Tank Now

[Cugel]

Play as hard as you can but don’t even think of pushing Deni scoot etc and those recovering from injuries. If they can only play 4 min every third game then you deal with it. No more injuries

 

[SharpesTriumph]

You are missing that they can trade the lotto pick in 2026 which is supposed to be a much stronger draft than 2027. A lotto pick this offseason is going to be worth more in trade than future unknown picks.

Also, I don't see a scenario where we trade up to 7 picks.

We need to target one star and bring them in while keeping Deni.

It's debatable that benefit is worth the cost - keep the 2026 pick and we risk the unprotected Bucks 2028 pick swap which is looking like it has a chance to be #1 overall. Also clearly lose the 2027 or 2028 pick.

Personally I'd rather just move on and have the Blazers own all their picks. Nice bonus that it would mean we get to watch some Blazer playoff games.

If you prefer we get a 5th year of a Blazers mediocre lottery pick and can try to collect another Yang - guess your free to root for that.

 

[GoZers]

If I thought they were any good at tanking, the answer is yes, tank. I do not think Cronin et al will do it. I am not sure why. They seem very good at hovering in that in-between place of winning and losing. The team as-is isnt good enough to do anything worthwhile in the postseason obviously. It is a very good draft. 1 + 1 = 2.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

If the Blazers miss the playoffs here in 2026 - will some of you still root for tanking in 2027?

I remember hearing how tanking was a one year deal because of Dame injury, then the second season was the final one to pair an asset with Dame, then one year post Dame traded before we try to build with the Scoot+Sharpe duo, then last year it was the final year before we had a final big push to win. This year was supposed to be a push to win but you have tons of posters now hoping for tanking. It seems like the posters here who want tanking just search for a new reason to desire it every single season?

The only way the Blazers actually gain a net pick is if they miss the playoffs in all of 2026, 2027 and 2028.

This would mean being in the lottery for every single one of the 7 seasons since Olshey was GM. Personally I don't want to see that, but I guess some fans here are so used to the pain of tanking they've grown to strongly desire it.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

If we were going to tank this year and next year we really should have just traded away Deni at the deadline for picks. Could have got a much bigger haul than what we gave up for him. His cheap contract is an enormous benefit to a contender but doesn't really matter at all if the team is tanking.

Maybe some fans posting here will want to see Deni traded in the summer and the Blazers improve their position to tank for 2027 and 2028?

 

[GoZers]

If the Blazers miss the playoffs here in 2026 - will some of you still root for tanking in 2027?

The only way the Blazers actually gain a net pick is if they miss the playoffs in all of 2026, 2027 and 2028.

This would mean being in the lottery for every single one of the 7 seasons since Olshey was GM. Personally I don't want to see that, but I guess some fans here are so used to the pain of tanking they've grown to strongly desire it.

If they start off under .500 again halfway through the season, have random mysterious injuries, make no moves to improve significantly and fuck up their first round draft pick again? Sure. Tank away.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Tanking is for losers.

We're not a winning team. Pretending to be isn't likely to help us very much. Just like it didn't help us very much last year.

 

[Phatguysrule]

If we were going to tank this year and next year we really should have just traded away Deni at the deadline for picks. Could have got a much bigger haul than what we gave up for him. His cheap contract is an enormous benefit to a contender but doesn't really matter at all if the team is tanking.

Maybe some fans posting here will want to see Deni traded in the summer and the Blazers improve their position to tank for 2027 and 2028?

I'm not sure getting Deni when we did was the right move at the right time.

On its face it was fantastic.

So yeah, you might be right.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

It's debatable that benefit is worth the cost - keep the 2026 pick and we risk the unprotected Bucks 2028 pick swap which is looking like it has a chance to be #1 overall. Also clearly lose the 2027 or 2028 pick.

Personally I'd rather just move on and have the Blazers own all their picks. Nice bonus that it would mean we get to watch some Blazer playoff games.

If you prefer we get a 5th year of a Blazers mediocre lottery pick and can try to collect another Yang - guess your free to root for that.

You've responded to me many times in regards to this. I'm not wanting a lottery pick (and to call it mediocre is disingenuous). I want to use the lottery pick to acquire a player (and move a contract like Grant, and even Scoot if it gets us someone back we really want) that would help us make the playoffs next year.

If we get a star in the offseason because of it, your concerns of 2027 are moot as long as we don't have our team all fall to injury.

I'm sure Chicago would gladly take a 2027 lotto pick anyways. Even if we missed the playoffs we can go to them and try to negotiate it down.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Would you prefer the Blazers have 7 picks or 4?

Here are the future picks the Blazers have available to trade after the draft if they miss the playoffs (4 picks and 3 swaps);
2028 Orlando unprotected pick
2029 Blazers/Celtics/Bucks unprotected pick (only 1 of 2)
2031 Blazers unprotected pick
2033 Blazers unprotected pick
2030 Bucks unprotected swap
2030 Blazers unprotected swap
2032 Blazers unprotected swap

Here are the picks available if the Blazers MAKE the playoffs (7 picks and 6 swaps);
2027 Blazers unprotected pick
2028 Blazers unprotected pick
2028 Orlando unprotected pick
2029 Blazers/Celtics/Bucks unprotected pick (only 1 of 2)
2029 Blazers/Celtics/Bucks unprotected pick (#2 of 2)
2031 Blazers unprotected pick
2033 Blazers unprotected pick
2027 Blazers unprotected swap
2028 Bucks unprotected swap
2028 Blazers unprotected swap
2030 Bucks unprotected swap
2030 Blazers unprotected swap
2032 Blazers unprotected swap

So basically the Blazers keeping their pick now costs them 3 picks and 3 swaps. I'd rather just send it to Chicago this summer and finally be done with the era of Neil Olshey!

I must be missing something. How does missing the playoffs this year cost us three picks and 3 swaps?

 

[Phatguysrule]

Bollocks. Play to win, period.

The players should always play to win. Always. No exceptions.

 

[Phatguysrule]

You are missing that they can trade the lotto pick in 2026 which is supposed to be a much stronger draft than 2027. A lotto pick this offseason is going to be worth more in trade than future unknown picks.

Also, I don't see a scenario where we trade up to 7 picks.

We need to target one star and bring them in while keeping Deni.

I feel like I've heard the Blazers say this kind of thing before? For like a decade...

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I feel like I've heard the Blazers say this kind of thing before? For like a decade...

in my opinion the stars are aligning. We can always swing and miss, but it feels like players are being traded more easily these days. We also have a nice mixture of young players and vets. To a team rebuilding, we can swap one of our young players, picks, contracts for their vet that doesnt fit the squad anymore.

If Dame looks like he can return and fill it up. Make the deal. We need more talent.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I must be missing something. How does missing the playoffs this year cost us three picks and 3 swaps?

Because continuing to owe our pick to Chicago locks up and prevents all of those 3 picks and 3 swaps from being traded. Its not that we'll lose all of them - its that we could lose any one of them so none can be traded. We would lose one of them - so keeping our 2026 pick doesn't net us a pick in the long term as some falsely believe. It's a debt we have to pay off.

Its like saying making a mortgage payment on your house decreases your net worth. It doesn't - it decreases an asset you own (cash) but decreases a liability you owe (loan). Sometimes its nice to not have to track and plan for a bunch of debts though as well as all the restrictions/fees they have.

The unprotected 2028 Bucks swap is the biggest thing we could potentially lose - as our 2028 pick that is required for that swap could potentially go to Chicago.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I feel like I've heard the Blazers say this kind of thing before? For like a decade...

Yeah we have MORE picks available to trade if we make the playoffs - so the idea we need to keep the 2026 pick to have the assets to trade for a star is just flat false. But some fans seem to want to use that false line of thinking to justify rooting for tanking.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Yeah we have MORE picks available to trade if we make the playoffs - so the idea we need to keep the 2026 pick to have the assets to trade for a star is just flat false. But some fans seem to want to use that false line of thinking to justify rooting for tanking.

If we don't make the playoffs until 2028 that becomes a 2nd rounder.

If we traded Deni for draft picks I'm not sure we would make the playoffs before 2028. Probably wouldn't.

But we'd probably be absolutely loaded with talent from then on.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Yeah we have MORE picks available to trade if we make the playoffs - so the idea we need to keep the 2026 pick to have the assets to trade for a star is just flat false. But some fans seem to want to use that false line of thinking to justify rooting for tanking.

The line of thinking that a lotto pick this year in a supposed loaded draft is more valuable than unknown picks in the future is not false. Gms don't always have 10 years in order to see through their trades.

Nor is that fact that we won't trade 7 picks anyways.

 

[wizenheimer]

I must be missing something. How does missing the playoffs this year cost us three picks and 3 swaps?

it doesn't

he's counting 26-27-28 as both picks and swaps (can't be both). Each one of those picks is protected 15-30. But the picks OR swaps are unprotected 1-14. Teams trade those all the time. If the Blazers would have been offering their 2026 draft pick protected 15-30 before this trade deadline it would have had pretty high value for teams betting the Blazers won't make it out of the play-in this year. Would have been a real solid bet for another team. Right now, the Blazers have an 18% chance at the playoffs. An 82% chance at a lottery pick is a good bet

 

[Cugel]

I suspect Deni wants to win. Period. There is no guarantee he will want to stay with a crappy organization tanking perpetually.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I suspect Deni wants to win. Period. There is no guarantee he will want to stay with a crappy organization tanking perpetually.

We don't have to overtly tank. We stink.

 

[Everything Beagle]

Tanking is for losers.

Tanking is for liars. A bad team will lose honestly.

 

[BassPlaya]

Tanking is for liars. A bad team will lose honestly.

Whose chooses or defines "Liars"?

 

[GoZers]

What makes people think we can or will get a “Star” via trade if we include a first round pick or two? What has Cronin done to come remotely close to bringing in a star or showing he has any interest in doing so. Deni was not a star.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

What makes people think we can or will get a “Star” via trade if we include a first round pick or two? What has Cronin done to come remotely close to bringing in a star or showing he has any interest in doing so. Deni was not a star.

For 1 he will have a new owner.

I also think the time is finally right.

Lastly, was he not rumored to be going for Giannis ?

 

[BBert]

Tank? Too late. Scoot's back.

 

[BBert]

What makes people think we can or will get a “Star” via trade if we include a first round pick or two? What has Cronin done to come remotely close to bringing in a star or showing he has any interest in doing so. Deni was not a star.

Deni is an all star. Cronin brought him in. For cheap.

 

[GoZers]

Deni is an all star. Cronin brought him in. For cheap.

Deni was not a star in this league when they acquired him. Not close.

 

[kjironman1]

Was saying this in October.

 

[PCmor7]

If I thought they were any good at tanking, the answer is yes, tank. I do not think Cronin et al will do it. I am not sure why. They seem very good at hovering in that in-between place of winning and losing. The team as-is isnt good enough to do anything worthwhile in the postseason obviously. It is a very good draft. 1 + 1 = 2.

I think because it's hard to tank in the position the Blazers are in right now.

They've drafted well. They've gotten pretty close to the best player available in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and rolled the dice on a high risk prospect with an astronomical upside while mitigating the risk by getting another first rounder back in trading down. They managed to steal an all-defensive team player and got a younger player that had been undervalued by the team that drafted him and turned out to be one of the best players in the league. They signed an undrafted guy who has a shot to make the all-rookie team.

It's hard to sit all of those guys with fake injuries or being careful with minor injuries. You also can't tell them to go out and lose. They're learning the game. That makes it hard to tank. The Blazers probably will be in the lottery again this year. It's looking more like we'll be one of the four teams eliminated in the play-ins, but with a little bad luck, we could slip to 11th in the West. This front office has done a solid job about finding guys and maximizing value on return -- the Krecji trade looks another example of a guy that just needed to see the floor and fit a style.

About the only alternative to sitting all the young guys any more than we have would be trading one or two of them just to lose, but that puts you back even further. The Blazers just got into a position where they have to play things out.