh seed. With the exception of Dame and Nurk, this is a really young team that can use the playoff experience.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

They’re doing great but I still think winning these games isn’t good long term.

In the long term we'll all be dead so fuck it.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I’ll take Winslow for Norm straight up today.

So then would you trade Roco for Eric Bledsoe? Ughhh.

If you break up the Clippers trade it's two horrible trades. Wow.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

There is a very real possibility that we finish ahead of the Lakers.

They're about to lose 4 in a row, while we have won 4 in a row.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Yes. Build around Little and Simons. Not as your best players but keep the young dudes. Draft even better young dudes with high pick(s). Deal Lillard for stud young guy or two and let them all develop over the next three years or so. Add vets then.

And what is the result of all of that, try to make the playin?

Ant has star potential. Dame is a star. 10 years of tanking might not get another one.

 

[PCmor7]

Norm is a really solid #3 scorer on a playoff team.

Winslow is maybe a #4 or #5.

They're really not comparable. I don't think Norm is really an All-Star but he's a good player. We just played him out of position. It's not his fault. He still put up really good numbers.

Winslow's evolution as a player isn't to be a scorer. He passes. He defends every position. He sets screens. He rebounds. The only thing he doesn't do is score, but he's a glue guy. That's his value.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Norm is a really solid #3 scorer on a playoff team.

Winslow is maybe a #4 or #5.

They're really not comparable. I don't think Norm is really an All-Star but he's a good player. We just played him out of position. It's not his fault. He still put up really good numbers.

It’s not all about scoring though. I’ll take Winslow (and Keon) over Norm/RoCo. We’re seeing in Winslow everything we thought we’d get from RoCo and more. Keon will be better than Norm. By the way, Clippers are 0-3 with Norm.

 

[Chris Craig]

Winslow's evolution as a player isn't to be a scorer. He passes. He defends every position. He sets screens. He rebounds. The only thing he doesn't do is score, but he's a glue guy. That's his value.

He scores sometimes

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Winslow's evolution as a player isn't to be a scorer. He passes. He defends every position. He sets screens. He rebounds. The only thing he doesn't do is score, but he's a glue guy. That's his value.

He scores too in a complementary way. Had 16 tonight.

 

[blazerfan11]

If we had lost all of the games after the trade deadline then I'd be in agreement with you but that is obviously not what has happened or will happen. So now winning the most games is the best thing long term because I would much rather convey our first rounder this year to the Bulls and free up all of our future firsts to improve the team with. I mean what's more valuable when trying to build a contender the 10th-14th pick in an average draft or three future firsts. Obviously the three future firsts have more value... along with the value of getting to see what Dame looks like with this squad before the off season comes and playoff experience for these guys.

The long term benefits are in wins now. Look at the schedule from March 20th to April 7th. The way these guys are playing and with the fact that Dame will be three weeks past his prescribed recovery period, do those eleven games seem like games we can tank? It actually seems really likely right now that we have an eleven game win streak during that time and with AD's injury tonight and being only 3.5 games back from a Clippers team ravaged by injuries, we have a great shot at getting into the 7/8 play in game and getting the seventh seed. With the exception of Dame and Nurk, this is a really young team that can use the playoff experience.

And Nurk isn't old. He's 27. Josh Hart is 26.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Winslow's evolution as a player isn't to be a scorer. He passes. He defends every position. He sets screens. He rebounds. The only thing he doesn't do is score, but he's a glue guy. That's his value.

It's an overblown meme that some players can guard 1-5. However, Winslow's our best defender against LeBron and tonight he was assigned to guard Ja.

 

[PCmor7]

It's an overblown meme that some players can guard 1-5. However, Winslow's our best defender against LeBron and tonight he was assigned to guard Ja.

Exactly.

 

[Cugel]

Are there examples of teams that tanked going on to win championships within a year or two? I am not a NBA historian. With GSW, they already had 3 all-nba players waiting in the wings. They knew that going into this season. Philly tanked for years and is still a fucking mess but a strong team.

Is building chemistry this year more important than that second draft pick (assuming here that Portland does land the Pels pick)?

 

[PCmor7]

He scores too in a complementary way. Had 16 tonight.

He's a DAWG. He gets points through hustle, his bigger contributions are in other ways. However it works, he seems to be find what his game is here, and I'm hoping it keeps tracking this way and he gains confidence in other aspects moving forward. I really thought he was going to be a star coming out of college. He isn't a star. He might be a winner, though.

 

[OneSport3]

So then would you trade Roco for Eric Bledsoe? Ughhh.

Indifferent. RoCo is a bench/role player that was on an expiring contract. No team would give you any assets for him. On a team that doesn’t have Kawhi Leonard, Paul George or Norman Powell, RoCo is still coming off the bench for the Lakers.

As far as Bledsoe, they were probably trying to use his contract at the deadline for a trade (maybe part of a Grant trade) that just didn’t pan out. And the fact that only $4M of his contract is guaranteed next season, it was low risk move.

 

[PCmor7]

He scores sometimes

Yes, but his points don't often come in having plays run for him. It's not his calling card. That's what I'm saying. His scoring won't carry a team, but what he does in other areas might.

 

[calvin natt]

And what is the result of all of that, try to make the playin?

Ant has star potential. Dame is a star. 10 years of tanking might not get another one.

I’m not following anything you are saying. The “result” would hopefully not be making a play in game. Ten years of tanking? What?

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I do like Winslow though.

I do too. A lot. Always been a fan, but he just has never pulled it together fully (and he's battled through some injuries).

#justiseforportlandFAMS

 

[wizenheimer]

Are there examples of teams that tanked going on to win championships within a year or two? I am not a NBA historian. With GSW, they already had 3 all-nba players waiting in the wings. They knew that going into this season. Philly tanked for years and is still a fucking mess but a strong team.

Is building chemistry this year more important than that second draft pick (assuming here that Portland does land the Pels pick)?

probably not for a 12th or 13th pick. But an 8th seed in the lottery with a shot at a top-4 pick changes the equation quite a bit

 

[Strenuus]

Anyone saying to trade dame now... I just can't even compute that.